Asked by: David Anderson (Labour - Blaydon)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps he has taken to investigate allegations on Channel 4's Dispatches programme of 4 February 2017 that members of the armed forces and the RUC were involved in waterboarding detained persons in Northern Ireland in 1972.
Answered by James Brokenshire
The UK unreservedly condemns the use of torture or inhuman treatment. We work hard with our international partners to eradicate this abhorrent practice. We have consistently made clear our absolute opposition to torture and our determination to combat it wherever and whenever it occurs.
Preventing torture and tackling impunity for those who torture are essential components of safeguarding our security and are integral to a fair legal system and the rule of law.
The UK abides by its commitments under international law and expects all countries to comply with their international legal obligations.
The UK Government, including the intelligence and security agencies, never uses torture for any purpose, including to obtain information.
As in any circumstances, if anyone has evidence of any wrongdoing, that should be brought to the attention of the appropriate authorities for investigation.
Asked by: David Anderson (Labour - Blaydon)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, with reference to the Northern Ireland Office Renewable Heating Incentive Scheme, published on 5 July 2016, what steps his Department is taking to support the Northern Ireland Executive to create an open and accountable process to investigate Renewable Heating Incentive overspend.
Answered by James Brokenshire
The Northern Ireland Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme is the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Executive and not the Northern Ireland Office. The Northern Ireland Audit Office has responsibility for the financial and value for money audit of central government bodies in the Northern Ireland Executive.
Asked by: David Anderson (Labour - Blaydon)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to the Answer of 16 November 2016 to Question 52620, on County Londonderry, what the legal basis is for the Government's position given in that Answer.
Answered by James Brokenshire
The issues relating to Lough Foyle date back to a 1662 charter of Charles II, which granted the waters and bed (as well as the fisheries) of Lough Foyle to the Irish Society, and included them as part of County Londonderry.
In practice, the regulation of activities in the Lough is now the responsibility of the Loughs Agency, a cross-border body established under the Belfast Agreement of 1998.
We remain fully committed to these arrangements and continue to work closely with the Irish Government over improvements to the management of the Lough. Like the Irish Government, we do not anticipate these issues forming part of the negotiations over the UK’s exit from the European Union.
Asked by: David Anderson (Labour - Blaydon)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how the Foyle and Carlingford catchments fishing regime will be enforced and regulated after the UK leaves the EU; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by James Brokenshire
The UK Government is committed to withdrawing from the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) and putting a new fisheries regime in place. No decisions have yet been taken, although the Government remains committed to sustainable fisheries and the Discard Ban (Landing Obligation), as set out in its manifesto commitments.
The UK is bound by international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which gives coastal states rights and responsibilities over their Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and the resources within it.
Asked by: David Anderson (Labour - Blaydon)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment he has made of the effect of the UK leaving the EU on the inshore fishing regime.
Answered by James Brokenshire
EU exit gives the UK an opportunity to review fishing regimes across all segments of the UK fleet and to assess how we can best support sustainable fisheries.
The Government looks forward to working with the Northern Ireland Executive throughout the negotiations process to ensure that this sector’s views are taken into account.
Asked by: David Anderson (Labour - Blaydon)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many and what proportion of workers living in the Republic of Ireland have their principal place of work in the border counties of Northern Ireland.
Answered by James Brokenshire
The 2011 Northern Ireland census revealed that a total of 14,800 people regularly travelled across the border for work or study, of whom 8,300 were travelling from Ireland to Northern Ireland.
There is no specific evidence relating to how many of these people worked in border counties. The 2011 census did reveal that end-destinations were concentrated in the Belfast and Derry/Londonderry Local Government Districts, with further clusters in Newry, Armagh, Craigavon, Dungannon, Enniskillen, Omagh, Limavady, Strabane and Coleraine.
Asked by: David Anderson (Labour - Blaydon)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether the boundary of County Londonderry with Ireland is on the western shore of Lough Foyle; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by James Brokenshire
The Government’s position remains that the whole of Lough Foyle is within the UK.
Asked by: David Anderson (Labour - Blaydon)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what progress has been made on the inquiry into alleged child abuse at the Kincora boys home.
Answered by Theresa Villiers
This is a matter for the independent Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry. I can confirm that there will be the fullest possible degree of co-operation by the UK Government and its agencies.
Asked by: David Anderson (Labour - Blaydon)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what discussions she has had with (a) the Northern Ireland Assembly and (b) the Northern Ireland Executive on ways of ending the impasse on the appointment of a Speaker of the Assembly.
Answered by Theresa Villiers
The appointment of the Assembly Speaker is an entirely devolved matter.
However, the recently convened cross-party talks offer an opportunity for the Northern Ireland parties to consider the working of the institutions.