Asked by: Karin Smyth (Labour - Bristol South)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what estimate he has made of the number of people living in the United Kingdom who will be eligible for the Republic of Ireland's Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris
The Government has not made any estimate of the number of people living in the United Kingdom who will be eligible for the scheme. Eligibility is ultimately a matter for the Irish Government.
Asked by: Karin Smyth (Labour - Bristol South)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether he has had discussions with the Government of the Republic of Ireland on the impact of the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme on those eligible living in the UK.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris
I have not had any discussions with the Irish Government on this topic. Details of the scheme are ultimately a matter for the Irish Government.
Asked by: Karin Smyth (Labour - Bristol South)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on the potential merits of introducing a disregard for recipients of the Republic of Ireland’s Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme compensation.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris
I have not had any discussions with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on this topic. Details of the scheme are a matter for the Irish Government.
Asked by: Karin Smyth (Labour - Bristol South)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether he has had discussions with Health and Social Care Northern Ireland on its response to potential cervical screening errors at the Southern Health and Social Care Trust between January 2008 and October 2021.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris
I recognise the seriousness of concerns regarding cervical screening services that the honourable member raises. This is a devolved matter and responsibility rests with the Northern Ireland Department of Health.
The Government will continue to engage with women’s groups and the Department of Health to ensure that all women in Northern Ireland are receiving the care they need.
Asked by: Karin Smyth (Labour - Bristol South)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what progress the Government has made on discussions on checks on goods moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland under the Northern Ireland Protocol.
Answered by Steve Baker
The Government is engaging in constructive dialogue with the EU to find solutions to the problems with the Protocol.
The Government does not give a running commentary on these discussions.
Asked by: Karin Smyth (Labour - Bristol South)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of resources for tackling NHS waiting times in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Conor Burns
The Executive has committed to transforming the health service through its Elective Care Framework, and to reducing waiting lists by 2026. In support, the Government is providing £445 million for the transformation of public services in Northern Ireland. This is in addition to the £15 billion per year we provide on average for this purpose, which is the largest funding settlement since devolution.