Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Duncan of Springbank on 8 October (HL17821) and the report of the Department for Communities in Northern Ireland Review of Welfare Mitigation Schemes, published in March, which stated that "in the absence of a functioning Assembly it is considered that the only viable option for providing the legal authority for the Department to make a mitigation payment beyond 2020 would be for the Westminster Parliament to bring forward appropriate legislation", what steps they are taking to bring forward such legislation.

The bespoke mitigation arrangements for Northern Ireland were agreed by the Executive following the “A Fresh Start, the Stormont Agreement and Implementation Plan”.

I understand that the present uncertainty over the future of these schemes has been a cause of considerable concern, especially for those in receipt of the top up payments.

Neither the Northern Ireland Office nor its Ministers can instruct the Northern Ireland Civil Service in the devolved welfare space or direct spending from the NI block grant.

We have however, following the Executive Formation Act, provided departments with additional guidance on the exercise their functions in the public interest in the absence of a restored NI Executive. And of course, we continue to work tirelessly to facilitate the restoration of locally accountable political leadership. I am grateful to the Noble Baroness for raising this matter.