Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of negotiating a UK-EU Customs Union deal for improving trade between (a) Northern Ireland and (b) Great Britain.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is part of the UK’s customs territory and benefits from the UK’s Free Trade Agreements. The Government is not seeking to negotiate a UK-EU Customs Union.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if his Department will consider commissioning a report on the potential merits of dual market access for businesses in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
In the explanatory materials provided to Parliament ahead of the consent vote on the Windsor Framework last year, the Government set out its view that dual market access is important for economic life in Northern Ireland and that many aspects of economic activity rely on that access.
The Government has published a wide range of guidance and support for businesses and will continue to consider future opportunities to do so.
The Government will continue to communicate the unique advantages of dual market access that the Windsor Framework offers, alongside the beneficial outcomes of the UK/EU Summit, to businesses and traders in Northern Ireland and across the UK.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what recent discussions his Department has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on (a) the provision of guidance and (b) support to businesses in Northern Ireland in relation to UK-EU trade arrangements.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Government’s renewed partnership with the EU will deliver a broader range of benefits for people and businesses across the UK. These include an SPS Agreement which, once implemented, will help facilitate the smooth flow of agrifood and plants from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, reduce costs for businesses and improve consumer choice. The common understanding, signed on 19 May, will now be developed into a legal text.
The Government engages with the Northern Ireland Executive on an ongoing basis both formally and informally. Additionally, the Northern Ireland Executive is formally represented in a number of fora relating to the UK-EU relationship.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what progress he has made on the implementation of City and Growth Deals in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The UK Government is investing £617m through the four City and Growth Deals which cover the whole of Northern Ireland.
My officials meet regularly with their counterparts from the Northern Ireland Department of Finance to discuss delivery of each of the four Northern Ireland growth deals and ensure that each is progressing.
As part of the Government’s efforts to help drive forward implementation of the deals I have met with a range of stakeholders and delivery partners, including the First Minister, deputy First Minister and Minister of Finance to discuss the City and Growth Deals. Last year, I was delighted to sign the Derry-Londonderry and Strabane City Full Deal at the Guildhall and the Mid South West Growth Deal’s Heads of Terms Document in Cookstown.
Both signings highlighted the collective efforts of the local councils involved and a demonstration of what can be achieved when we work together.
In Belfast, delivery is progressing. This year we will have the opening of Studio Ulster, and in 2026 we will see the opening of the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre (AMIC) in Newtonabbey which will support innovation excellence in Northern Ireland and provide over 1,500 permanent jobs, supporting this Government's Economic Growth Mission.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of adopting aspects of the investigative model used by Operation Kenova to reform the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Government is committed to repealing and replacing the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023. As part of that process, we are considering a range of options for ensuring the ICRIR is both fully ECHR compliant and capable of commanding public confidence across all communities in Northern Ireland.
During ongoing policy development, the Government is examining a number of operational models, including the one used by Operation Kenova, which has rightly been praised for its independence, and victim-centred approach.
The Government’s objective in this area is to ensure a reformed Commission is able to win the trust of families, and is underpinned by transparency, rigour and accountability at every level.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what recent progress his Department has made on repealing the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Government has already begun the process of repealing and replacing the previous Government's Legacy Act. On 4 December 2024, I laid a proposed draft remedial order before Parliament that, if adopted, will remove from the Act a number of provisions that have been found by the NI courts to be incompatible with the UK’s human rights obligations. These include all those relating to the immunity scheme, and the bar on new civil cases.
While we want to make progress as swiftly as possible, we remain committed to engaging widely with all interested parties to help determine what provisions should be included in new primary legislation. At the British Irish Intergovernmental Conference (BIIGC) on 24 April, the Governments discussed Legacy issues, including proposals for legislative reform. As noted at BIIGC, the Government remains committed to introducing primary legislation when Parliamentary time allows.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps he is taking to support small businesses in Great Britain with the new General Product Safety Regulation requirements to maintain market access to Northern Ireland.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The updated GPSR largely formalises how businesses are already operating in the UK. Where businesses need to make changes, we expect that they will be adapting anyway to be compliant with the new Regulation to continue trading with the EU.
On 3 December, the Department for Business and Trade’s Office for Product Safety and Standards published guidance for businesses on the application of the Regulation in Northern Ireland, which makes clear that authorities will continue to take a proportionate, risk-based, and intelligence-led approach to regulating the NI market, prioritising unsafe products.
DBT will continue to engage businesses directly to ensure they are familiar with the guidance and that the Government is supporting them to trade freely across the whole of the UK. My Department continues to have regular engagement with DBT on this new Regulation.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, with reference to the judgment in Summary of judgment - In re Dillon and others - NI Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023 - CA, whether he plans to repeal Section 44 of the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Government remains committed to repealing and replacing the Legacy Act. In my statement to the House on 29 July, I made clear my commitment to propose measures to allow inquests previously halted under Section 44 of the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023 to proceed. I intend to implement the changes to the Act that I have promised, including allowing Troubles-related inquests to continue and reinstating prospective civil proceedings.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, with reference to the Written Statement of 29 July 2024 on the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023, HCWS30, what steps he plans to take to consult stakeholders on proposals relating to that Act.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
As part of my commitment to repeal and replace the Legacy Act, I am undertaking a wide range of engagements, consulting with interested parties, including victims and survivors, veterans, statutory bodies, Northern Ireland political parties, and wider civil society. This of course includes continued close discussion with the Irish Government, which this Government considers to be a valued partner in this process. These discussions focus on finding a pragmatic way forward that can both comply with human rights and command public confidence. I am encouraged by the willingness of those I have met to date to engage constructively, and I look forward to further discussions in the period ahead.