Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if his Department will publish an assessment of the extent to which commitments under the New Decade, New Approach agreement have been met by the (a) Northern Ireland Executive and (b) Government.

The New Decade, New Approach (NDNA) deal reached in January 2020 includes a balanced package of commitments to deliver more transparent and sustainable institutions in Northern Ireland. The Government have already delivered a number of our key commitments including:

• The release of £556 million of the £2 billion of funding agreed in the deal;
• Appointment of a Veteran’s Commissioner in September 2020;
• The launch of the programme for the Centenary of Northern Ireland in 2021 and including 39 successful bids for the £1million Shared History Fund;
• The establishment of the governance structures that underpin New Decade New Approach, namely the Joint Board and the Implementation Review Meeting.

The Government works closely with Northern Ireland’s political leaders to support them in making the devolved institutions work and where appropriate, in delivering their commitments within NDNA. We will consider publishing assessments of implementation of the Agreement in due course.