Asked by: Alex Easton (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many Troubles-related enquiries are currently (a) awaiting investigation and (b) under active investigation by the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery; and how many of those enquiries relate to alleged offences committed by (i) members of the security forces, (ii) loyalist paramilitary organisations and (iii) republican paramilitary organisations, including the Provisional IRA.
Answered by Sarah Owen - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Northern Ireland Office)
The Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR) confirmed in June 2026 to the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee that there were 123 live investigations at that time.
The ICRIR is an independent body and it would not be appropriate for the Government to comment on the particulars and alleged perpetrators of ongoing investigations. I would encourage the Honourable Gentleman to request relevant information from the Commission directly.
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 made an assessment of trends in the level of continued circulation of weapons formerly held by the Provisional IRA following the decommissioning process completed in 2005; and what discussions he has had with security agencies on this issue.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
I regularly engage with the Chief Constable and UK security partners whose responsibility it is to assess the threat, risk and harm posed by paramilitary, terrorist and serious organised crime groups, and to use this information to inform their operational response. It is right that this sensitive information is not made public.
The Northern Ireland Related Terrorism (NIRT) in Northern Ireland threat level remains SUBSTANTIAL, following its reduction in March 2024.
The Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre keeps the Threat Level from Northern Ireland Related Terrorism in Northern Ireland under constant review and formally reviews it twice a year.
The national security threat from NIRT in Northern Ireland is wholly driven by violent Dissident Republicans who reject the Good Friday Agreement (GFA), and not by Groups that support the GFA. However, all criminality should be dealt with fully by the police.
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 level of accessibility of firearms to dissident republican groups; and whether he has had discussions with the Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland on the location of all weapons declared decommissioned in 2005.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
I regularly engage with the Chief Constable and UK security partners whose responsibility it is to assess the threat, risk and harm posed by paramilitary, terrorist and serious organised crime groups, and to use this information to inform their operational response. It is right that this sensitive information is not made public.
The Northern Ireland Related Terrorism (NIRT) in Northern Ireland threat level remains SUBSTANTIAL, following its reduction in March 2024.
The Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre keeps the Threat Level from Northern Ireland Related Terrorism in Northern Ireland under constant review and formally reviews it twice a year.
The national security threat from NIRT in Northern Ireland is wholly driven by violent Dissident Republicans who reject the Good Friday Agreement (GFA), and not by Groups that support the GFA. However, all criminality should be dealt with fully by the police.
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 discussions with the (a) Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland and (b) security services on levels of firearms available to dissident republicans.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
I regularly engage with the Chief Constable and UK security partners whose responsibility it is to assess the threat, risk and harm posed by paramilitary, terrorist and serious organised crime groups, and to use this information to inform their operational response. It is right that this sensitive information is not made public.
The Northern Ireland Related Terrorism (NIRT) in Northern Ireland threat level remains SUBSTANTIAL, following its reduction in March 2024.
The Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre keeps the Threat Level from Northern Ireland Related Terrorism in Northern Ireland under constant review and formally reviews it twice a year.
The national security threat from NIRT in Northern Ireland is wholly driven by violent Dissident Republicans who reject the Good Friday Agreement (GFA), and not by Groups that support the GFA. However, all criminality should be dealt with fully by the police.
Asked by: Alex Easton (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the Armed Forces Covenant is being fully implemented in Northern Ireland; whether veterans and former service personnel living in Northern Ireland receive the same rights, protections and entitlements as those in the rest of the United Kingdom, particularly in relation to social housing, homelessness assistance, healthcare, education and welfare support; and what steps he is taking to ensure that veterans in Northern Ireland are not disadvantaged in accessing the support and services available to veterans elsewhere in the United Kingdom.
Answered by Calvin Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans and People)
The Armed Forces Covenant applies across the United Kingdom, including Northern Ireland, while responsibility for many relevant services is devolved. Provision may be delivered differently across the UK, but the Government’s objective is that the Armed Forces community, which includes veterans, should not face disadvantage because of their service.
To strengthen these protections, the Government is extending the Armed Forces Covenant Legal Duty through the Armed Forces Bill 2026, requiring the Northern Ireland Executive (NIE) and relevant public bodies to have due regard to Covenant principles across areas including housing, health, education, training and social security. The MOD will continue to work closely with the NIE on implementation.
This Government is committed to ensuring veterans can access the support they need wherever they live in the UK. In Northern Ireland, the MOD’s Office for Veterans’ Affairs has established a local presence to strategically coordinate support for veterans’ wellbeing. This will soon be strengthened by the new VALOUR programme’s Field Officers who will work with local organisations to improve access to services and deliver support that meets local needs.
Local veterans and their families can access support through the Veterans' Welfare Service Northern Ireland, including physiotherapy and psychological therapies. Those facing homelessness can also access the UK-wide Op FORTITUDE housing pathway. In addition, the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust funds health and wellbeing programmes, including Thrive Together and the Defence Medical Welfare Service pilot.
Northern Ireland’s first Veterans Commissioner was appointed in 2020 to champion veterans' interests. Appointed in January 2025 as the second Northern Ireland Veterans Commissioner, David Johnstone promotes awareness of issues affecting local veterans, including health, housing, employment and legacy matters.
Asked by: Alex Easton (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of (a) extending the period during which Statutory Maternity Pay is paid at 90 per cent of average weekly earnings from six to 12 weeks and (b) linking the rate payable for the remaining 33 weeks to the National Minimum Wage; and what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the current level of Statutory Maternity Pay on (i) the financial circumstances of new mothers and (ii) the timing of their return to work.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
I refer the hon. Members to the answer given on 24 April 2026 to Question UIN 124467.
Asked by: Alex Easton (Independent - North Down)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to provide long-term funding certainty for the UK Youth Parliament; and what assessment she has made of the potential impact of uncertainty over future funding on Members of Youth Parliament elected in Northern Ireland for two-years.
Answered by Vicky Foxcroft - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
In March 2026, the Government announced £453,000 of funding for the UK Youth Parliament for 2026/27, to be delivered by the National Youth Agency. No decision has been made about the future of UKYP beyond March 2027.
We recognise the importance of providing clarity for Members of the Youth Parliament, including those in Northern Ireland. No specific assessment has been undertaken of the potential impact of funding uncertainty on Members of Youth Parliament in Northern Ireland.
The Government is committed to strengthening young people’s participation in democratic processes and decision-making. We are currently considering how best to deliver our ambitions for youth empowerment, informed by engagement with young people and youth organisations, including Members of Youth Parliament. We will continue to engage with colleagues in the devolved administrations on our respective approaches to youth empowerment and will share learning as this work progresses.
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 comparative assessment his Department has made of the quality and availability of palliative and end of life care with international best practice; and what steps he plans to take to ensure that England provides world-leading palliative and end of life care.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
No such assessment has recently been made, but the Prime Minister and my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, have made clear their commitment to improve the quality and availability of palliative and end-of-life care through a new Modern Service Framework, as set out in the answer of 14 September to Question 27682.
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, for (a) brain cancer, (b) breast cancer, (c) lung cancer, (d) bowel cancer and (e) prostate cancer research since 2018, what amount and what percentage of reported public research expenditure consisted of infrastructure, programme or other expenditure not directly attributable to a named research project or study; and by what methodology that expenditure was included within disease-specific research expenditure figures.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The information requested is not available as it is not held centrally. For brain cancer expenditure, I refer the Hon. Member to the answer provided on 25 June in response to Question 9944.
On the wider issues raised, I refer the Hon. Member to the National Cancer Plan, published in February, which sets out the Government’s approach to research and treatment in these and other areas. The plan is available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-cancer-plan-for-england
Asked by: Alex Easton (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the level of strength and readiness of UK military forces stationed in and around the Falkland Islands; and what steps his Department is taking to ensure sufficient recruitment, retention and personnel levels to maintain the long-term defence of the Islands.
Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
The UK Government is steadfast in its support for the Falkland Islanders’ right of self-determination.
The Ministry of Defence is committed to maintaining a defensive military presence in the South Atlantic to ensure the protection of the Falkland Islands. Our defences in the South Atlantic are robust, consisting of air, land, and maritime forces with a strong permanent presence on the Falkland Islands. I am confident that our military presence is at the appropriate level for the defence of the Islands, and we keep this under constant review.
The Government is focused upon improving Armed Forces recruitment, modernising and refining our policies and processes to attract the best possible talent across all roles and missions within the Armed Forces. Defence is already delivering a range of new and more flexible routes into service designed to widen participation, attract specialist talent and improve access to military careers.