Asked by: Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what targets his Department has set to help achieve the Government's commitments on net zero.
Answered by Steve Baker
The Government set out how we would meet our commitments in the Net Zero Strategy in 2021 which included a detailed breakdown of actions required across all sectors of the economy. This was updated in 2023 through the publication of 'Powering Up Britain'.
The Northern Ireland Office is committed to minimising the impact we have on our environment and supporting the wider UK Government’s Net-Zero commitment. We are committed to utilising video conferencing and dial-in facilities rather than travelling to meetings, using public transport rather than cars and taxis when travelling to meetings, and ensuring that electricity usage is minimised by implementing energy-efficient equipment. In line with the Government alignment to TCFD disclosures, the Northern Ireland Office will be reporting future metrics and targets in our Annual Report & Accounts.
Asked by: Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many and what proportion of their Department’s employees work from home at least one day a week.
Answered by Steve Baker
The Northern Ireland Office offers hybrid working arrangements where possible with a suggested office attendance of 2-3 days per week. This is dependent on the role of each individual, some working more in the office than others. The majority of staff are able to work one day a week from home. Given the department’s location across two sites, hybrid working is the norm for our officials.
Over the past two years, the Civil Service as a whole has had to work in a more agile way whilst still delivering essential public services. Before the pandemic, most departments worked on a basis of a ratio of desks to staff and that remains the case – so hybrid working arrangements are not new. No office will operate at 100% occupancy given there will always be a number of reasons why staff may be out of the office, for example people being on annual leave, attending meetings off site or external visits.
Asked by: Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps his Department is taking to tackle the legacy of the Troubles.
Answered by Conor Burns
As set out in the Queen’s Speech, this Government is committed to bringing forward legislation to address the legacy of the Troubles in Northern Ireland.
That is why, on 14 July, the Government published a Command Paper setting out its legacy proposals, with a focus on information recovery, reconciliation and delivering for those most directly affected by the Troubles.
The Government has, and continues to engage with a wide range of stakeholders and reflect on what we have heard, and are considering our next steps carefully in advance of introducing legislation.
Asked by: Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment his Department has made of the effect on the United Nations press release entitled UK: UN experts voice concern at proposed blanket impunity to address legacy of 'the Troubles' in Northern Ireland on the implementation of the Stormont House Agreement.
Answered by Conor Burns
The UK Government welcomes the UN Special Rapporteurs’ ongoing interest in Northern Ireland legacy issues, and acknowledges the importance and value of their mission and objectives.
While we respectfully disagree with some of the Special Rapporteurs’ assessments regarding the legacy proposals outlined in the Command Paper published in July, we continue to engage with the Special Rapporteurs through established channels.
The Government is committed to dealing with legacy issues in a way that supports information recovery and reconciliation, complies with international human rights obligations, and responds to the needs of individual victims and survivors, as well as society as a whole.
The Government welcomes comments as it continues to engage in its proposals, and will reflect carefully on what we have heard as we consider our next steps.
Asked by: Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the implementation of the Northern Ireland Protocol.
Answered by Robin Walker
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and I meet regularly with colleagues to discuss matters relating to Northern Ireland, including the implementation of the Ireland/Northern Ireland Protocol.
It is imperative that the Protocol is operated in a pragmatic and proportionate way to ensure that it impacts as little as possible on the people of Northern Ireland. The UK is working hard and in good faith to find solutions. We need to find a way forward, a new balance of arrangements, adapted to the practical reality of what we have seen since January, and based on the common interests we all share.
The Government set out its approach to the Protocol in Parliament today.
Asked by: Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what mechanisms are in place to audit information provided to his Department by (a) regulatory bodies and (b) non-departmental public bodies.
Answered by Robin Walker
My Department relies on a small number of non-departmental public bodies to provide independent advice and carry out a range of important functions to deliver strategic objectives. Assurance is taken on the quality of the information provided by these bodies through scrutiny by my officials and the work of internal and external auditors.
Asked by: Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what estimate she has made of the number of cases of bullying and harassment that have been recorded against managers in her Department in each of the last five years.
Answered by John Penrose
Due to there being fewer than five cases of bullying and harassment recorded against managers in my Department in the last five years, figures cannot be provided in order to protect the privacy and identity of individuals concerned.