Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will provide details of his engagements on 16 March 2021.
Answered by Robin Walker
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland regularly undertakes engagements in line with his ministerial portfolio. On 16 March, he attended Cabinet alongside the Prime Minister and ministerial colleagues. Later that day, he conducted meetings with various stakeholders on a range of matters relating to departmental business.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the timeframe is for (a) consideration of the (i) membership and (ii) terms of the Fiscal Council and (b) the establishment of that council.
Answered by Robin Walker
The Independent Fiscal Council is a key part of the reforms committed to in the New Decade, New Approach agreement. I am pleased with the progress that the Executive has made in establishing the Fiscal Council and delighted by the appointment of Robert Chote as Chair of the Council alongside the other members.
The NIO and the Treasury have reviewed the draft Terms of Reference for the Independent Fiscal Council and made a number of recommendations to the NI Finance Minister.
I hope these revisions can be agreed quickly and that the Fiscal Council can be established as soon as possible so that it can begin, between UKG and NIE, it's important work in reviewing the sustainability of the Executives finances.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, when he will next plans to meet with the Northern Ireland Executive to discuss a resolution on victims payments.
Answered by Robin Walker
I have made clear the high priority on which I place having the Troubles Permanent Disablement Scheme open and receiving applications as soon as possible, so that people can begin to receive the payments to which they are morally and legally entitled as soon as possible.
This is a devolved scheme which the Executive is required to fund from the resources available to it through the block grant and the Executive’s own revenue. However, following engagement with Executive Ministers and to enable them to progress the scheme without further delay, I want to ensure that budget management issues should not stand in the way of progress. I have therefore taken the exceptional approach of offering access to NDNA funds that will help the Executive manage the cost of the Scheme in the early years when the annual costs are expected to be greatest, significantly reducing the costs in any year where costs exceed £60m.
This flexibility means there is nothing now standing in the way of the Executive delivering the scheme as set out in legislation. I will continue to engage with Executive Ministers to see this Scheme delivered.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, with reference to the CEDAW Committee's assessment of the effect of austerity measures on women in the UK, whether the Government has made an assessment of the effect of austerity measures on women in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Robin Walker
While welfare and employment are devolved matters in Northern Ireland, we have been working closely with the NI Executive throughout the pandemic and have provided substantial additional resources to enable it to respond to the crisis. The Executive holds no statistical information on the impact of welfare programmes, but there is no doubt that it is committed to combating poverty via the Anti-Poverty and Child Poverty strategies, which were agreed to in the New Decade, New Approach agreement.
A range of additional support measures are available for the people of NI through the Finance Support Service, including: the Universal Credit Contingency Fund short-term living expenses grant; the Discretionary Support self-isolation grant; the short-term benefit advance; the Social Fund budgeting loan; and the Social Fund Sure Start Maternity grant. These are in addition to the welfare mitigations schemes in place.
The UK Government has injected £9.3 billion to strengthen the welfare system. Increased Universal Credit and Working Tax Credit allowances will benefit those most in need by up to £1,040 this financial year.
Our long-term ambition is to tackle poverty through a reformed system that works with the labour market to encourage people to move into work wherever possible. Since 2010 in the UK there are: 200,000 fewer people in absolute poverty; 100,000 fewer children in absolute poverty; and 100,000 fewer pensioners in absolute poverty. Moreover, absolute poverty rates have fallen in every region.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether he has had discussions with the (a) Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and (b) Chancellor of the Exchequer on the potential effect on levels of (i) poverty and (ii) child poverty in Northern Ireland of (A) maintaining the universal credit £20 uplift for at least a year and (B) extending that uplift to legacy benefits.
Answered by Robin Walker
While welfare and employment are devolved matters in Northern Ireland, we have been working closely with the NI Executive throughout the pandemic and have provided substantial additional resources to enable it to respond to the crisis. The Executive holds no statistical information on the impact of welfare programmes, but there is no doubt that it is committed to combating poverty via the Anti-Poverty and Child Poverty strategies, which were agreed to in the New Decade, New Approach agreement.
A range of additional support measures are available for the people of NI through the Finance Support Service, including: the Universal Credit Contingency Fund short-term living expenses grant; the Discretionary Support self-isolation grant; the short-term benefit advance; the Social Fund budgeting loan; and the Social Fund Sure Start Maternity grant. These are in addition to the welfare mitigations schemes in place.
The UK Government has injected £9.3 billion to strengthen the welfare system. Increased Universal Credit and Working Tax Credit allowances will benefit those most in need by up to £1,040 this financial year.
Our long-term ambition is to tackle poverty through a reformed system that works with the labour market to encourage people to move into work wherever possible. Since 2010 in the UK there are: 200,000 fewer people in absolute poverty; 100,000 fewer children in absolute poverty; and 100,000 fewer pensioners in absolute poverty. Moreover, absolute poverty rates have fallen in every region.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, with reference to the (a) Northern Ireland Affairs Committee and Work and Pensions Committee's joint recommendation, in September 2019, to halt implementation of the two-child limit in Northern Ireland, pending a full investigation into its financial impact on families with children and the potential discrimination against those with larger families and poorer communities, and (b) the effect of the covid-19 outbreak on families dependent on social security, what recent assessment the Government has made of the potential merits of undertaking that recommended investigation.
Answered by Robin Walker
While welfare and employment are devolved matters in Northern Ireland, we have been working closely with the NI Executive throughout the pandemic and have provided substantial additional resources to enable it to respond to the crisis. The Executive holds no statistical information on the impact of welfare programmes, but there is no doubt that it is committed to combating poverty via the Anti-Poverty and Child Poverty strategies, which were agreed to in the New Decade, New Approach agreement.
A range of additional support measures are available for the people of NI through the Finance Support Service, including: the Universal Credit Contingency Fund short-term living expenses grant; the Discretionary Support self-isolation grant; the short-term benefit advance; the Social Fund budgeting loan; and the Social Fund Sure Start Maternity grant. These are in addition to the welfare mitigations schemes in place.
The UK Government has injected £9.3 billion to strengthen the welfare system. Increased Universal Credit and Working Tax Credit allowances will benefit those most in need by up to £1,040 this financial year.
Our long-term ambition is to tackle poverty through a reformed system that works with the labour market to encourage people to move into work wherever possible. Since 2010 in the UK there are: 200,000 fewer people in absolute poverty; 100,000 fewer children in absolute poverty; and 100,000 fewer pensioners in absolute poverty. Moreover, absolute poverty rates have fallen in every region.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what estimate the Government has made of the number of children in Northern Ireland that are in poverty as a result of the Child Tax Credit two-child limit.
Answered by Robin Walker
While welfare and employment are devolved matters in Northern Ireland, we have been working closely with the NI Executive throughout the pandemic and have provided substantial additional resources to enable it to respond to the crisis. The Executive holds no statistical information on the impact of welfare programmes, but there is no doubt that it is committed to combating poverty via the Anti-Poverty and Child Poverty strategies, which were agreed to in the New Decade, New Approach agreement.
A range of additional support measures are available for the people of NI through the Finance Support Service, including: the Universal Credit Contingency Fund short-term living expenses grant; the Discretionary Support self-isolation grant; the short-term benefit advance; the Social Fund budgeting loan; and the Social Fund Sure Start Maternity grant. These are in addition to the welfare mitigations schemes in place.
The UK Government has injected £9.3 billion to strengthen the welfare system. Increased Universal Credit and Working Tax Credit allowances will benefit those most in need by up to £1,040 this financial year.
Our long-term ambition is to tackle poverty through a reformed system that works with the labour market to encourage people to move into work wherever possible. Since 2010 in the UK there are: 200,000 fewer people in absolute poverty; 100,000 fewer children in absolute poverty; and 100,000 fewer pensioners in absolute poverty. Moreover, absolute poverty rates have fallen in every region.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many households in Northern Ireland are subject to the two-child limit in relation to Child Tax Credits; and how many children in total live in those households.
Answered by Robin Walker
While welfare and employment are devolved matters in Northern Ireland, we have been working closely with the NI Executive throughout the pandemic and have provided substantial additional resources to enable it to respond to the crisis. The Executive holds no statistical information on the impact of welfare programmes, but there is no doubt that it is committed to combating poverty via the Anti-Poverty and Child Poverty strategies, which were agreed to in the New Decade, New Approach agreement.
A range of additional support measures are available for the people of NI through the Finance Support Service, including: the Universal Credit Contingency Fund short-term living expenses grant; the Discretionary Support self-isolation grant; the short-term benefit advance; the Social Fund budgeting loan; and the Social Fund Sure Start Maternity grant. These are in addition to the welfare mitigations schemes in place.
The UK Government has injected £9.3 billion to strengthen the welfare system. Increased Universal Credit and Working Tax Credit allowances will benefit those most in need by up to £1,040 this financial year.
Our long-term ambition is to tackle poverty through a reformed system that works with the labour market to encourage people to move into work wherever possible. Since 2010 in the UK there are: 200,000 fewer people in absolute poverty; 100,000 fewer children in absolute poverty; and 100,000 fewer pensioners in absolute poverty. Moreover, absolute poverty rates have fallen in every region.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, with reference to his Answer to Question 100 at the Oral Evidence session of the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee of 20 January, whether guidance on steel tariffs has been issued to business.
Answered by Robin Walker
We have put into place temporary measures to ensure steel traders avoid paying tariffs. The Government wrote to affected businesses to set out routes for bringing UK-origin and EU-origin steel into Northern Ireland tariff-free.
The Government also set out how relevant quotas can be accessed when businesses in Northern Ireland import steel from the rest of the world. We will continue to engage on this issue with industry and the European Commission.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, with reference to Q89 of the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee of 20th January 2021, whether the guidance on groupage has been delivered to hauliers.
Answered by Robin Walker
Guidance for haulage and traders in respect of moving agrifood products from Great Britain to Northern Ireland through groupage was issued and communicated to hauliers and Northern Ireland authorised traders on Friday 29 January.