Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Justice and the Minister of Justice in Northern Ireland on the regulation of claims management companies in Northern Ireland; and if she will make a statement.

I have had no discussions with my Rt hon Friend the Secretary of State for Justice, or David Ford, the Minister of Justice in the Northern Ireland Executive on these matters, nor have I received any representations from hon and Rt hon Members or MLAs to do so.

The Ministry of Justice is responsible for regulating the activities of businesses providing claims management services in England and Wales under Part 2 of the Compensation Act 2006. This includes businesses based outside England and Wales but which carry out regulated services there.

The question of regulating companies providing claims management services in Northern Ireland but which do not provide such services in England and Wales and are therefore not subject to Ministry of Justice regulation, is one for Northern Ireland Executive Ministers to consider.