Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether he is taking steps to prepare for potential legal challenges to the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023 after the commencement of part 3 of that Act.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Challenges against the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023 have been heard in the High Court in Northern Ireland. The Government welcomes the Court’s findings that the ICRIR is operationally independent from Government and has the necessary powers to carry out reviews in accordance with the state’s obligations with Articles 2 and 3 of the ECHR.
However, following consideration of all aspects of the judgment, the UK Government has lodged an application for an appeal with the Northern Ireland Court of Appeal.
We remain committed to implementing the Legacy Act and delivering the ICRIR to provide better outcomes for victims and survivors of the Troubles by giving them more information about what happened to their loved ones.
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether he has held recent discussions with the US government on steps arising from President Biden's statement in April 2023 on the number of US corporations that want to come to Northern Ireland.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The UK Government has been continually engaging with the US government since President Biden’s statement in April 2023 regarding investment into Northern Ireland. Last week I was in Washington D.C where I spoke to the US Special Envoy for Northern Ireland for Economic Affairs. I also attended a roundtable with the Federation of Small Businesses, and spoke to other US investors about the unique opportunity Northern Ireland has to offer.
The UK has signed state-level Memorandums of Understanding with eight US states (Florida, Texas, Washington, Utah, Oklahoma, North Carolina, South Carolina and Indiana) to set out mutual goals and activities to strengthen our economic ties, as well as promote trade and investment, address trade barriers and enhance business networks.
The Northern Ireland Investment Summit, held last September, highlighted Northern Ireland’s innovation and technological strengths to around 200 global investors. Guests included Joe Kennedy III (US Special Envoy to Northern Ireland for Economic Affairs) and the Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to the USA. The Summit showcased Northern Ireland’s innovation, deep expertise in industries of the future, and unparalleled investment opportunities given its unique trading position.
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the cost is of Operation Kenova.
Answered by Steve Baker - Minister of State (Northern Ireland Office)
Operation Kenova is an independent investigation commissioned by the Police Service of Northern Ireland. The PSNI is therefore best placed to provide an accurate estimate of its cost.
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what account the UK Government Financial Package to Northern Ireland takes of shortfalls in the policing budget.
Answered by Steve Baker - Minister of State (Northern Ireland Office)
Policing is a devolved matter in Northern Ireland and the PSNI’s main budget is allocated by the Department of Justice. It will be for the Minister of Justice and Executive to consider how to use the financial package and funding for the PSNI budget.
This Government recognises the difficult challenges around policing in Northern Ireland. That is why the Department of Justice budget, which includes the PSNI budget, was the third largest of all departments for 2023-24. Since 2011, we have made additional contributions to the PSNI through Additional Security Funding. The Government’s contribution for the financial year 2023-24 was £32 million and is the same as that provided in 2021-22, and has been provided each year since 2015-16.
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the cost to the public purse was of the (a) Human Rights Commission and (b) Equality Commission in each of the last ten years.
Answered by Steve Baker - Minister of State (Northern Ireland Office)
In line with the requirements of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (NIHRC) and the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland (ECNI) provide the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland with a copy of their Annual Report and Accounts which are laid in the House.
These accounts are publicly available and the honourable Member may view these via the NIHRC and ECNI’s websites which I have detailed below.
Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission | www.nihrc.org |
Equality Commission for Northern Ireland | www.equalityni.org |
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will hold discussions with (a) his Irish counterpart and (b) the Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland on whether steps were taken to question Jimmy Dunlop about the Claudy bombings of 31 July 1972 prior to his death.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The UK Government has, and will continue to, hold discussions with the Irish Government on a range of issues, including legacy.
Policing and justice in Northern Ireland is a devolved matter. Operational matters regarding the investigation of criminal conduct in Northern Ireland are a matter for the Police Service for Northern Ireland (PSNI), which is rightly operationally independent of the Government.
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what recent discussions he has held with the Irish Government on legacy issues.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The UK Government engages regularly with the Irish Government both at ministerial and official level on a range of issues, including legacy.
At the most recent British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference on 28 November 2023, Ministers discussed the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act as well as a number of individual legacy cases.
Since the Irish Government took the decision on 20 December 2023 to bring an interstate case against the UK Government in Strasbourg in relation to the Legacy Act, I have written to the Tánaiste to express my profound regret regarding this decision.
The UK Government will continue to engage on legacy issues and a range of matters that benefit from partnership between our two countries.
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will make representations to financial institutions in Northern Ireland to press for the establishment of more banking hubs.
Answered by Steve Baker - Minister of State (Northern Ireland Office)
I recognise that banking hubs, which are operated by the Post Office in partnership with the major high street providers, improve access for people from communities across the United Kingdom to in-person assistance from their bank.
Northern Ireland already has a banking hub in Kilkeel. Four additional hubs are due to open in Comber, Newcastle, Portrush, and Warrenpoint, following successful community requests from the Consumer Council Northern Ireland to LINK, the UK's cash access and ATM network.
Following the closure of a bank branch, LINK will identify whether a community requires further cash services and any community without a branch can contact LINK directly and ask to be assessed for support. It is right that individuals from local communities in Northern Ireland, who best understand the specific needs of their own community, are the people who contact LINK for an assessment.
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what discussions he has had with the UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence since March 2023.
Answered by Steve Baker - Minister of State (Northern Ireland Office)
The UK Government has engaged, and continues to engage, with UN Special Rapporteurs through established channels, including formal responses to the reports of the UN Special Rapporteurs - which are also made publicly available.
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the cost to the public purse was for the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery since it was established.
Answered by Steve Baker - Minister of State (Northern Ireland Office)
The Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery was established on 14 December 2023 and has only begun to incur expenditure. The ICRIR’s expenditure will be set out in annual accounts which will be laid in Parliament.
£250 million has been allocated to the implementation of the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act and the non-legislative memorialisation measures announced alongside it. This includes costs for the establishment of the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery, and for the Commission’s work. These funds were set aside under the Stormont House Agreement and the New Decade, New Approach agreement.