Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment he has made of the Northern Ireland Executive's ability to meet the requirements set out in the Fresh Start document to release the £5 million Government funding in 2016-17 to tackle paramilitary activity.

The Northern Ireland Executive has established a Strategic Programme Board and a Cross Departmental Advisory Group to manage funding agreed under the Fresh Start agreement to tackle paramilitary activity. The Programme Board has allocated £3.898 million in 2016/17 to law enforcement activities and other initiatives to tackle ongoing paramilitary activity and criminality, including £1.949 million of UK Government funding.

The Executive’s programme management structure will drive the next phase of implementation, which will include actions to support local communities to reject paramilitary activity and to develop mechanisms to support those individuals or groups who want to transition away from paramilitarism.