Asked by: Alex Easton (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of Professor Evelyn Collins CBE as Chair of the Parades Commission.
Answered by Sarah Owen - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Northern Ireland Office)
The Parades Commission performs a vital and complex quasi-judicial role in what can often be sensitive and difficult circumstances. Over the past three decades, Northern Ireland has made significant progress in easing tensions surrounding parades.
However, the recent High Court ruling has highlighted clear procedural defects. The Secretary of State met with the Commissioners on 1 September to discuss their response. Having considered it, he is satisfied that the issues raised are being taken seriously and that progress is being made.
To provide public assurance, support the Commission and ensure its operational framework is legally sound and procedurally fair, the Secretary of State has ordered an independent judge-led review into the Commission’s decision-making procedures and organisational governance.
This will strengthen the Commission’s immediate and future work. In the meantime, the current commissioners have the full backing of the Secretary of States. It is in the public interest that they continue their critical functions as we work together to restore public trust in this vital institution.
Asked by: Alex Easton (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether the independent review into the Parades Commission will examine all determinations made by the Commission, not solely the 2026 Drumcree determination; and whether the review will consider procedural and decision-making issues in other parade cases.
Answered by Sarah Owen - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Northern Ireland Office)
As the Secretary of State set out in his Written Ministerial Statement of 2 September, although the terms of reference are still being finalised, the Judge-Led review will concentrate on the Commission's decision-making procedures - placing particular emphasis on ensuring that decisions are evidence-based, transparent, robust and fair in order to eradicate the procedural defects that were identified.
The legal framework of the parading sector, as set out in the Public Processions (Northern Ireland) Act 1998, remains outside the scope of this review.
Further information on the Judge-Led review will be published in due course.
Asked by: Alex Easton (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether he has had recent discussions with the Northern Ireland Minister of Justice on the right to take industrial action for prison officers in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Sarah Owen - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Northern Ireland Office)
There is regular engagement with the Northern Ireland Department of Justice to discuss areas of mutual interest and concern.
As a result of the devolution of policing and justice in 2010, the Department of Justice (DoJ) is primarily responsible for the prison system in Northern Ireland. Terms and conditions for prison officers are set out in letters of appointment, the Northern Ireland Prison Service (NIPS) Professional Code of Ethics and Values and the NIPS Professional Code of Conduct, the Northern Ireland Civil Service Handbook and relevant Prison Service notices and circulars.
Asked by: Alex Easton (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how much funding has been allocated to Intertrade UK since its establishment; from which departmental budget that funding has been provided; and what that funding is intended to support.
Answered by Hilary Benn
The UK Government provided Intertrade UK with £2.25m funding as part of the wider £16.6m Internal Market Package at Autumn Budget 2025. The funding allocation is split evenly over three financial years, commencing in 2026/2027.
Intertrade UK was established by the UK Government to advise on and promote trade across the UK’s internal market. The funding has been provided to enable Intertrade UK to deliver on its published work programme which can be viewed here.
Asked by: Alex Easton (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland Minister of Justice on public confidence in sentencing decisions in Northern Ireland; and whether he has made an assessment of trends in the level of public confidence in the criminal justice system.
Answered by Hilary Benn
It is important that there is confidence in the justice system. I regularly meet with the Northern Ireland Minister of Justice to discuss areas of mutual interest and concern.
Policing and justice, with the exception of national security, are devolved matters. As such, I understand that the Minister of Justice has introduced the Criminal Justice (Sentencing etc) Bill in the Northern Ireland Assembly, which aims to create more stringent sentences for a range of offences.
Asked by: Alex Easton (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what discussions he has had with the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Defence and Cabinet colleagues on the potential role of the Royal Navy in ensuring the safe passage of British-registered vessels through the Strait of Hormuz.
Answered by Hilary Benn
I have regular meetings with Cabinet colleagues on the conflict in Iran, and its impact..
The Government is committed to finding a peaceful resolution to the conflict and ensuring the safety of British vessels, and the UK is playing a leading role jointly with France to secure freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz through a multinational military mission. Further planning for the UK’s contribution to the multinational mission is ongoing in coordination with international partners.
Asked by: Alex Easton (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether his Department has been involved in discussions regarding the future ownership, management or financing of Northern Ireland public services or infrastructure by the Irish Government or its agencies.
Answered by Hilary Benn
The Northern Ireland Office has not participated in any discussions regarding the future ownership, management, or financing of Northern Ireland’s public services, including infrastructure by the Irish Government or any of its agencies.
Asked by: Alex Easton (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether the Government is taking steps to support voluntary search and rescue organisations in Northern Ireland, including K9 Search and Rescue (NI); and whether he has had discussions with relevant departments on the provision of funding to assist such organisations in carrying out their work.
Answered by Hilary Benn
Co-ordination of land and inland water rescue is devolved, with search and rescue policy the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Department of Justice and co-ordination of land and inland water search and rescue operations falling to the Police Service of Northern Ireland. I have had no discussions on the provision of funding to assist such organisations but understand that the Northern Ireland Department of Justice provides approximately £100,000 of grant funding each year, which is shared across the current nine voluntary search and rescue organisations to help to sustain their capability.
Asked by: Alex Easton (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what plans the department has to support the National Year of Reading in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Hilary Benn
I recently hosted the East West Council in Belfast where the Minister for Early Years noted the significant collaboration between all four nations of the UK to support the National Year of Reading.
Education is a devolved matter and is the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Executive. Decisions about the National Year of Reading in Northern Ireland are for the Northern Ireland Education Minister.
This Government remains committed to working with partners across the United Kingdom to collaborate to share best practices and I look forward to seeing how this great initiative progresses throughout the year.
Asked by: Alex Easton (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many administrative letters to individuals under the on-the-runs scheme were issued broken down by year.
Answered by Hilary Benn
This information is publicly available at Appendix 4: Chronology of The Report of the Hallet Review: An Independent Review into the On the Runs Administrative Scheme, which can be found here.