Asked by: Lord Caine (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what has been the total expenditure on air travel since 5 July 2024 between Great Britain and Northern Ireland for: (1) the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland; (2) the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland; and (3) Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Since 5 July 2024, the total cost of expenditure on air travel between Great Britain and Northern Ireland for the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland is £17,972.56, for the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State it is £12,483.01. My total air travel expenditure is £817.27.
Asked by: Lord Caine (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government on how many occasions each of the following has stayed overnight in Northern Ireland since 5 July 2024: (1) the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland; (2) the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland; and (3) Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Since 5 July 2024, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and Parliamentary Under Secretary of State have travelled regularly across Northern Ireland to undertake official business.
The Secretary of State has travelled to Northern Ireland 42 times since 5 July 2024. The Parliamentary Under Secretary of State has travelled to Northern Ireland 34 times, and I have travelled to Northern Ireland three times.
Asked by: Lord Caine (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many officials and special advisers travelled with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland during his visit to the United States of America for the St Patrick’s Day celebrations in March; and what were the associated costs, including flights and accommodation.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland travelled to Washington accompanied by two special advisors and three officials.
Data on ministers’ overseas travel and on senior civil servants’ business expenses is published on a quarterly basis. The latest publication can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nio-ministerial-gifts-hospitality-travel-and-meetings-july-to-september-2024.
Information for the period January to May 2025 is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nio-ministerial-gifts-hospitality-travel-and-meetings-january-to-march-2025.
Asked by: Lord Caine (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what has been the total expenditure on overseas visits since 5 July 2024 by each of (1) the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, (2) the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and (3) Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Since 5 July 2024, the Department has incurred expenditure of £9,728.99 for overseas travel undertaken by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. A total expenditure of £4,968.33 has been incurred for overseas travel undertaken by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State. No such expenditure has been incurred for myself.
Data on ministers’ overseas travel and on senior civil servants’ business expenses is published on a quarterly basis.
Asked by: Lord Caine (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions took place, if any, between the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and representatives of the Finucane family regarding the appointment of the two assessors to the Patrick Finucane Inquiry; whether the family's consent was sought; and whether it was granted.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Under the Inquiries Act, the power to establish a statutory independent inquiry and the constitution of the inquiry lie with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.
In the Secretary of State’s Written Ministerial Statement of 13 June, he set out that he had appointed Baroness O’Loan and Francesca Del Mese as Assessors to the Patrick Finucane Inquiry under section 11 of the Inquiries Act 2005 in accordance with the established appointments process. The Secretary of State then informed the Finucane family in the week of the announcement in line with customary practice. Their role is to provide expert advice to the Rt Hon Sir Gary Hickinbottom who has been appointed as Chair of the Inquiry under section 1 of the Act. I remain confident that these appointments have the relevant knowledge, experience and professionalism the Inquiry requires.
Asked by: Lord Caine (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what checks are being carried out by the Police Service of Northern Ireland at or near the border with the Republic of Ireland on vehicles travelling into Northern Ireland in order to prevent illegal migration.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The UK and Ireland have a close and collaborative relationship on migration and border security, and we are jointly committed to protecting the Common Travel Area and safeguarding it from abuse.
The CTA supports the long-standing principle of free movement for British and Irish citizens between the UK, Ireland, and Crown Dependencies and the Government is committed to maintaining these arrangements. Non-British or Irish individuals arriving in the UK, including those crossing the land border into Northern Ireland, are required to enter in line with the UK’s immigration framework.
There are – and will continue to be – no routine immigration controls on the Ireland-Northern Ireland land border, nor on journeys within the Common Travel Area (CTA).
The Police Service of Northern Ireland are devolved to the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Asked by: Lord Caine (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government which commitments arising from the Safeguarding the Union command paper (CP1021), published on 31 January 2024, (1) have been, or (2) are in the process of being, implemented; and which commitments remain outstanding.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government continues to make progress on delivering the commitments made in the Safeguarding the Union command paper. In the past month alone, that has included: taking forward legislation which allows the Government to introduce ‘not for EU’ labelling in Great Britain; hosting the first East-West Council meeting in Northern Ireland; and the completion of work to digitise the Belfast News Letter.
Asked by: Lord Caine (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent on 20 December 2024 (HL3343), in which said that they were "currently considering the best way to take forward the approach referred to in Annex B of the Safeguarding the Union command paper", what was the outcome of those considerations.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
This Government continues to make progress on delivering the commitments made in the Safeguarding the Union command paper. The best way to take forward the approach referred to in Annex B remains under consideration.
Asked by: Lord Caine (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent on 22 May (HL Deb col 244), what assessment they have made of the risk that elderly veterans will be compelled to appear in coroners' courts in Northern Ireland as a result of their decision to re-open legacy inquests and because of the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
This Government's commitment to our Armed Forces community is unshakeable. The vast majority of veterans who served in Operation Banner did so with distinction in very difficult circumstances.
This Government’s approach will ensure that legacy cases are dealt with sensitively, efficiently and lawfully, and that veterans who engage with legacy mechanisms are provided with the appropriate support. The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland is working closely with the Defence Secretary and Minister for Veterans and People on how to ensure that their interests are fully considered in the changes we are going to make.
Asked by: Lord Caine (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Sherlock on 9 May (HL6877), how they monitor and evaluate whether PIP assessors are appropriately applying the reliability criteria in cases involving fluctuating or invisible conditions; and how many cases have been overturned at the mandatory reconsideration or tribunal stages due to a failure to consider these criteria correctly by assessors.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
DWP has set standards for the quality of assessments for all health professionals (HPs) conducting Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessments on behalf of the department. The department closely monitors all aspects of the process including how HPs apply the criteria set out in legislation.
PIP assessments are conducted by fully qualified, clinical professionals (Doctors, Nurses, Paramedics, Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists and Pharmacists) who have undergone a comprehensive training programme designed and approved by DWP. The quality of their advice is continually assured internally by the assessment suppliers and externally by the department's independent audit function.
Audit refers to a comprehensive check of the elements of the assessment, including the evidence collection, further evidence provided and the completion of the assessment report by the HP. The check is completed against a set of guidelines which ensures the criteria is applied appropriately and that a consistent approach is taken in all cases, including those involving fluctuating or invisible conditions. This ensures that assessment reports are fit for purpose, clinically justified and sound, and provide sufficient information for the department to make an informed decision on entitlement to benefit.
The department does not hold data on cases overturned at mandatory reconsideration or tribunal stages due to a failure by assessors to correctly consider reliability criteria in cases involving fluctuating or invisible conditions.
The recent Pathways to Work Green Paper has proposed that assessments should, in future, be recorded by default. It is hoped that this will give new opportunities to establish what has gone wrong when assessments are subsequently found to be incorrect, including when the fault has been a failure to assess correctly the impact of a fluctuating condition.