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.