Asked by: David Simpson (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether her Department has had any meetings with the hospitality sector in Northern Ireland.
Answered by John Penrose
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland regularly meets representatives from across all Northern Ireland business sectors.
Asked by: David Simpson (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what recent discussions she has had with the National Crime Agency on its work in Northern Ireland.
Answered by John Penrose
Ministerial responsibility for the National Crime Agency sits with the Home Office. In Northern Ireland, the Northern Ireland Policing Board has a statutory duty to monitor the exercise of the functions of the NCA in Northern Ireland and has a Memorandum of Understanding with the NCA to support this. The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland receives regular reports from the Director General of the NCA which outlines their performance and activity in Northern Ireland. I am pleased the NCA collaborates closely with law enforcement partners in Northern Ireland to tackle serious and organised crime.
Asked by: David Simpson (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what discussions she has had with the Police Service of Northern Ireland on its financial situation.
Answered by Karen Bradley
Policing is a devolved matter and the PSNI’s main budget is allocated by the Department of Justice from the Northern Ireland block grant, through the Policing Board. Operational policing matters are a matter for the Chief Constable, with whom I maintain regular contact.
The UK Government has provided the Police Service of Northern Ireland with additional security funding in order that they can tackle the SEVERE and enduring threat from Northern Ireland related terrorism.
The PSNI has submitted a case for additional Brexit-related resources to Treasury. That bid is currently under consideration.
This Government remains unstinting in its admiration and support for the brave men and women of the PSNI and their efforts to keep people in Northern Ireland safe and secure.
Asked by: David Simpson (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether her Department has had discussions with the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland on MOT exemptions for owners of classic cars.
Answered by Shailesh Vara
I can confirm that Northern Ireland Office officials have been in contact with their counterparts in the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) regarding this issue.
Asked by: David Simpson (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what estimate he has made of the number of schools in Northern Ireland that are in a financial deficit.
Answered by Shailesh Vara
On 8 March, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland set out a NI budget position for 2018-19 to give clarity and certainty on NI finances for the year ahead. It provides a secure basis for protecting and preserving public services including in education which has seen spending protected in real terms for the 2018/19 financial year.
Education is a devolved matter and while we have ensured that sufficient funding has been provided to maintain the overall schools budget at the same level as 2017-18, decisions on the allocation of that budget and the associated assessment of the financial position of individual schools are a matter for the Department of Education, and in the absence of the Executive, the Department’s Permanent Secretary.
The Secretary of State and I remain firmly of the belief that the right way forward for decision making in Northern Ireland on critical issues such as the funding of schools lies in stable, fully functioning and inclusive devolved government and working towards restoring devolved government remains our top priority.
Asked by: David Simpson (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what discussions she has had with political leaders in Northern Ireland on implementing the recommendations of the Bengoa report.
Answered by Shailesh Vara
In the absence of the Executive, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland continues to engage with political leaders and representatives across Northern Ireland’s health sector to discuss key health challenges and priorities including the implementation of the Bengoa recommendations.
Asked by: David Simpson (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what discussions she plans to hold with the Northern Ireland administration on ensuring the adequacy of fire safety checks of listed buildings as a result of the fire at Bank Buildings in Belfast.
Answered by Shailesh Vara
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland holds regular discussions with the Northern Ireland Civil Service on a range of pressing issues. This is a devolved matter but we are assured that appropriate action is taken to ensure fire safety checks are carried out regularly on buildings which pose the greatest risk to public safety as this is a statutory requirement.
Asked by: David Simpson (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps she is taking to ensure that foreign investment in Northern Ireland continues.
Answered by Shailesh Vara
Northern Ireland has proven itself to be a top destination for foreign direct investment, with over 900 international companies investing in Northern Ireland.
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and I regularly champion new investment announcements in Northern Ireland, which show that Northern Ireland continues to be a great place to invest and do business, and the Secretary of State was present at the announcement by PA Consulting that they will be creating 400 new jobs in Belfast over the next five years.
We are working to restore a stable, devolved government which can work with the UK Government to maximise Northern Ireland’s attractiveness to overseas investors.