Asked by: Lord Elliott of Ballinamallard (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will make representations to the EU Exit and Trade Committee to examine the needs of UK citizens living along the border with the Republic of Ireland.
Answered by James Brokenshire
Northern Ireland’s land border with another EU state places it in a unique position and, as the Government has stated, we do not want to see a return to the borders of the past. We are giving careful consideration of UK citizens’ existing rights to work, study, settle and travel within the EU as part of the analysis and preparation for forthcoming negotiations on EU exit.
Asked by: Lord Elliott of Ballinamallard (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how much of the £500 million designated to shared education and housing from the Fresh Start deal has been spent to date.
Answered by Kris Hopkins
The Government continues to work with the Northern Ireland Executive to ensure that the £500 million of funding for shared and integrated education and shared housing can be spent effectively.
£43 million of funding has already been allocated over a number of years to fund the construction of shared education campuses at Limavady, Moy and Ballycastle and integrated school projects at Braidside, Drumlins and Roe Valley.
Asked by: Lord Elliott of Ballinamallard (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the estimated cost to the public purse is of implementing online voter registration in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Kris Hopkins
The cost of extending the digital registration service to Northern Ireland is being met by the Cabinet Office as part of the wider project to implement digital registration throughout the UK.
This work is ongoing and the current estimate of costs is approximately £250,000.
Asked by: Lord Elliott of Ballinamallard (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how much of the £500 million designated to shared education and housing from the Fresh Start deal has been spent to date.
Answered by Theresa Villiers
The first tranche of integrated education funding of approximately £47 million was agreed between the UK Government and the Northern Ireland Executive in March this year. The funding will assist the development of three shared education campuses at Limavady, Moy and Ballycastle, and three integrated school projects at Braidside, Drumlins and Roe Valley.
Asked by: Lord Elliott of Ballinamallard (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what recent steps she has taken to address the outstanding legacy issues from the Troubles in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Theresa Villiers
The legacy institutions proposed under the Stormont House Agreement represent the best opportunity for Northern Ireland to address the legacy of the Troubles. The Government is committed to working to build the consensus required to bring forward legislation and I have continued to engage with interested parties on these issues, including at the recent Fresh Start Implementation meeting.
Asked by: Lord Elliott of Ballinamallard (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what recent discussions she has had with the Northern Ireland Executive and government of the Republic of Ireland on the effect of the UK leaving the EU on Northern Ireland.
Answered by Theresa Villiers
The Prime Minister and I have held a number of discussions with the Northern Ireland Executive and the Irish Government, including the First and deputy First Minister and the Taoiseach, and the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Charlie Flanagan. The Prime Minister has said that the Government ‘must ensure that the interests of all parts of our United Kingdom are protected and advanced. So as we prepare for a new negotiation with the European Union, we will fully involve the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland governments’.