Asked by: Lord Lilley (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with EU counterparts at the level of the Joint Committee to fulfil paragraph 2 of Article 6 of the Ireland/Northern Ireland Protocol which states that the Joint Committee “shall adopt appropriate recommendations with a view to avoiding controls at the ports and airports of Northern Ireland to the extent possible”.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
All Joint Committee meetings are conducted in line with the rules of procedure set out in Annex VIII of the Withdrawal Agreement, and are therefore confidential unless otherwise decided by the co-chairs (Rule 10).
A full depository of Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee announcements and activity can be found at gov.uk.
Asked by: Lord Caine (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the recent comments of the Chief Commissioner of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission regarding the employment of former members of the Royal Ulster Constabulary at the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission is independent of Government and has a statutory duty to ensure government and other public bodies protect the human rights of everyone in Northern Ireland. The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has met the Chief Commissioner to discuss a range of issues, including the Government’s approach to legacy reform.
The Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery is operationally independent from Government, and its recruitment processes are a matter for it to determine within the statutory framework.
Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they will take to enable voters in Northern Ireland who already have a form of identification to obtain electoral identity cards.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Electoral Office for Northern Ireland is responsible for the supply of electoral identity cards in Northern Ireland.
There has been a requirement to show photographic voter ID in Northern Ireland since 2003 and there is a comprehensive list of accepted documents to bring to the polling station. If an individual does not have any of these forms of photographic ID, they may apply for an electoral identity card.
Asked by: Baroness Foster of Aghadrumsee (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government when they will announce the independent expert who will scope out the viability of a transition process within the remit of the Independent Reporting Commission.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland expects to be in a position to make an announcement on this appointment in the near future.
Asked by: Lord Frost (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on 21 July (HC68604) on the Independent Review of the Windsor Framework, whether a date has yet been set for the publication of the Review.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland laid a copy of the report in Parliament and transmitted a copy to the Northern Ireland Assembly on 4 September 2025, which was confirmed to this House on the same day in Written Ministerial Statement HLWS907. The report has also been made available online.
Asked by: Lord Caine (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Chief Commissioner of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission retains the full confidence of the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in the light of her recent comments about the employment of former members of the Royal Ulster Constabulary at the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission is operationally independent from Government. The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has met the Chief Commissioner to discuss a range of issues, including the Government’s approach to legacy reform.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether his Department has spent money on promotion through social media influencers since July 2024.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Northern Ireland Office has not spent money on social media influencers since July 2024.
Asked by: Jim Allister (Traditional Unionist Voice - North Antrim)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, which parties were offered an advance briefing on the Independent Review of the Windsor Framework.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Rt Hon Lord Murphy engaged widely across the political spectrum during the Independent Review.
The Northern Ireland Office speaks to parties regularly and does not give a running commentary on those discussions.
Asked by: Mark Francois (Conservative - Rayleigh and Wickford)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to the Answer of 3 September 2025 to Question 70331 on Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023, if he will set out his planned timetable for (a) responding to the Joint Committee on Human Rights’ recommendations regarding the draft Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023 (Remedial) Order and (b) laying the final Order.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Government is committed to introducing primary legislation when parliamentary time allows, including to reform and strengthen the independent Commission to ensure it is fully human rights compliant. As I stated at the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee on 3rd September, I intend to lay the draft Remedial Order and the Government’s response to the JCHR at the same time as introducing primary legislation.
Asked by: Mark Francois (Conservative - Rayleigh and Wickford)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to the Answer of 3 September 2025 to Question 70329 on Terrorism: Northern Ireland, what information his Department holds on the jurisdiction in which the trial (a) is taking place for the person awaiting trial and (b) was taking place for the person who died before legal proceedings were concluded.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
In reference to my previous Written Answer, the Northern Ireland Office is aware of at least one individual who has received a so-called 'on-the-run letter’ and is currently awaiting trial in Northern Ireland.
We are also aware, through publicly available information, of another individual in receipt of a letter, whose legal proceedings in Northern Ireland were discontinued upon that individual’s death.