Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill on Northern Ireland.
Answered by Steve Baker
I refer the hon Gentleman to the answer I gave earlier today to the hon Member for Bristol East (UIN 903467).
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many staff in his Department have been allocated to deal with issues related to international trade in (a) each of the past five years and (b) the next two years; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Steve Baker
Matters related to international trade policy and Free Trade Agreements are dealt with within the Protocol and Free Trade Agreement team in my Department, which currently numbers 5 posts. Others within the department also provide support on Northern Ireland trade-related matters. The resource dedicated to this activity is expected to continue at current levels for the next financial year.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether his Department has held (a) any financial or consultancy contracts and (b) meetings with representatives of (i) Clifford Chance LLP, (ii) FTI Consulting and (iii) Fenchurch Advisory Partners in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Conor Burns
The Northern Ireland Office has not held any financial or consultancy contracts with the suppliers listed in each of the last five years.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether he plans to require his Department and its agencies to provide a payroll deduction service to allow staff to save more easily with a credit union; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Robin Walker
The Northern Ireland Office’s HR services, including payroll, are provided by the Ministry of Justice (MOJ). MOJ does not currently offer the facility to allow staff to join a Credit Union through payroll deductions.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether her Department offers employees a payroll deduction service to enable staff to join a credit union; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by John Penrose
The Northern Ireland Office’s HR services, including payroll, are provided by the Ministry of Justice (MOJ). MOJ does not offer the facility to allow staff to join a Credit Union through payroll deductions.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if she will publish the name and location of the land and buildings owned by her Department that is (a) sitting empty and (b) in the process of being sold or disposed of; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by John Penrose
The Northern Ireland Office does not hold any land or buildings that are sitting empty. Nor are there any buildings in the process of being sold, or disposed of.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many officials from her Department have been seconded from their primary role to make preparations for the UK leaving the EU without a deal; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by John Penrose
EU exit affects a number of work areas across the Department and will therefore encompass a proportion of workload for many staff, the amount of which will vary over time. The Department has restructured its approach to the way it handles EU exit work, moving from a central EU exit co-ordinating team of 7 to a position in which core EU exit work is distributed more widely across the whole department. No officials have been seconded in the way this question asks.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, which regulatory functions imposed by legislation for which her Department has responsibility are currently undertaken by trade associations; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by John Penrose
There are no regulatory functions imposed by legislation for which the Northern Ireland Office has a responsibility that are currently undertaken by trade associations.