Northern Ireland Office

This Government is committed to working with the Executive to transform its public services and improve outcomes for people living in Northern Ireland, including children. That is why I and other UK Government Ministers regularly engage with Executive Ministers in Northern Ireland, including the Health Minister, to discuss plans to improve public services.

However, I also recognise that health is devolved in Northern Ireland and directly tackling waiting lists is a matter for the NI Health Minister and his department. I welcome the recent steps he has taken to improve waiting times. Improving outcomes in Northern Ireland will take time and we will continue to be an active partner and work supportively with the Executive as best we can.

Royal Portrush will stage the 153rd Open Golf Championship next month, providing another outstanding showcase for golf in Northern Ireland. The 148th Open, held at Royal Portrush nine years ago, became the biggest sporting event ever held in Northern Ireland, delivering a combined economic and media benefit of more than £100 million to the region.

I visited Royal Portrush Golf Club in April which was an excellent opportunity to learn more about their preparations which are well underway. I would encourage the Right Honourable Member to share any suggestions he has to help create a lasting sporting and economic legacy from the Open with the Department for the Economy in Northern Ireland, Invest Northern Ireland, and the Department for Business and Trade.

Economic growth is the number one priority of the Government. That is why we are working closely with the Northern Ireland Executive to create a thriving, competitive and regionally balanced economy in Northern Ireland through increased investment, job creation, and higher living standards.

The Government’s renewed partnership with the EU will deliver a broader range of benefits for people and businesses across the UK, including the SPS Agreement which, once implemented, will help facilitate the smooth flow of agrifood and plants from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, reduce costs for businesses and improve consumer choice. These new arrangements will now be developed into a legal text over the coming months.

The Government also remains committed to implementing the Windsor Framework and to protecting the UK internal market. The Framework guarantees unfettered access for Northern Ireland’s businesses to the UK market and also supports traders to do business. Many are taking advantage of the support provided by the Trader Support Service.

On 1 May 2025, the Government introduced important new arrangements for freight and parcels movements to ensure that goods can continue to move smoothly from Great Britain to Northern Ireland. The new arrangements ensure that goods sent to or from consumers will not be subject to customs declarations or duty. We have also introduced a range of schemes to support businesses by removing unnecessary checks and paperwork; over 10,000 businesses are already signed up to the UK Internal Market Scheme.

The East-West Council, established under the Safeguarding the Union Command Paper, first met in London in March 2024. It will meet for the first time in Belfast later this month. This forum provides exciting opportunities for Northern Ireland as we prioritise building and strengthening connections across the United Kingdom, focussing on shared opportunities and addressing mutual challenges.

Alongside providing £235 million in funding for projects through the Public Sector Transformation Board, we have strengthened the exchange of best practice on improving public services. £129 million of this funding has already been allocated to services in health, SEN and education, waste rainwater management, planning and justice.

We continue to work with the Executive as it prioritises spending, progresses transformation, and focuses on reducing waiting lists. For example, following the publication of the NHS Plan: Reforming Elective Care for Patients in February, we have now agreed to further collaboration between UK Government and Executive health departments to improve access to timely, high-quality care for patients in Northern Ireland and across the UK.

This Government is committed to working with our Executive colleagues on our shared goal of improving public services.

I recognise the serious concerns regarding cervical screening services in Northern Ireland. However, this is a devolved matter and responsibility rests with the Northern Ireland Department of Health.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State and I liaise regularly with the NI Minister of Health and have raised cervical screening issues following a meeting with victims and relatives of cervical screening errors. We will take the next opportunity to ask what steps are being taken to ensure that women in Northern Ireland are receiving the care they need.

The Government has already begun the process of repealing and replacing the previous Government's Legacy Act. On 4 December 2024, I laid a proposed draft remedial order before Parliament that, if adopted, will remove from the Act a number of provisions that have been found by the NI courts to be incompatible with the UK’s human rights obligations. These include all those relating to the immunity scheme, and the bar on new civil cases.

While we want to make progress as swiftly as possible, we remain committed to engaging widely with all interested parties to help determine what provisions should be included in new primary legislation. At the British Irish Intergovernmental Conference (BIIGC) on 24 April, the Governments discussed Legacy issues, including proposals for legislative reform, and the Government remains committed to introducing primary legislation when Parliamentary time allows.

This Government's commitment to our Armed Forces community is unshakeable. The vast majority of veterans who served in Operation Banner did so with distinction in very difficult circumstances.

This Government’s approach will ensure that legacy cases are dealt with sensitively, efficiently and lawfully, and that veterans who engage with legacy mechanisms are provided with the appropriate support. The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland is working closely with the Defence Secretary and Minister for Veterans and People on how to ensure that their interests are fully considered in the changes we are going to make.

Economic growth is the priority for this government, taking advantage of the UK’s unique strengths and untapped potential so we can put more money in people’s pockets, and our Industrial Strategy is central to that.

The Industrial Strategy will be published in June and will support the Northern Ireland Executive’s plans for growth. We have identified eight sectors that offer the highest potential for growth and are working alongside the Northern Ireland Executive, business leaders, and trade unions to ensure that the whole of Northern Ireland benefits from the Industrial Strategy. The latest figures from the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency show that Northern Ireland experienced stronger growth than the United Kingdom as a whole last year.

At the Autumn Budget, the Chancellor confirmed the Northern Ireland Executive would receive a record £18.2 billion this year - the largest settlement in real terms in the history of devolution. This includes a £1.5 billion top-up through Barnett in 2025-6. It is now for the Executive to allocate this money in line with its priorities and this Government wants to work with the Executive to help promote Northern Ireland as a fantastic place to invest and do business.

The website of the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery sets out details of current cases, including those relating to the killings of armed forces personnel and police officers. It is noted that those details do not reflect every case that is being investigated, rather they reflect those which Requesting Individuals have agreed can be made public and which the Commission has assessed likewise.

This information can be found at:

https://icrir.independent-inquiry.uk/live-investigations-in-information-recovery/.

I am continuing to engage with all partners involved in the Executive-led Casement Park redevelopment, including the Northern Ireland Executive and the GAA, to assess the options available regarding the project.

The original Supreme Court ruling in this case was in 2020, and in February 2024 the High Court in Northern Ireland found the provisions in S.46 and 47 of the Legacy Act 2023, which concerned Interim Custody Orders, to be incompatible with the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), alongside other provisions such as those relating to immunity from prosecution.

In line with our commitment, the Government tabled a draft Remedial Order in December 2024 to repeal parts of the Act that were found to be incompatible by the Northern Ireland Courts. The Government will bring forward legislation to make further changes when Parliamentary time allows.

The Honourable Gentleman will be aware it is a requirement to notify Members of Parliament before a visit to their constituency. For the recent occasion when he was not notified, I have apologised to him.

The legal texts of the Windsor Framework are available online and set out the rules that are applicable. The Government submits Explanatory Memoranda to Parliament and the NI Assembly about proposed changes to those regulations to facilitate scrutiny, which can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/explanatory-memoranda-on-eu-documents

The Government remains committed to implementing the Windsor Framework and protecting the UK internal market.

The appointment of a Commissioner for Victims and Survivors is a devolved matter for Ministers in the Executive Office and is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments for Northern Ireland. The Northern Ireland Office has been kept aware of progress in this matter by the Commission for Victims and Survivors as part of ongoing engagement on legacy related matters.

I hope the process of appointing a new Commissioner will conclude soon, allowing the successful candidate to take up this important role representing victims and survivors.

The role of Victims Commissioner is a public appointment made by Ministers in the Executive Office under the guidance of the Commissioner for Public Appointments for Northern Ireland. I understand that the First Minister and deputy First Minister have met candidates deemed suitable for appointment by the independent selection panel. I hope the process of appointing a new Commissioner will conclude soon, allowing the successful candidate to take up this important role representing victims and survivors.

Construction of Social Housing is the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive and the Department of Communities.

The UK Government has provided the Executive with a record £18.2bn for 2025-26. This includes an additional £1.5bn for 2025/26 and represents the largest settlement in the history of devolution. It is for the Executive to allocate money to the Department of Communities for social housing construction.

The Parliamentary Under Secretary of State and I have met with the Minister for Communities, Gordon Lyons MLA, to discuss a range of issues, including social housing.

For security reasons we do not share details of Northern Ireland Office Ministers’ itineraries in advance.

The Honourable Gentleman will be aware it is a requirement to notify Members of Parliament before a visit to their constituency. For the recent occasion when he was not notified, I have apologised to him.

I have visited 16 parliamentary constituencies across Northern Ireland since my appointment.

Since my appointment, I have met with a range of language groups in Northern Ireland, including the Ulster-Scots Agency.

Since my appointment, I have met with a number of Irish language groups in Northern Ireland, including Foras na Gaeilge.

The Government's new strategic partnership with the EU will deliver greater prosperity and security for Northern Ireland and the UK as a whole. In particular, the new SPS Agreement with the EU will facilitate the smooth flow of agrifood and plants from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, protecting the UK’s internal market, reducing costs for businesses and improving consumer choice.

The Summit also marked the establishment of a new security and defence partnership that will help us work together with the EU on threats to national security and will support our defence industry, which has more than 9,000 aerospace, defence, space, and security jobs in Northern Ireland. In addition, we announced a closer law enforcement relationship with the EU that will help prevent crime and bring perpetrators to justice.

The Government's new strategic partnership with the EU will deliver greater prosperity and security for Northern Ireland and the UK as a whole. In particular, the new SPS Agreement with the EU will facilitate the smooth flow of agrifood and plants from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, protecting the UK’s internal market, reducing costs for businesses and improving consumer choice.

Intertrade UK is focused on promoting all internal UK trade including work to support businesses across the UK realise the full benefits of the new SPS Agreement.

The Northern Ireland Office does not pay subscription fees to Stonewall.

A growing number of families are taking cases to ICRIR, and the Government has confidence in its ability to start delivering investigations, accountability, and information for them.

In its judgment, the Court of Appeal recognised ICRIR’s powers to access information and its independence from government. However, the confidence of families in its work is paramount.

That is why the Government has already begun the process of repealing and replacing the previous Government's Legacy Act and is committed to fundamentally reforming the ICRIR to further strengthen its powers and independence.

The Government will continue to work with all parties in a spirit of openness as we seek a resolution to legacy that can see us move forward together.

A growing number of families are taking cases to ICRIR, and the Government has confidence in its ability to start delivering investigations, accountability, and information for them.

In its judgment, the Court of Appeal recognised ICRIR’s powers to access information and its independence from government. However, the confidence of families in its work is paramount.

That is why the Government has already begun the process of repealing and replacing the previous Government's Legacy Act and is committed to fundamentally reforming the ICRIR to further strengthen its powers and independence.

The Government will continue to work with all parties in a spirit of openness as we seek a resolution to legacy that can see us move forward together.

There are encouraging signs of increasing engagement with ICRIR. By the end of March 2025, 154 individuals have come forward with 50 live investigations currently underway. The Government has confidence in its ability to deliver investigations, accountability, and information for families. These figures illustrate a growing willingness to engage with ICRIR, but it is clear that confidence in ICRIR will be determined by the outcomes provided for victims and survivors.

However, as part of its commitment to repeal and replace the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023, the Government has committed to introducing primary legislation when parliamentary time allows, including to fundamentally reform and strengthen the independent Commission to ensure it is fully human rights compliant and can command public confidence.

The Government is committed to the Windsor Framework and to protecting the UK internal market. The Framework guarantees unfettered access for Northern Ireland’s businesses to the UK market and also supports traders to do business. Many are taking advantage of the support provided by the Trader Support Service.

On 1 May 2025, the Government introduced important new arrangements for freight and parcels movements to ensure that goods can continue to move smoothly from Great Britain to Northern Ireland. The new arrangements ensure that goods sent to or from consumers will not be subject to customs declarations or duty. We have also introduced a range of schemes to support businesses by removing unnecessary checks and paperwork; over 10,000 businesses are already signed up to the UK Internal Market Scheme.

Furthermore, the Government’s renewed partnership with the EU will deliver a broader range of benefits for people and businesses across the UK, including the SPS Agreement which, once implemented, will facilitate the smooth flow of agrifood and plants from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, reduce costs for businesses and improve consumer choice.

As part of its commitment to repeal and replace the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy & Reconciliation) Act 2023, the Government has committed to introducing primary legislation when parliamentary time allows, including to fundamentally reform and strengthen the independent Commission established by the Act to ensure it is fully human rights compliant and can command public confidence.

The Government continues to engage with all interested parties at ministerial and official level in a spirit of openness regarding an appropriate way forward, including members of civil society. I and my officials have regularly met victims groups, groups representing veterans, human rights organisations, and others including academics as part of this process.

The Northern Ireland Office remains committed to supporting the use of apprenticeships across all government departments to break down barriers to opportunity. This includes supporting the Government’s commitment to 2,000 digital apprenticeships through its TechTrack scheme by 2030 to improve digital skills and drive improvements and efficiency in public services.

Additionally, a new cross-Government Level 3 apprenticeship programme in Business Administration, The ‘Civil Service Career Launch Apprenticeship’ (CLA), will see new apprentices kickstart their careers, across various departments, starting from January 2026.

As a department, the Northern Ireland Office annually recruits a Communication Apprentice through the Government Communications Service.

I pay tribute to all those who work to tackle and support recovery from major wildfire outbreaks like those seen recently in the Mourne area.

This Government has provided the Northern Ireland Executive with a record £18.2 billion settlement for 2025-26. That translates into over £1.5 billion more in 2025-26 and the largest settlement in the history of devolution.

It is for the Executive to allocate the funding in line with its priorities and to address emerging challenges.

Alongside providing funding for transformative projects through the Public Services Transformation Board, we have strengthened the exchange of best practice to tackle shared challenges together, paving the way for better public service outcomes.

The Executive will need to make difficult decisions, and this Government is committed to partnering on our shared goal of improving public services.

As part of its commitment to repeal and replace the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy & Reconciliation) Act 2023, the Government has committed to introducing primary legislation when parliamentary time allows, including to fundamentally reform and strengthen the independent Commission established by the Act to ensure it is fully human rights compliant and can command public confidence.

As part of this process, the Government continues to engage with all interested parties in a spirit of openness regarding an appropriate way forward, including the Northern Ireland parties. I regularly meet the leader of the Alliance Party to discuss a range of issues, including legacy, and will continue to do so.

As part of its commitment to repeal and replace the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy & Reconciliation) Act 2023, the Government has committed to introducing primary legislation when parliamentary time allows, including to fundamentally reform and strengthen the independent Commission established by the Act to ensure it is fully human rights compliant and can command public confidence.

As part of this process, the Government continues to engage with all interested parties in a spirit of openness regarding an appropriate way forward, including the Northern Ireland parties. I regularly meet the leader of the SDLP to discuss a range of issues, including legacy, and will continue to do so.

As part of its commitment to repeal and replace the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy & Reconciliation) Act 2023, the Government has committed to introducing primary legislation when parliamentary time allows, including to fundamentally reform and strengthen the independent Commission established by the Act to ensure it is fully human rights compliant and can command public confidence.

As part of this process, the Government continues to engage with all interested parties in a spirit of openness regarding an appropriate way forward, including the Northern Ireland parties. I have recently met the leadership of Sinn Fein to discuss a range of issues, including legacy, and will continue to do sox.

As part of its commitment to repeal and replace the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy & Reconciliation) Act 2023, the Government has committed to introducing primary legislation when parliamentary time allows, including to fundamentally reform and strengthen the independent Commission established by the Act to ensure it is fully human rights compliant and can command public confidence.

As part of this process, the Government continues to engage with all interested parties in a spirit of openness regarding an appropriate way forward, including the Northern Ireland parties. I regularly meet the leader of the UUP to discuss a range of issues, including legacy, and will continue to do so.

As part of its commitment to repeal and replace the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy & Reconciliation) Act 2023, the Government has committed to introducing primary legislation when parliamentary time allows, including to fundamentally reform and strengthen the independent Commission established by the Act to ensure it is fully human rights compliant and can command public confidence.

As part of this process, the Government continues to engage with all interested parties in a spirit of openness regarding an appropriate way forward, including the Northern Ireland parties. I regularly meet the leader of the DUP to discuss a range of issues, including legacy, and will continue to do so.

The decision on which currencies to accept for payment, including whether to process card transactions in euros or any other international currency, is a matter for individual businesses across the UK, including in Northern Ireland.

Businesses are responsible for ensuring transparency in any associated currency conversion charges applied to customers. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) regulates the conduct of financial services firms in the UK and sets out rules to ensure customers are treated fairly, including in relation to payment services and foreign exchange disclosures.

The Government continues to monitor developments and maintain dialogue with relevant regulators and stakeholders where appropriate.

I am a passionate advocate for Northern Irish tech companies and for investment by international tech companies in Northern Ireland.

I recently attended the Big Data New York Conference – a spin off of Big Data Belfast – to highlight the international investment opportunities in Northern Ireland's well established and fast growing Cyber and Digital sectors.

I am a passionate advocate for Northern Irish tech companies and for investment by international tech companies in Northern Ireland.

I recently attended the Big Data New York Conference – a spin off of Big Data Belfast – to highlight the international investment opportunities in Northern Ireland's well established and fast growing Cyber and Digital sectors.

This is an issue that the previous Government failed to adequately address following the 2020 Supreme Court judgment in Adams.

Its belated attempt to do so via an amendment to the Legacy Act has been found by the Northern Ireland courts to be unlawful.

The Government is carefully exploring how to lawfully address this complex issue alongside our clear commitment to implement legacy mechanisms that are fully compliant with human rights.

The UK Government is investing £617m through the four City and Growth Deals which cover the whole of Northern Ireland.

My officials meet regularly with their counterparts from the Northern Ireland Department of Finance to discuss delivery of each of the four Northern Ireland growth deals and ensure that each is progressing.

As part of the Government’s efforts to help drive forward implementation of the deals I have met with a range of stakeholders and delivery partners, including the First Minister, deputy First Minister and Minister of Finance to discuss the City and Growth Deals. Last year, I was delighted to sign the Derry-Londonderry and Strabane City Full Deal at the Guildhall and the Mid South West Growth Deal’s Heads of Terms Document in Cookstown.

Both signings highlighted the collective efforts of the local councils involved and a demonstration of what can be achieved when we work together.

In Belfast, delivery is progressing. This year we will have the opening of Studio Ulster, and in 2026 we will see the opening of the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre (AMIC) in Newtonabbey which will support innovation excellence in Northern Ireland and provide over 1,500 permanent jobs, supporting this Government's Economic Growth Mission.

The Government is committed to repealing and replacing the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023. As part of that process, we are considering a range of options for ensuring the ICRIR is both fully ECHR compliant and capable of commanding public confidence across all communities in Northern Ireland.

During ongoing policy development, the Government is examining a number of operational models, including the one used by Operation Kenova, which has rightly been praised for its independence, and victim-centred approach.

The Government’s objective in this area is to ensure a reformed Commission is able to win the trust of families, and is underpinned by transparency, rigour and accountability at every level.