Northern Ireland Office

EURO 2028 is a fantastic opportunity for the UK and Ireland to showcase world-class sport as hosts.

The UK Government is continuing to work closely with the Department for Communities regarding the cost and delivery of Casement Park. We remain committed to ensuring EURO 2028 leaves a lasting legacy across the UK.

Energy policy is devolved in Northern Ireland and is the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Executive Department for the Economy. The Department for the Economy (DfE) held a consultation on Design Considerations for its own bespoke Renewables Support Scheme in February 2023 which included seeking views on having a Contracts for Difference scheme in Northern Ireland. Consultation responses were recently published on 9 April 2024. DfE states that having considered the consultation responses, it will design a new Renewable Electricity Support Scheme for Northern Ireland which builds upon the support schemes across Great Britain, Ireland, and Europe. Northern Ireland has a vital role to play in helping the UK reach net zero by 2050.

The Government stands ready to support the Executive to reduce unacceptably long waiting times. The Government has made £3.3bn available to the Executive to spend on its priorities, including over £30m to address healthcare waiting lists.

I am clear that tackling waiting lists and stabilising health services in Northern Ireland is the start of a much bigger challenge in transforming services for the longer term. Innovative strategic thinking is needed to find solutions that will balance budgets and improve all public services across Northern Ireland. The Government is excited to work with Executive Ministers on plans that will deliver for Northern Ireland.

In the Safeguarding the Union Command Paper, the UK Government committed to a rapid, focused process, on the implementation of corporation tax devolution through a new Joint Exchequer Committee.

The Committee will take forward urgent work on this process. However, the devolution of corporation tax alone will not solve the financial challenges facing Northern Ireland. The Executive needs to make difficult decisions around revenue-raising and public service transformation to put Northern Ireland’s finances on a sustainable footing.

The Government’s priority is to secure a long-term sustainable solution on veterinary medicines. To that end, we wish to pursue such a solution through discussions with the EU, as well as preparing for safeguards in all scenarios. We have set up a Veterinary Medicines Working Group to advise the Government on solutions and are grateful for your expertise as a member of this group. The Working Group has met twice and aims to report in a timely manner by June.

In the meantime, we have put in place a grace period arrangement until the end of 2025 which supports continuity of supply to Northern Ireland.

The Spring Budget underlined the UK Government’s commitment to Northern Ireland and to the Union.

The Executive will be able to spend additional Barnett funding of £100 million for 2024-25, on top of the £3.3 billion spending settlement.

It announced over £1 billion of new tax reliefs for creative industries across the UK, which is great news for NI’s creative industry businesses.

Another £2 million was announced to boost global investment and trade, building on the successful NI Investment Summit held last September.

As I set out in a Written Ministerial Statement on 17 April, I can confirm that the ICRIR’s operational functions will be commenced and the Commission will be able to receive requests and carry out reviews as planned on 1 May 2024 - the point at which the Legacy Act automatically ends current investigations and inquests. From this date, following a request in accordance with the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023, the ICRIR will carry out reviews of Troubles-related deaths and serious injuries that occurred between 1966 and 1998.

The Government is committed to the memorialisation measures set out in Part 4 of the Legacy Act and elsewhere. While our focus since Royal Assent of the Act has been on establishing the ICRIR, we know these wider measures are also essential to deliver for victims and families in Northern Ireland. Further to previous announcements on Public History and the project to digitise Troubles-related Government files, we will set out further details in due course.

Challenges against the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023 have been heard in the High Court in Northern Ireland. The Government welcomes the Court’s findings that the ICRIR is operationally independent from Government and has the necessary powers to carry out reviews in accordance with the state’s obligations with Articles 2 and 3 of the ECHR.

However, following consideration of all aspects of the judgment, the UK Government has lodged an application for an appeal with the Northern Ireland Court of Appeal.

We remain committed to implementing the Legacy Act and delivering the ICRIR to provide better outcomes for victims and survivors of the Troubles by giving them more information about what happened to their loved ones.

The table below summarises the published Civil Service Statistics which includes the number of civil servants who have left the Northern Ireland Office since 2015.

The Cabinet Office has recently launched the new Civil Service People Plan 2024 - 2027, which demonstrates our commitment to developing and retaining the key skills the Civil Service needs, both now and in the future.

My Department collects diversity information in line with its equality duties and the requirements of the Governance Code on Public Appointments for all public appointments set out in the Schedule to the Public Appointments Order in Council.

Information collected on appointments and reappointments is published annually by the Cabinet Office in the Public Appointments Data Report and can be found on GOV.UK. The Commissioner for Public Appointments also includes data in his annual report which is published at:

https://publicappointmentscommissioner.independent.gov.uk/publications/annual-reports/

The General Register Office within the Northern Ireland Department of Finance is responsible for the administration of marriage and civil partnership law in Northern Ireland. They should be contacted for further information regarding this matter.

Consistent with responsibility for the Windsor Framework, the Cabinet Office is responsible for the Windsor Framework (Implementation) Regulations 2024 overall. Any matters relating to the constitutional position of Northern Ireland or devolution would be for the Northern Ireland Office to answer.

I met with Sir Iain Livingstone on 6 March 2024 and updated him on the Government’s plans to make transitional provision to clarify that final administrative tasks related to a criminal investigation (including, for example, report-writing and publication of reports, such as the Kenova report) can be retained and completed by their original owners on and after 1 May 2024.

As Kenova is operationally independent of the Government, I am not in a position to confirm the publication date of its reports.

While policies on this matter are ultimately devolved to the Northern Ireland Executive, the Secretary of State is committed to continuing to engage with groups across all sectors of society in Northern Ireland to discuss how the UK Government can support them.

The UK Government has been continually engaging with the US government since President Biden’s statement in April 2023 regarding investment into Northern Ireland. Last week I was in Washington D.C where I spoke to the US Special Envoy for Northern Ireland for Economic Affairs. I also attended a roundtable with the Federation of Small Businesses, and spoke to other US investors about the unique opportunity Northern Ireland has to offer.

The UK has signed state-level Memorandums of Understanding with eight US states (Florida, Texas, Washington, Utah, Oklahoma, North Carolina, South Carolina and Indiana) to set out mutual goals and activities to strengthen our economic ties, as well as promote trade and investment, address trade barriers and enhance business networks.

The Northern Ireland Investment Summit, held last September, highlighted Northern Ireland’s innovation and technological strengths to around 200 global investors. Guests included Joe Kennedy III (US Special Envoy to Northern Ireland for Economic Affairs) and the Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to the USA. The Summit showcased Northern Ireland’s innovation, deep expertise in industries of the future, and unparalleled investment opportunities given its unique trading position.

The murder of Sean Brown was an appalling act. I acknowledge the great suffering it has caused and continues to cause the Brown family, and the wider community.

I am currently taking appropriate advice and considering the Coroner’s report.

The Government’s position on the Windsor Framework, and its interaction with Article 6 of the Acts of Union, is set out in full in the Command Papers of 27 February 2023 and 31 January 2024.

I have not had any discussions with the Irish Government on this topic. Details of the scheme are ultimately a matter for the Irish Government.

The Government has not made any estimate of the number of people living in the United Kingdom who will be eligible for the scheme. Eligibility is ultimately a matter for the Irish Government.

I have not had any discussions with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on this topic. Details of the scheme are a matter for the Irish Government.

The UK Government remains determined to support the Executive to maximise the opportunities presented by the financial package.

To help stabilise the Executive’s financial position, the UK Government has agreed to pause its debt repayments from 2022-23 and 2023-24 of up to £559 million and will no longer require these funds to be repaid, subject to the Executive publishing a plan, which outlines how it will deliver sustainable public finances and services, and demonstrating implementation of that plan by May 2025.

This sustainability plan must include the delivery of a balanced budget for 2024-25 by raising a minimum of £113 million through locally generated income. It will be for the Executive to determine if it will consider a different course of action to deliver the public services that Northern Ireland needs as part of its plan for financial sustainability.

Operation Kenova is an independent investigation commissioned by the Police Service of Northern Ireland. The PSNI is therefore best placed to provide an accurate estimate of its cost.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave to UIN 17536 on 13 March 2024.

In the months leading up to the restoration of the Northern Ireland Executive, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland engaged with the Secretary of State for the Department of Health and Social Care and the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on the issue of pay awards for healthcare workers in Northern Ireland. In addition to these meetings, he met with trade union representatives on this important matter.

Healthcare is a devolved matter and pay awards are ultimately a matter for the Department of Health. The UK Government has provided the Executive with a £3.3 billion financial package to stabilise Northern Ireland’s finances. This package includes £584m to provide public sector pay awards for 2023-24. It will be up to the Executive to decide on the level of pay awards and to balance these costs against other priorities.

The Government publishes on GOV.UK details of the cost of overseas Ministerial travel, including costs of travel, and on other costs (visas, accommodation, meals). But as has been the case under successive administrations, the Government does not publish granular detail on Ministers’ travel at home or abroad.

The Northern Ireland Office reported no cases of fraud or amounts lost due to fraud or error in any of the last three financial years. This is disclosed as part of the Annual Report and Accounts available on GOV.UK.

The PSFA produces a Fraud Landscape Report:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cross-government-fraud-landscape-annual-report-2022.

This provides data on fraud and error detection, loss and recoveries in central government, outside of the tax and welfare system. (The 2020/21 Report was published in March 2023).

The Government is proud of its record in proactively seeking to find and prevent more fraud. We have established the dedicated Public Sector Fraud Authority (PSFA). In its first year, it delivered £311 million in audited counter fraud benefits.

HM Treasury officials wrote to their counterparts in the Northern Ireland Department of Finance on 1 March 2024 formally confirming the removal of the ring-fence for £150 million of Fresh Start Agreement funding.

This formal confirmation followed official level discussions between the UK Government and the Northern Ireland Civil Service on UK Government funding streams being made available within the financial package to support the restored Executive.

The Supreme Court clearly set out in its judgement of 8 February 2023 the issues it considered and its reasoning for reaching the conclusions it did.

The Government’s consistent position on these matters is set out in the Safeguarding the Union Command Paper, which is that the Windsor Framework (which replaced the old Protocol) applies entirely consistently with Northern Ireland’s constitutional position within the United Kingdom, including as expressed in the relevant statute today.

This matter is devolved to the Northern Ireland Executive. Arrangements for financial support for young cancer patients and their families travelling from Northern Ireland to receive treatment in England is a matter for the Northern Ireland Department of Health and local Health and Social Care Trusts.

All Departments in central government, including arms-length bodies apply the published guidance: Using non-corporate communication channels (e.g. WhatsApp, private email, SMS) for government business published by Cabinet Office in March 2023. It applies to all individuals in central government (ministers, special advisers, officials, contractors, non-executive board members and independent experts advising ministers). The Northern Ireland Office uses the central guidance and has applied it since March 2023.

The Northern Ireland Office provides additional advice to supplement the central guidance which is published on the departmental intranet.

The Government is fully committed to animal welfare. However, this is a transferred matter in Northern Ireland, and so it is for the newly restored Executive to determine how to protect animal welfare, including tackling poor breeding practices as seen in puppy farming.

Since the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR) was legally established as an independent body in December 2023, it has discharged its corporate functions and operated necessary policies within its own budget and accountability. As it is fully independent of Government, the Commission is best placed to advise on its recruitment and staffing, and can be contacted at: info@icrir.independent.uk.

Since the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR) was legally established as an independent body in December 2023, it has discharged its corporate functions and operated necessary policies within its own budget and accountability. As it is fully independent of Government, the Commission is best placed to advise on its recruitment and staffing, and can be contacted at: info@icrir.independent.uk.

Significant progress has been made since the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR) was established in December last year. I met with ICRIR Chair, Sir Declan Morgan, earlier this week and expect the body to be operational from 1st May.

The requested information is not centrally held, and complying with this request would incur a disproportionate cost to the department.

Reports and guidance that the Department has published can be found on gov.uk. The amount spent on printing and distribution for each year is published in the Annual Report and Accounts under the ‘Communications, office supplies and services’ line of the Expenditure note.

The Government has considered all aspects of the judgment, and is applying for an appeal with the Northern Ireland Court of Appeal.

The Government welcomes the Court’s findings that the ICRIR is operationally independent from Government and has the necessary powers to carry out reviews in accordance with the state’s obligations with Articles 2 and 3 of the ECHR.

The Government has considered all aspects of the judgment, and is applying for an appeal with the Northern Ireland Court of Appeal.

We remain committed to implementing the Legacy Act and delivering the ICRIR to provide better outcomes for victims and survivors of the Troubles by giving them more information about what happened to their loved ones.

The Government stands by its position on Article 2 which was set out in the Safeguarding the Union Command Paper. Article 2 of the Framework does not apply EU law or ECJ jurisdiction, and only applies in respect of rights set out in the relevant chapter of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement and a diminution of those rights which arises as a result of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU. We will be challenging the High Court's determination of the Article 2 issues to that end.

We remain committed to implementing the Legacy Act and delivering the ICRIR to provide better outcomes for victims and survivors of the Troubles by giving them more information about what happened to their loved ones.

Following consideration of all aspects of the judgment, including those in relation to Article 2 of the Windsor Framework, the Government is applying for an appeal with the Northern Ireland Court of Appeal.

Following consideration of all aspects of the judgment, including those in relation to Article 2 of the Windsor Framework, the UK Government is applying for an appeal with the Northern Ireland Court of Appeal.

We remain committed to implementing the Legacy Act and delivering the ICRIR to provide better outcomes for victims and survivors of the Troubles by giving them more information about what happened to their loved ones.

We remain committed to implementing the Legacy Act and delivering the ICRIR to provide better outcomes for victims and survivors of the Troubles by giving them more information about what happened to their loved ones.

The Government has considered all aspects of the judgment, including those in relation to Article 2 of the Windsor Framework. The Government has considered all aspects of the judgment, and is applying for an appeal with the Northern Ireland Court of Appeal.

My Department is engaging with the Department for Communities, which is responsible for the procurement process for the redevelopment of Casement Park, including direct engagement with local partners on their funding contribution. I wrote to the Northern Ireland Minister for Communities on 27 February to say that it is vital to understand what the most recent costs associated with the redevelopment of Casement Park are.

My Department has engaged with a number of stakeholders in relation to funding for Casement Park, including with the Irish Government. I welcome the announcement by the Irish Government that it is willing to contribute €50m to the redevelopment of the stadium.

The Department for Communities is responsible for the procurement process for the redevelopment of Casement Park, including direct engagement with local partners on their funding contribution. I wrote to the Northern Ireland Minister for Communities on 27 February to say that it is vital to understand what the most recent costs associated with the redevelopment of Casement Park are.