Asked by: Lord Lexden (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what have been their principal economic and political achievements in Northern Ireland since May 2010.
Answered by Lord Caine - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Since May 2010, His Majesty’s Government has delivered significant political and economic achievements in Northern Ireland.
His Majesty’s Government is proud of its political achievements in Northern Ireland, including the Stormont House Agreement, The Fresh Start Agreement and the New Decade, New Approach Agreement, which most recently restored the Northern Ireland Executive in 2020 after the three-year political impasse.
In recent months, His Majesty’s Government has taken steps through the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation, Etc.) Bill in an attempt to restore political stability once more and protect the delivery of vital public services.
His Majesty’s Government has invested £150m in Northern Ireland as a result of the Stormont House Agreement in 2014, and a further £500m through the Fresh Start Agreement in 2015.
In recent years, His Majesty’s Government has invested over £3.5bn in Northern Ireland through the New Deal for Northern Ireland (£400m), City and Growth Deals (£617m), PEACE PLUS (£730m) and the New Decade, New Approach financial package (£2bn) which provided for the restoration of the Northern Ireland Executive in January 2020. His Majesty’s Government is also investing over £170m in Northern Ireland through the Levelling Up Fund, UK Shared Prosperity Fund, and Community Ownership Fund.
The unemployment rate in Northern Ireland has decreased from 6.9% in 2010 to 3% at present whilst the employment rate in Northern Ireland has increased from 66.2% in 2010 to 70.1% today. This amounts to 68,000 more working-age adults that are employed in Northern Ireland, boosting Northern Ireland’s economic vibrancy. Identifiable public spending per head in Northern Ireland stands at 21% higher than the UK average.
As we approach the 25th Anniversary of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement, His Majesty’s Government is focused on the long-term political and economic prosperity of Northern Ireland as set out under that Agreement.
Asked by: Lord Lexden (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to commission an official history of Northern Ireland from 1968 to 1998; and if they have any such plans, whether they plan to appoint a panel of historians to oversee the project.
Answered by Lord Caine - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
As announced alongside the introduction of the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Bill on 17 May 2022, the Government intends to commission an Official History relating to the Troubles in Northern Ireland.
This will be conducted by independent historians with access to all relevant material in Government records, and with the purpose of providing an examination of the Government’s policy towards Northern Ireland during this time.
The project will be steered by experts, who will make recommendations on scope and other important details. Further details will be announced in due course.
Asked by: Lord Lexden (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when the United Kingdom Government–Northern Ireland Executive Joint Board last met; and what was discussed.
Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The most recent meeting of the Joint Board was on 21 October 2020. Consistent with the Joint Board’s purpose, a number of issues relating to the implementation of the New Decade, New Approach agreement were discussed.
It was acknowledged that whilst Covid-19 has impeded the implementation of the ambitious programme of public service transformation set out in NDNA, good progress has been made on investing the £50million worth of funding for decarbonisation, in particular on addressing public transport emissions.
Asked by: Lord Lexden (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to mark the centenary of the opening of the Parliament of Northern Ireland.
Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
In line with the Government's New Decade, New Approach commitments, Northern Ireland’s centenary provides an opportunity to facilitate national recognition and international awareness of this important anniversary, in which we will both reflect on the past and build for the future. There are a number of key historical milestones which fall during the centenary year, one of which is the anniversary of the opening of the Parliament of Northern Ireland, which we are keen to see marked.
There are a number of important strands to our centenary programme, including historical understanding and engagement, as well as supporting trade and investment which will showcase Northern Ireland’s rich potential, giving crucial support to its recovery from the pandemic. We also want to focus on the future, especially our young people, and will ensure that their voices are heard in the centenary programme.
We are currently developing these plans and will be publicising them over the coming months.
Asked by: Lord Lexden (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the response by Viscount Younger of Leckie on 6 October (HL Deb, col 510), when a fiscal council for Northern Ireland will be established.
Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Fiscal Council is an important new part of the governance of Northern Ireland. The Northern Ireland Department of Finance is leading on developing the Terms of Reference for the Fiscal Council. This will subsequently be agreed through the UK Government-NI Executive Joint Board, which has been established under New Decade, New Approach. The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland continues to emphasise the need to press ahead with an Independent Fiscal Council as a priority for the Executive. This was discussed at the first meeting of the Joint Board. The Joint Board will meet again shortly to discuss progress on the fiscal council, amongst other issues.
The Fiscal Council has the potential to make a huge contribution to fiscal sustainability in Northern Ireland over the long-term and strengthen Northern Ireland’s fiscal performance.
The UK Government will continue to work with the Northern Ireland Executive to agree terms of reference that reflect our joint ambitions for this new institution and get it up and running as soon as possible.
Asked by: Lord Lexden (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Lord Duncan of Springbank on 19 March 2019 (HL Deb, col 1407), what discussions they have had with the Northern Ireland Executive about steps the Executive are taking to mitigate the impact of changes to the Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme.
Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
In October 2019, the Department for Economy (DFE) appointed energy expert Andrew Buglass to consider the issue of hardship relating to participants in the NI Non-Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive scheme (NIRHI). Mr Buglass was asked by the DfE to develop a relevant definition of hardship, investigate its presence as a result of NIRHI participation, and make recommendations to the Department on any appropriate course of action. The report of Mr Buglass has just recently been provided to the DfE and will be considered by NI Ministers in the coming weeks.
Asked by: Lord Lexden (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the capacity of the Ulster Defence Association and other loyalist gangs to commit crimes in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Lord Duncan of Springbank
The Ulster Defence Association and other loyalist groupings remain proscribed under Schedule 2 of the Terrorism Act 2000. The Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland recently confirmed that the Assessment of Paramilitary Groups in Northern Ireland, published in October 2015, remains current. You may wish to refer to the assessment in conjunction with the Second Report of the Independent Reporting Commission, published in November 2019, for an up to date assessment of the capacity of the Ulster Defence Association and other loyalist groupings in Northern Ireland. The Independent Reporting Commission was established to monitor the progress of the Northern Ireland Executive’s programme of work to end paramilitary activity in Northern Ireland.
For your convenience, links to both of these reports are provided below:
Paramilitary Groups in Northern Ireland - 19 October 2015
Second Report of the Independent Reporting Commission - 4 November 2019
https://www.ircommission.org/sites/irc/files/media-files/IRC%20-%202nd%20Report%202019_0.pdf
Asked by: Lord Lexden (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Lord Duncan of Springbank on 31 October 2019 (HL Deb, cols 1019), when the report of the Northern Ireland Renewable Heat Incentive Inquiry will be published.
Answered by Lord Duncan of Springbank
In December 2018, Sir Patrick Coghlin Chair of the independent inquiry into the Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme issued the following statement:
“I recognise that there will be considerable public interest in this issue. I’m afraid it’s simply not possible to give a date by which the Inquiry report will be published. What we can say is that the report will be published as soon as reasonably possible and that the public can be assured that the Inquiry will work assiduously to ensure that is the case.”
As the inquiry was established by the previous Executive and is being supported by the Department of Finance, my Noble Friend should direct further queries about the inquiry to the NI Minister of that Department.
Asked by: Lord Lexden (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the reply by Lord Duncan of Springbank on 20 June (HL Deb, col 835), whether the issues relating to institutional child abuse in Northern Ireland have been resolved; and if so, when legislation will be introduced to provide compensation for the victims and their families.
Answered by Lord Duncan of Springbank
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has made it very clear that she is determined to see redress for victims of historical institutional abuse as soon as possible. That is why she asked the NI parties to assist her in critical decisions that needed to be taken with regard to the redress scheme and other matters.
The parties addressed those outstanding issues, and the Executive Office is currently working with the Office of the Legislative Counsel to redraft the legislation in light of the parties’ recommendations.
When the legislation has been revised, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland will consider the best way forward and the next steps as a matter of urgency.
Asked by: Lord Lexden (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when the report of the Northern Ireland Renewable Heat Incentive Inquiry will be published.
Answered by Lord Duncan of Springbank
Sir Patrick Coghlin is leading the report into the Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme and has stated that no date has yet been set for publication. As the inquiry was established and is being supported by the Department of Finance, my Noble Friend should direct further queries about the inquiry to the Permanent Secretary of that Department.