Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact that withdrawing from the European Convention on Human Rights would have on the Good Friday Agreement.
Answered by Lord Caine - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government is firmly committed to upholding the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement and to protecting and respecting human rights. We have a longstanding tradition of ensuring that rights and liberties are protected domestically and of fulfilling our international human rights obligations. We do not believe it is necessary to leave the ECHR in order to deliver on our major priorities. The Government remains committed to a human rights framework that is up to date, and works for all the people of the UK.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the lack of public consultation on the Relationships and Sexuality Education (Northern Ireland) (Amendment) Regulations 2023, given that public consultation was conducted in England prior to equivalent regulations being implemented.
Answered by Lord Caine - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
In line with the Government's statutory obligations under section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, and in consultation with the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland, the Government completed an equality screening, the outcome of which did not indicate a need to consult publicly on the policy. The Department of Education has confirmed it will consult on both the guidance and the provisions for the circumstances in which a pupil may be excused from the education or specified elements of that education.
Consultation with parents on Relationships and Sex Education is already common practice in Northern Ireland. The Department of Education requires each school to have in place its own written policy on how it will address the delivery of Relationships and Sex Education. A school’s Relationships and Sex Education policy should be subject to consultation with parents and endorsed by a school’s Board of Governors.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the likely impact of the introduction of Electronic Travel Authorisations under the Nationality and Borders Act 2021 on tourism in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Lord Caine - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
As is the case now, under the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme, the UK will not operate immigration controls on the Ireland-Northern Ireland land border. All those travelling to the UK will need to continue to meet UK immigration requirements, which will include obtaining an ETA if they are required to do so.
The Government remains committed to working with a wide range of relevant bodies to ensure the ETA scheme is understood and to mitigate any risks that it is, or is perceived to be, an increased barrier to tourism in Northern Ireland.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have for the process of future budgetary allocations to departments of the Northern Ireland Executive.
Answered by Lord Caine - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
In the absence of functioning devolved institutions, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has intervened to set a Northern Ireland budget for the 2023-24 financial year, which he did on 27 April in his statement to Parliament. It will be for the relevant Northern Ireland Executive departments to manage their funding within their budget allocations. The UK Government has introduced the Northern Ireland (Interim Arrangements) Bill to ensure ongoing governance, should Northern Ireland remain without Executive Ministers beyond 5 June.
It remains the UK Government’s firm view that the right people to make these decisions and set a budget are locally elected politicians in a fully functioning Northern Ireland Executive and Northern Ireland Assembly.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with (1) Members of the Northern Ireland Assembly, and (2) permanent secretaries of the Northern Ireland Executive, regarding budgetary allocations to each of the departments in the Executive.
Answered by Lord Caine - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Secretary of State and Northern Ireland Office officials engaged intensively with the Northern Ireland Civil Service to set the Northern Ireland Budget for the 2023-24 financial year, which he set on 27 April in his statement to Parliament. The Secretary of State also met political representatives in Northern Ireland to hear their views.
It remains the UK Government’s firm view that the right people to make these decisions and set a budget are locally elected politicians in a fully functioning Northern Ireland Executive and Northern Ireland Assembly. In the absence of these, it will be for each Northern Ireland department to manage its funding within its budget allocation.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the matters discussed at the conference A more confident and inclusive Northern Ireland, hosted by Wilton Park from 22 to 24 June in association with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the Northern Ireland Office.
Answered by Lord Caine - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Wilton Park conference provided an opportunity for participants to discuss and explore how to create a more confident and inclusive Northern Ireland.
Participants discussed a range of themes including education, skills, opportunities for young people and how community groups can support opportunity and integration.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what individuals and organisations they invited to the conference A more confident and inclusive Northern Ireland, hosted by Wilton Park from 22 to 24 June; and if this did not include the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools or the Controlled Schools' Support Council, on what grounds they were omitted.
Answered by Lord Caine - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Wilton Park conference considered a broad range of issues, including skills, education, economic opportunity, and social integration, rather than schools or educational matters alone.
Wilton Park conferences are held under the Chatham House Rule and it would not be appropriate for the Government to disclose those who participated.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government why they have set the bar for immunity in the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Bill as only requiring a perpetrator to provide an account which is true to the best of their knowledge and belief.
Answered by Lord Caine - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The test for immunity, as set out in the Bill, requires an individual to make an application to the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR) for immunity. The panel must then be satisfied that the individual has provided an account which is true to the best of their knowledge and belief, and which describes conduct which forms part of the Troubles.
In forming a view on whether an individual’s account is true to the best of their knowledge and belief, the ICRIR must take into account any relevant information that it holds or obtains as part of that investigation. That could include information that the ICRIR obtains from witnesses or from disclosure of information from statutory agencies during the course of its investigation.
Those who do not cooperate with the ICRIR will not be granted immunity, and will remain liable to prosecution should sufficient evidence exist, or come to light.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government which crimes are eligible for the immunity process under the proposed provisions in the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Bill.
Answered by Lord Caine - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Only serious or connected Troubles-related offences that took place between 1 January 1966 and 10 April 1998 and are related to a death or serious injury will be eligible for immunity - conditional on cooperation with the Independent Commission as set out in legislation.
Troubles-related offences that are not linked to a death or serious injury will not be investigated by the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR), and so will not be subject to immunity provisions.
Any offences from between 1 January 1966 and 10 April 1998 which are not Troubles-related could still be investigated by PSNI, or GB police forces.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government why the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Bill does not refer to investigations in addition to reviews.
Answered by Lord Caine - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Investigations are a crucial part of the work of the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR). The ICRIR will, in statute, have the necessary powers to secure information and conduct thorough and robust investigations, including the power to compel witnesses and test forensic evidence.
The legislation also places an obligation on authorities with information potentially relevant to an incident to provide full disclosure to the ICRIR.
The ICRIR will have a Commissioner for Investigations, and the scope of the ICRIR’s investigative process will be an operational matter for the ICRIR, and will depend on the specific circumstances of each case, including whether there is an outstanding ECHR obligation and the wishes of the family or individual.