Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to help improve the resilience of the UK electricity grid in extreme weather conditions.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Department for Energy Security & Net Zero works extensively with the energy sector to continually improve and maintain the resilience and security of energy infrastructure against risks including severe weather events, such as storms.
The Energy Resilience Strategy, due for publication later this year, will seize the unique opportunity presented by the energy transition to embed resilience into the design of our future energy system.
This Strategy will set out our priorities for building a secure and resilient energy system and explain how we will work with industry, infrastructure partners, and the public to strengthen prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery.
Energy policy and electricity system resilience are transferred matters in Northern Ireland, falling within the legislative competence of the Northern Ireland Assembly and the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Executive The UK Government maintains a close working relationship with the Department for the Economy, supporting them in managing energy security and resilience, and stands ready to help Northern Ireland during significant disruptions, as demonstrated during Storm Eowyn.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent assessment he has made of the condition of the Moyle Interconnector; and whether he has plans for additional interconnectors between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Moyle is a point-to-point interconnector that has been in operation since 2002. It is a commercially developed interconnector and operates without government conducting ongoing assessments of its condition.
On future interconnection between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Ofgem gave in-principle approval in November 2024 for the proposed LirIC electricity interconnector. This project is being taken forward under the Ofgem cap and floor regulatory regime.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of the level of persecution of Christians in Eritrea.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government consistently raises human rights with the Eritrean government, including religious freedoms. We advocate for the end of discriminatory detentions based on religion or belief, as we have stated at the UN Human Rights Council. We call for all those unjustly incarcerated to be released. The UK's Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea raised human rights during her most recent visit to Eritrea in December 2025 and the UK supports the work of the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Eritrea, voting in favour of his mandate renewal in July 2025.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many visits has each Secretary of State made to Northern Ireland since taking office.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Northern Ireland Office holds the following information:
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has travelled to Northern Ireland on 54 occasions since taking office.
The Prime Minister has visited Northern Ireland twice since taking office.
The Chancellor has visited once.
The Foreign Secretary has visited once.
The Secretary of State for Education has visited once.
The former Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner, visited once.
The former Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Pat McFadden, visited twice.
The former Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, Peter Kyle, visited twice.
In addition, there have been 37 visits by other members of the Government to Northern Ireland since 5 July 2024.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what arrangements exist between the UK and the Republic of Ireland for the interception of unidentified or hostile aircraft in Irish airspace.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
Access to Irish airspace is managed through extant diplomatic channels as per international norms with clearance being requested and granted for state aircraft under set conditions. UK Military aircraft do not enter the sovereign airspace of Ireland for operational purposes, without the express prior agreement of the Irish Government. Questions on sovereign airspace access and associated regulations are for individual nations to answer, therefore any questions on Irish airspace should be directed to the Irish Government.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help improve the availability of clinical trials for cancer patients across the UK.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department is committed to ensuring that all patients, including those with cancer, have access to cutting-edge clinical trials and innovative, lifesaving treatments.
The Department funds research and research infrastructure through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), which supports National Health Service patients, the public, and NHS organisations across England to participate in high-quality research, including clinical trials into cancers.
The NIHR provides an online service called 'Be Part of Research', which promotes participation in health and social care research by allowing users to search for relevant studies, including those with cancer, and register their interest.
NHS England is delivering The NHS Cancer Vaccine Launch Pad, a platform that is speeding up access to clinical trials for cancer vaccines and immunotherapies for patients who have been diagnosed with cancer.
The forthcoming National Cancer Plan will include further details on how we will improve outcomes for cancer patients across the country. It will ensure that more patients have access to the latest treatments and technology, and to clinical trials.
The Government also supports the Rare Cancers Private Members Bill. The bill will make it easier for clinical trials, on for example pancreatic cancer, to take place in England, by ensuring the patient population can be more easily contacted by researchers.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans his Department has to encourage collaboration between NHS Trusts and pharmaceutical companies to enhance cancer clinical trials.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department is committed to ensuring that all patients, including those with cancer, have access to cutting-edge clinical trials and innovative, lifesaving treatments.
We are incentivising clinical trials and strengthening collaboration between pharmaceutical companies and National Health Service trusts by streamlining processes and cutting set‑up times to 150 days by March 2026, ensuring the United Kingdom offers a faster, more competitive environment for delivering high‑quality research.
The Department funded National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR) funds research and research infrastructure which supports patients and the public to participate in high-quality research. This includes Experimental Cancer Medicine Centres, co-funded by NIHR, Cancer Research UK, and the Little Princess Trust, which form a UK-wide network that brings together world leading laboratory and clinical researchers to deliver pioneering early phase cancer trials for adults and children. Additionally, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency will introduce a 14-day assessment route for phase 1 trials, adopting an innovative stepwise approach, restoring a rapid pathway for the earliest testing of new medicines in people, a key draw for global pharmaceutical companies deciding where to base their research.
NHS England is delivering specific collaborative initiatives with industry such as the Cancer Vaccine Launch Pad (CVLP). The NHS CVLP is a platform that is speeding up access to clinical trials for cancer vaccines and immunotherapies for patients who have been diagnosed with cancer. The CVLP platform is designed to be company and clinical trial agnostic. Different companies have been involved in the CVLP and trials in the CVLP portfolio have included cancers such as head and neck cancer melanoma and colorectal cancer.
35 Commercial Research Delivery Centres (CRDCs), including primary care been established largely within NHS trusts. CRDCs will expand capacity, streamline set-up, and give patients faster access to innovative treatments and clinical trials, including those concerning cancer.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of the state of religious freedom in India and the treatment of minority faith communities.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 18 December in response to Question 98409.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many illegal immigrants are currently being housed in Northern Ireland; and what steps are being taken to process their cases.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
In accordance with the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, the Home Office has a statutory obligation to provide destitute asylum seekers with accommodation and subsistence support whilst their application for asylum is being considered.
Data on the number of supported asylum seekers in accommodation, including hotels, and by local authority can be found within the Asy_D11 tab for our most recent statistics release: Immigration system statistics data tables - GOV.UK
The Home Office continues to invest in a programme of transformation and business improvement initiatives, including innovative tooling to speed up decision-making, reduce the time people spend in the asylum system, decrease the number of people awaiting an interview or decision, and improve the quality and consistency of our work. Our efforts span the entire asylum journey and will enable us to maximise capacity and progress cases in a more efficient and cost-effective way. We have taken action to speed up asylum processing so that asylum seekers do not wait months or years, at vast expense to the taxpayer, for a decision. The number of outstanding asylum decisions is falling, and we continue to make good progress.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to help tackle the increase in haulage costs for transporting goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Hauliers play a very important role in supporting trade within the UK. The Government meets regularly with stakeholders involved in trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, such as representatives of the road haulage and wider logistics industry, including to understand cost pressures.
Hauliers transporting goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland are supported by measures such as the extension of the 5 pence cut in fuel duty until the end of August 2026 and for Great Britain, discounts of up to £120,000 on new electric trucks are available thanks to an additional £18m to increase the Plug-in Truck Grant until the end of March 2026. Existing rates apply to Northern Ireland.