Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government who will be replacing the Buckingham Group as a contractor working on the redevelopment of Casement Park for the 2028 UEFA European Championship.
Answered by Lord Caine - Shadow Minister (Northern Ireland)
Governance for the development of Casement Park, including matters regarding due diligence and the appointment of contractors, rests with the Northern Ireland Department for Communities and the Regional Stadia Development Programme Board. My department has no role in the Regional Stadium Development Board.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have held with the government of Ireland regarding the possibility of inter-state proceedings in the European Court of Human Rights in response to the enactment of the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023.
Answered by Lord Caine - Shadow Minister (Northern Ireland)
The UK Government discusses a range of issues, including the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy & Reconciliation) Act, with the Irish Government on a regular basis. Most recently, engagement took place during the British and Irish Conference (1-3 September) and the Northern Ireland Investment Summit (12-13 September).
The Legacy Act provides a framework to deliver effective legacy mechanisms for victims and survivors while complying with our international obligations. The UK Government will do all it can to support the ICRIR, consistent with its operational independence, as it establishes itself and seeks to deliver effectively for victims and survivors. We hope that others, including the Irish Government, will do the same.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, following the remarks by the Irish prime minister on 21 June, what assessment they have made of the risk of the UK being taken to the European Court of Human Rights by the Irish government in an inter-state case if the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Bill is enacted.
Answered by Lord Caine - Shadow Minister (Northern Ireland)
The UK Government is determined, through the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy & Reconciliation) Bill, to deliver better outcomes for those most affected by the Troubles. To do this, we must acknowledge the difficult but practical realities that exist, and recognise that, in order to give the best chance of providing greater information, accountability and acknowledgement to victims, survivors, and families than is currently the case, we must do things differently.
The UK Government is confident that the Bill complies with our international obligations under the European Commission on Human Rights.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the litigation in (1) James Hugh Allister and Clifford Peeples v the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and others, and (2) the earlier decisions of the Court of Appeal and High Court in Northern Ireland in the same case, how much they spent in total in defending their position on the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland.
Answered by Lord Caine - Shadow Minister (Northern Ireland)
The Government has spent £196,567 on fees associated with the legal challenges of Clifford Peeples and Jim Allister and others.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether legacy practitioners applying on behalf of a family member of a victim to the proposed Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery requesting a review of a Troubles death or serious injury will be eligible for legal aid; what annual estimate they have made of the likely cost of such legal aid; and which Northern Ireland department will fund it.
Answered by Lord Caine - Shadow Minister (Northern Ireland)
The Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Bill, which is continuing its passage through Parliament, places a duty on the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR) to carry out reviews of Troubles-related deaths and cases of specified serious injury when requested.
The Bill clearly defines which individuals will be able to request a review into a death or serious injury.
Requesting a review will not involve entering into a legal process. Legal Aid - which is devolved and delivered by the Department of Justice in Northern Ireland - will therefore not be required when requesting a review.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how much legal aid has been paid in respect of legacy claims in Northern Ireland in the last five years; and what proportion this represents of the total spending on legal aid in Northern Ireland during that period.
Answered by Lord Caine - Shadow Minister (Northern Ireland)
The UK Government does not hold this information as Justice and legal aid is devolved in Northern Ireland. The Legal Services Agency, an executive agency sponsored by the Northern Ireland Department of Justice, administers the provision of legal aid in Northern Ireland.
Information on legal aid expenditure can be found on the Legal Services Agency Northern Ireland website.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether, given the absence of a sitting Assembly in Northern Ireland, they will answer parliamentary questions on the governance of matters in Northern Ireland for which they are ultimately responsible.
Answered by Lord Caine - Shadow Minister (Northern Ireland)
The Government will answer any questions of governance in Northern Ireland that are not devolved. For matters of devolved governance in the absence of a Northern Ireland Executive and Assembly, the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc.) Act provides Northern Ireland civil servants with the clarity they require to take the limited but necessary decisions to maintain delivery of public services and operate in the public interest. Any questions relating to devolved matters should therefore be directed to Northern Ireland departments.
This Government recognises that this is not an ideal situation and will keep the current governance arrangements, and the accountability measures within these, under review. Ultimately, the best way for Northern Ireland to be governed is by the Northern Ireland devolved institutions. It remains this Government’s priority to work towards restoring these institutions.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many abortions were carried out in Northern Ireland in the last 12 months; how many were (1) surgical, and (2) through the prescription of pills; and what are the current arrangements in each of the Health and Social Care Trusts in Northern Ireland for surgical abortion.
Answered by Lord Caine - Shadow Minister (Northern Ireland)
The latest publicly available data shows that between 1 April 2020 and 22 September 2022, a total of 4,136 notifications of termination were submitted to the Chief Medical Officer in Northern Ireland.
Health and Social Care Trusts in Northern Ireland currently provide early medical abortion services up to ten weeks gestation. Information on the current arrangements for surgical abortions performed in each of the Health and Social Care Trusts in Northern Ireland is held by the Department of Health.
On Monday 24 October, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland announced that the UK Government will commission abortion services in Northern Ireland. The Secretary of State will be meeting the Chief Executives of each of the Health and Social Care Trusts in Northern Ireland in the coming weeks to discuss arrangements and ensure services can be provided.