Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what plans he has to increase the resources of the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland in response to the new responsibilities that are set to be granted to it under the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill.

The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission and the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland will play key roles in the dedicated mechanism that we are establishing, under the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill, to implement our commitment to no diminution of certain rights, safeguards and equality of opportunity set out in the chapter of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement of the same name.

These new roles will require further resources to cover, inter alia, new policy and research functions and communications and education activities.

Additional resourcing will be confirmed in due course, subject to formal budgetary processes.