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Written Question
Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery
Tuesday 28th November 2023

Asked by: Stephen Farry (Alliance - North Down)

Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the operational budget will be for the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery in 2024-25; and from where this cost will be funded.

Answered by Steve Baker

£250 million has been allocated to the implementation of the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act and the non-legislative memorialisation measures announced alongside it. This includes costs for the establishment of the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery, and for the Commission’s work. These funds were set aside for legacy mechanisms under the Stormont House Agreement and the New Decade, New Approach agreement.


Written Question
Strule Shared Education Campus
Tuesday 28th November 2023

Asked by: Stephen Farry (Alliance - North Down)

Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether he has plans to provide funding for the Strule Shared Education Campus through the Fresh Start Agreement funding package.

Answered by Steve Baker

The Fresh Start Agreement in 2015 set out a commitment by the UK Government to release up to £500m over ten years of new capital funding to support shared and integrated education and housing. This funding is subject to individual projects, including Strule, being agreed between the Northern Ireland Executive and the UK Government.

The Government continues to work with Northern Ireland Departments on funding arrangements and projects under the Agreement and funding allocations continue to be subject to HM Treasury approval.

As the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland set out in his Written Ministerial Statement on the Northern Ireland Budget 2023-24 in April, the acute state of Northern Ireland’s public finances means that it may be necessary to reallocate funding from previously announced funding packages. This process is ongoing.


Written Question
Bombings: Omagh
Tuesday 12th September 2023

Asked by: Stephen Farry (Alliance - North Down)

Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what recent estimate he has made of when the terms of reference for the independent statutory inquiry into the Omagh bombing will be published.

Answered by Steve Baker

The Inquiry Chair, Lord Turnbull, stated at the time of his appointment in June that he wished to speak to people affected by the bombing before considering draft Terms of Reference. Lord Turnbull continues to meet a large number of bereaved and injured individuals and is reflecting on their views as to what will be important for the Inquiry to consider. The Terms of Reference will be agreed and published after that.


Written Question
Bombings: Omagh
Tuesday 12th September 2023

Asked by: Stephen Farry (Alliance - North Down)

Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether there are planned timescales for the independent statutory inquiry into the Omagh bombing.

Answered by Steve Baker

The draft Terms of Reference are with the Inquiry Chair, who has been clear that he will consider them after he has taken the views of those affected by the bombing. Once this process is complete, we will move quickly to agree and publish the Terms of Reference so that the Inquiry can be formally launched.


Written Question
Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery: Staff
Tuesday 25th July 2023

Asked by: Stephen Farry (Alliance - North Down)

Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, with reference to the Answer of 10 July 2023 to Question 192126, which units within his Department the 19 staff members worked in before moving to the secretariat of the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery.

Answered by Steve Baker

The ICRIR secretariat now has 24 staff members. Staff have been recruited from across the public sector. In terms of where the staff previously worked, the breakdown is as follows:

Organisation

Percent

Other Central Government Department

42%

Northern Ireland Office

46%

Wider public sector (including Arms-Length Bodies)

12%

Total

100%


Written Question
Strule Shared Education Campus
Tuesday 27th June 2023

Asked by: Stephen Farry (Alliance - North Down)

Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what his Department's expected timescale is for the construction of the Strule Shared Education Campus in Omagh.

Answered by Steve Baker

The delivery of school capital projects, including the Strule Shared Education Campus, is a devolved matter for which the Northern Ireland Department of Education is responsible.


Written Question
Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery: Public Appointments
Thursday 8th June 2023

Asked by: Stephen Farry (Alliance - North Down)

Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether his Department consulted the Northern Ireland Judicial Appointments Commission in relation to the appointment of the Chief Commissioner of the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery.

Answered by Steve Baker

As set out in the WMS of 11 May 2023 and the documents deposited in the House Libraries by Lord Caine on 18 April 2023, the Bill sets out requirements for the post holder of Chief Commissioner of the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR), including that they hold or have held high judicial office (as defined) and for consultation with the relevant senior judge (as defined).

The Chief Justices of England & Wales and Northern Ireland and the Lord President of the Court of Session in Scotland were provided with the selection criteria and asked to identify who would be in a position to fulfil the role of Chief Commissioner of the ICRIR.

Having received advice from the judiciary, the Secretary of State identified the Rt Hon Sir Declan Morgan be appointed as the ICRIR Chief Commissioner. Formal appointment as the ICRIR Chief Commissioner will only take place following Royal Assent, taking account of any further considerations and final requirements of Parliament.


Written Question
Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery: Public Appointments
Thursday 8th June 2023

Asked by: Stephen Farry (Alliance - North Down)

Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the appointment process was for the Chief Commissioner of the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery.

Answered by Steve Baker

As set out in the WMS of 11 May 2023 and the documents deposited in the House Libraries by Lord Caine on 18 April 2023, the Bill sets out requirements for the post holder of Chief Commissioner of the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR), including that they hold or have held high judicial office (as defined) and for consultation with the relevant senior judge (as defined).

The Chief Justices of England & Wales and Northern Ireland and the Lord President of the Court of Session in Scotland were provided with the selection criteria and asked to identify who would be in a position to fulfil the role of Chief Commissioner of the ICRIR.

Having received advice from the judiciary, the Secretary of State identified the Rt Hon Sir Declan Morgan be appointed as the ICRIR Chief Commissioner. Formal appointment as the ICRIR Chief Commissioner will only take place following Royal Assent, taking account of any further considerations and final requirements of Parliament.


Written Question
Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery: Public Appointments
Thursday 8th June 2023

Asked by: Stephen Farry (Alliance - North Down)

Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether his Department consulted the Commissioner for Public Appointments in relation to the appointment of the Chief Commissioner of the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery.

Answered by Steve Baker

The Chief Justices of England & Wales and Northern Ireland and the Lord President of the Court of Session in Scotland were provided with the selection criteria and asked to identify who would be in a position to fulfil the role of Chief Commissioner of the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR).

The remit of the Commissioner for Public Appointments does not extend to this role and a process different to that under the Governance Code for Public Appointments was used to reflect the specific requirements for the role and need for senior judicial involvement. Therefore the Commissioner was not consulted.



Written Question
Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission
Monday 15th May 2023

Asked by: Stephen Farry (Alliance - North Down)

Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether his Department has made a recent assessment of the adequacy of the functioning of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission.

Answered by Steve Baker

An independent review of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (NIHRC) concluded in December 2022. The Government is reviewing the recommendations made in this report and these and the Government’s response will be published in due course.

Guarantees of equality and rights, which recognise the unique circumstances of Northern Ireland, are a fundamental part of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement, to which the Government is firmly committed.