Written Question

Northern Ireland Office: Consultants

Wednesday 3rd April 2019

Asked by: Peter Dowd (Labour - Bootle)

Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many consultants her department has hired since 2016; and what cost to the public purse has been of such consultants.

Answered by John Penrose

The Department does not hold information on the number of consultants hired in any one year as this work is often commissioned as part of an outcomes based contract to ensure value for money.

The amount spent on consultants each year since 2016 is:

2016-17 - £ 5,000

2017-18 - £ 79,600

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Written Question

Northern Ireland Office: Public Consultation

Tuesday 12th March 2019

Asked by: Peter Dowd (Labour - Bootle)

Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many consultations by her Department (a) are open, (b) are closed awaiting a Government response and (c) have been initiated since 2016.

Answered by Karen Bradley

Since 2016, the following consultations have been initiated by the Northern Ireland Office:

Consultation Name	Opened	Closed	Response Issued
Future Delivery of Electoral Services in Northern Ireland	12 October 2016	9 January 2017	25 June 2018
Non-jury trial provisions Justice and Security (Northern Ireland) Act 2007	16 November 2016	8 February 2017	22 June 2017
Non-jury trial provisions Justice and Security (Northern Ireland) Act 2007	6 December 2018	27 February 2019	Awaiting response
Addressing the Legacy of Northern Ireland’s past	11 May 2018	26 October 2018	Awaiting response

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Speech in Commons Chamber - Wed 24 Oct 2018
Northern Ireland (Executive Formation and Exercise of Functions) Bill

"On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. During Prime Minister’s questions, the Prime Minister asserted that the respected Oxford economist and professor, Simon Wren-Lewis, said, in reference to Labour’s manifesto,

“the numbers did not add up”.

However, Professor Wren-Lewis disputes the accuracy of those remarks. He issued the following …..."
Peter Dowd - View Speech

View all Peter Dowd (Lab - Bootle) contributions to the debate on: Northern Ireland (Executive Formation and Exercise of Functions) Bill

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Written Question

Northern Ireland Office: Assets

Monday 26th March 2018

Asked by: Peter Dowd (Labour - Bootle)

Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how much money her Department has raised from the sale of (a) assets, (b) land and (c) buildings in each year since 2010.

Answered by Shailesh Vara

The Northern Ireland Office raised £15,326.03 from the sale of assets in 2017. The Department has not raised any other monies from the sale of assets, land or buildings since 2010.

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Written Question

Northern Ireland Office: Domestic Visits

Monday 12th March 2018

Asked by: Peter Dowd (Labour - Bootle)

Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, with reference to page 48 of the Supply and Appropriation (Anticipation and Adjustments) Bill, how much her Department has spent on VIP visits to Northern Ireland in each year since 2010.

Answered by Shailesh Vara

Expenditure totals on VVIP/VIP visits to Northern Ireland by my Department since 2010 are listed below:

Year	Expenditure
2010/11	£2,039
2011/12	£2,143
2012/13	£1,554
2013/14	£561
2014/15*	£7,709
2015/16**	£9,246
2016/17	£16,173
2017/18	£14,521 to date

*The significant increase from 2014/15 reflects a new contractual arrangement between the NIO and the newly established independent charity, Historic Royal Palaces, (which includes Hillsborough Castle in its portfolio of properties) for accommodation and hospitality.

**From 2015/16, the total includes contracted transport expenditure that in previous years was provided in-house.

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