Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Northern Ireland Office

Oral Answers to Questions

Danny Kinahan Excerpts
Wednesday 20th July 2016

(7 years, 9 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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James Brokenshire Portrait James Brokenshire
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Again, I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his welcome. I certainly recognise the importance of the all-Ireland arrangements for electricity and for gas. In the continued negotiations and discussions on Northern Ireland and the UK being outside the European Union, that will be a core part of the issues we will be taking forward.

Danny Kinahan Portrait Danny Kinahan (South Antrim) (UUP)
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I, too, congratulate the Secretary of State and his team on their appointments, and thank the previous team for all the work they did for Northern Ireland. On an alternative electricity supply and the renewable heat initiative, the Northern Ireland Audit Office has told us that it may cost our block grant £140 million. Will the Secretary of State ensure that there is an investigation as to what has happened?

James Brokenshire Portrait James Brokenshire
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Coming into this role, I recognise the issue of costs for electricity and power more generally, and its importance in the context of the Northern Ireland economy. Indeed, this is why I made the points I did about the electricity interconnector. I will look closely at the points the hon. Gentleman makes, and I look forward to discussing this and other issues with him and other colleagues in the months ahead.