Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what recent discussions he has had with political parties in Northern Ireland on the incidence of paramilitary activity.

The 2015 Fresh Start Agreement included a number of measures aimed at tackling paramilitary activity. While the Northern Ireland Civil Service continues to implement the Executive’s Paramilitary Action Plan, Executive ministers would be best placed to drive this work. This is another example of the importance of devolved government.