Asked by: Lady Hermon (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the effect of the recent introduction by the Civil Aviation Authority of Flight Restriction Zones around protected aerodromes on the interests of members of the British Model Flying Association in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The flight restriction zone around aerodromes was developed in response to submissions gathered through our consultation on the safe and effective regulation of drones, ‘Taking Flight: The Future of Drones in the UK’. There was significant interest in the consultation, which closed in September 2018 and received around 5,000 responses. A range of options were considered when developing the extended restriction zone and factors including impacts on all airspace users, safety, security and the communication and enforceability of the zone were all evaluated.
The new legislation takes the same approach as the former restriction zone by allowing any small unmanned aircraft, including model aircraft, to fly within the restriction zone where the relevant permission has been received. When an Air Traffic Control Unit (ATCU) is operational, permission needs to be sought from this unit.
The CAA will be assessing the permissions process as part of a wider review of airport restriction zones later this year.
Asked by: Lady Hermon (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps she is taking to ensure the appointment by the Head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service of an Interim Advocate for victims and survivors of historical institutional abuse; 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.
Asked by: Lady Hermon (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the effect of the continued absence of a functioning Northern Ireland Assembly on the welfare system in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Alok Sharma - COP26 President (Cabinet Office)
Social security matters are the responsibility of the Department for Communities in Northern Ireland. However, in the absence of the Northern Ireland Assembly, DWP continues to make certain social security legislation at Westminster on behalf of the Department for Communities to ensure parity is maintained.
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 oral contribution of the Minister of State, Northern Ireland Office of 10 April 2019, Official Report, column 306 and the Irish Mirror article of 9 April entitled Fears growing dissident republicans using stolen ATM cash to build war chest ahead of Brexit, what assessment she has made of the veracity of media reports that dissident republicans are responsible for thefts of ATMs across Northern Ireland; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Karen Bradley
I remain in regular contact with the Chief Constable of the PSNI on a range of security-related matters. It would not be appropriate for me to comment on the PSNI’s ongoing investigations but PSNI has publicly stated that there is no current link to the involvement of dissident republicans.
Asked by: Lady Hermon (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what preparations her Department has made for the the roll-out of universal credit in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Alok Sharma - COP26 President (Cabinet Office)
The roll out of Universal Credit in Northern Ireland was successfully completed in December 2018 at the same time as the remainder of the United Kingdom.
As benefit issues are devolved in Northern Ireland the Department for Communities have responsibility for the delivery of Universal Credit with the support of DWP and the Universal Credit Programme. The implementation of Universal Credit was agreed by Northern Ireland Ministers prior to the dissolution of the Northern Ireland assembly and as part of the Fresh Start agreement.
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 9 April 2019 to Question 240971 on Northern Ireland Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme, how many OFGEM staff are present in Northern Ireland on a full-time basis to administer the renewable heat incentive scheme on a day-to-day basis on behalf of the Department for the Economy; where the location of OFGEM's main office in Northern Ireland is; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by John Penrose
Northern Ireland OFGEM operations are managed from GB. Its head office address is as follows:
10 South Colonnade
Canary Wharf
London
E14 4PU
Tel: 020 7901 7000
Specific queries in regards to Ofgem staffing should be directed to this address.
Further details of the responsibilities of Ofgem in relation to the NI RHI Scheme can be found at the following link:
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 9 April 2019 to Question 240973 on Northern Ireland Assembly: Members, if she will commit to making further reductions to MLA pay in the event that the Northern Ireland Executive has not been formed by the end of June 2019; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Karen Bradley
Further to my answer of 9 April, I can confirm that the situation on MLA pay remains under constant review.
Asked by: Lady Hermon (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what events her Department is organising to mark the 21 anniversary of the signing of the Belfast Agreement on 10 April 1998; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Karen Bradley
The Northern Ireland Office is not organising any official events to mark the 21st anniversary of the Belfast Agreement. The hon Lady will recall that a number of events were held last year for the 20th anniversary of the Agreement in which the UK Government participated or hosted. This Government remains fully committed to the 1998 Agreement and its successors. It is the bedrock of the huge progress that has been made in Northern Ireland over the past 21 years and we will continue to work for its full implementation, including restoration of the devolved and other institutions at the earliest opportunity.
Asked by: Lady Hermon (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking to ensure that Irish citizens born in Northern Ireland are able to continue to exercise their EU rights after the UK leaves the EU; and if he will make an assessment of the compatibility of those steps with the identity rights guaranteed to Irish citizens by the Belfast Agreement.
Answered by Caroline Nokes
Upholding the Belfast Agreement and its successors in all their parts, including the Agreement's citizenship and identity provisions, has been central to the Government’s approach to the Exit negotiations. The Withdrawal Agreement with the EU recognises that the people of Northern Ireland who are Irish – and thus EU – citizens will continue to have access to rights, opportunities and benefits that come with EU citizenship. We are committed to working with our EU partners to put in place arrangements that will allow Irish citizens resident in Northern Ireland to enjoy the EU rights available to them.
Asked by: Lady Hermon (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking to protect the rights of frontier workers who are citizens of EU countries but who are not Irish or UK citizens, who live in Ireland but travel to work in Northern Ireland each day; and if he will publish guidance on their rights in the event the UK leaves the EU (a) with a deal and (b) without a deal.
Answered by Caroline Nokes
Whether the UK leaves the EU with or without a deal, the UK has committed to protect the position of EEA citizens (including Swiss citizens) who, at the specified date, work in the UK but live in another country (‘frontier workers’). This includes EEA citizens who live in Ireland and work in Northern Ireland.
The draft Withdrawal Agreement with the EU protects the rights of those who are frontier workers at the end of the implementation period, for as long as they continue to be frontier workers in the host state. After the end of the implementation period, they will be subject to a requirement to obtain a document to evidence their right to enter and work in the UK as a frontier worker, in line with Article 26 of the draft Withdrawal Agreement.
If the UK leaves the EU without a deal, we will protect the position of those who are frontier workers at exit date. Until free movement is ended by the Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal) Bill, they will be able to enter the UK as now. Once free movement ends, they will be able to obtain a separate UK immigration status which will allow them to continue frontier working in the UK after exit.
Further information about how frontier workers can apply for a frontier worker document in a deal scenario, or for frontier worker status in a no-deal scenario, will be published in due course.
In either a deal or no-deal scenario, frontier workers may be resident in the UK for sufficient periods during their work here to be eligible to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme if they wish to do so. However, they are not required to do so, as they will be able to apply for a frontier worker document or status if they wish to continue working in the UK but living in another country