Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the Northern Ireland Executive about the development of an exit strategy from the COVID-19 lockdown.
Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Northern Ireland Office Ministerial team and officials and are working closely with the First Minister, deputy First Minister and the rest of the Executive on the response to Covid-19, including on any easement of social distancing measures.
The Government will continue to work closely with the Northern Ireland Executive in facilitating strong coordination and collaboration to make sure that the most effective measures are put in place in all parts of the UK as this response continues.
Northern Ireland Ministers also attend COBR calls on health, economy and general public services, and are thereby engaged in overall UK planning.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what further steps they intend to take implement the Stormont House Agreement of 2015.
Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
In line with our commitment in New Decade, New Approach, we published a Written Ministerial Statement on 18 March setting out a framework for legislation to address the legacy of the past in Northern Ireland.
The wider context in which we are currently working is very challenging and has unsurprisingly had an impact on our planned timetable, as the repercussions of dealing with the Covid-19 crisis have been extensively felt. However, we have begun the engagement process, as promised, and remain fully committed to making progress on this important issue.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans are in place to introduce legislation with regard to trade arrangements between ports in Northern Ireland and ports in Great Britain; and when they intend to implement those plans.
Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
As committed to in the agreed New Decade, New Approach deal, this Government will legislate to guarantee unfettered access for Northern Ireland’s businesses to the whole of the UK internal market, and ensure that this legislation is in force for 1 January 2021.
The Protocol makes clear that Northern Ireland is in, and remains part of, the UK’s customs territory. The Government is committed to implementing the Protocol on Northern Ireland and Ireland and doing so in a way that supports the interests of businesses and the public in Northern Ireland.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have received about their proposals for addressing Northern Ireland Legacy issues; and from whom.
Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Written Ministerial Statement published on 18 March took account of the responses received to the Government’s consultation ‘Addressing the Legacy of Northern Ireland’s Past’. As set out in this statement, we have started engagement with a range of stakeholders on the legacy proposals, including victims’ groups, the NI parties and the Irish Government. The Government is committed to finding consensus on the detail of the proposals which allows us to move forward.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Ministerial Statement by Viscount Younger of Leckie on 18 March (HLWS163), what evidence of claims against veterans in Northern Ireland informed their proposals to address legacy issues in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
It is clear that the current system for addressing Northern Ireland’s past is not working for anybody. In 2018, the UK Government public consultation, ‘Addressing the Legacy of Northern Ireland’s Past’, sought views on the original Stormont House Agreement proposals, and received over 17,000 responses. Careful consideration of all views provided in this consultation have informed our revised proposals for addressing legacy issues.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Ministerial Statement by Viscount Younger of Leckie on 18 March (HLWS163), what discussions they had with political parties in (1) Northern Ireland, and (2) the Republic of Ireland, about their proposals to address legacy issues in Northern Ireland before their announcement; and if they had no such discussions, why not.
Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland spoke to the Irish Government and all party leaders in Northern Ireland before the Government’s Written Ministerial Statement was published on 18 March.
The statement set out our high level proposals for dealing with legacy issues, and signalled the beginning of a period of engagement with the Irish Government, the Northern Ireland parties and others. We have begun the engagement process and remain committed to making progress on this important issue, whilst being sensitive to the challenging context in which we are all working.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of the Republic of Ireland about developing a co-ordinated all-island approach to the exit from the COVID-19 lockdown.
Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Northern Ireland Executive is rightly leading Northern Ireland's response to the coronavirus outbreak, in line with devolution arrangements.
To ensure a joined-up approach in our response, the UK Government and Irish Government are communicating at all levels. The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and the Tánaiste have jointly chaired a number of meetings with the First Minister and deputy First Minister, and have all agreed that continued close contact and cooperation between the UK Government, Northern Ireland Executive and Irish Government will remain essential in the weeks and months ahead.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the (1) government of Ireland, and (2) political parties in Northern Ireland about the commitments for the Armed Forces and veterans contained in New Decade, New Approach, published on 9 January.
Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The commitments in New Decade, New Approach were agreed by all the NI political parties as well as the UK and Irish Governments. The Northern Ireland Office has been working with the Ministry of Defence and senior officials in the departments of Health, Communities and Education to make progress on Armed Forces Covenant legislation. Work is also underway with the Office of Veterans Affairs and veterans’ organisations in Northern Ireland to establish an NI Veterans Commissioner and carry out a review of the veterans’ Aftercare Service.
As these are domestic commitments to be delivered by the UK Government, discussions with the Irish Government are not necessary. The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland will continue to work with the First Minister and deputy First Minister to implement New Decade, New Approach. As part of this he will update them on the progress that is being made on the Government’s commitments and seek their support in implementing an effective policy that works for all stakeholders.
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 effect of Budget 2020, announced on 11 March, on the Northern Ireland economy.
Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
In the Budget, Northern Ireland was provided with £216m in additional investment to support the Executive in delivering the public’s priorities. The Northern Ireland economy will benefit from other announcements in the Budget on tax cuts, including an increase to National Insurance thresholds and the Employment Allowance.
The Budget also allocated an additional £260m to Northern Ireland for Covid-19 related measures. The Budget and subsequent announcements by the Chancellor has provided the Northern Ireland Executive with over £900m to support people and business in Northern Ireland through the impacts of Covid-19.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the Northern Ireland Executive on the containment of COVID-19 in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The UK-wide response to Covid-19 has been a collaboration between the UK Government and the Devolved Administrations. It is important that Ministers and officials continue to cooperate fully and openly regarding the response to Covid-19.
NIO Ministers have been attending COBR meetings alongside the NI Health Minister and the First Minister and deputy First Minister for Northern Ireland. The Department is also speaking regularly to the Northern Ireland party leaders.
NIO officials maintain close regular contact with the NI Civil Service, coordinating the public health response, ensuring provision for Northern Ireland is included in the Coronavirus Bill currently going through Parliament, and establishing a UK-wide approach to Covid-19 preparations.