Asked by: Lord Elliott of Ballinamallard (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what were the overall costs associated with all aspects of implementing the Windsor Framework Agreement for Northern Ireland, including the installation and staffing of border inspection posts.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
As set out in the Statement of Funding Policy, the UK Government has committed to fund the direct costs associated with reaching the required level of compliance to implement its obligations under the Windsor Framework. The provision under this commitment is set out in the Northern Ireland Office’s Main Estimates 2024-25 Memoranda.
The UK Government is committed to implementing the Windsor Framework in good faith and protecting the UK internal market. Implementing arrangements have been designed to ease the flow of goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and reduce administrative and other business burdens.
Asked by: Lord Elliott of Ballinamallard (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment he has made of the Northern Ireland Executive's ability to meet the requirements set out in the Fresh Start document to release the £5 million Government funding in 2016-17 to tackle paramilitary activity.
Answered by Kris Hopkins
The Northern Ireland Executive has established a Strategic Programme Board and a Cross Departmental Advisory Group to manage funding agreed under the Fresh Start agreement to tackle paramilitary activity. The Programme Board has allocated £3.898 million in 2016/17 to law enforcement activities and other initiatives to tackle ongoing paramilitary activity and criminality, including £1.949 million of UK Government funding.
The Executive’s programme management structure will drive the next phase of implementation, which will include actions to support local communities to reject paramilitary activity and to develop mechanisms to support those individuals or groups who want to transition away from paramilitarism.
Asked by: Lord Elliott of Ballinamallard (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will make representations to the EU Exit and Trade Committee to examine the needs of UK citizens living along the border with the Republic of Ireland.
Answered by James Brokenshire
Northern Ireland’s land border with another EU state places it in a unique position and, as the Government has stated, we do not want to see a return to the borders of the past. We are giving careful consideration of UK citizens’ existing rights to work, study, settle and travel within the EU as part of the analysis and preparation for forthcoming negotiations on EU exit.
Asked by: Lord Elliott of Ballinamallard (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how much of the £500 million designated to shared education and housing from the Fresh Start deal has been spent to date.
Answered by Kris Hopkins
The Government continues to work with the Northern Ireland Executive to ensure that the £500 million of funding for shared and integrated education and shared housing can be spent effectively.
£43 million of funding has already been allocated over a number of years to fund the construction of shared education campuses at Limavady, Moy and Ballycastle and integrated school projects at Braidside, Drumlins and Roe Valley.
Asked by: Lord Elliott of Ballinamallard (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the estimated cost to the public purse is of implementing online voter registration in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Kris Hopkins
The cost of extending the digital registration service to Northern Ireland is being met by the Cabinet Office as part of the wider project to implement digital registration throughout the UK.
This work is ongoing and the current estimate of costs is approximately £250,000.
Asked by: Lord Elliott of Ballinamallard (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how much of the £500 million designated to shared education and housing from the Fresh Start deal has been spent to date.
Answered by Theresa Villiers
The first tranche of integrated education funding of approximately £47 million was agreed between the UK Government and the Northern Ireland Executive in March this year. The funding will assist the development of three shared education campuses at Limavady, Moy and Ballycastle, and three integrated school projects at Braidside, Drumlins and Roe Valley.
Asked by: Lord Elliott of Ballinamallard (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what recent steps she has taken to address the outstanding legacy issues from the Troubles in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Theresa Villiers
The legacy institutions proposed under the Stormont House Agreement represent the best opportunity for Northern Ireland to address the legacy of the Troubles. The Government is committed to working to build the consensus required to bring forward legislation and I have continued to engage with interested parties on these issues, including at the recent Fresh Start Implementation meeting.
Asked by: Lord Elliott of Ballinamallard (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what recent discussions she has had with the Northern Ireland Executive and government of the Republic of Ireland on the effect of the UK leaving the EU on Northern Ireland.
Answered by Theresa Villiers
The Prime Minister and I have held a number of discussions with the Northern Ireland Executive and the Irish Government, including the First and deputy First Minister and the Taoiseach, and the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Charlie Flanagan. The Prime Minister has said that the Government ‘must ensure that the interests of all parts of our United Kingdom are protected and advanced. So as we prepare for a new negotiation with the European Union, we will fully involve the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland governments’.
Asked by: Lord Elliott of Ballinamallard (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, with reference to the proposed closure of regional electoral offices in Northern Ireland, what steps she plans to take to ensure that all people in Northern Ireland will be able to continue to exercise their right to vote.
Answered by Ben Wallace
No decisions have been taken about the future structure of the Electoral Office for Northern Ireland.
A full public consultation will take place later this year and the views of all stakeholders will be fully considered as part of the consultation and policy development process.
Asked by: Lord Elliott of Ballinamallard (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment she has made of the potential effect of the proposed closures of electoral offices in Northern Ireland on voter registration and turnout.
Answered by Ben Wallace
No decisions have been taken about the future structure of the Electoral Office for Northern Ireland.
A full public consultation will take place later this year and the views of all stakeholders will be fully considered as part of the consultation and policy development process.