Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to showcase the opportunities for investment in Northern Ireland's defence and shipbuilding industries.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government recognises the vital and unique contribution made by Northern Ireland's defence and shipbuilding industries to UK national security. We are committed, as set out in Safeguarding the Union, to further including Northern Ireland companies in the UK defence network.
The Government recently announced a successful outcome in the negotiations over the future of Harland and Wolff. The commercial deal by Navantia is a significant investment in the UK's industrial base and will ensure delivery of the Ministry of Defence’s Fleet Solid Support programme.
We intend to showcase Northern Ireland’s thriving defence sector’s skills, industry, expertise and infrastructure through the ongoing Industrial Defence Strategy led by the Ministry of Defence. This will include sending signals that enhance the incentives for long-term investment in the UK in order to encourage private investment alongside public money.
Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to support the digitisation and exhibition of "media and historical archives that reflect the richness and diversity of traditions in Northern Ireland", as described in Annex B of Strengthening the Union (CP1021).
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government has made good progress towards supporting the digitisation and exhibition of media and historical archives that reflect the richness and diversity of traditions in Northern Ireland, as set out in Annex B of the Safeguarding the Union command paper, and intends to provide a further update on this work in the coming weeks.
Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many times the East–West Council has met since its formation.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The East-West Council has met once since its formation on 26 March 2024. The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland hopes to announce the next meeting shortly.
Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have refreshed any training materials or programmes on the Belfast Agreement and successor agreements for the Home Civil Service and the Diplomatic Service to reflect (1) commitments made in Safeguarding the Union (CP 1021) and (2) the fact that Strand One of the Belfast Agreement relates to Northern Ireland-only institutions.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
I can confirm that the Government has refreshed training programmes and materials for both the Home Civil Service and the Diplomatic Service on the Good Friday Agreement and successor agreements, as set out in the Safeguarding the Union command paper. The new training materials are currently being rolled out across the UK Government.
Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what progress they have made in facilitating collaboration between the Northern Ireland Civil Service and the Civil Service to support the transformation programme in Northern Ireland and improve the delivery of public services; and which government department is responsible for this work.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
This Government is committed to resetting relationships with the devolved Governments.
While public services are the responsibility of the Executive, we want to be a supportive partner. In the Northern Ireland Office, we are working to promote greater collaborative working between the UK Government and the Executive so that we can deliver improvements for the people of Northern Ireland.
Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government when they intend to publish the “series of papers that make the case, through sectoral analysis, for Northern Ireland’s place in the Union and ways in which to take it forward”, described in Annex B of Command Paper 1021, Safeguarding the Union, published on 31 January 2024.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
This Government is committed to implementing the Windsor Framework in good faith and to protecting Northern Ireland’s place in the UK internal market. We are currently considering the best way to take forward the approach referred to in Annex B of the Safeguarding the Union command paper.
Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what progress they have made in developing a twinning programme for primary schools in Northern Ireland, as proposed in Annex B of Command Paper 1021, Safeguarding the Union, published on 31 January 2024.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Secretary of State for Education reaffirmed the Government's commitment to the development of a twinning programme, as set out in the command paper, at the last UK Education Ministers' Council hosted in Lisburn, Northern Ireland on 20 November 2024. Work is ongoing to develop and deliver the programme.
Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how much funding they have provided to An Ciste Infheistiochta Gaeilge, the Irish Language Investment Fund, in each year since it was established.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Irish Language Investment Fund, An Ciste Infheistíochta Gaeilge, was established by a grant-in-aid of £8 million from the Government in 2010 in connection to the Hillsborough Castle Agreement.
In 2020, the Government announced the provision of an additional £4 million in capital funding to An Ciste as part of the commitments in relation to Northern Ireland’s unique circumstances that were agreed in the New Decade, New Approach agreement.
The Block Grant Transparency publication, which sets out changes to devolved government funding from the 2015 Spending Review onwards in detail, will shortly be updated with changes made at Autumn Budget 2024.
Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to introduce a procedure to replace a lost postal ballot for elections in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
In Northern Ireland, voters who have spoilt their postal ballot paper or accidentally marked it in a way they had not intended may apply for a replacement postal ballot paper to be issued, providing the original ballot paper and Declaration of Identity document are returned to the Chief Electoral Officer. For security reasons, additional ballot papers are not issued to voters claiming to have lost their original.
The Government has no plans to alter the security provisions currently in place, but we continue to keep all aspects of electoral law under review.
Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the practical effect of the High Court judgment of 28 February that the conditional immunity provisions in the Northern Ireland (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023 are contrary to Article 2 of the Windsor Framework and Articles 2 and 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
Answered by Lord Caine - Shadow Minister (Northern Ireland)
Following consideration of all aspects of the judgment, including those in relation to Article 2 of the Windsor Framework, the UK Government is applying for an appeal with the Northern Ireland Court of Appeal.
We remain committed to implementing the Legacy Act and delivering the ICRIR to provide better outcomes for victims and survivors of the Troubles by giving them more information about what happened to their loved ones.