Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government why they did not seek advice from the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission regarding the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Bill.
Answered by Lord Caine - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Northern Ireland Office held discussions on legacy with the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission on 14 April 2022. Discussions with the Commission, and other interested parties, will of course continue during passage of the Bill.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what recent steps they have taken to help support Northern Ireland's recovery from the COVID-19 outbreak.
Answered by Lord Caine - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
This Government has taken unprecedented action to support individuals and businesses in Northern Ireland. That is why we committed in the 2021 Spending Review to provide, on average, £15 billion per year to the Northern Ireland Executive, marking the largest funding settlement for Northern Ireland since devolution in 1998/9.
In addition to this, the UK Government has also provided the Northern Ireland Executive with over £5 billion during the pandemic to support the Executive’s response. This has helped to protect over 350,000 jobs in Northern Ireland through the furlough and self-employed income support schemes.
We will continue to work closely with the Executive to strengthen the Northern Ireland economy, laying the foundations for economic growth to ensure continued recovery from the pandemic.
The scale of the UK Government's support to Northern Ireland throughout the pandemic provides yet more evidence of the great strength and security that Northern Ireland gains as part of the world's fifth largest economy.