Baroness Hoey

The Government will announce details of the Independent Review in due course, and in line with its obligations under Schedule 6A of the Northern Ireland Act 1998.

The updated GPSR largely formalises how many businesses are already operating in the UK and the measures are therefore likely to have limited impact. However, we understand that, for some businesses, changes will be required.

Government continues to support businesses in adapting to these changes to ensure a smooth flow of goods between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK. We have published guidance on GPSR in Northern Ireland, which we will keep under review, and we are continuing to engage directly with businesses.

The Government maintains a dialogue with the EU on matters of mutual interest. The updated General Product Safety Regulation largely formalises the reality of how businesses are already operating in the UK and the measures are therefore likely to have limited impact. Where businesses need to make changes, we expect that they will be adapting anyway in order to continue trading with the EU. We are providing more guidance in this area, will keep this under review and continue to engage businesses directly to ensure we are supporting them to trade freely across the UK.

The updated General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR) largely formalises the reality of how businesses are already operating in the UK and the measures are therefore likely to have limited impact in practice. Where businesses need to make changes, we expect that they will be adapting anyway to be compliant with the new Regulation to continue trading with the EU. However, we are providing more guidance in this area, will keep this under review and continue to engage businesses directly to ensure we are supporting them to trade freely across the whole of the UK.

The number of households choosing not to buy a TV licence has risen in recent years. As noted in the TV Licence Fee Trust Statement, 23.7 million licences were in force in 2023/24, which is a decline from the peak of 25.9 million in 2017/18. TV licence evasion rates have also risen over the past decade from around 5.5% in 2013/14 to 11.3% in 2023/24.

These trends pose challenges to the long term sustainability of the licence fee. The forthcoming Charter Review is a key opportunity to set the BBC up for success long into the future. As we look at the future of the BBC, we must also ensure that it has a sustainable funding model that is fair for those who pay for it.

Zolvix is licensed in accordance with different regulations in Northern Ireland (NI) and Great Britain. Separate licenses have, however, had no impact on the ability to market Zolvix in either NI or the rest of the United Kingdom (UK). The Government aims to facilitate single licensing on a UK-wide basis where possible, supported by changes to the Veterinary Medicines Regulations in 2024.

Zolvix 25 mg/ml Oral Solution for Sheep is authorised and labelled on a separate basis in Great Britain (GB) and in Northern Ireland (NI). Only packs labelled for the NI market may be placed on the NI market. Packs labelled only for the GB market cannot be placed on the market in NI.

The UK aviation market operates predominantly in the private sector with the cost of flights determined by airlines according to a range of factors. The Minister for Aviation and officials from the Department for Transport meet regularly with airlines to discuss a range of topics, including pricing.

The UK Rodenticides Stewardship Government Oversight Group is chaired by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and comprises representatives of other government stakeholders, who are HSE Northern Ireland; Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; UK Health Security Agency; Natural England; and the Welsh and Scottish Governments. The group relies on analysis of environmental monitoring data provided by an independent research institute.

The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care is inclined to renew the emergency banning order on puberty blockers with a view to converting it to a permanent ban, subject to appropriate consultation.

Human medicines and healthcare are transferred matters in respect of Northern Ireland. We are engaging with the Northern Ireland Executive, including on whether the ban should apply across the United Kingdom. We are committed to providing young people with holistic care, in line with the recommendations of the Cass Review.

The UK has always been clear that we would like to see Zimbabwe return to the Commonwealth when the time is right. However, currently we do not share the Secretariat's assessment of Zimbabwe's progress or readiness in line with the shared values and principles laid out in the Commonwealth Charter. Whilst we recognise there has been progress, we believe further steps are needed on democracy, governance and human rights before Zimbabwe makes a formal application to re-join the Commonwealth. We note some of the findings in the Commonwealth Election Observation Report and support the recommendations. We would encourage a further Commonwealth assessment mission to Zimbabwe in 2025 to follow up on these areas. The UK strongly values our partnership with Zimbabwe and stands ready to support further reforms in this regard, through the Commonwealth and other fora.

The Entry/Exit System (EES) and European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) are EU systems and do not apply in any part of the UK, including Northern Ireland. EES and ETIAS will not apply in Ireland as it is not part of the Schengen Area. We do not foresee any implications for travel between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

The Commonwealth Secretariat deploys independent Commonwealth Observer Groups to monitor elections. It is the responsibility of the Commonwealth Secretary-General to approve the publication of Commonwealth Election Observation Reports. Whilst we hope to see the report on the 2023 Zimbabwe Harmonised Elections soon, we do not wish to influence the independent Commonwealth process.

The UK values the Commonwealth Secretariat's work on elections, including their election observation missions. This work plays a vital role in supporting resilient democratic institutions across the Commonwealth, in line with the values of the Commonwealth Charter. The Commonwealth Secretariat regularly provides updates on its work to all Commonwealth members and together they work to ensure effectiveness and value for money across Commonwealth programmes.

The government has no plans to reform duty-free shopping between Northern Ireland and the EU, which would require border controls between Northern Ireland and Ireland and would run counter to the principles of the Windsor Framework.

Whilst there are currently no plans to change queuing arrangements at the UK Border, those arrangements remain under constant review in order to prioritise security, maintain fluidity and ensure that we continue to run our border in the UK's best interests.

As the quickest and most efficient method of crossing the border, we encourage all eligible passengers to make use of the e-Gates at our ports of entry where possible.

Electronic Travel Authorisations are a new requirement for international travel to the UK. They do not affect domestic journeys, which means they do not affect travel between Northern Ireland and Great Britain.

The Government takes proscription offences seriously. Hamas and Hizballah are both proscribed in their entirety in the UK, with their listings extended in 2021 and 2019 respectively.

Data on arrests, charges and convictions for the proscription offences in sections 11 to 13 of the Terrorism Act 2000 can be found in the quarterly Home Office publication ‘Operation of Police Powers under the Terrorism Act 2000’.

Data is not published on the specific proscribed organisation that the arrest, charge or conviction relates to.

The most recent publication up to year ending June 2024, was published on 12 September 2024: Operation of police powers under TACT 2000, to June 2024 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

The Government is determined to restore order to the asylum system so that it operates swiftly, firmly and fairly.  This includes our accommodation sites, as the Home Office continues to identify a range of options to minimise the use of expensive hotels and ensure better use of public money, whilst maintaining sufficient accommodation to meet demand.

The most recent data on the number of supported asylum seekers in accommodation, including hotels, at: Asy_D11 Immigration system statistics data tables - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

The Home Office has had various grants through which we provide funds to support local authorities housing asylum seekers.

• Grant 7 was launched in April 2024 to facilitate local authority support of increased dispersal accommodation (DA) accommodation.  The £3500 payment will be made for the net growth of occupancy in each quarter for Home Office Supported Asylum Seeker accommodation within the geographical bounds of the local authority under the following categories; DA, overflow dispersal accommodation (ODA) and initial accommodation (IA).
• Grant 6 was launched in April 2024 to acknowledge the contribution of Local Authorities to supporting asylum seekers.  A payment of £750 was made for each occupied bedspaces as of 01 April 2024 and a subsequent payment will be made for the net growth of occupancy in each quarter for Home Office Supported Asylum Seeker accommodation within the geographical bounds of the local authority under the following categories; DA, ODA and IA and contingency accommodation (CA).

The Government is determined to restore order to the asylum system so that it operates swiftly, firmly and fairly.  This includes our accommodation sites, as the Home Office continues to identify a range of options to minimise the use of expensive hotels and ensure better use of public money, whilst maintaining sufficient accommodation to meet demand.

The most recent data on the number of supported asylum seekers in accommodation, including hotels, at: Asy_D11 Immigration system statistics data tables - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

The Home Office has had various grants through which we provide funds to support local authorities housing asylum seekers.

• Grant 7 was launched in April 2024 to facilitate local authority support of increased dispersal accommodation (DA) accommodation.  The £3500 payment will be made for the net growth of occupancy in each quarter for Home Office Supported Asylum Seeker accommodation within the geographical bounds of the local authority under the following categories; DA, overflow dispersal accommodation (ODA) and initial accommodation (IA).
• Grant 6 was launched in April 2024 to acknowledge the contribution of Local Authorities to supporting asylum seekers.  A payment of £750 was made for each occupied bedspaces as of 01 April 2024 and a subsequent payment will be made for the net growth of occupancy in each quarter for Home Office Supported Asylum Seeker accommodation within the geographical bounds of the local authority under the following categories; DA, ODA and IA and contingency accommodation (CA).

Veterans' Commissioners are currently appointed by Ministers. The Ministry of Defence, through the Office for Veterans' Affairs, continues to work closely with the Veterans’ Commissioner for Wales (VCfW), and the Scottish Veterans’ Commissioner (SVC), who is appointed by and reports to the Scottish Government (SG). The Northern Ireland Office (NIO) is working through the next steps to appoint a new Northern Ireland Veterans’ Commissioner.

The Ministry of Justice publishes information on the number of convictions for criminal offences including terrorism offences for the period requested in the Outcomes by Offence data tool found at the following link: Criminal Justice System statistics quarterly: December 2023 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

However, it is not possible to separately identify convictions for offences relating to specific terrorist organisations. This information may be held on court records, but to examine individual court records would be of disproportionate costs.

There were 10,435 (3,578 remand, 6,486 sentenced and 371 non-criminal) Foreign National Offenders (FNOs) held in custody on 30 June 2024; representing 12% of the total prison population.

See below table for top 10 nationalities held in custody on 30 June 2024:

The Government is committed to the removal of FNOs. All FNOs in receipt of custodial sentences are referred to the Home Office to be considered for deportation.

There are over a thousand ongoing legacy civil claims against the Northern Ireland Office and other state agencies.

Damages paid by the Northern Ireland Office in such cases must remain confidential as per the terms of the settlements, and the Northern Ireland Office does not hold information on the settlement of legacy civil claims faced by other Government departments.

The Northern Ireland Office’s spend on legal costs is included within our Annual Report and Accounts, although we do not differentiate between legal costs we incur and costs we pay to claimants’ lawyers:

22/23

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/650825884cd3c3000d68cb7d/E02862920_NIO_Annual_Report___Accounts_2022-23_Web_Accessible.pdf

21/22

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/62bd7aa98fa8f535a857851d/E02726214_NIO_ARA_21-22_Accessible.pdf

20/21

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/60dc57b28fa8f50ab2f55b13/Northern_Ireland_Office_Annual_Report_and_Accounts.pdf

19/20

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5f7ee413e90e077418bbba00/NIO_Annual_Report_and_Account_2019-20.pdf

18/19

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5db1b51640f0b609d7507fd1/NIO_Annual_Report_and_Account_for_laying_on_2410191_-_certified_by_C_AG_on_231019__2_.pdf

The ‘Paramilitary Groups in Northern Ireland’ report was published in 2015 by the UK Government in order to provide a one-off factual assessment from the UK security agencies and the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) on the structure, role and purpose of paramilitary organisations in Northern Ireland. This public assessment, which was intended to inform the then ongoing cross-party talks, has not been repeated.

Although it is acknowledged that some individuals engaged in serious criminality may also have ties to former paramilitary Republican organisations, such activity does not present a threat to national security.

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 threat from Northern Ireland Related Terrorism (NIRT) is assessed by the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre (JTAC), after MI5 passed over responsibility earlier this year. JTAC keeps the Threat Level in Northern Ireland from NIRT under constant review and formally reviews it twice a year. However, the threat is wholly driven by violent Dissident Republicans who reject the Good Friday Agreement (GFA), and not by Groups that support the GFA.

Where any criminality exists, the Government is clear that it should be dealt with fully by the police.

As mentioned in my previous Written Answer, the Government takes reasonable steps to control the costs of inquiries, including capping legal costs as appropriate.

The Government asked Judge Peter Cory to re-investigate the death of Patrick Finucane. This was not a public inquiry but led to public inquiries into the deaths of Rosemary Nelson, Billy Wright, Robert Hamill and Patrick Finucane.

The Robert Hamill Inquiry is yet to publish its Report and therefore its final costs are not yet available. The Government is in the process of setting up the Patrick Finucane Inquiry and has considered the likely costs and impact on the public finances. The Government’s expectation is that the inquiry will avoid unnecessary costs given the work done in all the previous reviews and investigations and the large amount of information and material that is already in the public domain.

Sir Desmond de Silva was appointed to conduct an independent review into the death of Patrick Finucane, but like Cory, this was not a public inquiry. Sir John Stevens’ investigation was commissioned and funded by the Royal Ulster Constabulary (now PSNI).

The total cost of the Bloody Sunday Inquiry from 1998, when it was established, to the end of May 2010 when it concluded, was £191.2 million.

Judge Corey recommended that the Government hold public inquiries into the deaths of Rosemary Nelson, Billy Wright, Robert Hamill and Patrick Finucane. The Rosemary Nelson Inquiry and the Billy Wright Inquiry cost £46.46 million and £30.5 million respectively. As the Robert Hamill Inquiry Report is still to be published, final costs are not yet available.

Funding of £250m was agreed with HMT in 2023 to cover the implementation of all aspects of the Legacy Act 2023. The lion's share of this funding was for the establishment and operation of the ICRIR (£230m), with the remainder ring fenced for memorialisation and official history measures that seek to promote wider societal healing/reconciliation. This funding derived from the £150 million allocated to implement the Stormont House Agreement and £100 million allocated through the New Deal, New Approach agreement.

As outlined in the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland’s Oral Statement of 11 September 2024, the Government has considered the likely costs of the inquiry into the death of Patrick Finucane and its impact on the public finances. It is the Government’s expectation that the inquiry will - while doing everything that is required to discharge the State’s human rights obligations - avoid unnecessary costs given all the previous reviews and investigations and the large amount of information and material that is already in the public domain.

The Government takes reasonable steps to control the costs of inquiries, including capping legal costs as appropriate.

Since the election, the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland have met with the Irish Taoiseach and Tanáiste, respectively, and underlined the Government’s commitment to repeal and replace the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023.

We will continue to engage closely with the Irish Government with a view to finding a practical way forward. The participation of both the UK and Irish governments in a legacy process is important if we are to achieve better outcomes for victims and survivors. Of course, we hope that such a process will lead to the withdrawal of the interstate case, though that is a matter for the Irish Government.