Oral Answers to Questions Debate

Full Debate: Read Full Debate
Department: Northern Ireland Office

Oral Answers to Questions

Ranil Jayawardena Excerpts
Wednesday 28th June 2017

(6 years, 10 months ago)

Commons Chamber
Read Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
John Bercow Portrait Mr Speaker
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

I am very grateful. Mr Ranil Jayawardena.

Ranil Jayawardena Portrait Mr Ranil Jayawardena (North East Hampshire) (Con)
- Hansard - -

3. What recent assessment he has made of the security situation in Northern Ireland.

Chloe Smith Portrait The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Chloe Smith)
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

The terrorist threat level in Northern Ireland remains unchanged at “severe”—namely, an attack is highly likely. The need for vigilance remains, and I pay tribute to the brave men and women who work to keep communities safe. They will always have this Government’s fullest support.

Ranil Jayawardena Portrait Mr Jayawardena
- Hansard - -

Last December, the Secretary of State assured me in the Chamber that he would be unswerving and unstinting in underlining the huge contribution of our armed forces, so will the Minister join me in welcoming the commitment in our manifesto that the bodies envisaged in the Stormont House agreement will be fair, balanced and proportionate to former soldiers?

Chloe Smith Portrait Chloe Smith
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

Yes, I do reiterate that commitment in our manifesto. We continue to focus on implementing the Stormont House agreement and creating new bodies that will be fair, balanced and proportionate. The next phase, as my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has outlined, is to consult publicly on the detail of those bodies’ workings.