Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Northern Ireland Police Ombudsman’s national security vetting has been reviewed in the last 12 months: and whether the office holder has access to material classified as top secret.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Police Ombudsman is accountable to the Northern Ireland Assembly, through the Northern Ireland Minister for Justice. The Office of the Ombudsman is a NDPB of the NI Department of Justice.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for her assessment on the effectiveness of Stalking Prevention Orders.

Answered by Jess Phillips - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

Tackling violence against women and girls (VAWG), is a top priority for this Government and the VAWG Strategy published on 18 December sets out clear action to tackle stalking as a part of this.

Stalking Protection Orders (SPOs) are an essential tool, designed to protect victims of stalking at the earliest possible opportunity and address the perpetrator’s behaviours before they become entrenched or escalate in severity.

We know that the use of SPOs could be improved to better support victims and disrupt perpetrators. Therefore, the Government’s manifesto committed to strengthen the use of SPOs.

We are delivering on this commitment by introducing a power for the courts to issue Stalking Protection Orders (SPOs) on conviction or acquittal of their own volition through the Crime and Policing Bill. We are also strengthening the use of SPOs including through setting up SPO intensification sites in select forces which aim to drive up use of SPOs and provide opportunities to test innovative approaches to enforce conditions and monitor breaches, which could be adopted nationwide.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the Local Growth Fund 2024/25 has been allocated to the Northern Ireland Executive.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The UK Government will invest £45.5 million per annum of the Spending Review period to provide targeted, long-term funding to support local growth across Northern Ireland.

The Local Growth Fund will begin delivery next April, and will be designed and delivered in partnership with the Northern Ireland Executive, the Northern Ireland Office and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

More information on the Local Growth fund in Northern Ireland including the delivery model will be set out soon.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with the Irish Government on the €14million Shared Island Media initiative.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Shared Island Media Initiative is led and funded by the Government of Ireland. While from a UK perspective, only Northern Ireland will be able to benefit from the initiative, DCMS officials have had some initial conversations with Ireland’s Department of Culture, Communications and Media to learn about it. I have not been directly involved in these discussions, but my officials remain interested in how this initiative advances the UK's and Ireland's shared priorities.

Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what discussions he has had with the Irish Government on the €14million Shared Island Media initiative.

Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

I regularly engage with the Irish Government on a number of issues of interest to both Governments, but to date, no discussions have taken place on the Irish Government’s Shared Island Media Fund.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment has been made of the adequacy of City Growth Deals in Northern Ireland for implementing outcomes aligned with the UK Science and Technology Framework.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The UK Science and Technology Framework provides a holistic picture of the ten critical levers that the UK Government can use to drive growth and improve the lives of citizens through science and technology. We remain committed to the Framework and to applying these levers to ensure science and technology supports the delivery of core priorities, such as the Plan for Change and the Industrial Strategy.

All Northern Ireland City Growth Deal project business cases are reviewed by UK Government departments to ensure strategic alignment with wider government priorities. This includes officials in both DSIT and UKRI, who assess strategic alignment with the UK Government’s priorities for science and technology, including the UK Science and Technology Framework.

This process helps to ensure that City Growth Deals across Northern Ireland have taken account – at a local delivery level – of the UK Government’s priorities across science and technology, as set out in the Framework.

Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to the Answer of 5 January 2026 to Question 99008, who is responsible for conducting the national security vetting for the Northern Ireland Police Ombudsman.

Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

United Kingdom Security Vetting (UKSV) acts as service providers for National Security Vetting (NSV) across His Majesty’s Government (HMG) for specific roles affording access to Protectively Marked Materials (PMM) sites and assets. The ultimate decision on whether to grant any level of NSV will be taken either by United Kingdom Security Vetting (UKSV), the department or police force that requires the individual to hold clearance, or by the sponsoring authority that carries out this task on behalf of departments.

In line with the practice followed by successive administrations, the Government does not otherwise comment on security matters.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what mechanisms are in place for the Drug Tariff Committee and suppliers to provide input into revisions of the the Wave 1 Part IX categorisation published by the NHS Business Services Authority.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The final draft, version 1.2, of the Part IX Drug Tariff (Med Tech in the community) Wave 1 categorisation was developed in collaboration with an Expert Reference Group and updated in line with stakeholder feedback over four iterations. The final version was published in October 2025 and can be found on the NHS Business Services Authority Website at the following link:

https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/manufacturers-and-suppliers/drug-tariff-part-ix-information

The Department is currently recruiting Independent Assessment Panels (IAPs) for Wave 1 and has agreed to ask them to review late feedback received from a company on the eye drops category. This is due to take place in February 2026 and will not require further input from industry as it has already been circulated for comment by them.

The Department recognises that the categorisation is not stagnant and may need further amendments as medical devices continue to evolve and the IAPs are stood up. Companies can suggest further amendments when they apply to Part IX of the Drug Tariff or through the Drug Tariff Committee.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will provide an assessment on the role of Chaplains in the Armed Forces.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

Chaplains play a vital role in the provision of holistic care and support of service personnel and their families. Their role is multifaceted, focusing on spiritual, moral and pastoral support for personnel of all faiths and beliefs, reflecting the diversity of British society and the Armed Forces.

A chaplain’s role is especially important in operational contexts, where they are among the few individuals accessible outside the command structure; this enhances trust and makes them an important source of support and advice for Service personnel. They bolster morale and cohesion, leading religious services and ceremonial or commemorative events, reinforcing tradition and collective identity.

Chaplains also contribute advice to commanders on the moral dimensions of leadership and the human impact of military decisions. Their input can shape the command culture and aid decision-making, reinforcing the Armed Forces’ emphasis on values and standards and being a force for good.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will review the limit on the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme, previously funded until March 2025, has been extended for one year with a £23 million budget. To ensure the budget remains affordable for this year, claims are now capped at £25,000 per place of worship. These changes were necessary given the inherited fiscal challenges and pressures on other parts of the heritage and cultural sectors. Departmental analysis indicates that 94% of applications will be unaffected by this change, with most claims typically being under £5,000. In order to ensure the scheme is available to as many listed places of worship as possible, within this context, we do not feel it is appropriate to reassess the cap for this financial year.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 7th January to Question 102317, on Shared Island Media Fund, if he will set out in detail the shared priorities between the UK and Ireland which are advanced by this initiative.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Shared Island Media Fund will support efforts to improve media literacy (including working with Northern Irish organisations) and build capacity for high-quality, sustainable journalism, working to bolster media resilience in the digital age. Such priorities reflect challenges faced by both countries.

British forces on the front line in Afghanistan

UN Convention on the Rights of Older Persons

Enniskillen Remembrance Day attack

Sir Norman Stronge and Major James Stronge

Situation in Iran

Import of illegal meat

Anniversary of Teebane Murders

Big Garden Bird Watch 2026

Newborn bloodspot screening for spinal muscular atrophy

Less Survivable Cancers Awareness Week

Grok AI generation and dissemination of sexually explicit and non-consensual images of women and children on X

Commonwealth Games

Representation of Northern Ireland at the 2026 Commonwealth Games

Marking the 60th anniversary of the University of the Air White Paper

Seventy years of The Duke of Edinburgh's Award

Passing of Callum McVeigh

50th anniversary of Kingsmills Massacre