Asked by: Andrew Murrison (Conservative - South West Wiltshire)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the timeframe is for the redetermination of the planning application for the Tyrone-Cavan interconnector.
Answered by John Penrose
The Northern Ireland (Executive Formation and Exercise of Functions) Act 2018 and associated guidance gives greater certainty to enable NI Departments to continue to take decisions in Northern Ireland in the public interest. The redetermination of the planning application is a devolved matter and falls to the Department for Infrastructure. As such, I would encourage you to contact the Northern Ireland Department for Infrastructure for further information.
Asked by: Andrew Murrison (Conservative - South West Wiltshire)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment she has made of the effect on the (a) economy and (b) security of supply as a result of the delay in approval for the Tyrone-Cavan interconnector.
Answered by John Penrose
The Northern Ireland (Executive Formation and Exercise of Functions) Act 2018 and associated guidance gives greater certainty to enable NI Departments to continue to take decisions in Northern Ireland in the public interest. The redetermination of the planning application is a devolved matter and falls to the Department for Infrastructure. As such, I would encourage you to contact the Northern Ireland Department for Infrastructure for further information.
Asked by: Andrew Murrison (Conservative - South West Wiltshire)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what role the guidance issued under the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation and Exercise of Functions) Act 2018 will play in the determination of the Tyrone-Cavan interconnector application.
Answered by John Penrose
The Northern Ireland (Executive Formation and Exercise of Functions) Act 2018 and associated guidance gives greater certainty to enable NI Departments to continue to take decisions in Northern Ireland in the public interest. The redetermination of the planning application is a devolved matter and falls to the Department for Infrastructure. As such, I would encourage you to contact the Northern Ireland Department for Infrastructure for further information.
Asked by: Andrew Murrison (Conservative - South West Wiltshire)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, on what dates (a) Ministers and (b) officials from his Department met with counterparts at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy to discuss productivity levels in Northern Ireland.
Answered by James Brokenshire
Northern Ireland Office Ministers and officials engage regularly with Ministers and officials in the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on areas of mutual interest.
This includes engagement on the development of the Government’s Industrial Strategy which aims to boost productivity and drive growth across the whole country.
Asked by: Andrew Murrison (Conservative - South West Wiltshire)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of integrated schooling programmes in Northern Ireland in promoting community cohesion since 2013.
Answered by Kris Hopkins
Integrated Education is a devolved matter and is primarily the responsibility for the Northern Ireland Minister of Education. It is for him and his department to assess the effectiveness of the programmes which are in place.
However, this Government recognises the important contribution which integrated education has to play in promoting reconciliation and mutual understanding and is committed to supporting the Northern Ireland Executive in delivering its objectives in this important area. The Stormont House and Fresh Start Agreements identified up to £500 million of capital funding over 10 years to support shared and integrated education, and shared housing.
Asked by: Andrew Murrison (Conservative - South West Wiltshire)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the recommendations of the Boundary Commission for Northern Ireland on political stability in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Kris Hopkins
It would not be appropriate for the Government to comment on specific recommendations. The Boundary Commission for Northern Ireland’s review is ongoing and the public consultation on its provisional proposals concluded in November 2016. The Commission will publish all responses received in due course as part of a 4 week consultation during which written submissions on the responses are invited.
Asked by: Andrew Murrison (Conservative - South West Wiltshire)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what recent meetings he has had with Ministers of the Northern Ireland Executive on the UK's exit from the EU.
Answered by James Brokenshire
The Government is committed to working closely with the Northern Ireland Executive as we prepare for negotiations, recognising the particular circumstances that affect Northern Ireland.
I have had regular meetings with Ministers in the Northern Ireland Executive. In her first two weeks as Prime Minister, Theresa May visited Northern Ireland, promising the UK Government would fully engage the devolved administrations to ensure we achieve a shared understanding of their interests and objectives as we prepare to exit the European Union. The Government looks forward to discussing arrangements to prepare for exit with all three devolved administrations at the forthcoming Joint Ministerial Committee plenary meeting on 24 October.
In addition, the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union has visited Northern Ireland, engaging with the Northern Ireland Executive and key representatives for sectoral businesses and civil society, ensuring we build a national consensus to our approach to the negotiations. Ministers from the Department for International Trade and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy have also engaged with politicians, businesses and civil society from Northern Ireland, recognising the particular circumstances that affect it, including around the border with the Republic of Ireland.
The UK Government’s focus remains on making a success of exiting the European Union and getting the right deal both for the UK as a whole and for Northern Ireland.