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Written Question
Northern Ireland Office: Remote Working
Wednesday 23rd March 2022

Asked by: Rachel Hopkins (Labour - Luton South)

Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment he has made of the impact of increased homeworking during the covid-19 outbreak on his Department’s carbon footprint.

Answered by Conor Burns

As a Department, we are committed to making our estate and operations more sustainable, and support, where possible, the delivery of the Greening Government Commitments. I can confirm that my Department has not made a separate assessment of the impact of increased homeworking during the covid-19 outbreak on its carbon footprint.


Written Question
Northern Ireland Office: Carbon Emissions
Wednesday 23rd March 2022

Asked by: Rachel Hopkins (Labour - Luton South)

Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps his Department is taking to measure its carbon footprint.

Answered by Conor Burns

As a Department, we are committed to making our estate and operations more sustainable, and support, where possible, the delivery of the Greening Government Commitments. I can confirm that we do not independently measure our carbon footprint, but rely upon the provision of data, based on floor area and/or headcount, from our government landlords and corporate travel providers.


Written Question
Northern Ireland Office: Carbon Emissions
Wednesday 23rd March 2022

Asked by: Rachel Hopkins (Labour - Luton South)

Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether his Department has published a plan setting out the steps it plans to take to transition to net zero emissions.

Answered by Conor Burns

The Government published its Net Zero Strategy in October 2021, which sets out policies and proposals for decarbonising all sectors of the UK economy to meet our Net Zero target by 2050. As a small department, with a low carbon footprint and a tenant in two government hub buildings, my department has not produced a separate plan, although we act sustainably when conducting our business.


Written Question
Northern Ireland Office: Sustainable Development
Wednesday 23rd March 2022

Asked by: Rachel Hopkins (Labour - Luton South)

Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether a senior official in his Department has responsibility for departmental sustainability.

Answered by Conor Burns

As a Department, we are committed to making our estate and operations more sustainable, and support, where possible, the delivery of the Greening Government Commitments. I can confirm that we have a Director who is responsible for overseeing the Department's corporate functions, including sustainability issues.


Written Question
Northern Ireland Office: Training
Thursday 17th March 2022

Asked by: Rachel Hopkins (Labour - Luton South)

Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether his Department has implemented a training programme to provide civil servants with skills to support its transition to net zero.

Answered by Conor Burns

Whilst the Department has not implemented a specific training programme to provide staff with skills to support its transition to net zero, the new Government Curriculum will include modules on the implications of Net Zero, climate change and wider environmental issues for the government.

In the first phase, the Government Skills & Curriculum Unit (GSCU) is working with other Departments (including BEIS, DEFRA and FCDO) to create an awareness level training resource for all civil servants. This will be piloted from April 2022. In the next phases, GSCU will look at tailored provision for specific Functions and Professions, and will signpost the training and other resources on Net Zero, which are already being provided internally at practitioner and expert levels by government Departments.


Written Question
Randox Laboratories: Northern Ireland
Thursday 10th February 2022

Asked by: Rachel Hopkins (Labour - Luton South)

Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, with reference to the Return to an Address of the Honourable the House of Commons for specified minutes, notes, and correspondence relating to Government contracts awarded to Randox Laboratories Ltd, HC1072, laid before the House on 3 February 2022, ref 24, page 46, if he will place a copy of his email to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care in the Library; whether his Department holds any other records relating to the attempted removal of extraction systems by Randox Laboratories Limited from Queen’s and Ulster Universities and the AFBI Lab; and whether he took any other steps in response.

Answered by Conor Burns

My Department does not hold any other records relating to the attempted removal of extraction systems by Randox Laboratories Limited from Queen’s and Ulster Universities and the AFBI Lab; and did not take any other steps in response. The email referenced in the question was not sent by a Northern Ireland Office Minister.


Written Question
Northern Ireland Office: Buildings
Friday 14th January 2022

Asked by: Rachel Hopkins (Labour - Luton South)

Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the total floor area of his Office estate was in each year from 2010-11 to 2020-21.

Answered by Conor Burns

The area of my offices in Belfast has remained constant across each year from 2011 is as follows:

Belfast Total Floor Area (m^2)

2020-21

3166

2019-20

3166

2018-19

3166

2017-18

3166

2016-17

3166

2015-16

3166

2014-15

3166

2013-14

3166

2013: 01/01/13

3166

2012: 01/01/12

3166

2011: 01/01/11

3166

The total area of my London office in 1 Horse Guards Road (HGR) is:

London Total Floor Area (m^2)

2020-21

554

2019-20

554

2018-19

554

2017-18

519

2016-17

431

2015-16

373

2014-15

431

2013-14

Information not held

2013: 01/01/13

Information not held

2012: 01/01/12

Information not held

2011: 01/01/11

Information not held

The Northern Ireland Office did not occupy 1 HGR prior to 2014/15 and does not hold the information for my London offices prior to 2014/15.


Written Question
Northern Ireland Office: Buildings
Friday 12th June 2020

Asked by: Rachel Hopkins (Labour - Luton South)

Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to the Answer on 15 May 2020 to Question 43779 on Civil Servants, at how many multi-hub locations employees of his Department work together with employees of another Department or agency in London managed by the Government Property Agency; what the addresses are of those locations; and what other Departments and agencies employ staff at those locations.

Answered by Robin Walker

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given by the Minister for the Cabinet Office on 12 June 2020 (UIN 54314).