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 19 March (HL Deb, col 1408), when the written statement on the Northern Ireland Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme will be laid.
Answered by Lord Duncan of Springbank
The written statement to which the Noble Lord refers is in relation to the Department for the Economy (DfE) in Northern Ireland’s commitment to establishing an RHI Hardship Unit. The Department has been working to make progress in establishing the Terms of Reference and setting up of the panel, which will have an independent Chair. A call for evidence in relation to the form and function of the unit will shortly be released, and will close at the end of June. This will inform the Terms of Reference of the Unit. I will await the outcome of that before updating the House on progress. DfE anticipate that the panel will begin to accept applications in September 2019.
Asked by: Lord Lexden (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when details of donations and loans made to political parties in Northern Ireland after January 2014 will be published.
Answered by Lord Duncan of Springbank
The Transparency of Donations and Loans etc. (Northern Ireland Political Parties) Order 2018 introduced transparency around donations and loans to political parties in Northern Ireland from July 2017. The date set in the legislation for introduction of the transparency regime followed a consultation process and represented a broad consensus across the Northern Ireland political parties.
The Government has no plans in place to legislate to facilitate the publication of pre-2017 data. We are committed to undertaking an operational review to consider all aspects of the operation of the donation and loans systems in Northern Ireland, to review whether there might be a case for further reforms.
Asked by: Lord Lexden (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when the Independent Reporting Commission will publish its first annual report.
Answered by Lord Duncan of Springbank
The Independent Reporting Commission (IRC), established by the UK and Irish Governments, was legally constituted in August 2017. It is required to report annually on progress towards ending paramilitary activity including the implementation of the relevant measures by the UK and Irish governments and the NI Executive’s action plan. I expect the first annual report to be published prior to August 2018.
Asked by: Lord Lexden (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth on 24 October (HL1962), whether they will set a date for the formal conclusion of their talks with the Northern Ireland political parties on the restoration of the Northern Ireland Executive.
Answered by Lord Duncan of Springbank
The priority of the Government remains the restoration of devolved government in Northern Ireland. We continue to work with the parties and support them in their efforts to reach an agreement which will enable the formation of a Northern Ireland Executive. This involves keeping under continuous review the most effective means of encouraging progress.
Asked by: Lord Lexden (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made in their talks with the Northern Ireland political parties on the restoration of the Northern Ireland Executive.
Answered by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth
The Democratic Unionist Party and Sinn Fein are continuing talks aimed at reaching agreement to restore the devolved, power-sharing institutions at Stormont. The UK Government, working with the Irish Government in accordance with the three-stranded approach, continues to support these and all other efforts aimed at securing the reestablishment of inclusive, devolved government at Stormont.
Asked by: Lord Lexden (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether all the provisions of <i>A Fresh Start: The Stormont Agreement and Implementation Plan </i>signed in November 2015 have been put into effect.
Answered by Lord Dunlop
The Fresh Start Agreement has contributed to greater stability in Northern Ireland than has been known for some time. Good progress has been made on its implementation, including the delivery of legislation on welfare reform and steps towards establishing the Independent Reporting Commission on paramilitary activity. The Government is working closely with the Northern Ireland Executive and the Irish Government, in accordance with the three-stranded approach, to deliver the outstanding commitments. This includes further steps to tackle paramilitary activity, financial reforms to support the devolution of powers over the corporation tax rate, and continuing work to build consensus for the creation of the new institutions on the legacy of Northern Ireland’s past as the process moves into a more public phase. A meeting to review progress is scheduled for 14 December.
Asked by: Lord Lexden (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the total sum to date that has been paid in compensation to persons found guilty of terrorist-related offences in Northern Ireland whose convictions have been overturned because the activities of British agents were not disclosed to the courts; how many further such claims for compensation are pending; and whether compensation will be paid if more claims are made.
Answered by Lord Dunlop
It is long standing policy of successive Governments neither to confirm nor deny the involvement of agents of the Security and Intelligence Agencies in any specific activity in order to protect the UK’s national security. I am therefore unable to comment further.
However, where national security sensitive information is relevant to an application for compensation for a miscarriage of justice in Northern Ireland, for example where the Court of Appeal is unable to make public its full reasons for quashing the conviction, the decision on whether compensation is payable is one for the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. In making that decision, she will apply the new test set out in section 133(1Z) of the Criminal Justice Act 1988, namely that compensation is payable “if and only if the new or newly discovered fact shows beyond reasonable doubt that the person did not commit the offence”.
Asked by: Lord Lexden (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many claims for compensation by the victims of terrorism in Northern Ireland remain outstanding.
Answered by Lord Dunlop
Matters relating to policing and justice were devolved to the Northern Ireland Executive in 2010 by the Northern Ireland (Devolution of Policing and Justice Functions Order) 2010. As a consequence, responsibility for compensation of the victims of terrorism in Northern Ireland now rests with the Northern Ireland Executive, and in particular the Department of Justice for Northern Ireland (DOJNI), which oversees the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme.
Asked by: Lord Lexden (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Defamation Act 2013 can be applied in Northern Ireland through a legislative consent motion by the Northern Ireland Assembly, without any further legislation by Parliament.
Answered by Lord Dunlop
A Legislative Consent Motion (LCM) consents to legislation being undertaken by the UK Parliament to extend to a part of the UK where the subject-matter of the legislation is devolved. An LCM cannot of itself extend existing UK Parliament legislation. As the law on defamation is a devolved issue, this is a matter for the Northern Ireland Executive.
Asked by: Lord Lexden (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Northern Ireland Law Commission has set a date for the publication of its report on the law of defamation in Northern Ireland; and, if not, whether it will now do so.
Answered by Baroness Randerson - Liberal Democrat Lords Spokesperson (Transport)
The Northern Ireland Law Commission is an independent advisory, non-departmental public body. The Northern Ireland Department of Justice is the Commission’s sponsoring Department. The Noble Lord may wish to contact the Commission or the Northern Ireland Department of Justice directly for information relating to this report.