Live Northern Ireland Questions House of Commons

Order, order. Questions to the Secretary of State for Northern

Ireland. Question number one. With permission, blasting questions one

and nine together. It is to deliver a sustainable financers. The

Stormont House Agreement set out a range of measures to help them

deliver it. These include implementation of welfare reform,

measures to improve efficiency in the public sector and a new

independent fiscal Council Northern Ireland. Following the agreement

between Northern Ireland parties and budget and Irish governments last

week, what competence does she have the budget of the executive can be

put on a sustainable footing, allowing a greater focus on value

for money and public service delivery? I am confident on matters.

This house, in earlier this week, pasta welfare reform proposals

needed to apply in Northern Ireland. That will make a huge difference in

financial sustainability, and of course that also made progress in

the House of Lords yesterday. Has the part is the opposite come late

to the merits of devolution, what assessment has she made of the

balding income tax to the Northern Ireland Executive in a way to make

sure they are on a financial footing? We are strong supporters of

devolution here. The previous agreements made with the Northern

Ireland Executive makes clear we are open to consideration of devolution

of further tax powers, the highest priority is devolution of

corporation tax, which we hope to press ahead with as soon as the

Stormont House Agreement is met. While the petition of concern at

buys in the agreement is not comp all three, it is not binding, does

the Secretary of State agree with me that an adherence to the advice

given in that document will be important as we move forward to

allow the assembly to function properly and set a budget in a

timely manner next year? I think he puts his points very well. I agree

it is important the petition of concern is focused on those matters

for which it was devised, namely matters where individual part of the

community need to be protected on equality issues, and I believe the

protocol agreed will help focus the position of concern are matters for

which it was always intended. It is important the agreement comes to

sustainable, long-term requirements. What steps does she

have to make sure this will last over the longer term? One of the

most important things in the UK Government is doing to ensure

sustainable public finances for the Northern Ireland Executive is to

implement our long-term economic plan, deliver economic stability and

also prosperity does the economy is growing in Northern Ireland, News

matters will halt support the executive in their efforts to make

sure they have financial financers? Assurances. Would she agree with a

fresh start a grocers, there would be no prospect of a sustainable

budget for the Northern Ireland Executive, which would lead

inevitably to the return of direct rule which would be bad for Northern

Ireland and bad for all others people? Would also agree that the

agreement provides for the most generous welfare system, hardball

working families, and also job creation? I can agree with all of

that. I have made it clear. But about the successful outcome of the

talks of a fresh start agreement, we would have been on a path to

collapse of the institutions and a return to direct rule. I

wholeheartedly agree with them, that would have been a major sat back...

Setback and one we have all striven to avoid. Would she now, following

the fresh. Agreement, talk to her colleagues, particular the

Chancellor, about how Northern Ireland can be linked in to the

northern powerhouse to our mutual benefit? I think that is a good idea

to consider. I will raise up with the Chancellor, and I think the

proposals set out in the economic pact agreed between the executive

and the government a couple of years ago demonstrate that the two

Administration is working more closely together than ever before,

but including a northern powerhouse element is good idea. Once again I

commend the secular state that her work over the past few months

ensuring that the Stormont continues. As she knows, bedroom tax

will not be imposed on Northern Ireland, and for historical reasons

it has a higher welfare spending than elsewhere in the UK can stop

this will place a burden on Northern Ireland. What plans does the

government have in place to back-up the government should they struggle

to fulfil these commitments? It was a reasonable compromise reached in

the two agreements between the parties and the UK Government and

Irish government, that welfare reform will be in fermented with top

ups agreed. That would give Northern Ireland the most generous welfare

system in the UK. Whilst we will not pay for a more expensive welfare

system in Northern Ireland and elsewhere, the block grant does give

a public spending per head rate in Northern Ireland higher than

anywhere else in the UK, not provide support for Northern Ireland. Does

the Secretary of State agree with me that Northern Ireland's financial

position, be sustainable or competent without a major prosperity

strategy? A plan which deals with the low skills, low pay and low

productivity levels we have. I agree a strategy on prosperity is

crucial, just as it is everywhere else, so we are planning a long-term

plan and these executive is working hard to make Northern Ireland a

fantastic place to do business. Examples recently of new jobs

announcements, 800 jobs in Enniskillen, 250 in Belfast and 87

elsewhere. The Northern Ireland economy is a great success story, I

think the second of should take pride in the role they have played

in that. The Secretary of State and I hold discussions on economic

double at issues. I met Jonathan Bell last Thursday on such issues. A

fresh start agreement signed early last week reaffirmed the

government's commitment to devolving corporation tax powers to Northern

Ireland, in sustainable financers are secured. This measure has the

potential to transform the impact on the Northern Irish economy. I thank

the Minister for his answer. Will my honourable friend join me in

welcoming the visitor numbers to Northern Ireland and the economic

benefits it brings? And also support links? The 1 thing that Hampshire

and Belfast have in common is the cruise ships in Southampton. I'm

delighted to say that has been an increase in cruise ships using

Belfast as a gateway to Ireland, where they can visit the causeway

and enjoy the Titanic experience. There's been no movement in Northern

Ireland on an enterprise zone. With the Secretary of State consider

helping Belfast International Airport achieved an enterprise zone

in my constituency? Jeering at the original house agreement, big

government committed itself in agreeing a city deal. It is fully

executive to bring that city deal, myself and my right honourable

friend here to make sure that happens. What benefits does the

Minister think the hosting of the 2019 open showmanship will have on

the Northern Ireland economy -- championship? It will showcase the

find has a golf courses outside of Belfast and around the rest of

Northern Ireland. It is important we get people not just into Bell but --

Belfast, but further afield. Will the Secretary of State and the

Minister have discussions with the Northern Ireland Executive and the

Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change to reinstate the

renewable obligations so that those who have already got contracts can

be facilitated and that we can underpin the local economy in

Northern Ireland? The Secretary of State is sitting here and will have

heard her question. I will certainly be happy to discuss it with her.

Where I go in Northern Ireland, one of the concerns raised is the need

for improved access to broadband according to the research papers, as

part of the ?530 million investment in broadband, English counties have

received two and had a 94 million, Scotland 104, Wales six and nine,

whereas Northern Ireland received just 4.4 million. Why is that figure

so low? I thank him for his question. I won't be able to and it,

over the say that some of the responsibility lies with the

executive. It is important that we improve it.

My constituency has taken a real kicking in terms of loss of

manufacturing jobs in recent days, and in the past 12 months. The

Business Minister recently promised the government would go the extra

mile. Can the menace to give me any hope this morning of these questions

for manufacturing jobs in North Antrim? As I have always said to the

champion of his constituent who is always campaigning to increase

manufacturing in his constituency, I have been trying to help him. This

morning I spoke with the Mayor of London, and indeed last week, and I

hope there will be some good news very soon with more orders to come.

Question three. Northern Ireland firms can apply for large public

sector contracts with the official Journal of European Union. This

government has set a target that a third of central public procurement

spend is delivered by SMEs. , Department are here to help

companies benefit from improved access to public sector contracts,

and that includes companies in Northern Ireland. I am grateful to

the Minister for his response. I know that, like me, is proud of the

contribution bombard yea and Harland and Wolff make from my constituency,

but following on from Monday's strategic defence and security

review, with the Minister undertake to organise a round where companies

in Northern Ireland can make sure they can avail of the opportunities

of forthcoming procurement contracts? The honourable member is

right. Northern Ireland's skills base is perfect for increasing and

exploiting its aerospace company. I was delighted that Kallis recently

won another order in Malaysia. The Business Minister has agreed it is a

good idea the member has put forward and I would be delighted to arrange

that round table with him and my honourable friend. Mr Speaker, with

90% of firms in Northern Ireland being SMEs, what support is being

put in place to safeguard their interests when promoting

collaborative procurement? The honourable member is correct, that

SMEs suffer when bureaucracy is too great, which is why the Cabinet

Office has been leading the red tape tanners, designed to reduce red tape

on small businesses, and if we continue to progress on that line,

small businesses will have an opportunity to thrive and take

advantage of the low corporation tax that will hopefully be delivered in

2018. Order. I am scarcely able to hear the Minister, partly because

there is too much noise, and partly because the honourable gentleman

looked back at the person whom he was answering. His full visage

should face the House. The House will benefit, I feel sure. Lady

Hermon. Thank you, Mr Speaker. I wonder if the Minister would commit

to meeting those senior representatives of Northern Ireland

companies who have serious concerns about waste in the UK's defence

procurement procedures? As a former aerospace worker myself, I know how

much delay can damage the supply chain. Under the leadership of our

defence but you met miniature Lee Minister we have improved things,

but I would be delighted to meet with the heads of her businesses and

to make sure they are getting an efficient service from the

contracting department and make sure that more business is done in

Northern Ireland. Question four. The fresh start agreement reached last

Tuesday opens the way for implantation of a range of

provisions in the Stormont house agreement, and welfare and

sustainable public science and the macro finances, flags and reform of

the devolved institutions, including official opposition, reducing the

size of the Assembly, and cutting the number of executive ministers.

Blackman. I thank my right honourable friend for her answer,

and for the progress she has made in implement in the agreement. But

there are still many other areas still to be in demented, and I

wonder if she could update the House on what steps she is taking to make

sure the entire agreement is implemented forthwith. I think the

fresh start agreement is a good deal for Northern Ireland, and is vitally

important that we get the implementation of the storm house

agreement by contract. It is a matter of regret we were unable to

agree sufficient points on the legacy of the past to introduce

legislation as we had hoped, but we will be working hard on this matter.

I will be meeting the victims commissioner and the justice

minister next week to consider a way forward. Jeffrey Donaldson. Will the

secretary of state work with us on this side of the House to ensure

that we continue to address the issues related to the legacy of our

troubled past. It is crucial that we do our best to provide support and

care for the innocent victims, and that we find a way of enabling them

to have access to truth and justice. I can give him that assurance and I

look forward to continuing to work with him on these important matters.

I believe it is important that the institutions envisaged under the

storm at house agreement are set up because the current institutions are

not providing good enough outcomes for victims and survivors, so we

need to do something about the current situation. Thank you, Mr

Speaker. As we all know, politics is not an easy business, but what

lessons can be learnt from the recent events to ensure we do all we

can say this does not happen again? A very good question. I think we

have already learned from the problems in relation to the storm at

house agreement, where implementation was stalled a few

months after it was agreed. So, both the executive and the government

have moved swiftly on the fresh start agreement by passing an LCM in

the Assembly, by a grain a balanced budget in the executive, and here in

this House, by pressing ahead on legislation and welfare reform. Mr

Speaker, despite the best efforts of the party and the Irish government

and the welcome deal that was done last week, the victims, survivors

and their families, will be frustrated and disheartened by the

fact that measures in the past were not able to be agreed. I am told

that progress was made regarding this issue. Can the secretary of

state explain exactly what the problem was, who disagreed, and

whether any documents discussed could actually be published?

Certainly, we will be reflecting on whether in the coming month it might

be appropriate to publish a draft bill for consideration, but we would

not take any steps on that without extensive discussions with the first

and Deputy First Minister and victims. Seven it is important to

recognise that we made progress on how the HIV woodworking practice,

what reflection in stature there would need to be, so a number of

issues were more less resolved it was a key problem to find something

mutually agreeable on matters relating to national-security. The

government was clear we would provide the fullest possible

disclosure to age are you, but we have to ensure that documents which

go from there into the public domain do not jeopardise national security.

I thank the secretary of state for what was a helpful answer. The

planned storm at house agreement was supposed to include new mechanisms

to deal with the past so victims and families could find out more about

what happened in the conflict, see that justice is done, and look at

that help and support for those affected. Isn't it critical that

that work is not lost, that it is not forgotten, and that we take the

work forward? How does the government propose to do that and

the family is going to be included in that process? As I have said, it

is important for discussions to take place with victims groups on

charting a way forward. I think it is important that this issue is not

parked pending the Assembly elections. We cannot let this rest

for another year without taking action. We need to find a way to

make progress, and we should try to retain the progress made in the

storm at house talks, which as I said involved broad agreement on a

number of important issues. Question five. The recent political talk

established significant ground between the parties on dealing with

the past, but not enough to allow us to legislate at this point. We will

keep working to achieve the necessary consensus to allow new

structures on dealing with the past to be established.

I thank the Minister for her answer. Would she agree with me that one of

the key ways of moving away from the past and be little of paramilitary

activity, is to improve the economy of Northern Ireland. Northern

Ireland currently has the highest working age in activity of any UK

region. What measures are being taken by the UK Government to

support Northern Ireland Assembly to improve employment opportunities,

especially for young people? She is absolutely right, that a strong

economy is key to more or less every other goal in government. Without a

strong economy, you cannot deliver the effective menace the macro

mechanisms for dealing with the past. The governance will continue

to pursue its long-term economic plan to create new jobs. 33,000 more

people are in work... Order! I understand the sense of anticipation

at this time on a Wednesday, but I would point out to the House that we

are talking about the legacy of Northern Ireland's past. Out of

respect to the people of Northern Ireland, if for no other reason, a

seemly atmosphere would be appreciated. Let's hear David

Simpson. I am sure the secretary of state would agree with me in

whatever settlement is agreed on the legacy of Northern Ireland that has

already been mentioned about the victims, which are paramount in

this, but would she agree that no one should be allowed to rewrite the

history of Northern Ireland when we settle this? I can give him that

assurance. It would be unacceptable to set up institutions which

facilitated attempts to rewrite history. That is why the Stormont

house agreement has written very clearly into it that new views must

be objective, fair and impartial in all the work they do. My right

honourable friend was not in the House last week when I post my

urgent question about the arrest of soldier Jane, formerly of the

Parachute Regiment. In answer, her excellent and gallant friend, the

Parliamentary under secretary of state, said that she and the Irish

government decided that the best future is to move forward and not

back. Would she agree with me that seeking to prosecute former British

soldiers now in the late 60s and 70s, who have done their best to

serve their country, to prosecute them now, nearly 50 years later,

would be an injustice? I am very much aware of his long-standing

concern on this case. He will appreciate that the decisions on

policing and prosecution are rightly matters for the police and

prosecuting authorities, entirely independent of ministers. But I give

him this reassurance, I am confident that the police and I will approach

this sensitive case with all the principles of an objectivity,

fairness and impartiality respect for human rights that they display

in all of their work. Does the secretary of state recognise that

dealing with the past does not just represent a matter that we owe to

victims, but also, people want to know that we have not simply

replaced the years of dirty war with a dirty peace, and that she

recognise that the length of serious questions raised by the programme

last night, the issues placed on national security related to what

paramilitary forces did during the troubles? The UK Government is

committed to the storm at house provisions on the past, we need to

set them up, we do think it is important to give clearer answers to

fit into suffered as a result of the troubles and to do all we can to

pursue evidence of wrongdoing, but I emphasise that the vast majority of

the police and Armed Forces in Northern Ireland during the troubles

carried out their duties with exceptional courage, slavery,

integrity and professional -- bravery and professionalism. It is

not a dirty war. With permission, Mr Speaker, I will answer questions six

and ten together. The terrorist threat in Northern Ireland continues

to be severe. It has been repressed by dedicated work, but the need for

a high state of vigilance remains. So that paramilitary organisations

no longer have a place in Northern Ireland, it is important to deter

people from joining them in the first base. Can my right on of them

tell the House what measures are being taken to prevent vulnerable

young people from joining paramilitary organisations? There

are already a number of excellent programmes run by charities to deter

young people in Northern Ireland from a life of crime, or association

with paramilitary organisations. The fresh start agreement makes a

stronger commitment to increase these programmes so that young

people are shown an alternative path and not drawn into association with

terrorism or paramilitary organisations, or crime. Last

week's agreement welcome measures to tackle dissident republican groups.

What is the Minister's assessment of the threat that is still posed by

these terrorist groups? These groups have lethal intent and lethal

capability. They have been responsible for 115 national

security attacks over the past five years. The threat from these groups

is being suppressed by highly effective activity by PF Vandyke,

aided in many instances by cross-border activity. How concerned

is the secretary of state that the IRA Army council is still in place,

while IRA and is still murder citizens on our streets? It is

entirely unacceptable that any paramilitary organisations continue

to exist in Northern Ireland. I believe the fresh start agreement

will mark a turning point and put us on the path to a day when these

organisations are consigned once and for all to Northern Ireland's past,

and have nothing to do with its past or -- present or future. Order.

Questions to the Prime Minister. Fiona Bruce.

Everyone in this House and many people watching at home know from

yes, Prime Minister, the central role that Bernard, the Prime