Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress has been made in their discussions with the Northern Ireland Executive in relation to extension of the full powers of the National Crime Agency to Northern Ireland.

We are continuing to press for agreement on the full extension of the NCA’s remit in Northern Ireland. The Northern Ireland Justice Minister recently submitted a paper to the Northern Ireland parties, which we believe should allay concerns about the NCA’s accountability. The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has pursued this issue regularly in her meetings with the parties and continues to stress the importance of ensuring that Northern Ireland receives the same protection from serious and organised crime as the rest of the UK.