Asked by: Lord Maginnis of Drumglass (Independent Ulster Unionist - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to (1) reports that the Northern Ireland Executive has failed to implement the Victims’ Payment Scheme for victims of terrorism successfully, and (2) the UK’s historical responsibility and involvement in the 1969–1994 counter terrorism campaign in Northern Ireland, what plans they have to take direct responsibility for the implementation and operation of that Scheme.
Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Government provided a legislative framework for this scheme in the absence of an Executive and the Executive must now deliver. The Government is taking this matter very seriously and we are extremely disappointed by the current delay.
The Executive needs to designate a department that can own the policy and implement the scheme so that applications can be processed and payments made to victims. The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland remains in regular contact with the First and deputy First Ministers on progress towards this priority.
We do not recognise the relevance of the reference to “the UK’s historical responsibility and involvement in the 1969–1994 counter terrorism campaign in Northern Ireland” in relation to delivery of the Victims Payment scheme. The Executive committed to “find a way forward” on this issue in 2014. We have provided that way forward. This is clearly a devolved matter and it is imperative that the Executive sets aside its political differences and delivers for victims.
Asked by: Lord Maginnis of Drumglass (Independent Ulster Unionist - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what lessons they learnt from the (1) process followed by, and (2) conclusions of, the Iraq Historic Allegations Team; whether any such lessons are applicable to any ongoing investigations into soldiers who served in Northern Ireland between 1969 and 1994; and what plans they have, if any, to establish a similar team to oversee any such investigations.
Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has made clear that the Government is committed to introducing legislation to address the legacy of the Troubles. This legislation will place information recovery and reconciliation at the heart of a revised legacy system that puts victims first. The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has begun the process of engaging key partners on a way forward which will focus on reconciliation, delivering for victims and ensuring that all Service Personnel who served in Northern Ireland are treated as fairly as those who served overseas.
Where appropriate, we will draw on the lessons from the Iraq Historic Allegations Team. In Northern Ireland, during the Troubles, the Armed Forces acted in support of the civil powers, within the UK. This is different to military action outside the UK.
Asked by: Lord Maginnis of Drumglass (Independent Ulster Unionist - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government who authorised the payment to a civil servant as a result of offence allegedly caused by a royal portrait on display in the Northern Ireland Office; from which Department's budget that money came; whether that civil servant remains employed by the Northern Ireland Office; and if so, in what role.
Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
It would not be appropriate to comment on an individual case. Any compensation payments made by the Northern Ireland Office would be dealt with in line with the guidance in Managing Public Money.
Information on employees’ personal data is sensitive, so I am unable to provide any details on staff members’ current employment or otherwise.
Asked by: Lord Maginnis of Drumglass (Independent Ulster Unionist - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer from Lord Duncan of Springbank on 27 June (HL16506), whether they will now answer the question put, namely whether the appointment of Lindy Cameron as a new Director General at the Northern Ireland Office was a Foreign and Commonwealth Office initiative; what discussions they had with the government of the Republic of Ireland prior to that appointment; and whether they will place a non-redacted copy of the mission-statement for that post in the Library of the House.
Answered by Lord Duncan of Springbank
Pursuant to my response of 27 June, the appointment of the Northern Ireland Office’s Director General was a routine civil service appointment approved by the Civil Service Senior Leadership Committee and Cabinet Secretary. It was not a Foreign and Commonwealth Office initiative nor were there, and nor would it have been appropriate to have had, prior discussions about this appointment with the Irish Government.
In line with the procedures for routine civil service appointments there is no ‘mission-statement’; however I will arrange for an unredacted copy of the job description to be placed in the Library of the House.
Asked by: Lord Maginnis of Drumglass (Independent Ulster Unionist - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the appointment of Lindy Cameron as a new Director General at the Northern Ireland Office was a Foreign and Commonwealth Office initiative; what discussions they had with the government of the Republic of Ireland prior to that appointment; and whether they will place a non-redacted copy of the mission-statement for that post in the Library of the House.
Answered by Lord Duncan of Springbank
The appointment of a new Director General to support the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and Permanent Secretary of the Northern Ireland Office was a Northern Ireland Office initiative, made in accordance with Cabinet Office guidelines and with established protocols for Senior Civil Service appointments at this grade. This appointment was approved by the Civil Service Senior Leadership Committee and Cabinet Secretary. Roles, responsibilities and salaries of the senior management team are published in the Department’s Annual Report and Accounts.
Asked by: Lord Maginnis of Drumglass (Independent Ulster Unionist - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they made of the operation of the senior management team in the Northern Ireland Office before creating the new Director General post; for what reasons they established the Director General post; and what is the overall cost, including salaries, of the senior management team at the Northern Ireland Office.
Answered by Lord Duncan of Springbank
The Northern Ireland Office appointed a new Director General to support the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and Permanent Secretary at a challenging time for Northern Ireland and the wider UK. The appointment was made in accordance with Cabinet Office guidelines and approved by the Civil Service Senior Leadership Committee and Cabinet Secretary. Roles, responsibilities and salaries of the senior management team are published in the Department's Annual Report and Accounts.
Asked by: Lord Maginnis of Drumglass (Independent Ulster Unionist - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will publish a detailed job description for the Director General of the Northern Ireland Office and their annual salary.
Answered by Lord Duncan of Springbank
The Northern Ireland Office appointed a new Director General to support the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and Permanent Secretary at a challenging time for Northern Ireland and the wider UK. The appointment was made in accordance with Cabinet Office guidelines and approved by the Civil Service Senior Leadership Committee and Cabinet Secretary. Roles, responsibilities and salaries of the senior management team are published in the Department's Annual Report and Accounts.
Asked by: Lord Maginnis of Drumglass (Independent Ulster Unionist - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they consulted the government of the Republic of Ireland on the appointment of the new Director General of the Northern Ireland Office; and which UK political parties, if any, they consulted.
Answered by Lord Duncan of Springbank
The Northern Ireland Office appointed a new Director General to support the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and Permanent Secretary at a challenging time for Northern Ireland and the wider UK. The appointment was made in accordance with Cabinet Office guidelines and approved by the Civil Service Senior Leadership Committee and Cabinet Secretary. Roles, responsibilities and salaries of the senior management team are published in the Department's Annual Report and Accounts.
Asked by: Lord Maginnis of Drumglass (Independent Ulster Unionist - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the business case for appointing a new Director General in the Northern Ireland Office; who approved the business case; and to whom the Director General will report.
Answered by Lord Duncan of Springbank
The Northern Ireland Office appointed a new Director General to support the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and Permanent Secretary at a challenging time for Northern Ireland and the wider UK. The appointment was made in accordance with Cabinet Office guidelines and approved by the Civil Service Senior Leadership Committee and Cabinet Secretary. Roles, responsibilities and salaries of the senior management team are published in the Department's Annual Report and Accounts.
Asked by: Lord Maginnis of Drumglass (Independent Ulster Unionist - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the process for the appointment of a new Director General in the Northern Ireland Office; and what was the cost of that process.
Answered by Lord Duncan of Springbank
The Northern Ireland Office appointed a new Director General to support the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and Permanent Secretary at a challenging time for Northern Ireland and the wider UK. The appointment was made in accordance with Cabinet Office guidelines and approved by the Civil Service Senior Leadership Committee and Cabinet Secretary. Roles, responsibilities and salaries of the senior management team are published in the Department's Annual Report and Accounts.