Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps her Department is taking to tackle the dissident republican threat in Northern Ireland.

The security of all UK citizens remains this Government’s highest priority. While the threat level in Northern Ireland remains at Severe, excellent co-operation between PSNI and its partners has put violent dissident republicans under strain in recent months. There have been a number of significant arrests, charges and convictions which are helping to suppress the threat.

This Government has provided additional security funding to the PSNI totalling £231million between 2011 and 2016 in order to support them in tackling this threat.

The funding the PSNI received from the NI block grant through the Department of Justice also plays an important role in national security work. The Chief Constable has indicated that recent reductions in PSNI funding by the Executive will have an impact on countering the threat from terrorism in NI. I have asked for a full assessment of what that impact is going to be.