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 re-examine the estimated £1.3 billion cost of the Northern Ireland Renewable Heat Incentive scheme to the public purse over a 20 year period; how that figure was calculated; whether it was inflated; and if so, why.
Answered by Lord Duncan of Springbank
The Department for the Economy (DfE) delivers the Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme in Northern Ireland. The £1.3bn figure was the DfE estimate assuming a scenario of the original 2012 tariffs remaining unchanged. It is of course now no longer relevant as these tariffs no longer apply.
On the combining of Rates and RHI into one Bill; Parliamentary Counsel advised last year that this was an appropriate pairing for these measures. Given the current pressures on Parliamentary time, and the limit on available legislative slots, we adopted exactly the same approach this year.
I welcome the commitment made by the Department for the Economy to appoint an independent chair to examine the cases of individuals who received funds from the RHI initiative and believe they have experienced hardship. The appointment of the Chair is a matter for that Department, but we will continue to work closely with DfE on this important matter.
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 by Lord Duncan of Springbank on 29 January (HL13010), whether the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland meets Northern Ireland-based peers as a group; if not, why not; and what assessment they have made of the contribution those peers can make using their collective experience of (1) the period since 1994, and (2) the 1998 Belfast Agreement.
Answered by Lord Duncan of Springbank
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and the whole Ministerial team recognise the huge contribution of this group of Peers. Indeed I have paid tribute to them on the floor of this House so it is a matter of record. The Secretary of State holds meetings to hear views and advice from interested peers and those with experience in NI issues, and will continue to do so. Due to the large volume of engagements that the Secretary of State is obliged to undertake, I, as per my ministerial role, lead on the day to day engagement with peers and therefore regularly meet this group of peers.
Asked by: Lord Maginnis of Drumglass (Independent Ulster Unionist - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what has been the total continuing payment to Members of the Legislative Assembly in each party in the Northern Ireland Assembly since the Assembly ceased to function; and what has been the overall payment to each of those party's staff during that period.
Answered by Lord Duncan of Springbank
The budget for the payment of salaries to MLAs, along with the associated financial figures, is held by the Assembly Commission. This is the corporate body of the NI Assembly. They are the appropriate body to advise on exact figures paid. Details of this expenditure are not held by the Northern Ireland Office.
Asked by: Lord Maginnis of Drumglass (Independent Ulster Unionist - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how often the current Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has met those members of the House of Lords who are based in Northern Ireland as a group; and if she has not met them, whether there is a reason for this.
Answered by Lord Duncan of Springbank
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland meets regularly with parliamentarians from across both Houses to discuss matters relating to Northern Ireland.
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 Written Answers by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth on 3 July 2017, 15 September 2017, and 2 October 2017 (HL3, HL1448, and HL1671) and the Written Answer by Lord Duncan of Springbank on 21 Dec 2017 (HL3975), what assessment they have made of the risk of abuse of the electoral system in future elections in (1) Northern Ireland, and (2) elsewhere in the UK; and what steps they are taking to mitigate that risk.
Answered by Lord Duncan of Springbank
Proxy and postal voting is a permitted part of elections. Any allegations of electoral fraud are referred to the PSNI, and the Chief Electoral Officer has made clear that she is content that applications are processed and approved in accordance with the law. The Chief Electoral Officer has also made it clear that she has seen no evidence of systematic electoral abuse.
The Government continues to consult with key stakeholders and keeps electoral legislation under review. We are committed to tackling possible abuse through a number of measures including piloting voter ID in Great Britain, supporting the Private Member’s Postal Voting Bill and consulting on the recommendations of the Committee of Standards in Public Life relating to intimidation of Parliamentary candidates and other public office-holders.
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 Written Answers by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth on 3 July 2017, 15 September 2017, and 2 October 2017 (HL3, HL1448, and HL1671) and the Written Answer by Lord Duncan of Springbank on 21 Dec 2017 (HL3975), what assessment they have made of the case for (1) increased safeguards against organised abuse of the electoral system in Northern Ireland to take account of the 2017 figure for proxy vote applications being 555 per cent of that in 2010, and (2) a further review of absent voting procedures by the Chief Electoral Officer for Northern Ireland.
Answered by Lord Duncan of Springbank
Proxy and postal voting is a permitted part of elections. Any allegations of electoral fraud are referred to the PSNI, and the Chief Electoral Officer has made clear that she is content that applications are processed and approved in accordance with the law. The Chief Electoral Officer has also made it clear that she has seen no evidence of systematic electoral abuse.
The Government continues to consult with key stakeholders and keeps electoral legislation under review. We are committed to tackling possible abuse through a number of measures including piloting voter ID in Great Britain, supporting the Private Member’s Postal Voting Bill and consulting on the recommendations of the Committee of Standards in Public Life relating to intimidation of Parliamentary candidates and other public office-holders.
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 letter from the Chief Electoral Office for Northern Ireland to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland dated 21 December 2017, what discussions they have had with the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PNSI) about the (1) eleven cases of potential electoral fraud it had identified from the 2017 General Election, and (2) progress made on the four cases it was proceeding with; and whether they have received any further information from the Chief Electoral Office for Northern Ireland or the PSNI about any other cases which may have come to light since.
Answered by Lord Duncan of Springbank
Investigation of allegations of electoral fraud in Northern Ireland are a matter for the PSNI. The Chief Electoral Officer has informed me that she understands that three of the cases reported of possible abuse in relation to the 2017 General Election have resulted in referral to the Public Prosecution Service for Northern Ireland.
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 by Lord Duncan of Springbank on 20 June (HL8501), what assessment they have made of the comments of the Irish Foreign Affairs Minister, Simon Coveney, about the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference in July as a forum for working “to achieve the earliest operation of the devolved institutions”; whether restoring the operation of the devolved institutions will be discussed with the government of Ireland at the Conference; and if so, why.
Answered by Lord Duncan of Springbank
The British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference (BIIGC) is concerned with non-devolved Northern Ireland issues. It is not an executive body and as the Belfast Agreement states ‘there will be no derogation from the sovereignty of either government’.
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 have any plans to hold a meeting of the British Irish Intergovernmental Conference; if so, who would represent the UK at such a meeting; what preparatory consultations, if any, they have had with those architects of the Belfast Agreement who are still in Parliament; and what matters would be scheduled for discussion at any such meeting.
Answered by Lord Duncan of Springbank
This Government remains focused on our efforts to restore a locally elected, devolved Government in Northern Ireland. We have regular discussions with the Irish Government in full accordance with the well-established three stranded approach.
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 Answers by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth on 3 July 2017 (HL3), 15 September 2017 (HL1448), and 13 October 2017 (HL1671), whether the Chief Electoral Officer (Northern Ireland) has completed her enquiry into the increase in proxy voting by over 500 per cent between 2010 and 2017; whether she initiated any further investigation; if so, whether that investigation involves the Police Service of Northern Ireland; when any further investigation was initiated and commenced; and when a definitive outcome is expected to be published.
Answered by Lord Duncan of Springbank
The Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) has completed her post-election review into absent voting and has written to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland regarding the findings of this review. A copy of this letter has been placed in the Libraries of the House.
These are operational matters for the CEO. However, I am aware that a very small number of cases were referred to the PSNI for investigation last year. The Electoral Office for Northern Ireland pass all cases of possible fraud to the PSNI however, the CEO’s review did not reveal any additional cases that warranted investigation.