Written questions by Allister.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 20 March 2025 to Question 37521 on Import controls, on what date the border control posts will become operational.

In line with the commitments we have made under the Windsor Framework, SPS inspection facilities are already operational in Northern Ireland at the ports of Foyle (18 April 25) and Warrenpoint (20 June 25). Construction and preparation of the new facilities are well underway at Belfast and Larne, and they are scheduled to be operationally ready at the end of July 2025.

What steps he is taking to help ensure the independence of the Independent Review of the Windsor Framework during the review process.

I would refer the Hon Member to the answer given by my Rt Hon Friend the Paymaster General of 22 January 2025 (UIN 24053).

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 20 March 2025 to Question 37521 on Import Controls: Northern Ireland, whether EU officials have assessed the completed border control posts.

EU officials have assessed the SPS facilities at Foyle and Warrenpoint, we await their formal report.

When he received the Independent Review of the Windsor Framework; and when he plans to publish it.

The Government expects to receive the final report of the Independent Review of the Windsor Framework by 9 July, and the first report of the Independent Monitoring Panel in the coming weeks. Following receipt, the Government will then proceed with the publication of the respective reports in line with its existing commitments to do so.

When he received the report from the Independent Monitoring Panel relating to the operation of the UK internal market; and when he plans to publish it.

The Government expects to receive the final report of the Independent Review of the Windsor Framework by 9 July, and the first report of the Independent Monitoring Panel in the coming weeks. Following receipt, the Government will then proceed with the publication of the respective reports in line with its existing commitments to do so.

What consideration he has given to including the electricity imported to Northern Ireland through the Moyle interconnector to Northern Ireland's renewable targets.

Energy policy is a transferred matter in Northern Ireland, falling within the legislative competence of the Northern Ireland Assembly and the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Executive. Accordingly, the setting and defining of renewable energy targets is a matter for the relevant Northern Ireland Executive Ministers. Electricity interconnectors, such as the Moyle interconnector, can provide a number of benefits including: enabling access to lower-cost electricity; enhancing security of supply; supporting decarbonisation; and increasing system flexibility.

Whether she is taking steps to prevent people smuggling at the border from Ireland into Northern Ireland.

Journeys from Ireland to the UK are within the Common Travel Area (CTA). As part of the CTA arrangements, the UK does not operate routine immigration controls of individuals arriving in the UK by air or sea from within the CTA, and no immigration checks are undertaken at the land border with Ireland.The UK does however operate intelligence-led operational activity on CTA routes – away from the land border. This is to detect those who intend to abuse CTA arrangements. Operational activity must be targeted and supported by specific intelligence of CTA abuse.There is a high level of cooperation on migration and border security between all members of the CTA (UK, Ireland, and the Crown Dependencies) to identify and tackle migration trends as they emerge.Everyone entering the UK, regardless of where they enter from, is required to meet UK’s immigration requirements. Anyone identified attempting to circumvent UK border controls is liable to be detained and, if they are not lawfully present within the UK, removed.

What steps she is taking to ensure that EU citizens do not move from the Republic of Ireland to become resident in (a) Northern Ireland and (b) the rest of the UK.

Journeys from Ireland to the UK are within the Common Travel Area (CTA). As part of the CTA arrangements, the UK does not operate routine immigration controls of individuals arriving in the UK by air or sea from within the CTA, and no immigration checks are undertaken at the land border with Ireland.The UK does however operate intelligence-led operational activity on CTA routes – away from the land border. This is to detect those who intend to abuse CTA arrangements. Operational activity must be targeted and supported by specific intelligence of CTA abuse.There is a high level of cooperation on migration and border security between all members of the CTA (UK, Ireland, and the Crown Dependencies) to identify and tackle migration trends as they emerge.Everyone entering the UK, regardless of where they enter from, is required to meet UK’s immigration requirements. Anyone identified attempting to circumvent UK border controls is liable to be detained and, if they are not lawfully present within the UK, removed.

How many (a) Romanians and (b) Roma are resident in (i) Northern Ireland and (ii) North Antrim constituency.

Obtaining the specific information requested would involve collating and verifying information from multiple systems owned by multiple teams across various departments and, therefore, could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

What steps he is taking to ensure access to omaveloxolone for adults with Friedreich’s ataxia.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave to the Hon Member for East Antrim on 21 May 2025, to Question 52613.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 19 May 2025 to Question 53437 on Republic of Ireland: Omagh Bombing Inquiry, on what date the Memorandum of Understanding was cleared by his Department.

I refer the Honourable Member to the Answer of 23 May 2025 to Question 53437.

What assessment he has made of the effect of the SPS agreement with the EU of 19 May 2025 on the requirement for (a) customs declarations and (b) inspections for the trade of sanitary and phytosanitary goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.

The new Windsor Framework customs arrangements introduced on 1 May will remain in place, in addition to the arrangements agreed in the SPS deal. The arrangements introduced on May 1 ensure that goods sent to or from consumers will not be subject to customs declarations or duty. The Government has also introduced a range of schemes to support businesses by removing unnecessary checks and paperwork; over 10,000 businesses are already signed up to the UK Internal Market Scheme.The new UK-EU Common Understanding agrees to remove a broad and wide-ranging set of requirements for sanitary and phytosanitary goods and plants moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland. When implemented, there will be no need for SPS paperwork such as health certificates to move agrifood or plant products to Northern Ireland, no mandatory identity or physical checks on those goods, no need for Plant Health Labels when moving plants for planting, seed potatoes, and used agricultural machinery, and no bans on ‘high risk’ plants. The continued application of the Windsor Framework would provide for Northern Ireland maintaining its privileged unique dual access to both the European Union Single Market and the United Kingdom internal market.

What function will the border posts being built at Northern Ireland’s ports now perform in light of the UK-EU deal.

This will depend on the final shape of a deal, however, the Government is clear that its priority is to reduce barriers to trade and red tape at the border.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the UK-EU deal on the (a) applicability and (b) operation of the Official Controls Regulation (EU) 2017/625 in Northern Ireland.

The Government has agreed in its new Common Understanding with the EU a new SPS agreement which makes it easier for food and drink to be imported and exported by reducing the red tape that placed burdens on businesses and led to lengthy lorry queues at the border. This agreement will have no time limit, giving vital certainty to businesses. The SPS Agreement will facilitate the smooth flow of agrifood and plants from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, protecting the UK’s internal market, reducing costs for businesses and improving consumer choice by applying a consistent regulatory framework for official controls across the United Kingdom. There will be no need for SPS paperwork such as health certificates to move agrifood or plant products to Northern Ireland, no mandatory identity and physical checks on those goods, no need for Plant Health Labels when moving plants for planting, seed potatoes, and used agricultural machinery, and no bans on ‘high risk’ plants.

Which Ulster-Scots groups he has met; when those meetings took place; which Ulster-Scots groups he has visited; and when he visited them.

Since my appointment, I have met with a range of language groups in Northern Ireland, including the Ulster-Scots Agency.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when the Memorandum of Understanding between Omagh Bombing Inquiry and the Government of Ireland relating to the Disclosure of Materials, published on 15 April 2025, was cleared by his Department.

The Memorandum of Understanding between the Irish Government and the Omagh Bombing Inquiry is a very positive step. The arrangements underpinning this cooperation are ultimately a matter for the Government of Ireland and the Inquiry, which rightly is independent of Government.

Which Irish language groups he has met; when those meetings took place; which Irish language centres he has visited; and when he visited them.

Since my appointment, I have met with a number of Irish language groups in Northern Ireland, including Foras na Gaeilge.

Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the policy paper entitled Safeguarding the Union, published on 31 January 2024, what progress his Department has made on introducing Not for EU labelling in Great Britain.

The Government will introduce legislation shortly to provide a contingent power to introduce a ‘Not for EU’ labelling requirement across Great Britain, should it be needed to protect the UK Internal Market and consumer choice in Northern Ireland. This legislation will give the Government the power to introduce a labelling requirement in Great Britain in a targeted way, product by product and we will take action if necessary. Officials are working closely with businesses across the United Kingdom to support them with readiness for 1 July, when the next phase of labelling will be introduced.

What procedures are in place to check the movement of people over the Northern Ireland-Republic land border to identify illegal immigrants with no right to access the Common Travel Area.

As the Hon Member will be aware, no immigration checks are undertaken on the Northern Ireland-Republic land border, but our enforcement agencies do operate intelligence-led operational activity throughout the UK to ensure that all individuals within our territory, regardless of where they enter from, meet the UK’s immigration requirements. Anyone who fails to do so is liable to be detained and, if they are not lawfully present within the UK, removed.

Innovation and Technology, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of applying the provisions of Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 apart from Articles 103-107 and 109 to Great Britain on a regulatory border between (a) Northern Ireland and (b) the rest of the country.

The UK is committed to establishing a proportionate Artificial Intelligence (AI) regulatory approach which is grounded in science and supports growth and innovation.As we develop our approach to regulating AI, we recognise the need to engage with a range of stakeholders. This includes engaging with the European Union (EU) and other international partners to discuss our respective policy and regulatory approaches.The European Council has published its proposal for a decision to apply the EU AI Act to a limited extent in Northern Ireland under Article 13(4) of the Windsor Framework. The Act would only apply following an agreement at a Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee, which will be subject to the mechanisms in Schedule 6B to the Northern Ireland Act 1998. The EU AI Act is complex and requires further dialogue and consideration as to its interaction with the Windsor Framework. The UK Government is assessing the proposal and will continue to engage closely with the EU on it.