Q:

Does Ubuntu import the Universe repository from Debian?

Does Ubuntu import the Universe repository from Debian?

A:

Mostly yes, from https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Ubuntu/ForDebianDevelopers 

Packages
Most source packages in all Ubuntu components (about 4 in 5 at the
  time of this writing) are copied unmodified from Debian, but other
  sources include apt-get.org, REVU, directly from organisations such as
  Blackdown and WineHQ, software which has been packaged by Ubuntu
  developers, and packages created specifically for Ubuntu.
In some cases, the same upstream software is packaged separately in
  Ubuntu and in Debian, though this is to be avoided unless there is a
  justifiable reason to do so.
Where packages in Debian and Ubuntu have a common heritage, the
  packages use version numbers which reflect this.

This only refers to source packages - all binary packages are built on launchpad using the current toolchain in Ubuntu 

