Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the findings of the Clonoe Inquest.

Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

Following careful consideration, on 22 March 2025 the Ministry of Defence wrote to the Coroner to outline its intention to apply for a judicial review. In the Government’s view, the findings of the Coroner do not properly reflect the context of the incident, nor the challenging circumstances in which members of the armed forces served in Northern Ireland. The MoD has also confirmed that it is funding the veterans in question to seek a judicial review and it is continuing to provide them with welfare support.

As I explained in the debate on this issue in the House on 2 April 2025, the almost universally opposed Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023 Act has been found by the domestic courts to be unlawful in a number of respects. I am consulting widely, including with veterans, and plan to bring forward replacement legislation which is fair, balanced, proportionate and compatible with our international and domestic human rights obligations.

Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps he is taking to improve Northern Ireland’s (a) constitutional and (b) economic links with the rest of the United Kingdom.

Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

In line with the Good Friday Agreement and the principle of consent upon which it rests, Northern Ireland will remain a part of the United Kingdom for as long as a majority of its people wish for it to be.

The Government is committed to continuing to take forward Safeguarding the Union, and to protecting Northern Ireland's place in the UK internal market. In February we launched Intertrade UK, which will advise on opportunities to promote and boost trade across the UK, including strengthening East West trade.

We are also committed to seeking a SPS/veterinary agreement with the EU, which could deliver tangible benefits for businesses across the UK and further smooth the flow of trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland Government on the potential impact of border checks in the Irish Sea on the (a) availability and (b) shelf life of perishable goods in supermarkets in Northern Ireland.

Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

The Windsor Framework protects the UK internal market by ensuring the smooth flow of trade across the whole of the UK. Certain checks are required on goods moving through the UK Internal Market System as part of a risk-based and intelligence-led approach to tackling criminality, abuse of the scheme, smuggling and disease risks.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact on the Chagossian people of transferring sovereignty of the British Indian Ocean Territory to Mauritius; and whether the Government has made an assessment of the feasibility of establishing a protected reservation or similar arrangement on the islands to enable the return and settlement of the native Chagossian population.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

We have worked hard to ensure this agreement reflects the importance of the islands to Chagossians.  We will finance a new trust fund for Mauritius to use in support of the Chagossian community. We will also work with Mauritius to start a new programme of visits for Chagossians to the Chagos Archipelago, including Diego Garcia. Mauritius will be able to develop a programme of resettlement on the islands, other than Diego Garcia.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to decarbonise school buildings through (a) energy efficiency retrofitting and (b) renewable energy installations; and how these measures will help ensure that the Department meets its net zero commitments.

Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.

The department is committed to supporting the UK net-zero carbon targets. Since 2021, our own building standards require that all new school buildings we deliver are net-zero carbon in operation and are adapted to climate change​.

The department is providing support for all schools and colleges to start on their journey towards net zero via our new online sustainability support for education platform and our climate ambassador programme. Where schools are considering options to become more sustainable, including considering decarbonisation of their energy supply, our ‘Get help for buying’ service provides support to ensure that schemes procured are of high quality and value to the sector. More information can be found at: https://gethelpbuyingforschools.campaign.gov.uk/.

​Details of other government funding available to public bodies for sustainability, prepared by the Crown Commercial Service can be found at: https://www.crowncommercial.gov.uk/social-value/carbon-net-zero/funding-and-grants.

Capital funding allocated to the school sector each year can also be used for projects that improve the energy efficiency and sustainability of school buildings, as well as improving the condition of the estate to keep schools safe and operational.

The department has allocated £2.1 billion in condition funding for the 2025/26 financial year, which is £300 million more than the previous year.

In addition, the department is working with Great British Energy, as part of their solar programme, and investing a total of £80 million to install solar and other related interventions in 200 schools and colleges. This is targeting areas of deprivation, to reduce emissions and energy bills, whilst also combining it with a behaviour change and skills programme that seeks to inspire young people to take up career and training opportunities in clean energy and construction.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance her Department has issued on processing cases of irregular migrants who have been found to be involved in violent crime.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Home Office)

Any foreign national who is convicted of a crime and given a prison sentence is considered for deportation at the earliest opportunity. Under the UK Borders Act 2007, a deportation order must be made where a foreign national has been convicted of an offence and received a custodial sentence of at least 12 months. A foreign national convicted of an offence that has caused serious harm, who is a persistent offender or who poses a threat to national security will also be considered for deportation where it is deemed to be conducive to the public good under the Immigration Act 1971. Guidance on the use of those powers can be found here: Deporting foreign nationals on conducive grounds: caseworker guidance - GOV.UK.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many lorries transporting goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland have been turned away at points of entry in the last 12 months due to (a) incorrect or (b) incomplete paperwork under the provisions of the Windsor Framework.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

I refer the hon. Member to the reply previously given the hon. Member for North Down, Alex Easton, on 13 November, PQ UIN 12673.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of implementing a new approach to help tackle hyper prolific offending through (a) the monitoring of offenders, (b) effective intervention programmes and (c) the enforcement of appropriate legal penalties; and whether she has had discussions with the Police Service of Northern Ireland on the potential impact of its Reducing Offenders Unit on crime rates.

Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

We take prolific offending seriously and recognise that prolific offenders commit a disproportionate number of offences. Between 2000 and 2021, for example, prolific offenders represented nearly 10% of offenders but accounted for just over 50% of convictions.

That clearly cannot continue. That is why the Lord Chancellor asked David Gauke to specifically consider the issue of prolific offenders as part of the Sentencing Review, to ensure that we have fewer crimes committed by prolific criminals.

Prolific offenders often have a complex set of needs, and to tackle the underlying causes of offending community sentences may also have rehabilitative requirements attached, including drug, alcohol and mental health difficulties. We are:

• Better linking data within and across Departments to better understand and support individuals with complex needs, such as prolific offenders.
• Piloting Intensive Supervision Courts which target the root cause of offending through supervision and intervention delivered by a multi-agency team.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of tackling (a) trauma, (b) addiction and (c) mental health in reducing the rate of re-offending among young people; and whether she has had discussions with (i) UHub in North Down and (ii) other organisations that (A) provide counselling and (B) promote emotional well-being.

Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

The Ministry of Justice recognises that addressing trauma, substance misuse and mental health challenges among young people is key to reducing re-offending rates – and that early intervention and prevention is an important part of this. In England and Wales, the Ministry of Justice has provided over £100 million to Youth Offending Teams this year, to support their delivery of needs-based interventions to reduce their risk of reoffending.

As justice is devolved in Northern Ireland, I have not discussed youth justice matters with uHub in North Down. However, in England and Wales, the Ministry of Justice works with a range of organisations that provide counselling and promote emotional wellbeing, including through our Turnaround youth justice early intervention programme.

Rory McIlroy’s grand slam victory

Clarification of the criteria for a border poll

John Irvine’s 50 years of service to the Loyal Orders

UK-EU Summit (No. 2)

Environmental Protection

Harry Ferguson Museum of Innovation (No. 2)

Grand Central Station, Belfast

Northern Ireland Assembly vote on Protocol issues

Comments made by Kneecap

Mass deportation of illegal migrants

Found: Irene Campbell Douglas McAllister Graeme Downie Frank McNally Blair McDougall Martin Rhodes Alex Easton

Found: Irene Campbell Douglas McAllister Graeme Downie Frank McNally Blair McDougall Martin Rhodes Alex Easton

Found: Irene Campbell Douglas McAllister Graeme Downie Frank McNally Blair McDougall Martin Rhodes Alex Easton

Found: Irene Campbell Douglas McAllister Graeme Downie Frank McNally Blair McDougall Martin Rhodes Alex Easton

Found: Irene Campbell Douglas McAllister Graeme Downie Frank McNally Blair McDougall Martin Rhodes Alex Easton

Found: Irene Campbell Douglas McAllister Graeme Downie Frank McNally Blair McDougall Martin Rhodes Alex Easton

Found: Irene Campbell Douglas McAllister Graeme Downie Frank McNally Blair McDougall Martin Rhodes Alex Easton

Found: Irene Campbell Douglas McAllister Graeme Downie Frank McNally Blair McDougall Martin Rhodes Alex Easton

Found: Irene Campbell Douglas McAllister Graeme Downie Frank McNally Blair McDougall Martin Rhodes Alex Easton

Found: Irene Campbell Douglas McAllister Graeme Downie Frank McNally Blair McDougall Martin Rhodes Alex Easton

Found: Irene Campbell Douglas McAllister Graeme Downie Frank McNally Blair McDougall Martin Rhodes Alex Easton

Found: Irene Campbell Douglas McAllister Graeme Downie Frank McNally Blair McDougall Martin Rhodes Alex Easton

Found: Irene Campbell Douglas McAllister Graeme Downie Frank McNally Blair McDougall Martin Rhodes Alex Easton

Found: Irene Campbell Douglas McAllister Graeme Downie Frank McNally Blair McDougall Martin Rhodes Alex Easton

Found: Irene Campbell Douglas McAllister Graeme Downie Frank McNally Blair McDougall Martin Rhodes Alex Easton

Found: Irene Campbell Douglas McAllister Graeme Downie Frank McNally Blair McDougall Martin Rhodes Alex Easton

Found: Irene Campbell Douglas McAllister Graeme Downie Frank McNally Blair McDougall Martin Rhodes Alex Easton

Found: Irene Campbell Douglas McAllister Graeme Downie Frank McNally Blair McDougall Martin Rhodes Alex Easton

Found: Irene Campbell Douglas McAllister Graeme Downie Frank McNally Blair McDougall Martin Rhodes Alex Easton

Found: Irene Campbell Douglas McAllister Graeme Downie Frank McNally Blair McDougall Martin Rhodes Alex Easton

Found: Irene Campbell Douglas McAllister Graeme Downie Frank McNally Blair McDougall Martin Rhodes Alex Easton

Found: Not called_NC3 Jim Allister Gavin Robinson Sammy Wilson Jim Shannon Alex Easton Robin Swann Mr