Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether it remains their intention that the Northern Ireland Assembly and Northern Ireland local government elections will be held on the same day in 2027.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The dates on which Northern Ireland local elections and Northern Ireland Assembly elections are to be held are set out in legislation. The Government does not intend to change the date of the 2027 elections.
Asked by: Kirsty Blackman (Scottish National Party - Aberdeen North)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many posts there are for (a) press, (b) media and (c) other communications staff in his Department; and what the salary band is for each post.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Northern Ireland Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
Asked by: Tonia Antoniazzi (Labour - Gower)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, when he most recently met with (a) Airbus and (b) other relevant stakeholders to discuss the future of Spirit AeroSystems; and what was discussed at each meeting.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
I discussed the future of Spirit Aerosystems in meetings with Airbus on 25 November 2024 and 23 April 2025, the trade unions on 29 January 2025, and the Minister for the Economy, Caoimhe Archibald MLA, on 3 March 2025. My officials are continuing to collaborate with the Department for Business and Trade to monitor the latest developments and provide updates.
The Government has worked with the Northern Ireland Executive to secure the future for Spirit Aerosystems’s operation in Belfast, its workforce, and the wider aerospace sector. The Department for Business and Trade has continued to be in contact with Spirit, Airbus, Boeing, and other potential buyers to ensure the best outcome whereby the new owners commit to invest and grow the businesses, thereby sustaining jobs and safeguarding the aerospace sector in Northern Ireland.
On 28 April 2025, Airbus publicly announced that it had signed a definitive agreement with Boeing and Spirit AeroSystems to acquire specific Spirit operations directly related to Airbus programmes in the UK. In Belfast, Airbus will take ownership of the A220 wing manufacturing and assembly facility. The A220 mid-fuselage work package will also transfer to Airbus if a buyer for the remainder of the Belfast site is not found prior to closing of the deal later this year.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps he plans to take with Cabinet colleagues to help ensure adequate funding for SEND in devolved nations.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Funding for special educational needs is devolved to the Northern Ireland Executive. It is for the Department of Education to ensure special educational needs are adequately funded in Northern Ireland.
As set out in the recent Spending Review, this Government is providing the Executive with a record £18.2bn for 2025-26, the largest settlement since the start of devolution. That translates into over £1.5 billion more in 2025-26. It is now for the Executive to decide how to allocate that funding.
Asked by: Mark Francois (Conservative - Rayleigh and Wickford)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, which (a) veterans groups and associations and (b) other stakeholder groups his Department consulted before deciding to not to continue the Supreme Court appeal on the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023; and what the nature of their input was.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
In the Dillon and Others case, the Northern Ireland High Court made a number of section 4 Human Rights Act declarations of incompatibility in respect of the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023. The Government takes its human rights obligations extremely seriously and did not take forward an appeal.
The Government is appealing to the Supreme Court on two such declarations that were subsequently made by the Northern Ireland Court of Appeal.
In consulting over legacy legislation, the Northern Ireland Office regularly engage with a wide range of stakeholders, including veterans.
Asked by: Mark Francois (Conservative - Rayleigh and Wickford)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether his Department has made an assessment of the value for money of the cost of public inquires on Troubles-related legacy issues in Northern Ireland in the context of the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023 (Remedial) Order.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Northern Ireland Office works closely with His Majesty's Treasury to ensure value for money for the tax payer on all of the policies it delivers, including public inquiries.
Asked by: Mark Francois (Conservative - Rayleigh and Wickford)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether he has committed to restoring the Loughall inquest since his meeting with Loughall Truth on 24 March 2025.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Government is committed to repeal and replace the almost universally opposed - and in many respects, unlawful - Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy & Reconciliation) Act 2023.
As part of this commitment, the Government has been consistently clear that we will propose measures to allow inquests previously halted by the Act to proceed, as set out in my written ministerial statements of 29 July 2024 and 7 October 2024, and in my oral statement of 4 December 2024.
The Government is continuing to engage with all interested parties in a spirit of openness as we seek to implement legacy mechanisms that are compliant with human rights, and can command confidence across communities.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps he has taken to with relevant authorities to support Northern Ireland’s tourism industry.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland remains a highly popular destination for both UK and international visitors. In 2023, the tourism sector contributed approximately £1.2 billion to Northern Ireland’s economy, with 5.4 million visitors. In March, I met with representatives of the Northern Ireland Tourism Alliance to discuss the opportunities and challenges that its members are facing.
The Northern Ireland Executive is ultimately responsible for tourism in Northern Ireland. I welcome the Department for the Economy’s efforts to boost the impact of tourism across Northern Ireland through its 10-year Tourism Vision and Action Plan.
Asked by: Ben Obese-Jecty (Conservative - Huntingdon)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many (a) phones, (b) laptops and (c) other electronic devices have been lost by their Department since 5 July 2024.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The following table shows the number of lost devices in the Northern Ireland Office since 5 July 2024.
Breakdown of department-issued equipment type | Number of lost items |
Mobile phones | 4 |
Laptops | 1 |
Other devices | 0 |
Asked by: Mark Francois (Conservative - Rayleigh and Wickford)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether he plans to review the decision not to continue the appeal against the Northern Ireland High Court’s declaration of incompatibility regarding sections 46 and 47 of the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The High Court found sections 46 and 47 of the Legacy Act to be incompatible with the UK’s international human rights commitments. This Government takes such matters extremely seriously, and the provisions therefore need to be repealed. The Government is carefully exploring how to lawfully address this complex issue alongside our clear commitment to implement legacy mechanisms that are fully compliant with human rights.