Asked by: Robin Swann (Ulster Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will publish a summary of the work completed by the Windsor Framework Independent Monitoring Panel which he appointed last year.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
It is for the Independent Monitoring Panel to determine how they conduct their work and then to report to Government. The Panel’s first monitoring period ended on 30 June and the Government expects to receive their first report in due course. The Government will then publish it in accordance with its commitment to do so.
Asked by: Robin Swann (Ulster Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant the Answer of 30 June 2025 to Question 62482, when he received the review of post-Brexit trading arrangements.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Lord Murphy provided the final report of the Independent Review on 9 July 2025, in line with the Terms of Reference for the Review.
Asked by: Robin Swann (Ulster Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, when he plans to publish the report from the independent review of the post-Brexit trading arrangements, conducted by Lord Paul Murphy.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
It remains for Lord Murphy to provide the final report of the Independent Review of the Windsor Framework. The Government will then proceed with arranging the publication of that report, laying it in Parliament and transmitting it to the Northern Ireland Assembly, in line with the Terms of Reference for the Review.
Asked by: Robin Swann (Ulster Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, for what reason he rejected the Electoral Commission of Northern Ireland's request to separate the next scheduled local government and Assembly elections.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The date for local government elections is set in statute as the first Thursday in May every 4 years, and for the Assembly elections as the first Thursday in May every 5 years. The people of Northern Ireland expect to go to the polls on 6 May 2027 and the Government has no intention of changing that.
Asked by: Robin Swann (Ulster Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to the Answer of 22 May 2025 to Question 52795 on Domestic Visits: Northern Ireland, on how many occasions did the Secretary of State notify Rt hon. and hon. Members in advance that he would visit their constituency.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Honourable Gentleman will be aware it is a requirement to notify Members of Parliament before a visit to their constituency. For the recent occasion when he was not notified, I have apologised to him.
Asked by: Robin Swann (Ulster Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to the Answer of 14 May 2025 to Question 51251 on Domestic Visits: Northern Ireland, on how many of those visits the hon. Member for that constituency received prior notification.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Honourable Gentleman will be aware it is a requirement to notify Members of Parliament before a visit to their constituency. For the recent occasion when he was not notified, I have apologised to him.
Asked by: Robin Swann (Ulster Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many visits he has made to each constituency in Northern Ireland since his appointment.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
I have carried out over 80 visits to 16 constituencies across Northern Ireland since my appointment. I welcome suggestions for future visits from Parliamentary colleagues.
Asked by: Robin Swann (Ulster Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to the Answer of 13 November 2024 to Question 13304, and the Answer of 18 November 2024 to Question 14268, what steps his Department has taken to ensure that there is not a reoccurrence.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Members of Parliament should be notified in advance of Ministerial visits to their constituency. I have apologised to the Honourable Member for the recent failure to notify him. The Northern Ireland Office is currently reorganising this notification process to ensure there is no reoccurrence.
Asked by: Robin Swann (Ulster Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what criteria he will use to assess the need for a border poll in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The responsibility for a referendum sits solely with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, as set out in the Good Friday Agreement.
In accordance with that Agreement and the principle of consent, Northern Ireland will remain part of the United Kingdom for as long as its people wish for it to be.
In 2020, the Northern Ireland High Court ruled that there is no legal requirement or public interest in setting out a policy detailing fixed criteria on the holding of a referendum.
Asked by: Robin Swann (Ulster Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether the Northern Ireland Public Sector Transformation Board has (a) permanent o (b) interim status.
Answered by Fleur Anderson
The Board structure used to provide recommendations for the first tranche of projects held interim status. The Northern Ireland Minister of Finance has proposed expanding the membership of the Public Sector Transformation Board and moving toward a permanent Board ahead of the allocation of remaining funding.