To match an exact phrase, use quotation marks around the search term. eg. "Parliamentary Estate". Use "OR" or "AND" as link words to form more complex queries.


Keep yourself up-to-date with the latest developments by exploring our subscription options to receive notifications direct to your inbox

Written Question
Veterans: Mental Health
Monday 23rd May 2022

Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - Wolverhampton South West)

Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what contribution his Department is making in cross-Government efforts to improve the mental wellbeing of veterans.

Answered by Conor Burns

The Government remains fully committed to supporting veterans living in Northern Ireland and continuing to build on the good progress in delivering the Armed Forces Covenant and Veterans Strategy. We are delivering on the Government’s commitments made in the New Decade, New Approach agreement, in particular, to ensure that Northern Ireland veterans are treated similarly to their counterparts across the UK.

My Department established and sponsors the Northern Ireland Veterans Commissioner’s Office, which advocates for and assists veterans as they navigate services such as health and social care.

Arrangements for service delivery in Northern Ireland are slightly different from those in other parts of the UK. Many of the service delivery aspects, including health provisions, are devolved.


Written Question
Northern Ireland Office: Carbon Emissions
Wednesday 27th April 2022

Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - Wolverhampton South West)

Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps his Department is taking to contribute to efforts to reduce carbon emissions.

Answered by Conor Burns

My Department is committed to making our estate and operations more sustainable and resilient, and supports, where possible, the delivery of this Government’s Greening Government Commitments. We are a small department, with a low carbon footprint arising from our accommodation and corporate travel requirements, and we choose to act sustainably when conducting every part of our business. As an example, we are taking steps to reduce our carbon emissions by utilising technology to enable virtual meetings rather than staff flying short haul between London and Belfast to attend all meetings face to face.


Written Question
Places for Growth Programme: Northern Ireland
Monday 14th March 2022

Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - Wolverhampton South West)

Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the progress of the Places for Growth programme.

Answered by Conor Burns

The creation of additional Government roles in Northern Ireland remains a key priority for the Government and the Northern Ireland Office.

Bringing new roles to Northern Ireland will deliver on our commitment to level up right across the UK and increase prosperity in Northern Ireland. The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and I continue to work closely with the Minister for Levelling up and other Cabinet colleagues to drive this important work forward.

I am also pleased to advise that my Department has recently relocated to the Government Hub at Erskine House in Belfast City centre.


Written Question
UK Shared Prosperity Fund: Northern Ireland
Tuesday 8th February 2022

Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - Wolverhampton South West)

Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that Northern Ireland receives an equitable share of funding allocated through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund following the UK's departure from the EU.

Answered by Conor Burns

The Secretary of State and I are working closely with our colleagues in the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on the design and delivery of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund in Northern Ireland. The Fund will make available a mixture of both revenue and capital funding to invest in local priority projects.

The funding will be allocated by formula rather than by competition, and the Government has pledged that it will at least match EU receipts. All allocations will be conditional on Government approval of investment plans. More detail on the allocation formula, including local allocations, will be made available in due course.


Written Question
Veterans: Northern Ireland
Wednesday 2nd December 2020

Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - Wolverhampton South West)

Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

What recent discussions he has had with (a) Cabinet colleagues and (b) the Northern Ireland Executive on a timeframe for bringing forward standalone legislative proposals on vexatious claims against veterans who served in Northern Ireland.

Answered by Robin Walker

The Government has been clear that it will bring forward legislation to address the legacy of the Troubles which focuses on reconciliation, delivers for victims, and ends the cycle of investigations that has failed victims and veterans alike.

We remain committed to making progress, and engaging with the Irish Government, the Northern Ireland parties, and stakeholders from across the community on this issue.


Written Question
Coronavirus: Northern Ireland
Wednesday 30th September 2020

Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - Wolverhampton South West)

Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

What recent discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on a UK-wide approach to tackling covid-19.

Answered by Robin Walker

The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland is in regular contact with the First and Deputy First Minister for Northern Ireland.

The Government and devolved administrations continue to work closely together to ensure a coordinated approach across the United Kingdom, such as the four nations approach to PPE and the National Testing Initiative.

Each devolved nation has its own unique set of circumstances and it is only right that devolved nations take the approach that is right for them at the right time.