Asked by: Alex Burghart (Conservative - Brentwood and Ongar)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, when he plans to publish the terms of reference for Intertrade UK.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
I confirmed the appointment of Baroness Foster as the chair of Intertrade UK on 19 September and work is continuing on other necessary preparatory activity. We will announce further details - including the Terms of Reference - in due course.
Asked by: Alex Burghart (Conservative - Brentwood and Ongar)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, with reference to paragraph 4.140 of the Autumn Budget 2024, published on 30 October 2024, HC 295, how much has been allocated to the Finucane inquiry.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The settlement in the Autumn Budget for the Northern Ireland Office includes funding for priorities related to the legacy of the Troubles, including making provision for the establishment of the Inquiry into the death of Patrick Finucane. The bulk of the costs of the Inquiry will fall in the next Spending Round. It is the Government’s expectation that the Inquiry will avoid unnecessary costs given all the previous reviews and investigations, and the large amount of information and material that is already in the public domain.
Asked by: Alex Burghart (Conservative - Brentwood and Ongar)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, when he plans to publish the terms of reference of the Finucane inquiry.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
I am keen that the Inquiry is able to begin its work without undue delay. The Inquiries Act 2005 sets out clear steps to follow in setting up an inquiry, including the appointment of the Chair, agreement on the Terms of Reference, working through the necessary logistics such as facilities and services procurement, and setting up the Inquiry secretariat.
I will provide an update on the Terms of Reference once it has been agreed with the Chair.
Asked by: Alex Burghart (Conservative - Brentwood and Ongar)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how much additional security funding the Government plans to provide to the Police Service of Northern Ireland in the 2025-26 financial year.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Recognising the unique security situation in Northern Ireland, the UK Government makes an additional contribution to the PSNI through Additional Security Funding.
As we announced in the Spending Review last week we have increased Additional Security Funding (ASF) for the financial year 2025-26 to £37.8 million . ASF was previously c£32m a year.
This increased funding from the Government will provide the PSNI with more resources they need to tackle the threat posed by Northern Ireland related terrorism in Northern Ireland, and so help them to continue to keep people safe.
Asked by: Alex Burghart (Conservative - Brentwood and Ongar)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether his Department plans to appeal the Dillon judgement handed down in the Belfast Court of Appeal on 20 September 2024, NICA 59.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Government is committed to repealing and replacing the Legacy Act, and to implementing legacy mechanisms that are compliant with human rights and can be supported by communities across Northern Ireland.
We are considering the implications of the Court of Appeal judgement, which are complex and wide-ranging, and I will update the House as soon as possible.
In the meantime, the Government has lodged an application with the Court of Appeal seeking leave to appeal the judgement.
Asked by: Alex Burghart (Conservative - Brentwood and Ongar)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to the Answer of 21 October 2024 to Question 9532, when the Independent Monitoring Panel will make its first report.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Independent Monitoring Panel will report every six months to the Government on the basis set out in the Safeguarding the Union command paper. The support arrangements for the Panel are in the process of being put in place presently, as set out in my answer to question 9532.
Asked by: Alex Burghart (Conservative - Brentwood and Ongar)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to the Answer of 17 October to Question 8847 on Terrorism: Northern Ireland, for what reason he will not publish the details of these requests.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
There is no obligation to publish details of the requests the government receives for public inquiries. I do not intend to do so, especially as there are victims, survivors and families at the heart of those requests, who should be treated with respect and confidentiality.
I have written directly to those whose requests I have recently considered. Further requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Asked by: Alex Burghart (Conservative - Brentwood and Ongar)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether the Armed Forces Veteran Cards can now be used as Voter ID in forthcoming elections in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Legislation is required to add documents to the list of ID documents that may be produced in Northern Ireland polling stations in order to vote. The Government intends to legislate to add the HM Forces Veteran Card to the Northern Ireland voter identity document list in advance of the next elections in Northern Ireland which are scheduled to be held in 2027.
Asked by: Alex Burghart (Conservative - Brentwood and Ongar)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, with reference to his Department's publication entitled Safeguarding the Union, published on 31 January 2024, what progress his Department has made on establishing an independent monitoring panel.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
On 19 September, I announced that Aidan Reilly, Anna Jerzewska and Alastair Hamilton will be the members of the Independent Monitoring Panel. As set out in the Command Paper, the Panel will monitor and report on the implementation of the Windsor Framework.
Asked by: Alex Burghart (Conservative - Brentwood and Ongar)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, with reference to his Department's publication entitled Safeguarding the Union, published on 31 January 2024, what progress his Department has made on ensuring there will be no checks when goods move within the UK internal market system save those conducted by UK authorities.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
As set out in the Command Paper, as we transition to the UK internal market system we are focused on ensuring the smooth flow of trade through a risk-based and intelligence-led approach to tackling criminality, abuse of the scheme, smuggling and disease risks. Those checks that are required in order to meet our international commitments will be carried out only by UK authorities or those authorised to act on their behalf.