Asked by: Lady Hermon (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps the Government is taking as part of its planning for the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal to increase the number of officers in the Police Service of Northern Ireland in line with the recent request by its Chief Constable; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Julian Smith
Policing is a devolved matter in Northern Ireland and operational capability is a matter for the Chief Constable. The PSNI’s main budget is allocated by the Department of Justice from the Northern Ireland block grant.
The UK Government has provided the PSNI with the additional security funding it has asked for and needs to ensure that they have the resource (including officers) to tackle the SEVERE threat from Northern Ireland related terrorism (NIRT). This additional security funding boosts PSNI’s ability to tackle the terrorist threat while ensuring day-to-day policing isn’t compromised.
PSNI received £230m additional security funding in the last parliament and £160m in this one. In addition, the UK Government has provided PSNI with over £16.5m to help prepare for EU exit. This funding from the UK Government will continue to support PSNI to address the wider security pressures and contingencies arising from the NIRT threat and EU exit preparations and will enable PSNI to recruit 206 additional officers this financial year.
Asked by: Lady Hermon (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, with reference to the absence of a Northern Ireland Executive, what steps her Office is taking with the Northern Ireland Department for Communities to reform liquor licensing to support the hospitality and tourism sectors in Northern Ireland; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Julian Smith
Liquor licensing reform is a devolved matter in Northern Ireland and as such is the responsibility of the Department for Communities in the absence of an Executive. Further information on this issue can be requested from the Department for Communities within the Northern Ireland Civil Service. It is issues such as this that highlight the importance of restoring devolved government in Northern Ireland so that decisions can be taken in the interests of the whole community.
Asked by: Lady Hermon (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to the Answer of 23 July 2019 to Question 278925 and with reference to the absence of a Northern Ireland Executive, how much funding was allocated to Tourism Ireland in each of the last three years; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Julian Smith
Tourism is a devolved matter falling under the competency of the Department for Economy. Any funding decisions in relation to Tourism Ireland are a matter for DFE and requests for such information should be directed to DFE.
Asked by: Lady Hermon (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether the Government plans to provide funding to the Loughs Agency after the UK leaves the EU; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by John Penrose
As the Loughs Agency is a cross-border body, core funding is provided by both the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland and the Department of Communications, Climate Control and Environment in the Republic of Ireland.
The Loughs Agency has also previously secured EU funding for a number of cross-border infrastructure projects. Decisions will be taken at the Spending Review on which future EU programmes the UK will seek to take part in.
Asked by: Lady Hermon (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether the Government will continue to provide financial support to Tourism Ireland after the UK leaves the EU; what the level of current financial support is; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by John Penrose
Tourism, and the funding of Tourism Ireland, is a matter for the devolved Department for Economy. Decisions on funding should rightly rest with that Department and an incoming NI Executive.
For its part, the UK Government remains firmly committed to the principles of the Belfast Agreement, including supporting cross-border co-operation, embodied in organisations such as Tourism Ireland.
Asked by: Lady Hermon (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what progress she has made on bringing forward legislative proposals to implement the recommendations of the Hart report into historical institutional abuse in Northern Ireland; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by John Penrose
As I recently wrote to the honourable Member, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland is determined to do everything in her power to ensure that the victims and survivors of historical institutional abuse get the redress they deserve as quickly as possible. That is why she asked the Northern Ireland political parties to consider the outstanding key issues identified by David Sterling, Head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service, and is pleased the parties have reached a consensus on these.
The Executive Office is now working with the Office of Legislative Council to redraft the legislation in light of the parties’ recommendations, which deviate significantly from Sir Anthony Hart's recommendations. The Secretary of State continues to engage with David Sterling and colleagues in Westminster on this vital issue.
Asked by: Lady Hermon (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of a future reduction in the salaries of the Members of the Legislative Assembly since the Assembly has not functioned since January 2017; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Karen Bradley
Restoring devolved government in Northern Ireland at the earliest opportunity remains my top priority. However in the event of the continued delay in the formation of an Executive I have been clear that I will consider the case for further reductions to the salaries of the Members of the Legislative Assembly.
Asked by: Lady Hermon (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if she will take steps to bring forward legislative proposals before the summer recess, to enact the recommendations of the Judge Hart's report entitled, Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by John Penrose
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland is determined to do everything in her power to ensure that the victims and survivors of historical institutional abuse get the redress they deserve as quickly as possible. That is why she asked the Northern Ireland political parties to consider the outstanding policy questions identified in the public consultation process and is pleased they have come to an agreement on the best way forward.
The Executive Office is now working with the Office of Legislative Council to redraft the legislation in light of the parties’ recommendations. Their recommendations deviate significantly from Sir Anthony Hart's recommendations. The Secretary of State also continues to engage with colleagues in Westminster on this vital issue.
Asked by: Lady Hermon (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what estimate she has made of the number of EU citizens resident in Northern Ireland who were unable to exercise their franchise in the recent European parliamentary elections as a result of the late distribution by the Northern Ireland Electoral Office of an additional EU form; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Karen Bradley
The Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) issued 34,040 letters advising EU citizens resident in Northern Ireland of the requirement in law to complete an additional form if they wished to vote in the European Parliamentary elections in May 2019 in Northern Ireland. This letter made clear the deadline for return of the forms. The form was also made available on the Electoral Office for Northern Ireland website.
9,020 electors responded. Unfortunately 1,204 electors replied after the deadline and were advised their application had been received too late to enable to them to vote.
Asked by: Lady Hermon (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what estimate she has made of the number of claimants known to the Northern Ireland Department for Communities who died after registering a personal independence payment claim and prior to receiving a decision of their claim under (a) the special rules for the terminally ill and (b) the standard rules; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by John Penrose
I am aware that DWP recently provided information on the total number of patients who died within six months of their personal independence payment claim being disallowed. The delivery of personal independence payments is a devolved matter in Northern Ireland and therefore falls within the remit of the Department for Communities.