Asked by: Chris Green (Conservative - Bolton West)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
What assessment he has made of the benefits of the Levelling Up Fund for Northern Ireland.
Answered by Robin Walker
The Government is firmly committed to levelling up and bringing new benefits and opportunities to communities right across the UK. Through our excellent Levelling Up Fund, £4.8billion is being made available to fund capital projects that will regenerate town centres and high streets, upgrade local transport, and invest in cultural and heritage assets.
In Northern Ireland, the Levelling Up Fund is open to a range of business, voluntary and community sector organisations until 18 June. The successful bids will help drive the recovery of communities and areas hardest hit by Covid. I am confident that this new funding can make a real difference in Northern Ireland and I have enjoyed some enthusiastic early engagements with local government across NI.
Asked by: Chris Green (Conservative - Bolton West)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on using the NHS Test and Trace database system.
Answered by Robin Walker
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and I speak regularly with Cabinet and Ministerial colleagues across Government to discuss a wide range of mutual issues, including the NHS Test and Trace database system. However, the Northern Ireland Office is not the lead UK Government Department responsible for the NHS Test and Trace database system policy. The lead department is the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC).
As health is a devolved matter, the Department for Health Northern Ireland make their own decisions on testing and tracing, however there is continued UK-wide engagement to ensure a coordinated and collaborative approach.
Asked by: Chris Green (Conservative - Bolton West)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether his Department plans to use the NHS Test and Trace database system.
Answered by Robin Walker
The Northern Ireland Office is not the lead UK Government Department responsible for the NHS Test and Trace database system and does not therefore develop policy relating to the use of the system. The lead department is the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC).
Asked by: Chris Green (Conservative - Bolton West)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether he has allocated any financial or other resources from his Department's budget to investigate potential future uses by his Department of the NHS Test and Trace database system.
Answered by Robin Walker
The Northern Ireland Office is not the lead UK Government Department responsible for the NHS Test and Trace database system, therefore does not allocate resources, including financial resources to investigate future uses of the system. The lead department is the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC).
Asked by: Chris Green (Conservative - Bolton West)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
What recent assessment he has made of the economic importance of the tech sector to Northern Ireland.
Answered by Julian Smith
Northern Ireland continues to benefit from the decision taken by this Government to build a stronger economy across the whole of the United Kingdom. Of particular importance, is the Tech Sector, which provides highly skilled and rewarding jobs, as well as boosting innovation.
The UK Government has announced economic investments of over £600m through City and Growth Deals and other initiatives that cover all 11 councils in Northern Ireland. This provides an excellent opportunity for each to enrich their Tech Sector capabilities, including digital and R&D innovations; and clearly demonstrates the Government’s continued support for the development of skills provision and growth in this innovative sector.