Asked by: John McDonnell (Labour - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what plans his Department has to promote the National Year of Reading in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
I recently hosted the East West Council in Belfast where the Minister for Early Years noted the significant collaboration between all four nations of the UK to support the National Year of Reading.
Education is a devolved matter and is the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Executive. Decisions about the National Year of Reading in Northern Ireland are for the Northern Ireland Education Minister.
This Government remains committed to working with partners across the United Kingdom to collaborate to share best practices and I look forward to seeing how this great initiative progresses throughout the year.
Asked by: Alex Easton (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what plans the department has to support the National Year of Reading in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
I recently hosted the East West Council in Belfast where the Minister for Early Years noted the significant collaboration between all four nations of the UK to support the National Year of Reading.
Education is a devolved matter and is the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Executive. Decisions about the National Year of Reading in Northern Ireland are for the Northern Ireland Education Minister.
This Government remains committed to working with partners across the United Kingdom to collaborate to share best practices and I look forward to seeing how this great initiative progresses throughout the year.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South and Mid Down)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many prosecutions have been brought for murder and manslaughter in relation troubles related crimes; and how many were related to people with a paramilitary and security force background.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Government does not hold the specific information that has been requested.
Any further queries should be directed to the Public Prosecution Service for Northern Ireland or the Crown Prosecution Service as relevant.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South and Mid Down)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many prosecutions have been against members of the British armed forces for troubles related crimes.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Government does not hold all of the specific information that has been requested.
We understand that, between 1 January 2012 and December 2024, 68 cases for potential prosecution were considered in Northern Ireland in relation to Troubles-related cases, of which there were 25 decisions to prosecute. 6 of these decisions relate to cases that fall within the military category.
While ongoing prosecutions are a matter for the relevant independent prosecution service, it is the Government’s understanding that there are now nine ongoing Troubles-related prosecutions in Northern Ireland. Of those nine prosecutions, one falls in the military category.
We understand that figures relating to 1998-2012 are not available. Any further queries should be directed to the Public Prosecution Service for Northern Ireland or the Crown Prosecution Service as relevant.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South and Mid Down)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what information his Department holds on the number of prosecutions that have been made against security forces for troubles related crimes; and how many of these prosecutions relate to (a) murder, (b) manslaughter and (c) other crimes.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Government does not hold all of the specific information that has been requested.
We understand that, between 1 January 2012 and December 2024, 68 cases for potential prosecution were considered in Northern Ireland in relation to Troubles-related cases, of which there were 25 decisions to prosecute. 6 of these decisions relate to cases that fall within the military category. None related to cases that fall within the police category.
Within that period, there has been one successful prosecution of a soldier in 2022, which was for manslaughter. That individual was given a suspended sentence.
While ongoing prosecutions are a matter for the relevant independent prosecution service, it is the Government’s understanding that there are now nine ongoing Troubles-related prosecutions in Northern Ireland. Of those nine prosecutions, one falls in the former police category, and one in the military category.
We understand that figures relating to 1998-2012 are not available. Any further queries should be directed to the Public Prosecution Service for Northern Ireland or the Crown Prosecution Service as relevant.
Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether there is a restriction or obligation in the provisions, outworking or implementation of the Northern Ireland Protocol or the Windsor Framework to prevent Northern Ireland from phasing in animal-free medical or scientific testing.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
We are not aware of any such restrictions or obligations for human medicines or other scientific testing, although any such proposal would need to be considered based on its specific details. For human medicines, it is already an expectation across the UK to demonstrate that non-animal testing has been used where possible. For veterinary medicines, the Government is also committed to phasing out the use of animals in testing where possible, although it may be required in some cases to ensure only safe and effective veterinary medicines are marketed, e.g. during the development of new veterinary medicines.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South and Mid Down)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many prosecutions have been taken against republican paramilitaries for troubles-related crimes.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Government does not hold all of the specific information that has been requested.
We understand that, between 1 January 2012 and December 2024, 68 cases for potential prosecution were considered in Northern Ireland in relation to Troubles-related cases, of which, there were 25 decisions to prosecute. 13 of these decisions relate to cases that fall within the republican category, 6 within the loyalist category, and 6 within the military category.
Where decisions have been taken to prosecute in Northern Ireland, there have been 6 convictions; 3 in the republican category, two in the loyalist category, and 1 in the military category, with that individual being given a suspended sentence.
We understand that figures relating to 1998-2012 are not available.
Information about Troubles-related prosecutions in England and Wales is a matter for the Crown Prosecution Service.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South and Mid Down)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many prosecutions have been taken against loyalist paramilitaries for troubles-related crimes.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Government does not hold all of the specific information that has been requested.
We understand that, between 1 January 2012 and December 2024, 68 cases for potential prosecution were considered in Northern Ireland in relation to Troubles-related cases, of which, there were 25 decisions to prosecute. 13 of these decisions relate to cases that fall within the republican category, 6 within the loyalist category, and 6 within the military category.
Where decisions have been taken to prosecute in Northern Ireland, there have been 6 convictions; 3 in the republican category, two in the loyalist category, and 1 in the military category, with that individual being given a suspended sentence.
We understand that figures relating to 1998-2012 are not available.
Information about Troubles-related prosecutions in England and Wales is a matter for the Crown Prosecution Service.
Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Statement by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent on 28 January (HLWS1282), what procedure they used to commence the provisions in Sections 1, 2 and 3 of the Identity and Language (Northern Ireland) Act 2022.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
On Wednesday 28 January 2026, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland made the Identity and Language (Northern Ireland) Act 2022 (Commencement No. 3) Regulations 2026, in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 10(2) and 10(3) of the Identity and Language (Northern Ireland) Act 2022. The commenced provisions came into force on 29 January 2026.
Asked by: Lord Elliott of Ballinamallard (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they will take to ensure that the Northern Ireland Veterans Commissioner's Office is able to operate independently of Government.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Northern Ireland Veterans Commissioner's Office (NIVCO) is an independent entity, a status essential to its ability to operate effectively. To firmly establish this independence, a formal Management Statement was agreed between NIVCO and its sponsoring department, the Northern Ireland Office (NIO).