Asked by: Lady Hermon (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what estimate she has made of the number of claimants known to the Northern Ireland Department for Communities who died after registering a claim for personal independence payments but before receiving a decision on their claim; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by John Penrose
I am aware that DWP recently provided information on the total number of patients who died within six months of their personal independence payment claim being disallowed. The delivery of personal independence payments is a devolved matter in Northern Ireland and therefore falls within the remit of the Department for Communities.
Asked by: Lady Hermon (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether she retains the power to call Assembly elections in the event that devolved government is not restored before the expiry of the timeframe set out in the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation and Exercise of Functions) Act 2018; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Karen Bradley
Under the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation and Exercise of Functions) Act 2018, I retain a discretionary power to propose a date for an Assembly election at any time. The Act also removes the duty to propose a date, which would arise again after the period for Executive formation. The Assembly is also able to call for an election.
Asked by: Lady Hermon (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to the Answer of 4 June 2019 to Question 256966, whether Hospitality Ulster responded to the recent consultation of the Northern Ireland Department of Communities on whether changing the law for special events would be beneficial to the hospitality and tourism sectors in Northern Ireland; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by John Penrose
This is a devolved matter in Northern Ireland, and as such is the responsibility of the Department for Communities. Information can be requested from the Department for Communities.
Asked by: Lady Hermon (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether she plans to bring forward legislative proposals to change the liquor licensing laws in Northern Ireland; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by John Penrose
Liquor Licensing Law is a devolved issue in Northern Ireland and therefore a matter for the Department for Communities (DfC) within the Northern Ireland Civil Service.
Following a recent consultation, the Department for Communities (DfC) has concluded a change to current law would be beneficial to the hospitality and tourism sectors in Northern Ireland.
This is one of many pressing issues which highlights the urgent need to restore devolved government at the earliest opportunity.
Asked by: Lady Hermon (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of placing reform of the legal definition of terminal illness which determines fast-track access to social security payments for terminally ill claimants under the principle of public interest as set out in her Department's guidance on decision-making for Northern Ireland Departments during the period for Northern Ireland Executive formation.
Answered by John Penrose
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland is aware of the Scottish Government’s recent changes to statutory guidance on terminal illness. Any decision to review the legal definition of terminal illness in Northern Ireland would be a matter for incoming Northern Ireland Ministers to consider.
Asked by: Lady Hermon (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of a review by officials in the Northern Ireland Department for Communities of the legal definition of terminal illness which determines eligibility to fast-track access to social security payments for terminally ill claimants; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by John Penrose
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland is aware of the Scottish Government’s recent changes to statutory guidance on terminal illness. Any decision to review the legal definition of terminal illness in Northern Ireland would be a matter for incoming Northern Ireland Ministers to consider.
Asked by: Lady Hermon (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when he will publish the legal advice on the effect of the proposed Withdrawal Agreement on the Belfast Good Friday Agreement; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by David Lidington
On 5 December, the Government published the Attorney General’s advice to Cabinet on the Withdrawal Agreement and the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland, which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/exiting-the-eu-publication-of-legal-advice.
Asked by: Lady Hermon (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what her response is to the call by the Leader of Sinn Fein on Easter Sunday 2019 for a joint authority over Northern Ireland between the Irish and British Governments; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Karen Bradley
This Government remains steadfast in its commitment to the Belfast Agreement including the principle of consent governing Northern Ireland’s constitutional position. It is on that basis that Northern Ireland is and remains a full and integral part of the United Kingdom.
As the Conservative and Unionist Party Northern Ireland General Election Manifesto 2017 clearly stated, “we will not countenance any constitutional arrangements - such as joint authority over Northern Ireland between the United Kingdom and Ireland - that are inconsistent with the consent principle”.
Asked by: Lady Hermon (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the oral contribution of the Minister for Energy and Clean Growth of 23 April 2019, Official Report, column 690, what are the market mechanisms put in place to deliver CO2 reductions in Northern Ireland since the closure of the Renewable Heat Incentive scheme; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Claire Perry
Energy policy, including heat, is devolved for Northern Ireland. Section 113 of the Energy Act 2011 contains provisions enabling the Northern Ireland Executive to make regulations to introduce and operate a RHI scheme in Northern Ireland. The GB RHI scheme is completely separate to the NI RHI scheme, with different scheme rules. Between 1990 and 2016, Northern Ireland reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by 16%[1].
The Government has been working with Northern Ireland’s Executive in areas such as the future of carbon pricing after we leave the European Union.
The UK Government and the Devolved Administrations (the Scottish Government; the Welsh Government; and the Northern Ireland Executive) have jointly published a consultation document on the UK’s future approach to carbon pricing. The consultation plays a vital role in helping the government fulfil its commitment to carbon pricing as an effective emissions reduction tool, as outlined in the Clean Growth Strategy
This is a joint consultation and the Devolved Administrations are co-authors and Government officials have worked with devolved administration’s counterparts throughout the process. At ministerial level I have regular quadrilaterals and Northern Ireland is represented by senior civil servants.
[1] Source: http://naei.beis.gov.uk/reports/reports?report_id=958
Asked by: Lady Hermon (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assurances she can provide that the resumption of the talks process between political parties in Northern Ireland will not further delay the implementation of the recommendations of the Hart Report in relation to historical institutional abuse in Northern Ireland; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by John Penrose
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland welcomes the resumption of the talks process between the political parties of Northern Ireland, and will continue to work to restore a functioning Executive. A locally elected, democratically accountable devolved government will mean that decisions affecting the people of Northern Ireland can be taken by locally elected ministers as soon as possible. The Secretary of State also recognises the importance of providing clarity on this issue, and is currently considering the recent judgment and the next steps.
The Northern Ireland Civil Service is in the midst of the appointment process for an Interim Advocate and expects the post to be filled shortly.