Asked by: Robin Swann (Ulster Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress she has made on the Union Connectivity Fund feasibility study for the reopening of the Antrim to Lisburn rail line.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department provided funding to Translink through the Union Connectivity Fund to deliver a feasibility study for the reopening of the Antrim to Lisburn rail line. The Department understands from Translink that they plan to publish their findings over the Summer and that they will engage with stakeholders to present the results.
Asked by: Robin Swann (Ulster Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many visits he has made to each constituency in Northern Ireland since his appointment.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
I have carried out over 80 visits to 16 constituencies across Northern Ireland since my appointment. I welcome suggestions for future visits from Parliamentary colleagues.
Asked by: Robin Swann (Ulster Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to the Answer of 13 November 2024 to Question 13304, and the Answer of 18 November 2024 to Question 14268, what steps his Department has taken to ensure that there is not a reoccurrence.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Members of Parliament should be notified in advance of Ministerial visits to their constituency. I have apologised to the Honourable Member for the recent failure to notify him. The Northern Ireland Office is currently reorganising this notification process to ensure there is no reoccurrence.
Asked by: Robin Swann (Ulster Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending Cyber Local 2025-26 to Northern Ireland.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
As of April 2025, the way that Devolved Administrations (DAs) receive funding for cyber security has changed. Previously ringfenced cyber budgets will be absorbed into departmental baselines and provided directly to DAs in their overall HM Treasury settlement.
The revised funding arrangements further support DAs, including the Northern Ireland Executive, to make their own choices about how to champion the cyber sector in each part of the UK. DSIT will continue to engage with the Northern Ireland Executive on how to assist the cyber sector, including through the Cyber Local programme.
DSIT continues to support the successful cyber ecosystem in Northern Ireland with key investments such as the Cyber AI Hub programme at Queen’s University Belfast.
Asked by: Robin Swann (Ulster Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the Barnett consequential for Northern Ireland from the recent trade deal with India will be.
Answered by Darren Jones - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The UK-India Free Trade Agreement will make it easier for British businesses to trade with the fastest growing economy in the G20. The government estimates that it will increase bilateral trade by £25.5 billion, add £4.8billion a year to our economy and boost wages by £2.2 billion every year in the long run.
The Barnett formula is applied when UK Government departmental budgets change. Any future changes to UK Government department funding as a result of the UK-India Free Trade Agreement will have the Barnett formula applied in the normal way.
Asked by: Robin Swann (Ulster Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much of the funding for VALOUR centres will be allocated to Northern Ireland.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
VALOUR is a new commitment to establish the first-ever UK-wide approach to veteran support. A new VALOUR HQ within the Ministry of Defence, a network of field officers, regional VALOUR-recognised support centres, and development funding to support local delivery will be established, overseen by the Office for Veterans’ Affairs. VALOUR will foster the enterprising spirit of veteran charities, better connect local and national services and ensure veterans’ support is data driven.
The details regarding the funding for VALOUR centres is currently being developed by officials. This includes the process by which centres can apply for funding, and the way in which funding is distributed across the UK. Further information, including on funding for centres, will be released in due course.
Asked by: Robin Swann (Ulster Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, who the delivery body will be for VALOUR centres in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
VALOUR is a new commitment to establish the first-ever UK-wide approach to veteran support. A new VALOUR HQ within the Ministry of Defence, a network of field officers, regional VALOUR-recognised support centres, and development funding to support local delivery will be established, overseen by the Office for Veterans’ Affairs. VALOUR will foster the enterprising spirit of veteran charities, better connect local and national services and ensure veterans’ support is data driven.
The details regarding the funding for VALOUR centres is currently being developed by officials. This includes the process by which centres can apply for funding, and the way in which funding is distributed across the UK. Further information, including on funding for centres, will be released in due course.
Asked by: Robin Swann (Ulster Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to continue the Getting it Right First Time programme.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Yes. We are committed to driving NHS reform and supporting programmes that aim to deliver better and quicker care for patients.
An excellent example is the Getting It Right First Time programme which supports trusts to streamline pathways and deliver timely elective care and operations.
This includes supporting systems to ring-fence elective capacity, optimise surgical pathways, and increase surgical hub numbers over the next three years.
Asked by: Robin Swann (Ulster Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much Apprenticeship Levy has been (a) collected from and (b) provided to Northern Ireland employers in each of the last five years.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
Reliable estimates of the revenue raised from businesses in Northern Ireland from the Apprenticeship Levy are not available as any estimate would need to be based on where employers are registered, and therefore would not necessarily reflect where the liabilities are accrued or where employees are based. Any estimate would not include businesses registered in Wales, Scotland, or England, who have a presence and pay employees in Northern Ireland.
While the Apprenticeship Levy is UK wide, apprenticeship policy and spending is devolved. This means that the devolved governments receive funding through the Barnett formula in relation to English apprenticeship spending as part of their block grant. The Block Grant Transparency publication breaks down all changes in the devolved governments’ block grant funding from the 2015 Spending Review up to and including Main Estimates 2023-24. The most recent report was published in July 2023. It is for the devolved governments to allocate their funding in devolved areas as they see fit, including investing in their skills programmes.
Asked by: Robin Swann (Ulster Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 3 April 2025 to Question 42062 on Bees: Conservation, whether he has received a request from the Northern Irish Minister of Agriculture for mutual assistance with bee inspecting.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
It is confirmed that no request from the Northern Irish Minister of Agriculture for mutual assistance with bee inspecting has been received by APHA’s National Bee Unit.