Northern Ireland Office

The Northern Ireland Office Connect Fund welcomes applications from the voluntary and community sector, civic society and national representative bodies across Northern Ireland and Great Britain. Geographical application and success rates are reviewed as part of the ongoing monitoring process, and awareness of the Fund has been promoted via seven informational Roadshow Events; five events have been delivered in-person, outside of the Greater Belfast area.

Of the 127 unique applicants to the Connect Fund, 41 represent Northern-Ireland based organisations located outside the Greater Belfast area (32%). A further 33 represent GB-based organisations (26%). Of the 40 unique organisations which have been successful in securing funding, 14 represent Northern Ireland based organisations located outside of the Greater Belfast area (35%). A further 5 represent GB-based organisations (13%). The Connect Fund has been confirmed for two further rounds; Round 3 will open for applications ahead of the 27/28 Financial Year, and Round 4 will open ahead of the 28/29 Financial Year. All eligible organisations seeking to deliver programming to strengthen East-West civic relationships are welcomed and encouraged to apply.

Northern Ireland’s economy is one of the strongest in the UK and is a growing leader in Fintech, Cybersecurity and advanced manufacturing.

This Government is providing support through a record funding settlement, and significant investment in the four City and Growth Deals, £150 million for a new Enhanced Investment Zone, and new trade agreements that will create jobs and opportunities, including with the European Union.

The Government is committed to the long-term prosperity and sustainability of UK fishing, and the Northern Ireland fishing industry is a vital part of this. Earlier this year I visited Kilkeel with Minister Andrew Muir, where I discussed with representatives from the fishing industry a number of issues including the current visa regime. In light of the representations I have received around labour shortages, I have raised this matter with the Home Secretary, and Minister Tapp met with relevant stakeholders on Monday 20 April.

Immigration and asylum policy are reserved matters for the Home Office. I would encourage the Honourable Member to write to the Home Secretary on this matter.

The Northern Ireland Office regularly reviews the commencement of its legislation.

Responsibility resides with Northern Ireland Office policy teams to monitor the status of provisions, and to advise on the most appropriate timings for when they should be brought into force.

This is underpinned by established guidance on post-legislative scrutiny.

The Secretary of State and I regularly meet with Northern Ireland Executive Ministers to discuss a range of priority issues in Northern Ireland, this has included discussions on working together to tackle violence against women and girls. I welcome the Executive Office’s second Delivery Plan to implement the Ending Violence Against Women and Girls Strategic Framework 2024-2031 following its launch last month.

I have also raised this shameful issue at last month’s British Irish Intergovernmental Conference along with the Irish Government. We can all learn from approaches across the UK and Ireland and beyond to ensure women and girls are safe and feel safe wherever they are in this country.

Responsibility for the Northern Ireland Civil Service is a transferred matter and civil service reporting lines are, consequently, a matter for the First Minister and deputy First Minister.

I pay tribute to the extraordinary efforts of the Police Service of Northern Ireland, led by Chief Constable Jon Boutcher, and our security partners in countering the threat from terrorism in Northern Ireland.

My officials were in contact with the PSNI in the immediate aftermath of the despicable attack claimed by the New IRA, on Dunmurry Police Station.

I regularly meet the Chief Constable and his senior officers to discuss a range of issues and will continue to do so. I met senior PSNI officers on 28 April 2026 to be briefed on the attacks.

I refer the Honourable Member to my answer to the Urgent Question on 27 April about the recent attacks on two police stations. Those responsible for these shameless and cowardly attempts to kill and injure must be brought to justice and I urge anyone with information to come forward.

The Northern Ireland Related Terrorism (NIRT) threat level remains SUBSTANTIAL which means an attack is likely. The PSNI and UK security agencies continually assess the threat, risk and harm posed by paramilitary, terrorist and organised crime groups to inform the most appropriate operational response. The attempted attacks in recent weeks will be considered as part of that ongoing assessment.

The UK Government is committed to delivering for all communities in Northern Ireland which is an important part of the United Kingdom.

The Spending Review provided the Northern Ireland Executive with £19.3bn per year on average, the largest settlement in real terms since devolution in 1998. On 22 April, we announced a £50m Northern Ireland Defence Growth Deal, which will help small and medium-sized businesses and start-ups in Northern Ireland by making it easier for them to enter the wider UK defence supply chain.

The Government is committed to protecting Northern Ireland’s place in the UK internal market. We are strengthening connections between Northern Ireland and Great Britain, and implementing the commitments in the Safeguarding the Union command paper.

As set out by the Chancellor at the Budget we are providing £16.6 million of new funding over the next three years for an Internal Market Package to boost trade between Northern Ireland and Great Britain. The Package, which will be delivered in partnership with the Northern Ireland Executive, includes £2.25 million of new funding for Intertrade UK to advise on and promote trade within the United Kingdom. This includes identifying and addressing barriers to trade within the UK internal market.

The Government is committed to upholding the Good Friday Agreement in letter and in spirit, including the principle of consent upon which it rests.

The drafting of primary and secondary legislation is the responsibility of a large number of officials across government departments. A range of tools are used to assist with this drafting, including AI which is most commonly used to check, critique, and otherwise interrogate drafts. Work is continuously underway to identify ways of improving the efficiency of this work, including collaboration between departments to share ideas and emerging practices.

While AI can be used to assist with the drafting of legislation, the production of the draft remains the responsibility of a lead human drafter to meet the high standards expected of Government legislation. It is Parliament’s responsibility to scrutinise and amend legislation as it sees necessary.

We have an internal operational framework in place for all NIO staff. While this a practical guide, it mandates that all AI use must align with the Civil Service Code and NIO’s security and data protection policies. This framework enforces strategic principles by referencing the UK Government’s AI Playbook and strictly restricting AI from making any final decisions that affect people, ensuring human control. All use of AI in the NIO must be checked by a human, including when used to support the development of policy.

The Remedial Order was laid on 14 October 2025 as part of the Government’s commitment to repeal and replace the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023. The Remedial Order does not yet have legal effect, whilst it awaits the consideration of the House of Lords.

The Joint Committee on Human Rights (JCHR) concluded in their report that there are compelling reasons for proceeding by way of Remedial Order for the purposes of Section 10(2) of the Human Rights Act 1998.

The Remedial Order passed with a large majority in the House of Commons and I am committed to seeing it debated and passed in the House of Lords, at which point it will become law.

The Government meets regularly with the government of the Republic of Ireland to discuss the progress made in implementing the two Governments’ respective commitments set out in the Joint Framework.

The Northern Ireland Troubles Bill will help victims and families to obtain the information and accountability they have long sought, whilst ensuring our veterans are treated with fairness and respect. The legislation will have its committee stage as soon as parliamentary time allows.

I have answered this question on the assumption that the Noble Lord is referring to the Government of Ireland.

The Joint Framework contains very clear and important commitments by the Irish Government. This includes the commitment to facilitate the fullest possible cooperation with the Legacy Commission, to establish a dedicated unit within An Garda Síochána for Troubles-related cases, and to investigate all unresolved Troubles-related incidents within its jurisdiction, and ensure that any potential investigative opportunities are proactively pursued.

The Irish Government Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Helen McEntee, confirmed on 22 January 2026 that the dedicated unit within An Garda Síochána for Troubles-related cases (the Troubles Legacy Liaison Unit), has been established. An Garda Síochána has also issued a statement to provide contact details for the unit, which “will endeavour to answer questions that victims or family members may have in relation to An Garda Síochána Troubles-related investigations and will liaise with Divisional level investigators nationwide in respect of same. It is headed by a Detective Chief Superintendent, who reports into the Assistant Commissioner, Garda Crime & Security Intelligence Service”.

The Irish Government has also confirmed that work is underway on legislation to facilitate cooperation with the reformed Legacy Commission. On 9 March 2026, the Irish Justice Minister published a statement that confirmed that the Irish Government will bring forward legislative proposals in May to progress implementation of its commitments in the Joint Framework, “including the matters of cross-border co-operation and the establishment of the Independent Commission for Information Retrieval, formally approved by Government on 1 October 2025”.

Furthermore, the Irish Government has introduced the International Co-operation (Omagh Bombing Inquiry) Bill 2026, which will enable the taking of oral testimony before the Irish courts for the purposes of the Omagh Bombing Inquiry.

I have answered this question on the assumption that the Noble Lord is referring to the Government of Ireland.

Ireland v. the United Kingdom (III) at the European Court of Human Rights has not progressed beyond preliminary stages since it was lodged by Ireland in January 2024. On 2 July 2025, the United Kingdom received correspondence from the Court to confirm that it had adjourned its proceedings pending the final outcome of the ongoing domestic proceedings for judicial review in the case Dillon and Others, which is currently awaiting judgment by the United Kingdom Supreme Court.

The withdrawal of the case is a matter for the Irish Government. The UK Government is clear that the implementation of the Troubles Bill, which seeks to fulfil long standing commitments made by this Government, will mean that the basis for any interstate case will fall away.

The Joint Framework acknowledges the important role that statements of acknowledgement can play in addressing past harms and facilitating societal reconciliation, and states that the UK and Irish governments will take the lead in considering such statements. The Framework also highlights the importance of statements of acknowledgement being forthcoming from others.

The Government will engage widely with victims, survivors and others affected by the Troubles as we take forward this and our other commitments under the Framework.

The Northern Ireland Office has not participated in any discussions regarding the future ownership, management, or financing of Northern Ireland’s public services, including infrastructure by the Irish Government or any of its agencies.

There were no civil servants in the Northern Ireland Office who were found to have broken the Civil Service Code in 2024 or 2025.

Civil Servants are appointed on merit on the basis of fair and open competition and are expected to carry out their role with dedication and a commitment to the Civil Service and its core values: integrity, honesty, objectivity and impartiality.

The Northern Ireland Office is committed to thorough performance management and has in place robust processes to ensure that those who fall below the expected standards are supported to improve in a timely manner. To this end, there have been no employees on a formal performance development plan in 2023, 2024, and 2025.

The Government is committed to continuing to take forward the Safeguarding the Union command paper, and to protecting Northern Ireland’s place in the UK Internal Market.

We continue to make progress on the implementation of the commitments made in the command paper. For instance, the digitisation of the News Letter was completed last year and there remains no Border Control Post at Cairnryan. In January, the East-West Council met for the third time where the Government announced there would be a pilot for the UK school twinning programme, which is being developed between the UK Government’s Department for Education and the Northern Ireland Executive’s Department of Education.

Other recent steps include the allocation of £2.25 million for Intertrade UK over the next three years and the opening of round two of the Connect Fund to support community and voluntary groups. In line with commitments made in the command paper, in December the Government published our response to Lord Murphy’s Independent Review of the Windsor Framework, and is now taking action on all of its recommendations.

The High Court found the provisions which concerned Interim Custody Orders in sections 46 and 47 of the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023 to be incompatible with our obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights.

As set out in the written ministerial statement [HCWS1063] made by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on 18 November 2025, we have carefully considered the High Court ruling and have tabled an alternative approach with clauses 89 and 90 to address the erroneous interpretation made in Adams regarding the application of the Carltona principle.

There were approximately 800 civil cases ongoing at the time of introduction of what was then the Legacy Bill on 17 May 2022. These remained untouched by the restrictions imposed by the Legacy Bill. Following introduction of the Bill, a further 230 cases were lodged, which were then halted when the Legacy Act came into force. Of these 230 cases, approximately 120 relate to the Ministry of Defence. These cases would be able to be resumed as a result of the Remedial Order taking effect.

The Northern Ireland Office does not hold a further breakdown of such civil cases, nor the budgeted estimates for payment of settled legacy claims for individual departments.

The Government has the deepest sympathy for all of those affected by the Omagh bomb in August 1998. It was a terrible atrocity committed by the Real IRA at a time when the people of Northern Ireland were looking to a future without violence. Our thoughts are with those who have taken part in the hearings to date and particularly with all those victims affected by the events of that terrible day more than 27 years ago.

The Omagh Bombing Inquiry is an independent statutory public inquiry, established to investigate whether the bombing could reasonably have been prevented. While I am the Sponsor Minister for the Inquiry, it is rightly independent from Government. Inquiry spend is therefore an operational matter for the Inquiry which they publish on their website on a regular basis.

Co-ordination of land and inland water rescue is devolved, with search and rescue policy the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Department of Justice and co-ordination of land and inland water search and rescue operations falling to the Police Service of Northern Ireland. I have had no discussions on the provision of funding to assist such organisations but understand that the Northern Ireland Department of Justice provides approximately £100,000 of grant funding each year, which is shared across the current nine voluntary search and rescue organisations to help to sustain their capability.

The total value of severance payments is set out in the Department’s Annual Report and Accounts, which are available for the last three years at: GOV.UK

This month has shown just how volatile the world is and the importance of the investment this Government is making in our defences.

My assessment is that the Defence Growth Deal’s potential is transformative for businesses small and large across Northern Ireland.

This month has shown just how volatile the world is and the importance of the investment this Government is making in our defences.

My assessment is that the Defence Growth Deal’s potential is transformative for businesses small and large across Northern Ireland.

This Government knows how important the film industry is, and that is why it is at the heart of our Industrial Strategy.

Northern Ireland has world class creative talent - I got to see that up close at the recent Netflix premiere of How to Get to Heaven from Belfast. That premiere was held at the Queens Film Theatre, recognised just this month as one of the top one hundred cinemas in the world.

I understand that the EU-Mercosur interim Trade Agreement will apply provisionally from May 2026, and we will monitor its effects on trade and our imports closely.

While Northern Ireland has access to the EU Single Market in agricultural goods alongside the UK internal market, it is UK trade agreements that Northern Ireland exporters benefit from. This includes farmers and those in the food and drink sector.

The Troubles Bill will restore the small number of Troubles-related inquests that were already in progress but then halted by the previous government’s Legacy Act.

Inquests that had not started will be subject to an assessment by the Solicitor General to independently consider whether each case is most appropriately dealt with by the reformed Legacy Commission or the coronial system.

On 22 January, the House of Commons approved the Remedial Order, which will remove the conditional immunity provided to terrorists by the previous Government’s immunity scheme.

The scheduling of the debate in the House of Lords will be announced in the usual way.

Yes. The Northern Ireland Troubles Bill will establish a reformed, human rights compliant and wholly independent Legacy Commission, which will carry out investigations and provide family reports to give victims and their families the answers they deserve. The Bill will proceed to Committee stage as soon as Parliamentary time allows.

The Government continues to take practical action to protect and facilitate trade across the UK internal market. At Budget 2025, the Government announced £16.6 million to strengthen the UK internal market, including funding for an enhanced ‘one stop shop’ regulatory support service and a dedicated budget for Intertrade UK, the non-statutory advisory body established under Safeguarding the Union to help boost trade across the UK. On a wide range of regulatory areas, the Government has been taking action to account for the views of industry and smooth flows of trade within the UK market, including in pharmaceuticals, toy safety, and the labelling of chemicals.

Extensive guidance is available on GOV.UK for businesses moving goods under the Windsor Framework, alongside support from the Trader Support Service.

At Autumn Budget 2025, the Government announced £16.6 million to strengthen the UK internal market and help boost trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. This will include a comprehensive ‘one stop shop’ regulatory support service that will provide additional guidance beyond what is currently available on GOV.UK, supporting businesses in Great Britain to trade with Northern Ireland and take advantage of the facilitations made available under the Windsor Framework.

While the funding and strategic oversight of the higher education sector are devolved matters for the Northern Ireland Executive, the UK Government remains committed to the delivery of the Derry/Londonderry and Strabane City Region City Deal.

Through this City Deal, the UK Government is investing £105 million to support regional growth, which includes funding for the School of Medicine at Ulster University’s Magee Campus. We will continue to work with the Northern Ireland Executive and other partners on the progression of this City Deal and the PEACEPLUS programme to ensure these investments benefit the wider region.

The UK Government is firmly committed to upholding the legal protections established by the Equality Act 2010, including those which protect people against unfair treatment based on the characteristics of sex and gender reassignment.

We have always been clear that the For Women Scotland Supreme Court ruling brought clarity to the definition of ‘sex’ for the purposes of the Equality Act 2010.

Equal opportunities and anti-discrimination laws remain devolved matters in Northern Ireland, and the extent of the Equality Act 2010 as set out in law remains unchanged. The Equality Commission for Northern Ireland has a clear statutory duty, under the Northern Ireland Act 1998, to offer guidance on the meaning and interpretation of equality law within Northern Ireland, including any implications arising from the Court of Justice of the European Union ruling in the Shipova case.

The Northern Ireland Office recruited 1 apprentice in 2023 and 1 in 2025 for a 2-year term. We did not recruit any apprentices in 2022 or 2024.

The Resilience Action Plan sets out the Government’s strategic approach to how we will strengthen our domestic resilience and invest to protect the nation. Northern Ireland Office (NIO) officials regularly attend meetings to discuss the implementation of the Resilience Action Plan as well as matters of national security and defence.

NIO directorates are actively contributing to this work, engaging the defence industry, businesses and academia to evaluate Northern Ireland’s defence sector contribution. We are also collaborating with partners to assess and strengthen collective preparedness against emerging threats. These efforts are jointly led by the Director of Security, International and Politics and the Director of Growth, Public Service Transformation and NI Fiscal Sustainability.

The E-DATA project is the recipient of funding through the PEACEPLUS programme, into which the UK Government is investing £730 million. We will continue to work with the Northern Ireland Executive and other partners on the delivery and impact of the project as it progresses.

The UK Government is investing £105 million to the Derry/Londonderry and Strabane City Region City Deal, which includes funding for the School of Medicine at Ulster University’s Magee Campus. I will continue to work closely with the Northern Ireland Executive on the delivery of this project.

This Government is supporting the Northern Ireland Executive with its plans for building world class infrastructure in Northern Ireland, across all sporting codes. That is why we have provided up to £50 million of capital funding over four years to support the redevelopment of Casement Park.

Under Section 12 of the Terrorism Act 2000, it is a criminal offence to invite support for a proscribed organisation or to arrange, manage, or assist in addressing a meeting known to support its activities.

The Northern Ireland Office has not carried out any such assessment or investigation.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and I have regular discussions with the Northern Ireland Executive, including the Communities Minister, on a range of priorities. Northern Ireland Office officials have engaged directly with Comhaltas on the Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann in Belfast this summer.

The Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann will be a great opportunity for Northern Ireland. As one of only three UK cities with UNESCO City of Music status, I am delighted that Belfast will host the world's largest celebration of Irish music and culture. This event will attract global visitors, providing a chance for the city to showcase its rich and diverse cultural offering. The decision by Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann to bring the Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann back to Belfast in 2027 is also very welcome news.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and I have regular discussions with the Northern Ireland Executive, including the Communities Minister, on a range of priorities. Northern Ireland Office officials have engaged directly with Comhaltas on the Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann in Belfast this summer.

The Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann will be a great opportunity for Northern Ireland. As one of only three UK cities with UNESCO City of Music status, I am delighted that Belfast will host the world's largest celebration of Irish music and culture. This event will attract global visitors, providing a chance for the city to showcase its rich and diverse cultural offering. The decision by Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann to bring the Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann back to Belfast in 2027 is also very welcome news.