Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps she is taking with the Secretary of State for Justice to ensure the construction of the new Magilligan Prison in the absence of devolved Government in Northern Ireland.
Answered by John Penrose
Responsibility for prisons in Northern Ireland is primarily a devolved area. As a result of the devolution of policing and justice in 2010, the Department of Justice (DoJ) is solely responsible for the management of the prison estate.
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, which Department is responsible for allocating funding from the apprenticeship levy in Northern Ireland in the absence of a devolved Administration.
Answered by John Penrose
The Department for the Economy has policy responsibility for apprenticeships.
Northern Ireland does not receive any funding directly from the Apprenticeship Levy. Instead it receives a Barnett consequential of spend in England which is funding from the Levy.
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if she will take steps to review the mitigation measures which apply to universal credit claimants which are due to expire in 2020 in the continued absence of a functioning Northern Ireland Assembly.
Answered by John Penrose
The Department for Communities (DfC) in Northern Ireland is responsible for the delivery of the various mitigation schemes relating to welfare reform in Northern Ireland. Its officials are ensuring that appropriate advice in relation to welfare mitigations is available for an incoming Minister.
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if she will make an assessment of the progress made in developing the former military bases handed over to Northern Ireland in 2003.
Answered by John Penrose
This is a devolved matter in Northern Ireland, and as such is the responsibility of the Executive Office. Information can be requested from the Head of the Civil Service in Northern Ireland.
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if she will hold discussions with the Home Secretary and the Northern Ireland Department of Justice on the implementation of the devolved elements of the Criminal Finances Act 2017.
Answered by John Penrose
The Secretary of State speaks with the Home Secretary regularly on a range of security related matters however, this Government remains committed to the central principles of the Sewel convention. We will therefore not commence provisions on matters devolved to Northern Ireland without the appropriate consents having been obtained. In the absence of a Northern Ireland Executive and fully functioning Assembly, it is not possible to achieve this consent.
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland is working hard to achieve the objective we all want to see - the restoration of devolved government in Northern Ireland, where locally elected, democratically accountable politicians can take decisions that affect the people of Northern Ireland.
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what discussions Ministers have had with Invest Northern Ireland on maximising inward investment in the run up to the Open Golf Championship at Royal Portrush in July 2019.
Answered by Karen Bradley
Trade promotion is a devolved matter. The UK Government shares the ambitions of Invest NI and Tourism NI in promoting Northern Ireland as a place to invest, visit and do business. I welcome the ongoing work that is happening across a number of bodies in Northern Ireland to maximise the economic contribution of the 148th Open Championship. I know that there is a strong working relationship between Invest NI and the Department for International Trade, and that we are promoting the Open Championship at every opportunity.
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of removing provisions in local government electoral legislation that prevents people standing those elections that have legitimate reasons for not disclosing a home address on the nomination form.
Answered by John Penrose
The legislative requirement for candidates standing in local elections in Northern Ireland to disclose their home address on their nomination form has been in place for many years. It is too late to change this in time for the elections on 2 May 2019, but I am happy to confirm the Government agrees it must change to prevent a recurrence in future local elections.
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the timetable is for finalising the (a) Londonderry Strabane City Deal and (b) other Northern Ireland City Deals.
Answered by John Penrose
As the Chancellor set out at the 2019 Spring Statement on 13 March, early stage negotiations for a Derry/Londonderry and Strabane City Region Deal are progressing well. The Government hopes to make an announcement in due course.
Building on the Chancellor’s commitment to £350m towards the Belfast City Regions Deal in October, the Government is working closely with local partners and the Northern Ireland Civil Service to move to the next phase of the Deal and hopes to be in a position to agree Heads of Terms in due course.
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if she will meet with the Home Secretary to discuss the long-standing anomaly whereby Northern Ireland residents born in the Irish Republic since 1949 continue to face restrictions on obtaining UK passports.
Answered by John Penrose
I am aware of your long-standing interest in this issue and my Department has raised this matter with the Home Office who are responsible for this policy.
Under Common Travel Area arrangements British and Irish citizens have the right to enter and remain in the other state without requiring permission.
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what progress she has made in the last 12 months in implementing the Bengoa recommendations for the health service in Northern Ireland.
Answered by John Penrose
The provision and delivery of health services is devolved in Northern Ireland, and in the absence of an Executive, it remains the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Department of Health to continue to take decisions in the public interest. The UK Government’s priority is the restoration of a fully functioning devolved government in Northern Ireland, with locally elected and accountable Executive Ministers taking these important decisions.
The UK Government does, however, recognise the importance of health service reform in Northern Ireland, and has provided £100 million for health service transformation, as recommended in the Bengoa Report.