Asked by: Alex Easton (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether he has had recent discussions with the Northern Ireland Executive on the introduction of neonatal care leave and pay in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
I welcome the introduction earlier this year of neonatal care leave and pay in Great Britain, which will provide vital support to parents whose babies require specialist care in the first weeks of life, ensuring they will have additional time away from work at such a critical time.
My ministerial team and officials regularly engage with the Northern Ireland Executive and we are aware of the ongoing discussions about the possibility of leave and pay for parents whose newborn babies require neonatal care being introduced in Northern Ireland.
Asked by: Alex Easton (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with her Kyrgyz counterpart on the (a) imprisonment and (b) torture of (i) Pastor Pavel Shreider and (ii) members of the True and Free Reform Adventist Church; and what diplomatic steps she is taking to help ensure their release.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK regularly engages with Kyrgyzstan both bilaterally and in multilateral settings on a range of issues, including human rights matters. I raised Human rights concerns during our Strategic Dialogue in February this year. In Kyrgyzstan's most recent UN Universal Periodic Review in April this year, the UK raised concerns about restrictions on freedom of expression and recommended amending legislation regarding "Incitement of racial, ethnic, national, religious interregional hatred". Our Embassy in Kyrgyzstan monitors the human rights in the country and works closely with civil society organisations and multilateral partners.
Asked by: Alex Easton (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what investigation was carried out into the incidents involving the Full Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC) system that caused the replacement of a Chinook helicopter’s number 1 engine on arrival at RAF Odiham in April 1994 and the subsequent replacement of that engine five days later following a second FADEC incident.
Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
It is assumed that this question is asked in relation to Chinook ZD576, the helicopter involved in the tragedy on the Mull of Kintyre in 1994. The Board of Inquiry into this tragic accident refers to issues relating to the No. 1 Engine, the investigations into these issues and the remedial action that was taken stating that:
“Both engine malfunctions concerned the No 1 Engine Change Unit (ECU). The first malfunction concerned a torque indication fault and this was rectified by the replacement of the ECU. The second malfunction concerned an undemanded rise in N1 and Power Turbine Inlet Temperature. The fault could not be satisfactorily diagnosed, and both the ECU and engine control unit were replaced.”
This extract from the BoI is included on page 8 of the House of Lords Report of RAF Board of Inquiry published 8 November 2001.
Asked by: Alex Easton (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what data his Department holds on the reasons for passengers travelling on the Chinook Mk2 aircraft involved in the Mull of Kintyre crash in 1994.
Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
I refer the hon. Member to The Mull of Kintyre Review undertaken by the Rt Hon Lord Philip published on 13 July 2011. This review states that “This was an annual tasking to transport Northern Ireland based senior intelligence and security officers to a security conference outside the Province (p12)”.
Asked by: Alex Easton (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with her Cuban counterpart on the resentencing of Donaida Pérez Paseiro on 11 June 2025; and what diplomatic steps she is taking to help ensure her release.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer of 20 October 2025 to question 78060 which sets out our position. The UK continues to call for the immediate release of all political prisoners in Cuba, without condition. We are monitoring the situation closely.
Asked by: Alex Easton (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of requiring company directors to obtain digital identification through Companies House from November 2025 on administration for businesses.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Identity verification is designed to be quick and straightforward. Individuals can verify their identity digitally through GOV.UK One Login, for free, via an Authorised Corporate Service Provider (ACSP), such as an accountant or solicitor, or in-person at the Post Office. In most cases, the digital route takes a few minutes.
Our 2024 Impact Assessment concluded that the familiarisation and time-based costs to businesses of identity verification are minimal. The cost to an average officer for identity verification is £10.50, and up to £25.20 for a harder-to-verify individual (2019 prices) and £2.10 to confirm each appointment.
Asked by: Alex Easton (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of extending the Armed Forces Covenant Duty on his Departmental responsibilities.
Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip
The Ministry of Justice adheres to the principles of the Armed Forces Covenant Duty. The principles inform a range of work across the Department. For example, in 2021, the Ministry of Justice was one of the first Departments to participate in the now civil service-wide initiative Great Place to Work for Veterans. Additionally, we introduced Advance into Justice in March 2022 as a fast-track scheme for service personnel leaving the Armed Forces to become prison officers. The scheme has since been expanded to include a wider range of roles across His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) and for all those who have served in the Armed Forces, as well including spouses and legal partners of service personnel.
Across the prison estate, almost all prisons have a Veterans in Custody Support Officer to provide tailored support to veterans who find themselves in prison. HMPPS also delivers services via many third sector organisations (including military charities such as SSAFA) who provide a prison in-reach service offering resettlement advice to veterans whilst in custody and guidance in preparation for release. We also have 2 Veterans Activity Hubs at HMP/YOI Holme House and HMP Risley which provide safe and supportive spaces for former service personnel in custody.
The Department will continue to work with the Ministry of Defence on the Covenant’s Statutory Guidance and implementation.
Asked by: Alex Easton (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment he has made of the impact of being part of the UK on Northern Ireland.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is a much valued part of the UK and brings an enormous richness to the life of our country. Northern Ireland also benefits hugely from being part of the UK.
For example, the Northern Ireland Executive will receive a record settlement of £19.3 billion per year on average between 2026-27 and 2028-29. This is the largest in the history of devolution, and provides Northern Ireland with over 24% more per person than equivalent UK Government spending in the rest of the UK.
As part of the UK, Northern Ireland will benefit from: £1.9 billion investment in Belfast defence manufacturing; access to £20 billion UK R&D spending; £2 million funding for Queen's University Belfast's Cyber AI Hub; access to £3 billion in UK-wide funding for the advanced manufacturing sector; £310 million over four years as part of the City and Growth Deals; and at least £30 million as part of the Local Innovation Partnership Fund.
Asked by: Alex Easton (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help prevent patients being treated in (a) corridors, (b) converted office spaces, (c) gyms and (d) other inappropriate spaces in winter 2025-26.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We are doing everything we can as fast as we can to eliminate corridor care. The Government is determined to get the National Health Service back on its feet, so that patients can be treated with dignity.
Our Urgent and Emergency Care Plan, published in June 2025, set out the steps we are taking to ensure that patients will receive better, faster, and more appropriate emergency care, backed by a total of nearly £450 million of funding. This plan includes a target to reduce the number of patients waiting over 12 hours for admission or discharge from an emergency department compared to 2024/25, with the aim of this occurring less than 10% of the time, and a commitment to publish data on the prevalence of corridor care.
We will also publish new clinical operational standards for the first 72 hours of care which will support better hospital flow, which aims to reduce overcrowding and long waits.
Asked by: Alex Easton (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with her Pakistani counterpart on reports of (a) degrading treatment of and (b) discrimination against (i) Christian and (ii) Hindu prisoners in that country; and what diplomatic steps she taking to help ensure the protection of religious minority prisoners in that country.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government is concerned by reports of degrading treatment and discrimination against Christian and Hindu prisoners in Pakistan. Promoting the rights of religious minorities is a core part of our diplomatic engagement and we continue to advocate for their rights with senior Pakistani officials, including in meetings between myself and Pakistan's Human Rights and Interior Ministers earlier this year.
Our High Commission in Islamabad also engages regularly with civil society and human rights defenders to monitor prison conditions and advocate for reforms. We will continue to urge the Government of Pakistan to uphold its international obligations and ensure the safety and dignity of all prisoners, regardless of faith.