Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether his Department is taking steps to help ensure the survival of curlews in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Steve Baker
Biodiversity, conservation and protection is a devolved matter in Northern Ireland. In the absence of a Northern Ireland Executive and Ministers, it is for the Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs to advise on this topic.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether he has had recent discussions with representatives of the Northern Ireland Administration on the right to protest against new abortion clinics.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris
The legislation in relation to Safe Access Zones at health service locations is a devolved matter and is the responsibility of the Department of Health in Northern Ireland.
Policing and Justice are also devolved matters in Northern Ireland. The PSNI are operationally independent and the responsible oversight bodies are the Northern Ireland Policing Board and the Northern Ireland Department of Justice.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what recent discussions he has had with his Irish counterparts on Northern Ireland.
Answered by Steve Baker
The Secretary of State engages regularly with the Tánaiste on matters relating to Northern Ireland, both in private meetings and via the bilateral structures established under Strand 3 of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement.
The British-Irish Council met in Dublin on 23-24 November, and the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference met on 28 November, also in Dublin. The joint communiqués from both meetings can be found online.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what information his Department holds on Ulster Volunteer Force discussions on disbanding; and what recent steps he has taken to encourage the disbanding of terrorist organisations in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris
We are aware of recent media coverage of this issue. Monitoring of the continuing threat posed by proscribed organisations in Northern Ireland is a matter for the Police Service of Northern Ireland and security partners who continue to work to keep the people of Northern Ireland safe. The UK Government remains committed to the Fresh Start Agreement goal of a society free of paramilitarism, including through the disbandment of all paramilitary organisations and their structures. Paramilitarism was never justified in the past and it isn’t justified today.
Paramilitary groups and the individuals involved in them cause harm to their communities in ways that are obvious - such as violent attacks - and in ways that are less obvious - using intimidation and fear to exert influence and control. They hold their own communities back, deter investment and jobs and prevent people from moving forward with their lives.
The UK Government supports the NI Executive’s Tackling Paramilitarism Programme, which is working to tackle the presence of paramilitaries through evidence-based early interventions, targeted law enforcement measures and initiatives that provide direct support to help build safer communities resilient to paramilitarism. The UK Government has committed to provide 50% of the funding for the Programme - approximately £8m per year - through to March 2025.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what recent steps he has taken to support (a) the Northern Ireland Executive and (b) local businesses in (i) recovering from recent flooding in Downpatrick and (ii) instituting preventative flood defences across Northern Ireland.
Answered by Steve Baker
Whilst this is a devolved matter, the UK Government is working closely with the Northern Ireland Civil Service to make up to £15 million of existing funding available to support with clean-up costs, and other support to help businesses get back to trading.
We will continue to work closely with the Northern Ireland Civil Service and local councils to get support to those who need it as quickly as possible. However, the best way to ensure that affected areas are prepared for the future is a matter for a restored Executive.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will make an assessment of the potential (a) merits of restoring The Most Illustrious Order of Saint Patrick as an active chivalric order and (b) impact of such a policy on the state of the Union.
Answered by Steve Baker
The UK Government is not at present considering the restoration of The Order of St Patrick. As constituted, the order does not provide a suitable vehicle for recognition as the requisite statutes have not been updated since the nineteenth century. Nominations for existing honours are open to all citizens within the four nations of the United Kingdom.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps his Department is taking to help reduce the number of assaults on Police Service of Northern Ireland officers.
Answered by Steve Baker
The Government owes a tremendous debt of gratitude to the brave men and women of the Police Service of Northern Ireland for their tireless work keeping the people of Northern Ireland safe, often in exceptionally challenging circumstances. We condemn any assault or act of violence committed against serving Police Officers.
Policing is a devolved matter in Northern Ireland. Policy and legislation relating to day-to-day policing in Northern Ireland is a matter for the Department of Justice.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of bilingual street signs on sectarianism in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Steve Baker
Local councils in Northern Ireland have the discretion to name streets and provide street signage, including street names expressed in languages other than English. The Government works to ensure equality of opportunity and good relations are central to policy, local councils in Northern Ireland will decide their own methods of consultation within their communities.
The Government celebrates Northern Ireland’s rich tapestry of languages, identities and cultures, and believes that the United Kingdom’s strength lies in its diversity.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment he has made of the potential implications of his policies of the Irish Taoiseach's recent comments on a United Ireland; and whether he has made an assessment of the potential effect of those comments on the Good Friday Agreement.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris
In accordance with the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement and the principle of consent, the Government is clear that Northern Ireland will remain part of the UK for as long as its people wish for it to be.
The test for a referendum is set out in the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement and the Northern Ireland Act.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether his Department has prepared contingency plans to ensure that the electricity supply in Northern Ireland would be secure in the event of a temporary closure of Kilroot power station.
Answered by Steve Baker
Energy is a devolved matter. We are grateful to the civil servants who, in the absence of an Executive, are continuing to deliver public services. My officials, along with officials at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, are working closely with the Department for Economy on energy issues.