Written questions by Lockhart.

What the condition is of the Moyle Interconnector; and what plans he has for the development of new energy interconnectors between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Moyle is a point-to-point interconnector that has been in operation since 2002. It is a commercially developed interconnector and operates without government financial support. On future interconnection between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Ofgem gave in-principle approval in November 2024 for the proposed LirIC electricity interconnector. This project is being taken forward under the Ofgem cap and floor regulatory regime.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure that (a) farmers and (b) landowners in Northern Ireland have equitable access to UK-wide (i) environmental and (ii) biodiversity funding streams.

The UK Government works closely with ministers and officials in Northern Ireland to engage on environmental topics, including biodiversity. For example, they recently jointly published the UK’s National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan, are collaborating closely on its implementation and producing a 7th National Report on progress. However, there is no funding associated with these activities. There are relevant Sector Capacity grants which are open to lead applicants based anywhere in the UK (including Northern Ireland). The three grants include: Tree Production Innovation Fund Tree Production Capital Grant Seed Sourcing Grant Information sharing regularly takes place at official level and through the Tree Planting Taskforce to help address UK wide challenges and share lessons learned on grant mechanisms.

Whether he has plans to invest in (a) new and (b) upgraded defence infrastructure projects in Northern Ireland in the next five years.

The UK Government, through the Strategic Defence Review (SDR), will make defence an engine for growth ensuring that our defence spending boosts prosperity, jobs and security for working people across all nations and regions. The SDR outlines the need for infrastructure recapitalisation, recommending a single Infrastructure Recapitalisation Plan that establishes a holistic assessment of Defence infrastructure requirements over the next decade, including Northern Ireland. This plan is due to report by February 2026.

What recent assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of immigration enforcement operations in Northern Ireland in the last 12 months.

UK wide enforcement of immigration law is critical to a functioning immigration system and effectively implementing the Government’s policies. As the public would expect, we continually review and evolve the different methods we use to prevent illegal migration, ensure compliance and enforce the UK’s immigration laws.

What steps he is taking to ensure equitable access to (a) maternity and (b) bereavement care services for Black and Asian families.

It is a priority for this Government to make sure all women and babies receive high-quality and equitable access to care, regardless of their background, location or ethnicity. As part of NHS England's three-year delivery plan for maternity and neonatal services, all local areas now have in place Equity and Equality action plans. These plans tackle inequalities and barriers to access for women and babies from ethnic minorities and those living in the most deprived areas and also set out how they will equip staff to provide culturally competent care. Integrated Care Boards are responsible for assuring implementation of these plans, and evidence suggests the plans have led to prioritisation of equity for mothers and babies, and increased engagement with service users. NHS England is also ensuring that maternity healthcare professionals receive training on culturally competent care, which can be a barrier to equitable access for black and Asian women. This is done through their Core Competency Framework and provision of the Cultural Competence and Cultural Safety in Maternity Services e-learning course. Over 15,400 maternity staff have completed this. NHS England has also embedded equity-focused leadership development through the Perinatal Culture and Leadership Programme. All 150 maternity and neonatal units in England have participated in the programme.With regards to bereavement care services, all trusts in England are now signed up to the National Bereavement Care Pathway, which covers a range of circumstances of baby loss. The aim is to ensure that all bereaved parents, regardless of their background, location or ethnicity, are offered equal, high quality, personalised, safe and sensitive care. In addition, ‘7 days a week’ bereavement services are being set up in every area in England to support women and families who experience pregnancy loss or neonatal death. We recognise that to deliver consistently high-quality care, much more is required. On 23 June 2025, my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, announced he would be launching an independent, national investigation into NHS maternity and neonatal services to look at the systemic issues behind why so many women, babies and families experience unacceptable care, and to rapidly put in place solutions to improve maternity safety and quality. Alongside this, he also announced that we would be establishing a National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce, which he will chair. Membership of that taskforce will be representative of those who can speak to the inequalities within maternal health.

How many additional (a) neonatal, (b) stillbirth and (c) maternal deaths have occurred since 2018 compared to the Government’s target to halve 2010 rates by 2025; and what steps he is taking to meet these targets.

While there has been some good progress in reducing the rates of stillbirths and neonatal death, the most recent data indicates that we are not on track to meet the Maternity Safety Ambition, set under the previous administration.We do not hold analysis on the specific ask, but we track progress against the ambition trajectory using various data sources, which are publicly available, including data from the Office for National Statistics and from Mothers and Babies: Reducing Risk through Audits and Confidential Enquiries across the UK. In 2015, the rate of neonatal death and stillbirths was 1.6 per 1,000 live births and 4.4 per 1,000 births respectively. In the period 2014 to 2016, the rate of maternal death was 9.8 per 100,000 maternities. The most recent data shows that: in 2023 the rate of neonatal death was 1.4 per 1,000 live births; in 2024 the rate of stillbirths was 3.8 per 1,000 births; and in the period between 2021 and 2023 the maternal mortality rate was 12.7 per 100,000 maternities.We are committed to ensuring that all women and babies receive the high-quality care that they deserve. This is why my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care recently announced an independent investigation into National Health Service maternity and neonatal services to understand the systemic issues behind why so many women, babies, and families experience unacceptable care. The Government is also establishing a National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce, chaired by my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, and to be made up of a panel of experts and family, charity, and staff representatives, in order to identify the actions needed to improve care.But action cannot wait. We are also taking steps to improve care now. We have announced a package of immediate actions to boost accountability and safety. This includes a new system to better identify safety concerns to support rapid action and developing best practice standards to reduce maternal mortality.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of global fertiliser supply chain disruptions on farmers in Northern Ireland; and what steps he is taking to mitigate the impact.

We monitor both domestic and international fertiliser markets and remain in regular contact with a wide range of industry stakeholders. Government regularly runs a duty suspensions process allowing businesses to apply for duty suspensions (on imported raw inputs to production) to help them to remain competitive in the global marketplace. Enabling raw input prices to be more competitive can have a downward pressure on domestic prices. Good nutrient management practices on farm also help make most efficient use of all sources of nutrients including bought in fertilisers. Government continues to monitor the functioning of the fertiliser supply chain and works closely with the sector in case of any disruptions.

Food and Rural Affairs, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of reinstating the general licence conditions for the movement of exhibition poultry between Northern Ireland and Great Britain that were in place between 2012 and 2020.

Poultry can move from Northern Ireland to England under the general licence published on GOV.UK. Under the Windsor Framework, poultry moving from England to Northern Ireland are subject to the import rules in Regulation (EU) 2016/429 of the European Parliament and of the Council. Bird gatherings, including shows and exhibitions, are not permitted within a disease control zone. Outside of these areas, bird gatherings are only permitted if licensed. Bird gatherings general licences have been made available by Defra and the devolved governments permitting certain bird gatherings, provided that the gathering has been notified to the Animal and Plant Health Agency in Great Britain and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland at least 7 days before the event and it meets all the requirements of the relevant general licence. Disease control is a devolved matter, and it is for the devolved governments to assess their disease risks and respond accordingly. Whist poultry (Galliforme or Anseriforme birds) gatherings are permitted in Northern Ireland, due to the heightened risk of avian influenza in Great Britain poultry gatherings remain prohibited in England, Wales and Scotland.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will allow exhibition poultry from Northern Ireland to return from short-term events in Great Britain under general licence subject to veterinary certification.

Poultry can move from Northern Ireland to England under the general licence published on GOV.UK. Under the Windsor Framework, poultry moving from England to Northern Ireland are subject to the import rules in Regulation (EU) 2016/429 of the European Parliament and of the Council. Bird gatherings, including shows and exhibitions, are not permitted within a disease control zone. Outside of these areas, bird gatherings are only permitted if licensed. Bird gatherings general licences have been made available by Defra and the devolved governments permitting certain bird gatherings, provided that the gathering has been notified to the Animal and Plant Health Agency in Great Britain and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland at least 7 days before the event and it meets all the requirements of the relevant general licence. Disease control is a devolved matter, and it is for the devolved governments to assess their disease risks and respond accordingly. Whist poultry (Galliforme or Anseriforme birds) gatherings are permitted in Northern Ireland, due to the heightened risk of avian influenza in Great Britain poultry gatherings remain prohibited in England, Wales and Scotland.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department plans to introduce a movement protocol for non-commercial avian species used for (a) shows and (b) exhibitions.

Poultry can move from Northern Ireland to England under the general licence published on GOV.UK. Under the Windsor Framework, poultry moving from England to Northern Ireland are subject to the import rules in Regulation (EU) 2016/429 of the European Parliament and of the Council. Bird gatherings, including shows and exhibitions, are not permitted within a disease control zone. Outside of these areas, bird gatherings are only permitted if licensed. Bird gatherings general licences have been made available by Defra and the devolved governments permitting certain bird gatherings, provided that the gathering has been notified to the Animal and Plant Health Agency in Great Britain and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland at least 7 days before the event and it meets all the requirements of the relevant general licence. Disease control is a devolved matter, and it is for the devolved governments to assess their disease risks and respond accordingly. Whist poultry (Galliforme or Anseriforme birds) gatherings are permitted in Northern Ireland, due to the heightened risk of avian influenza in Great Britain poultry gatherings remain prohibited in England, Wales and Scotland.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the risk of exhibition poultry returning from short-term events in Great Britain to Northern Ireland; and whether he plans to introduce (a) veterinary checks and (b) reduced testing protocols.

Poultry can move from Northern Ireland to England under the general licence published on GOV.UK. Under the Windsor Framework, poultry moving from England to Northern Ireland are subject to the import rules in Regulation (EU) 2016/429 of the European Parliament and of the Council. Bird gatherings, including shows and exhibitions, are not permitted within a disease control zone. Outside of these areas, bird gatherings are only permitted if licensed. Bird gatherings general licences have been made available by Defra and the devolved governments permitting certain bird gatherings, provided that the gathering has been notified to the Animal and Plant Health Agency in Great Britain and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland at least 7 days before the event and it meets all the requirements of the relevant general licence. Disease control is a devolved matter, and it is for the devolved governments to assess their disease risks and respond accordingly. Whist poultry (Galliforme or Anseriforme birds) gatherings are permitted in Northern Ireland, due to the heightened risk of avian influenza in Great Britain poultry gatherings remain prohibited in England, Wales and Scotland.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to provide financial assistance to hobbyist poultry breeders in Northern Ireland to meet veterinary certification costs for participation in shows in Great Britain.

Poultry can move from Northern Ireland to England under the general licence published on GOV.UK. Under the Windsor Framework, poultry moving from England to Northern Ireland are subject to the import rules in Regulation (EU) 2016/429 of the European Parliament and of the Council. Bird gatherings, including shows and exhibitions, are not permitted within a disease control zone. Outside of these areas, bird gatherings are only permitted if licensed. Bird gatherings general licences have been made available by Defra and the devolved governments permitting certain bird gatherings, provided that the gathering has been notified to the Animal and Plant Health Agency in Great Britain and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland at least 7 days before the event and it meets all the requirements of the relevant general licence. Disease control is a devolved matter, and it is for the devolved governments to assess their disease risks and respond accordingly. Whist poultry (Galliforme or Anseriforme birds) gatherings are permitted in Northern Ireland, due to the heightened risk of avian influenza in Great Britain poultry gatherings remain prohibited in England, Wales and Scotland.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the potential impact of the (a) testing and (b) certification requirements for poultry under the Windsor Framework on non-commercial exhibition poultry breeders in Northern Ireland.

Poultry can move from Northern Ireland to England under the general licence published on GOV.UK. Under the Windsor Framework, poultry moving from England to Northern Ireland are subject to the import rules in Regulation (EU) 2016/429 of the European Parliament and of the Council. Bird gatherings, including shows and exhibitions, are not permitted within a disease control zone. Outside of these areas, bird gatherings are only permitted if licensed. Bird gatherings general licences have been made available by Defra and the devolved governments permitting certain bird gatherings, provided that the gathering has been notified to the Animal and Plant Health Agency in Great Britain and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland at least 7 days before the event and it meets all the requirements of the relevant general licence. Disease control is a devolved matter, and it is for the devolved governments to assess their disease risks and respond accordingly. Whist poultry (Galliforme or Anseriforme birds) gatherings are permitted in Northern Ireland, due to the heightened risk of avian influenza in Great Britain poultry gatherings remain prohibited in England, Wales and Scotland.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the (a) Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland and (b) Animal and Plant Health Agency on creating an (i) affordable and (ii) proportionate export health certification process for non-commercial exhibition poultry breeders.

Poultry can move from Northern Ireland to England under the general licence published on GOV.UK. Under the Windsor Framework, poultry moving from England to Northern Ireland are subject to the import rules in Regulation (EU) 2016/429 of the European Parliament and of the Council. Bird gatherings, including shows and exhibitions, are not permitted within a disease control zone. Outside of these areas, bird gatherings are only permitted if licensed. Bird gatherings general licences have been made available by Defra and the devolved governments permitting certain bird gatherings, provided that the gathering has been notified to the Animal and Plant Health Agency in Great Britain and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland at least 7 days before the event and it meets all the requirements of the relevant general licence. Disease control is a devolved matter, and it is for the devolved governments to assess their disease risks and respond accordingly. Whist poultry (Galliforme or Anseriforme birds) gatherings are permitted in Northern Ireland, due to the heightened risk of avian influenza in Great Britain poultry gatherings remain prohibited in England, Wales and Scotland.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Windsor Framework on SMEs in Northern Ireland.

The Windsor Framework established a broad set of arrangements to support businesses to move goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, including to small- and medium- sized businesses based in Northern Ireland. On 1 May 2025, we introduced under the Windsor Framework important new arrangements for freight and parcels movements to guarantee that goods can continue to move smoothly between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, ensuring that goods sent to or from consumers will not be subject to customs declarations or duty. As set out in our Common Understanding, the Government will take forward a new UK-EU SPS Agreement, and this will further simplify the movement of agri-food goods within the United Kingdom. As a result, we expect there will no longer be a need for SPS paperwork when moving agrifood or plant products and the requirement to label goods ‘not for EU’ will diminish significantly. The Government works closely with industry stakeholders and trade associations on the implementation of these arrangements and will continue to do so.

How the review by the Minister for Social Security and Disability on PIP eligibility will incorporate (a) regional data and (b) stakeholder views from (i) Northern Ireland and (ii) Upper Bann constituency.

We have launched a review of the PIP assessment to make sure it is fair and fit for the future in a changing world and helps support disabled people to achieve better health, higher living standards and greater independence. We have published the Terms of Reference for this review and we will engage widely over the summer to design the process for its work. We are committed to co-producing the review with disabled people, the organisations that represent them, clinicians, experts, Members of Parliament and other stakeholders, to ensure that a wide range of views and voices are heard. We will of course engage with the Devolved Governments as part of this process, recognising their interest in the review and potential implications for the benefits and services they administer.

What steps she is taking to improve the (a) effectiveness and (b) availability of Government support for small businesses in Northern Ireland.

The Business Growth Service and the broader SME Strategy, to be published later this year, will help small businesses including in Northern Ireland, grow, innovate and thrive.The Government is committed to supporting small businesses across the UK, including Northern Ireland. As a result for example, 320 SMEs in Northern Ireland - 3% of the national total, have benefited from the Help to Grow: Management (HTGM) programme, as of 31 March 2025.Invest Northern Ireland (InvestNI), the national counterpart to the Business Support Service, offers extensive support in areas such as Entrepreneurship, Exports and Funding. In 2024 –25, InvestNI backed 726 Innovation and R&D projects representing £245m in investment.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of proposed reforms to (a) PIP and (b) Universal Credit on (i) community cohesion and (ii) equitable access to benefits in Northern Ireland.

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and Universal Credit (UC) are administered in Northern Ireland by the Department for Communities (DfC). DfC is responsible for producing analysis on how proposed reforms would impact claimants in Northern Ireland.

Whether (a) Universal Credit and (b) PIP awards in Northern Ireland will remain indexed to inflation until 2029-30 under proposed welfare reforms.

Social security is a transferred matter in NI, but there is a long-standing principle of parity between the social security systems of the Northern Ireland Executive and that of the UK Government. In line with this principle, the Universal Credit Bill makes provision for Northern Ireland equivalent to that for Great Britain The Government is committed to protecting the benefit awards of the most vulnerable and addressing the basic adequacy of Universal Credit. The Universal Credit Bill will make the first ever, sustained, above inflation increase to the standard allowance of Universal. For example, the standard allowance for a single 25 year old is expected to rise from £96 per week, to £106 per week in 2029/30. For customers already in receipt of the Limited Capability for Work and Work Related Activity (LCWRA) element of Universal Credit, the combined rate of the Universal Credit standard allowance and LCWRA will rise at least in line with inflation every year for the next four years. Those who meet the Severe Conditions Criteria or where Special Rules for End of Life apply will also receive this protection, no matter when they start claiming the benefit. From 6 April 2026, the LCWRA rate will be reduced and frozen until 2029/30 for those newly defined as LCWRA. The Universal Credit Bill does not make any changes to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) in Great Britain or Northern Ireland. PIP is transferred in Northern Ireland and decisions about indexation are a matter for the Department for Communities in Northern Ireland.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of freezing the health element of Universal Credit for new claimants from April 2026 on (a) poverty rates, (b) the cost of living and (c) workforce participation in (i) Northern Ireland and (ii) Upper Bann constituency.

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and Universal Credit (UC) are administered in Northern Ireland by the Department for Communities (DfC). DfC is responsible for producing analysis on how proposed reforms would impact claimants in Northern Ireland.