Asked by: Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what are the protective measures for veterans proposed in the Northern Ireland Troubles Bill to distinguish between veterans and those responsible for terrorist violence.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
All of the protections that the Government has announced are being introduced in order to protect and ensure fair treatment of any veteran who is asked to engage with legacy mechanisms.
Measures set out in the legislation, including the right to give evidence remotely and having regard to the welfare of witnesses, will necessarily apply to others. This will ensure, for example, that former police officers are able to avail of these measures.
Some other non-legislative measures will apply only to veterans, including the protection from cold calling and the safeguard that ensures veterans do not have to give unnecessary evidence on historical context and general operational details.
Asked by: Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what engagement they have had with the Federation of Small Businesses about their report Windsor Framework Realities, published on 24 June.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland discussed the findings of the report at the East West Council in June, which was attended by representatives of Intertrade UK who are also considering the report as part of their work to promote trade across the UK. The Government has engaged extensively with Northern Ireland businesses and representative organisations like the Federation of Small Businesses on the implementation of the Windsor Framework. We will continue to do so, including in relation to the report in question.
Asked by: Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to introduce legislation to prevent those interned in Northern Ireland during the Troubles from being eligible for compensation following the repeal of the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023; and, if so, when.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
As the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has set out previously in answers to the Honourable Member for Stockton North and the Honourable Member for Reyleigh and Wickford (UIN 63126 and 65213), the main issue here is the application of the Carltona principle in the context of ICOs. The previous Government’s attempt to address this following the 2020 Supreme Court judgment in Adams was found by the Northern Ireland courts to be unlawful and we need to find a better way of reaffirming this principle.
The Government will therefore legislate to address this issue in forthcoming primary legislation when Parliamentary time allows.
Asked by: Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to resolve the dispute over the Drumcree parade, and whether they plan to permit the Orangemen to march through Garvaghy Road and other areas.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland recently met with officers from Portadown District LOL No.1 and appreciated the opportunity to hear their views on the annual Drumcree parade. The Parades Commission is the independent public body overseeing public processions in Northern Ireland and the Secretary of State encouraged the group to engage with the Commission.
Asked by: Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will extend the timeframe for the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR) to include the Omagh bombing to enable the ICRIR to consider issues within the Republic of Ireland.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government does not intend to expand the temporal scope of the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery. Criminal matters relating to conduct which took place in Northern Ireland after 10 April 1998 remain the responsibility of the PSNI.
The Omagh bombing is the subject of an independent inquiry established by the UK Government, chaired by Lord Turnbull. The Memorandum of Understanding between the Irish Government and the Inquiry on cross-jurisdictional information sharing, and the Irish Government’s commitment to facilitate the giving of oral evidence, are important steps.
The Government continues to work intensively with the Irish Government to reach an agreement on a joint-approach to legacy and information sharing, which is vital if we are to achieve better outcomes for victims and survivors.
Asked by: Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to remove the Northern Ireland Protocol and Windsor Framework.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government is committed to the Windsor Framework and to protecting the UK internal market. In accordance with the law, the Government last month initiated the consent vote process in the Northern Ireland Assembly so that it may make its democratic decision on the continued application of Articles 5-10 of the Windsor Framework. The outcome of that vote is a matter for MLAs to decide.
Asked by: Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have had any discussions with the government of the Republic of Ireland regarding whether it plans to send Garda to the border between the Republic of Ireland and the UK.
Answered by Lord Caine - Shadow Minister (Northern Ireland)
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and the Tánaiste last spoke about this issue on 1 May, and the Tánaiste confirmed there would be no deployment of officers from An Garda Síochána to the Northern Ireland/Ireland border.
During this exchange, both UK and Irish Governments confirmed their commitment to the Common Travel Area and are focused on securing its external border.
Asked by: Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have made any representations to the government of the Republic of Ireland to encourage them to hold a public inquiry into the Omagh Bombing.
Answered by Lord Caine - Shadow Minister (Northern Ireland)
We all remember vividly where we were when we heard the news of that awful atrocity in August 1998, and I pay tribute to Michael Gallagher and the other Omagh families who have pursued their case with great dignity and tenacity.
The Government is doing everything in its power to ensure that the Omagh Bombing Inquiry, under the expert guidance of Lord Turnbull, provides answers. Along with the significant powers provided to it under the Inquiries Act 2005, the Inquiry will need the cooperation of Irish agencies to be as effective as possible.
I raised this directly with the Irish Foreign Minister and Tánaiste at the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference on Monday 29 April, and I am pleased that he committed to full Irish Government co-operation with the Omagh bombing inquiry. The Government’s focus is on ensuring that the inquiry has every chance of success, and the Irish Government’s role in that is crucial.
At the last two British-Irish Intergovernmental Conferences, the Secretary of State and I pressed the Irish Government to cooperate fully with both the Omagh inquiry and the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery to provide information for victims and families who desire it. The Secretary of State also wrote to the Tánaiste in January, challenging the Irish Government’s own approach to addressing legacy issues, including the number of Troubles-related prosecutions brought in Ireland since April 1998.
Asked by: Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have made any representations to the government of the Republic of Ireland about (1) recognising any historic role it may have had in the forming, funding and training of the Provisional Irish Republican Army, and (2) how it may have dealt with terrorist activity during the Troubles.
Answered by Lord Caine - Shadow Minister (Northern Ireland)
It is clear that the Irish Government has legitimate questions to answer regarding its record of dealing with legacy matters in its own jurisdiction. The coroner in the Kingsmill Inquest found, “the border between Northern Ireland and Ireland was “exploited by terrorists” and allowed for “… planning, training, organisation, weapons storage and retreat at a safe physical and legal distance from the authorities that would be faced with investigating terrorist acts in Northern Ireland”.
It is clear that, for many families, effective information recovery will also require the cooperation of the Irish Government and its agencies. The Government continues to encourage the Irish Government to cooperate with the new Independent Commission for Reconciliation & Information Recovery to help facilitate the provision of information to families who request it, including most recently at the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference on 29 April 2024.
Asked by: Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have made any representations to the government of the Republic of Ireland concerning the coroner’s findings on the 1976 shooting in Kingsmill.
Answered by Lord Caine - Shadow Minister (Northern Ireland)
The Kingsmill massacre is an appalling example of the pain and suffering inflicted by the Provisional IRA during the Troubles. The families have fought for many decades to get information and accountability from those responsible. The Government hopes that the findings delivered by the coroner have brought some form of comfort to the families affected.
The coroner, in his findings, expressed gratitude for the assistance the inquest received from the Irish authorities. It is the Government’s view, however, that such cooperation should not be limited to high-profile cases. It is disappointing that the Irish Government has, to date, declined to commit to cooperating with the new Independent Commission for Reconciliation & Information Recovery to help facilitate the provision of information to families who request it. The Government continues to encourage the Irish Government to cooperate with the ICRIR, just as it has done in the Kingsmill inquest and Operation Denton.
I made these points directly to the Irish Government at the most recent meeting of the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference on 29 April.