Oral Answers to Questions

Ranil Jayawardena Excerpts

Wednesday 5th February 2020 Commons Chamber

[Damien Moore (Southport) (Con)]

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

[Mr Ranil Jayawardena (North East Hampshire) (Con)]

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

[The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Julian Smith)]

The security situation in Northern Ireland remains severe.

--- Later in debate ---

[Julian Smith]

I agree with my hon. Friend. We have to condemn the ongoing activities of dissident republicans. I pay tribute to the police and to our security services for all the work that they do to make sure that Northern Ireland remains safe.

[Mr Jayawardena]

What about those who have been responsible for security in years gone by? When will the Government put an end to the vexatious claims against our brave armed forces?

[Julian Smith]

We have said—and the Prime Minister could not be clearer on this—that we will end vexatious claims, for both the police and the armed forces. We look forward to bringing forward legislation in that regard in due course.

Oral Answers to Questions

Ranil Jayawardena Excerpts

Wednesday 6th March 2019 Commons Chamber

[John Penrose]

I suspect that is well above my pay grade. I am sure we would all want to hear what the Attorney General and the Prime Minister have to say when it comes to the meaningful vote next Tuesday.

[Mr Ranil Jayawardena (North East Hampshire) (Con)]

10. What recent assessment she has made of the security situation in Northern Ireland.

[The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Karen Bradley)]

The threat from dissident republican terrorism continues to be severe in Northern Ireland. This Government’s first priority is to keep people safe and secure. Vigilance against this continuing threat is essential, and we remain determined to ensure that terrorism never succeeds.

[Mr Jayawardena]

Can my right hon. Friend shed light on reports in The Times that my right hon. Friend the Defence Secretary plans to bring forward a limit on the prosecution of veterans in the Queen’s Speech? As my right hon. Friend the Member for Uxbridge and South Ruislip (Boris Johnson) argued in The Daily Telegraph, we must stop gesture politics and start delivering natural justice.

[Karen Bradley]

My hon. Friend should not believe everything he reads in the newspaper. I assure him that I am working closely with the Defence Secretary, the Attorney General and Members on both sides of the House to ensure we can deliver a new system that works for the people of Northern Ireland, that works for the victims of terrorism and, very importantly, that works for our veterans and retired police officers.

Oral Answers to Questions

Ranil Jayawardena Excerpts

Wednesday 20th June 2018 Commons Chamber

[Mr Ranil Jayawardena (North East Hampshire) (Con)]

4. What recent assessment she has made of the security situation in Northern Ireland.

[The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Karen Bradley)]

The threat from Northern Ireland-related terrorism continues to be severe in Northern Ireland, meaning an attack is highly likely. The Government provided the Police Service of Northern Ireland with £230 million between 2010 and 2016, and we are providing a further £160 million in this Parliament. Our response to terrorism and paramilitary activity is co-ordinated, effective and fully resourced.

[Mr Jayawardena]

I welcome what my right hon. Friend says, but how can it be right that loyal octogenarian veterans now have to look over their shoulders as a result of spurious and vexatious complaints in relation to allegations of which they have already been cleared? Is it not time for a statute of limitations to back our servicemen and women?

[Karen Bradley]

My hon. Friend is a doughty campaigner for his constituents on this matter. I am sure he will agree with me that the current mechanisms for investigating the past are not delivering either for victims or for veterans. Right now, too many cases are not being investigated, including hundreds of murders by terrorists.

Oral Answers to Questions

Ranil Jayawardena Excerpts

Wednesday 28th June 2017 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I am very grateful. Mr Ranil Jayawardena.

[Mr Ranil Jayawardena (North East Hampshire) (Con)]

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

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Chloe Smith)]

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.

[Mr Jayawardena]

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]

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.

Oral Answers to Questions

Ranil Jayawardena Excerpts

Wednesday 7th December 2016 Commons Chamber

[James Brokenshire]

As the hon. Gentleman will have seen in my written statement yesterday, there is an enduring threat from terrorism, which is why I underlined the need for vigilance. Support for those terrorists remains limited, but we must continue to be aware and confront it in every way, which is why I pay tribute to the work of the Police Service of Northern Ireland and the successes that have been achieved. Equally, however, we must remain absolutely focused on security issues, which underlines the points that I made in yesterday’s statement.

[Mr Ranil Jayawardena (North East Hampshire) (Con)]

12. Does my right hon. Friend agree that it is important that service personnel, who put their lives on the line for our security on a daily basis, including former paratrooper Lance Corporal J, who was arrested and questioned in November last year, or other former members of the Parachute Regiment who had to go to the High Court to battle against detention and extradition, should not face legal reprisals, which may be taken for political reasons?

[James Brokenshire]

I hope that my hon. Friend understands that I cannot comment on individual cases. I will be unswerving and unstinting in underlining the huge contribution of our armed forces in helping to bring about the peace that we enjoy today. Part of that is the rule of law. Where there is evidence of criminality, it is important that the rule of law is upheld, but I know very clearly the incredible contribution that many members of our armed forces have made.