Alex Easton MP: written questions
91 published records · newest first.
Written questions
UK Internal Trade: Northern IrelandTreasuryTabled 26 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 13700More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the monetary value of trade between Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom in each year since 2020; and if she will provide a breakdown of that trade by moveme
Answer: HMRC does not hold all the data requested. HMRC has published management information for 2021 to 2024 on goods moving into Northern Ireland from Great Britain: Data for 2021 can be sourced from the Summary of movements of goods into Northern Ireland from ...
Answered 6 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordTrade: Northern Ireland and Republic of IrelandTreasuryTabled 26 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 13699More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of trends in the value of trade between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland in each year since 2020; and if she will provide a breakdown of that trade by imports, exp
Answer: HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is responsible for the collection and publication of data on imports and exports of goods to and from the UK including published statistics on goods between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. HMRC releases this i...
Answered 6 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordInterTrade UK: FinanceTreasuryTabled 26 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 13698More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much public funding has been provided to InterTradeIreland in each financial year since 2020; from which departmental budget that funding has been allocated; and what the stated purpose of that funding is.
Answer: Responsibility for the funding and oversight of InterTradeIreland sits with the Northern Ireland Executive. Information on funding provided to InterTradeIreland should be sought from the relevant Northern Ireland Executive department.
Answered 6 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordInterTrade UK: FinanceNorthern Ireland OfficeTabled 26 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 13697More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how much funding has been allocated to Intertrade UK since its establishment; from which departmental budget that funding has been provided; and what that funding is intended to support.
Answer: The UK Government provided Intertrade UK with £2.25m funding as part of the wider £16.6m Internal Market Package at Autumn Budget 2025. The funding allocation is split evenly over three financial years, commencing in 2026/2027. Intertrade UK was establish...
Answered 1 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordCustomsTreasuryTabled 26 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 13696More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many supplementary declarations have been submitted to HMRC since 1 January 2021.
Answer: The total number of supplementary customs declarations for international trade in goods that were submitted to HMRC and cleared between 2021 and 2025 was 264 million.
Answered 6 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordPublic Expenditure: Northern IrelandTreasuryTabled 16 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 10533More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if HM Treasury will review Northern Ireland’s funding settlement following the Northern Ireland Fiscal Council’s assessment that Northern Ireland is funded at or slightly below its level of assessed need.
Answer: This is the largest Spending Review settlement received by the Northern Ireland Executive, in real terms, since devolution in 1998. Under the latest Spending Review, the Northern Ireland Executive is funded above 124% of comparable UK Government spending ...
Answered 24 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordCompanies: DirectorsDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 15 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 10048More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether the Government has plans to review Section 172 of the Companies Act 2006.
Answer: Section 172 of the Companies Act 2006 places a legal duty on directors to have regard in their decision-making to the interests of employees, and to the impact of the company’s operations on the community and the environment. It also requires directors to...
Answered 22 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordIron and Steel: ImportsDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 4 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 6947More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of recent changes to steel import quotas and tariffs on UK manufacturing businesses; and whether he plans to undertake a review of those changes.
Answer: The Government held extensive consultations with producers and downstream users of steel to inform development of the new steel trade measure, including a Call for Evidence in July 2025, and will continue to engage regularly with companies across the supp...
Answered 9 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordSentencingMinistry of JusticeTabled 3 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 6686More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made with the devolved Administrations of the level of public confidence in the consistency and fairness of sentencing decisions across the UK, including in cases involving social media-rel
Answer: Sentencing in individual cases is a matter for the independent courts. In England and Wales, courts sentence offenders within the framework set by Parliament and in accordance with guidelines issued by the independent Sentencing Council. Those guidelines ...
Answered 12 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordSentencing: Northern IrelandNorthern Ireland OfficeTabled 3 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 6684More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland Minister of Justice on public confidence in sentencing decisions in Northern Ireland; and whether he has made an assessment of trends in the level of
Answer: It is important that there is confidence in the justice system. I regularly meet with the Northern Ireland Minister of Justice to discuss areas of mutual interest and concern.Policing and justice, with the exception of national security, are devolved matt...
Answered 12 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordNavy: Strait of HormuzNorthern Ireland OfficeTabled 21 May 2026AnsweredUIN 3941More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what discussions he has had with the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Defence and Cabinet colleagues on the potential role of the Royal Navy in ensuring the safe passage of British-registered vessels thro
Answer: I have regular meetings with Cabinet colleagues on the conflict in Iran, and its impact.. The Government is committed to finding a peaceful resolution to the conflict and ensuring the safety of British vessels, and the UK is playing a leading role jointly...
Answered 5 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordConsumer Goods: Northern IrelandTreasuryTabled 21 May 2026AnsweredUIN 3884More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate she has made of the volume of retail goods purchased in Northern Ireland and subsequently transported by consumers into the Republic of Ireland.
Answer: HM Revenue and Customs does not hold an estimate of the volume of retail goods purchased in Northern Ireland and subsequently transported by consumers into the Republic of Ireland. There is no routine data collection on the movement of retail goods carrie...
Answered 4 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordUK Internal Trade: Northern IrelandTreasuryTabled 14 May 2026AnsweredUIN 1441More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many consignments moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland are declared as at risk of onward movement to the EU; and what estimate she has made of the proportion of those consignments that subsequently move
Answer: The government remains committed to the smooth flow of goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland. On 5 November, the Independent Monitoring Panel reported that the Internal Market Guarantee was exceeded for its first monitoring period. This means that ...
Answered 20 May 2026
Original Parliament recordUK Internal Trade: Northern IrelandTreasuryTabled 13 May 2026AnsweredUIN 672More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the impact of the (a) administrative burden and (b) associated costs of the “at risk” criteria on small and medium-sized enterprises moving goods from Great Britain to Northern Irelan
Answer: The Government remains committed to the smooth flow of goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland. The Government has set out the Internal Market Guarantee that 80% of the value of freight will move under the UK internal market system. On 5 November, th...
Answered 20 May 2026
Original Parliament recordInsulinDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 13 May 2026AnsweredUIN 619More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made with the devolved Administrations of the resilience of the UK’s insulin supply chain; and whether his Department has assessed the potential merits of supporting increase
Answer: The Department is aware of supply issues with some insulin presentations. However, a variety of alternative insulin products remain available, some of which are also suitable alternatives to those affected by shortages or discontinuations. We continue to ...
Answered 9 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordBusinesses: Northern IrelandTreasuryTabled 17 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 128109More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of a reduced rate of VAT for businesses in Northern Ireland on economic growth and competitiveness; and whether her Department has considered piloting such a meas
Answer: VAT operates on a UK-wide basis and is a broad-based tax on consumption with the 20 per cent standard rate applying to most goods and services. VAT is the UK’s second largest tax, forecast to raise £180 billion in 2025/26. Tax breaks reduce the revenue av...
Answered 27 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordFuels: Northern IrelandTreasuryTabled 17 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 128108More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland regarding the potential impact of an increase in fuel costs on the agricultural sector in Northern Ireland; and whether she is con
Answer: The Government is actively monitoring the increase in fuel costs across the whole of the UK, including in Northern Ireland, and any impacts on our food and farming sectors. The Government has already announced that the 5p fuel duty cut will be extended un...
Answered 27 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordVisas: FraudHome OfficeTabled 16 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 127941More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to investigate reports of individuals submitting fraudulent claims in support of visa or asylum applications; and whether she plans to review visas granted in cases
Answer: The Home Office does not tolerate abuse of the immigration and asylum system and where we encounter such abuse, we take action. Protection status can and will be revoked where evidence emerges that it was obtained by deception.If someone has concerns that...
Answered 22 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordFuel Oil: Northern IrelandDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 13 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 126919More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent assessment he has made of the impact of rising domestic heating oil prices on households in Northern Ireland, where approximately 68% of homes rely on heating oil; and whether he
Answer: The Prime Minister has been clear his number one domestic priority is helping families with the cost-of-living. To that end, the Government has announced £53 million for low-income families, who heat their homes with oil to help tackle surging prices. In ...
Answered 21 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordPublic Sector: Northern IrelandNorthern Ireland OfficeTabled 10 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 126067More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether his Department has been involved in discussions regarding the future ownership, management or financing of Northern Ireland public services or infrastructure by the Irish Government or its agenci
Answer: The Northern Ireland Office has not participated in any discussions regarding the future ownership, management, or financing of Northern Ireland’s public services, including infrastructure by the Irish Government or any of its agencies.
Answered 20 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordPublic Sector: Northern IrelandTreasuryTabled 10 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 126066More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether HM Treasury is considering proposals to transfer Northern Ireland public assets to any entity based in the Republic of Ireland.
Answer: HM Treasury has not participated in any recent discussions regarding the future ownership, management, or financing of Northern Ireland’s public services, including infrastructure, by the Irish Government or any of its agencies.
Answered 20 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordIreland Strategic Investment FundCabinet OfficeTabled 10 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 126065More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Prime Minister had discussions with the Irish Government on the potential transfer of ownership or control of public assets in Northern Ireland to the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund.
Answer: The Prime Minister met the Taoiseach on March 13. A readout of discussions between the Prime Minister and the Taoiseach are made available on gov.uk.
Answered 22 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordMotor Vehicles: Excise DutiesTreasuryTabled 10 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 125976More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of Vehicle Excise Duty changes on motorists in areas experiencing significant road maintenance issues, including potholes.
Answer: The Consolidated Fund receives the proceeds of VED along with most other tax revenues to support public services and investment in infrastructure, including vehicle infrastructure and road maintenance.To support motorists, by 2029/30, the government has c...
Answered 20 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordRescue Services: Northern IrelandNorthern Ireland OfficeTabled 23 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 123082More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether the Government is taking steps to support voluntary search and rescue organisations in Northern Ireland, including K9 Search and Rescue (NI); and whether he has had discussions with relevant depa
Answer: Co-ordination of land and inland water rescue is devolved, with search and rescue policy the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Department of Justice and co-ordination of land and inland water search and rescue operations falling to the Police Service...
Answered 30 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordProstate Cancer: ScreeningDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 18 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 122028More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will hold discussions with the devolved administrations to assess the potential merits of introducing a UK-wide screening programme for prostate cancer.
Answer: The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) advises ministers and the National Health Service in the four countries of the United Kingdom about all aspects of screening. The implementation of any UK NSC screening recommendation is a devolved matter.Offic...
Answered 30 Mar 2026
Original Parliament record
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