Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what plans the Government has to hold events in Northern Ireland to commemorate the centenary of the First World War.

The Government is leading a wide-ranging programme of events and activities to mark the First World War centenary. HMS Caroline, moored in Belfast, has received £13.2 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund to enable this veteran of the Battle of Jutland to open as a floating museum for the battle's centenary in 2016. Commemorative paving stones will be laid in the hometowns of Victoria Cross recipients born in Northern Ireland. The 14-18NOW cultural programme summer 2014 season includes events in both Belfast and Derry/Londonderry. There will be other First World War related activity as part of the wider decade of centenary commemorations in Ireland and Northern Ireland. At the same time, the Northern Ireland Centenary Committee is developing plans for a cross-community commemorative event at St Anne's Cathedral, Belfast which will complement UK Government events in Glasgow, Belgium and London on 4 August 2014. Jeffrey Donaldson, as Chair of the Northern Ireland Centenary Committee, is a member of the UK Government Advisory Group.