Written questions by Swann.

Food and Rural Affairs, what conditions are necessary to import juvenile trout from fish farms in Northern Ireland for stocking purposes in rivers, lakes or fish farms in i) England or ii) Scotland.

Movements into GB from Northern Ireland of live fish (including eggs and gametes) that are susceptible to or vectors for listed aquatic animal diseases must be accompanied by an animal health certificate issued by thecompetent authority in the place of origin. The certificate must confirm that the animals or goods meet the animal health requirements for entry into Great Britain. Certificate GBHC674 sets out the requirements for placing on the market aquaculture animals from Northern Ireland and the Crown Dependences into GB for farming, ornamental use, relaying or depuration, put and take fisheries and other purposes, this includes juvenile trout from fish farms in Northern Ireland moving to fisheries in GB for stocking purposes. Notification to the relevant Fish Health Inspectorate (FHI) (Cefas FHI in England and Wales; Marine Scotland FHI in Scotland) is required at least 24 hours before importing live fish. As required by The Aquatic Animal Health (England and Wales) Regulations 2009 and The Aquatic Animal Health (Scotland) Regulations 2009 the destination premises must also be authorised by the relevant FHI. Further guidance on movements of fish into Great Britain from Northern Ireland has been published on GOV.UK.

Pursuant to WPQ 124367, answered 13th April at 11:04, to detail the date when the open book exercise was completed for each Northern Ireland Department.

The open-book review was a condition of the £400m reserve claim the Northern Ireland Executive received at Supplementary Estimates 2025-26. The review’s Terms of Reference were agreed between HM Treasury and the Northern Ireland Executive. The exercise has now concluded, and HM Treasury has shared the report with the Northern Ireland Department of Finance.

Pursuant to WPQ 124367, answered 13th April at 11:04, who commissioned the initial open book exercise.

The open-book review was a condition of the £400m reserve claim the Northern Ireland Executive received at Supplementary Estimates 2025-26. The review’s Terms of Reference were agreed between HM Treasury and the Northern Ireland Executive. The exercise has now concluded, and HM Treasury has shared the report with the Northern Ireland Department of Finance.

Pursuant to the Answer of 13 April 2026 to Question 124367, what the terms of reference were for the open book exercise.

The open-book review was a condition of the £400m reserve claim the Northern Ireland Executive received at Supplementary Estimates 2025-26. The review’s Terms of Reference were agreed between HM Treasury and the Northern Ireland Executive. The exercise has now concluded, and HM Treasury has shared the report with the Northern Ireland Department of Finance.

What role the Grocery Code Adjudicator has in Northern Ireland.

The Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA) ensures the UK’s largest grocery retailers comply with the Groceries Supply Code of Practice (Groceries Code). The Groceries Code is a competition measure owned by the independent Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).  Competition policy is a UK reserved matter. The GCA operates across the whole of the United Kingdom and regularly engages with Northern Irish suppliers and stakeholders.

What (a) fuel duty and (b) other tax treatment is applicable to hydrotreated vegetable oil used in (i) road fuel and (ii) home heating fuel.

Hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) is taxed in line with other fuels according to its use. For fuel duty purposes, HVO is treated as a diesel-equivalent “heavy oil” in the Hydrocarbon Oils Duty Act 1979. When used as a road fuel, it is therefore liable to the standard rate of fuel duty applicable to diesel which is 52.95p per litre. When used for domestic heating, HVO benefits from the rebated duty rate of 10.18p per litre. For VAT, HVO is subject to the standard rate when used as a road fuel. When supplied for domestic heating, it is eligible for the reduced rate of VAT, subject to the same conditions that apply to other heating fuels, including applicable quantity thresholds. The Government currently encourages the use of HVO through the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO), which incentivises the use of low carbon fuels and reduces emissions from fuel supplied for use in transport and non-road mobile machinery. The RTFO has been very successful in supporting a market for renewable fuel since its introduction in 2008. Renewable fuels supplied under the RTFO currently contribute a third of the savings required for the UK’s transport carbon budget.

Media and Sport, how much funding has been allocated through the Places of Worship Renewal Fund to places of worship in Northern Ireland.

The Places of Worship Renewal Fund is England only as Heritage is a devolved policy area. The Northern Ireland Government received Barnett consequentials at the Spending Review, taking into account any changes to DCMS’ overall settlement. It is for the Northern Ireland government to consider whether to set up new arrangements should they so wish.We are working closely with other funders in the sector to ensure that opportunities for funding places of worship throughout the UK are maximised. The NLHF already offers grants for places of worship across all the UK and is currently investing £100m over 3 years through National Lottery Heritage Grants and a strategic initiative designed to provide targeted support to build capacity.

When she plans to publish the results of the open book assessment of Northern Ireland devolved departments.

The open-book exercise is intended to support the Northern Ireland Executive, so any decision to publish the report would be a question for the Northern Ireland Executive.

Will he publish the full details of MoU he has agreed with the Irish Government.

The Memorandum of Understanding referenced is an instrument of cooperation between the UK Government and the Government of Ireland. Any decision to publish the document must be taken jointly by both Governments.

What volume of the Republic of Ireland's national strategic oil reserve is held in UK-based storage.

Ireland's National Oil Reserves Agency (NORA) is a commercial entity that holds some oil stocks in Northern Ireland. Details of these stockholdings are commercially sensitive. It would be for NORA to provide any further details about them.

If will list the Barnett consequentials received by the Northern Ireland Executive as a result of UK Government policy decisions on (a) energy, (b) fuel poverty, and (c) household energy support by (i) policy decision, (ii) funding stream, (iii) amount, (iv) date received and (iv) conditions in each of the last five years.

The Block Grant Transparency publication breaks down all changes in the Northern Ireland Executives block grant funding from the 2015 Spending Review up to and including Spending Review 2025. The most recent report was published in October 2025:Block Grant Transparency: October 2025 - GOV.UK

Food and Rural Affairs, when she plans to bring forward reforms to the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966.

The consultation on reform of the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966 opened on 28 January and is due to close on 25 March. The Government is committed to responding within 12 weeks of a consultation closing. Defra are looking at bringing in new legislation, when Parliamentary time allows.

What value of goods have been identified as a threat to the European Union's economy and held at a check point between Great Britain and Northern Ireland since the introduction of the Windsor Framework by year.

HMRC does not hold data on the value of goods identified as a threat to the EU economy. The UK Internal Market Scheme enables businesses to move goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland without being subject to customs duties and unnecessary checks and paperwork. Over 15,000 businesses have been authorised for UKIMS. The Independent Monitoring Panel's recent assessment of the UK Internal Market System showed that 96% of the value of goods moving via freight from Great Britain to Northern Ireland did so under the UK internal market system for the period 1 January 2025 – 30 June 2025.

How much funding his Department has provided to (a) the Invictus Games and (b) UK participants in the Invictus Games (i) in each of the last three games and (ii) how much funding she plans to provide to UK participants at the next games.

It is taking time to collate the required information to answer the hon. Member's Question. I will write to him when the information is available, and a copy of this letter will be placed in the library of The House.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of amending the closed season for periwinkle gathering in inter-tidal areas in England.

No national assessment has been made of the merits of amending closed seasons for periwinkle gathering. The management of inshore fisheries in England, including the gathering of periwinkles in inter‑tidal areas, is the responsibility of the ten Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authorities (IFCAs). IFCAs are committees of local Government. IFCAs have powers to introduce local byelaws, including seasonal restrictions, to ensure the sustainable management of species within their districts.

Whether she has considered introducing Graduated Driver Licenses for new drivers, in the context of levels of car insurance.

Driver licensing is devolved in Northern Ireland and is the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Executive and the Northern Ireland Assembly.Whilst we are not considering Graduated Driver Licensing in Great Britain with further restrictions on newly qualified drivers, such as carrying passengers or driving at night, we are consulting on a Minimum Learning Period before learner drivers can take their practical driving test. This would allow learners more time to gain essential experience, for example in different weather conditions, before driving independently and reduce the risk to themselves and other drivers.If the number of collisions involving young drivers and novice drivers fall overall, then this could lead to a reduction in insurance premiums for younger drivers.It is also important to note that motor insurers are responsible for setting the terms and conditions of the policies that they offer and it is for them to decide the level of risk that they take in issuing any policy to a given applicant. Motor insurers use a wide range of criteria to assess the potential risk a driver poses and this includes the age of the applicant, the type of vehicle being insured, the postal area where the applicant lives and the driving experience of the applicant. The setting of premiums is a commercial decision for individual insurers based on their underwriting experience and the Government does not intervene or seek to control the market.

How many Northern Ireland resident veterans have accessed the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital in Gobowen in each of the last three years.

The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic and District Hospital NHS Trust has confirmed it has no record of veterans who are resident in Northern Ireland being referred to their orthopaedic hospital in the last three years.

With reference to the closure of the War Widow(er)s Recognition Payment Scheme on 15 October 2025, what the final number of (a) applications received and (b) successful payments made was; and what his Department’s assessment is of the final uptake rate against the initial projected eligible cohort.

I refer the hon. Member to my previous answer recently provided to Questions 105112 and 105113. The Scheme received 381 applications, of which 249 were approved. Since its launch, the Scheme has successfully fulfilled its intended purpose, having awarded more than £21 million and providing meaningful recognition to those who were eligible. Following an internal review and a decline in application numbers, the Scheme closed on the 15 October 2025, as originally outlined at its inception.

If he will provide a breakdown of the recipients of the War Widow(er)s Recognition Payment Scheme by (a) nation of the UK and (b) the branch of the Armed Forces in which their late spouse or partner served; and if he will provide a list of the regiments or corps of the recipients.

I refer the hon. Member to my previous answer recently provided to Questions 105112 and 105113. The Scheme received 381 applications, of which 249 were approved. Since its launch, the Scheme has successfully fulfilled its intended purpose, having awarded more than £21 million and providing meaningful recognition to those who were eligible. Following an internal review and a decline in application numbers, the Scheme closed on the 15 October 2025, as originally outlined at its inception.

How many people are in receipt of the war widowers recognition payment by (a) constituency and (b) regiment.

Following its launch on 16 October 2023, 249 applications were approved with more than £21 million awarded under the War Widow(er)s Recognition Payment Scheme. Over 70 per cent of applications were submitted in the first three months, while only 14 claims were submitted in 2025. Given the continued reduction in application numbers, the Government proceeded with the planned closure of the Scheme on 15 October 2025 as outlined at its inception. Information relating to the constituency of the widow(er) and the regiment of the individual whose widow(er) has received payments under the War Widow(er)s Recognition Payment Scheme is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.