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.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the level of strength and readiness of UK military forces stationed in and around the Falkland Islands; and what steps his Department is taking to ensure sufficient recruitment, retention and personnel levels to maintain the long-term defence of the Islands.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)

The UK Government is steadfast in its support for the Falkland Islanders’ right of self-determination.

The Ministry of Defence is committed to maintaining a defensive military presence in the South Atlantic to ensure the protection of the Falkland Islands. Our defences in the South Atlantic are robust, consisting of air, land, and maritime forces with a strong permanent presence on the Falkland Islands. I am confident that our military presence is at the appropriate level for the defence of the Islands, and we keep this under constant review.

The Government is focused upon improving Armed Forces recruitment, modernising and refining our policies and processes to attract the best possible talent across all roles and missions within the Armed Forces. Defence is already delivering a range of new and more flexible routes into service designed to widen participation, attract specialist talent and improve access to military careers.

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.

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.

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