Asked by: Colum Eastwood (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Foyle)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether her Department had discussions with industry stakeholders in Northern Ireland before announcing the British Industry Supercharger.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
These measures relate to the GB electricity market. Northern Ireland is part of the separate, Single Irish Electricity Market and will therefore not benefit directly from this package. Officials continue to work closely with their counterparts in Northern Ireland.
Asked by: Colum Eastwood (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Foyle)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his Department's policies of the proposed frequency of meetings by Colombia's National Security Guarantees Commission.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Supporting the Colombian Government in its commitment to secure a broad and lasting peace will remain an important priority of this Government. To date, we have spent over £74 million through the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF) to support the implementation of the peace agreement in Colombia and improve stability and security. The National Commission for Security Guarantees, which includes representatives from the Colombian Government, Civil Society, supervisory bodies and UN representatives, is a vital instrument of the Peace Agreement to develop a public policy for dismantling illegal armed groups. As pen holder at the United Nations Security Council, the UK will continue to work closely with the UN Verification Mission and the UN representatives that advise this body.
Asked by: Colum Eastwood (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Foyle)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has taken recent steps to support (a) aid agencies, (b) charities and (c) NGOs following the earthquake in West Java.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign Secretary contacted Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi following the earthquake on 21 November. The Indonesian Government has not formally requested bilateral assistance. UK officials are in close touch with the Indonesian authorities and aid partners who continue to monitor the situation on the ground in Cianjur, West Java. This includes the Indonesia National Agency for Disaster Countermeasure (BNPB) and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).
Asked by: Colum Eastwood (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Foyle)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has taken recent steps to provide bilateral support to the Indonesian government following the earthquake in West Java.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign Secretary contacted Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi following the earthquake on 21 November. The Indonesian Government has not formally requested bilateral assistance. UK officials are in close touch with the Indonesian authorities and aid partners who continue to monitor the situation on the ground in Cianjur, West Java. This includes the Indonesia National Agency for Disaster Countermeasure (BNPB) and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).
Asked by: Colum Eastwood (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Foyle)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many people (a) accessed addiction treatment services and (b) needed residential addiction treatment services in each constituency in Northern Ireland in each of the last three years for which figures are available; and what funds were provided for (i) non-residential and (ii) residential addiction treatment services in each constituency in each year.
Answered by Steve Baker - Minister of State (Northern Ireland Office)
The UK Government does not hold or have access to the requested figures, as this policy area is devolved.
The operation of and funding for addiction services treatment is a matter for Northern Ireland Executive and the relevant bodies in Northern Ireland.
Asked by: Colum Eastwood (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Foyle)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, with reference to the New Decade New Approach Deal published in January 2020, what steps the Government has taken to provide additional funding to support the Derry/Londonderry addiction centre.
Answered by Steve Baker - Minister of State (Northern Ireland Office)
The UK Government stands ready to provide the £1 million additional funding to support the Derry/Londonderry addiction centre as is set out in the New Decade, New Approach agreement, and we are currently awaiting the Northern Ireland Executive’s proposals for delivering the centre.
It is for the relevant Northern Ireland Executive department to develop these proposals so that this funding can be invested in local communities in Northern Ireland quickly.
Continuing funding for the Derry/Londonderry addiction centre is a matter for the Northern Ireland Executive and the relevant bodies in Northern Ireland. This reinforces the need for an Executive to get back up and running as soon as possible.
Asked by: Colum Eastwood (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Foyle)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, with reference to the independent review of drugs by Dame Carol Black, what assessment he has made of the effect of Government funding to implement the recommendations in that review on the Barnett consequential for Northern Ireland.
Answered by Steve Baker - Minister of State (Northern Ireland Office)
The treatment and prevention of drug problems and harms in Northern Ireland is a devolved matter for the Northern Ireland Executive. Any Barnett consequentials that arise through additional spending by the UK Government to implement the Review recommendations will be allocated to the Northern Ireland Executive in line with the Statement of Funding Policy.
This reinforces the need for an Executive to get back up and running as soon as possible.
Asked by: Colum Eastwood (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Foyle)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what funds the Government made available for addiction services in Northern Ireland in each of the last three years for which figures are available.
Answered by Steve Baker - Minister of State (Northern Ireland Office)
Health is a devolved matter in Northern Ireland, but nevertheless, the UK Government has committed £1 million in additional funding to support the Derry/Londonderry addiction centre as set out in the New Decade, New Approach agreement, and we are currently awaiting the Northern Ireland Executive’s proposals for delivering this centre.
As the funding of addiction services in Northern Ireland is a matter for the Northern Ireland Executive and the relevant bodies in Northern Ireland, the UK Government does not hold or have access to the requested figures.
Asked by: Colum Eastwood (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Foyle)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of Section 63 and Schedule 14 of the Financial Services and Markets Bill on parity of Northern Ireland credits unions with those in Great Britain.
Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government is a strong supporter of the mutuals sector and recognises the unique role credit unions play in their communities, providing savings and affordable loans to their members.
Clause 63 introduces Schedule 14 of the Financial Services and Markets Bill 2022, which makes amendments to the Credit Unions Act 1979 to allow credit unions in Great Britain to offer a wider range of products and services, thereby supporting the growth, diversification, and development of the sector.
Responsibility for credit unions in Northern Ireland is a devolved matter.
Officials have engaged with counterparts in the Northern Ireland Department for the Economy and are willing to engage further should they wish to implement something similar for credit unions in Northern Ireland.
Asked by: Colum Eastwood (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Foyle)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department held discussions with representatives of the heating oil sector in Northern Ireland when devising energy bills schemes to help tackle the cost of living crisis.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Government has engaged extensively with energy organisations and suppliers in the development of the energy bill support schemes for families and businesses. This has included engaging with representatives of the Northern Ireland Oil Federation and the Consumer Council.