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 funding he has allocated to the Finucane Inquiry.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
As I outlined in my oral statement of 11 September 2024, I considered the likely costs and impact of the Patrick Finucane Inquiry on public finances. 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. Public inquiries regularly publish financial reports on their expenditure in the course of their work.
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 oral contribution of 26 February 2025, Official Report, column 763, by when he plans to have signed a memorandum of understanding with the Irish government on their co-operation with the Omagh Inquiry.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Government has the deepest sympathy for all of those affected by the Omagh bomb in August 1998. It was a terrible atrocity committed by the Real IRA at a time when the people of Northern Ireland were looking to a future without violence, causing immeasurable damage to the families who lost loved ones and those who were injured.
I welcome the Irish Government's public commitments to cooperate with the Omagh Bombing Inquiry, through the memorandum of understanding which will be agreed directly between the Inquiry and Irish Government in the coming weeks. The Inquiry is independent of Government, however as sponsoring Minister, I see this as a positive step in enabling the Inquiry to fulfil its important role.
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 reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar dated 5 December 2024.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
I replied to the Honourable Members letter on the 23rd December by email.
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.