Asked by: Alex Davies-Jones (Labour - Pontypridd)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what recent assessment he has made of the progress on the Independent Review of Education in Northern Ireland being undertaken by the Department of Education Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Robin Walker
The Independent Review of Education was an important commitment made in the New Decade, New Approach Agreement, to be taken forward by the Northern Ireland Executive. It presents a real opportunity to ensure that Northern Ireland’s education system works for all children and young people, and helps promote integration and reconciliation at its core.
The Government welcomes the establishment of the Review, the publication of its Terms of Reference and the completion of the recruitment process for the Panel. We hope this progress will continue and look forward to the Panel’s findings, which will be for the Northern Ireland Executive to consider and take forward.
The Government firmly believes that greater integration within Northern Ireland’s education system is an essential aspect of the reconciliation process in Northern Ireland. That is why, as part of the Stormont House and Fresh Start Agreements, the Government committed to providing up to £500 million of funding to support shared and integrated education projects. The £400 million New Deal for Northern Ireland will also support initiatives to enable children from different community backgrounds to be educated together.
Asked by: Alex Davies-Jones (Labour - Pontypridd)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, with reference to the findings of the poll conducted by the Integrated Education Fund, published June 2021, what steps he is taking to increase access to integrated schools for children; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Robin Walker
The Government firmly believes that greater integration within education is an essential aspect of the reconciliation process in Northern Ireland. That is why, as part of the Stormont House and Fresh Start Agreements, the Government committed to providing up to £500 million of funding to support shared and integrated education projects. This funding is supporting the building of 23 integrated schools and 5 shared campuses.
The £400 million New Deal for Northern Ireland will also support initiatives to enable children from different community backgrounds to be educated together. The Government is currently exploring ways in which this funding can best be deployed.
Asked by: Alex Davies-Jones (Labour - Pontypridd)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
What assessment he has made of the adequacy of information for women seeking to access abortion services in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Robin Walker
Abortion services are now a matter for the Department of Health in Northern Ireland.
I am pleased that some service provision has commenced through existing sexual and reproductive health services in the Belfast, Northern and Western Trust areas. Information on these services is available through the Informing Choices NI helpline and the Central Booking Service.
I hope that longer-term services can be commissioned as soon as possible in the current circumstances, consistent with the Regulations we made.
The Abortion (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2020 which were laid in March have now been replaced with the Abortion (Northern Ireland) (No. 2) Regulations 2020 , which were laid in the House today. These regulations come into effect on 14th May and revoke the earlier regulations. Their legal effect in supporting the provision of services remains consistent, with a small correction having been made to address the concerns of the JCSI, so services can continue on the same basis.