Northern Ireland Questions House of Commons

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round-ups of both houses of

parliament. First, James

Brokenshire.

Order, order. Questions

to the Secretary of State for

Northern Ireland.

Question number

one.

The Secretary of State for

Northern Ireland, secondary James

Brokenshire.

Thank you, Mr Speaker.

A clear intent is to avoid any

physical infrastructure on the land

border and we welcome the commission

's commitment to this as an

important step forward. The success

of the land border comes from the

fact that it's a seamless and

invisible. They are resolute in

ensuring this remains the case.

Will

be Government incorporate safeguards

to protect the peace process and

ensure compliance with the Good

Friday Agreement, including in EU

withdrawal Bill?

What I would say to

the honourable lady is that we are

resolutely committed to upholding

both the Good Friday Agreement in

all its parts and finding a solution

that works for the people of

Northern Ireland and Ireland. We

have had continued engagement with

the commission. We have in our

judgment made a good progress in

relation to this. In that, there are

various principles that have been

agreed which may well need to be

incorporated with any final

agreement.

To what extent does my

honourable friend think that the

European Commission has considered

articles eight and 21 of the Lisbon

Treaty that requires the EU to

develop a special relationship with

its neighbours and new to preserve

peace and prevent conflict? To what

extent will that be achieved by

driving a border between Northern

Ireland and its biggest trading

partner by far. That is to say the

United Kingdom of Great Britain.

And

grateful for my honourable friend's

comments and clearly we respect the

European Union's desire to protect

the legal order of the single market

and the customs union but that

cannot come and the constitutional

and economic integrity of the United

Kingdom. As he said, we do recognise

the need for specific solutions for

the unique circumstances of Northern

Ireland, that I think there is a

responsibility to all of us to be

thoughtful and creative but that

cannot amount to a new border

appearing within the United Kingdom.

Thank you. May I ask the Secretary

of State is the Northern Ireland

Office has produced an analysis of

the impact of Brexit on Northern

Ireland that will contribute to the

rumoured 58 articles, the sectoral

analyses that we know are being

produced? Will to all such materials

as his ex-EU colleagues have already

done?

I thank the honourable

gentleman for highlighting the

sectoral were currently 58 different

areas of activity Kamal trade is

conducted with the EU currently and

what the potential alternatives

might be. I can say that the

Northern Ireland Office has

contributed at official level to

network cross Government and he will

well know that the commitments being

made are to the publication of that

ongoing work.

Isn't it the case that

no one can decide what arrangements

mean putting in place on the Irish

border if indeed any will be needed

until such time as trade

negotiations have been concluded?

Isn't it the case that the EU should

get in those trade negotiations now?

That I get on with those.

-- get on with those.

We want to proceed with the doctrine

that is the message I get to Michel

Barnier when I was in Brussels next

-- last week. Insignificant progress

to the first phase and that is where

our focus remains in seeing that

they, yes, demonstrate our

commitment to this first three items

but getting on with the second phase

which absolutely is about the

injuring relationship and part of

that is very firmly solving the

issues in relation to Northern

Ireland and Ireland.

Thank you. Can

I warmly welcome what the Secretary

of State has said about the no

creation of new borders in part of

the United Kingdom and canny be

assured that we have supported him

on that and it would be catastrophic

if not politically disastrous for

Northern Ireland to be separated in

any way from its biggest market as

he says and he has our full support

in that stands?

And grateful to the

honourable gentleman for his

comments and the solutions that we

are determined in finding create no

barriers, north, south, east or west

for the trading and constitutional

issues that he rightly highlights.

That remains firm intent and I

believe that some of the commitment

that already have been made by the

commission underlined that but

clearly we need to get a firm

agreement in that regard.

On this

issue of the hard border in the EU

and the Brexit negotiations, as he

knows today Sinn Fein instead of

coming to the house are taking place

in the assembly and being in the

executive are down in Dublin

pleading with their political

opponents for relevance and hacking

for more Dublin influence any

internal affairs of Northern

Ireland. Will they this opportunity

to reiterate the clear position of

the UK and the Irish governments to

set out the Belfast agreement? The

Strand one internal issues of

Northern Ireland are an matter for

the UK Government at this house

alone.

Mr Speaker, I think the

honourable gentleman firmly set out

the framework, because additional

frame at a Northern Ireland, the

Belfast Good Friday Agreement,

principle of consent. Very firmly,

the three strand approach and to be

clear, it is ultimately for the UK

Government to provide certainty of

the delivery of public services in

the Strand one issues in relation to

Northern Ireland.

Thank you. Could I

have my honourable friend if,

regardless of the border set up, we

hope it's invisible, regardless of

this, the security services and the

police services of the north and

east now must work in the closest

possible way and that is part of

Brexit as well.

I totally agree with

my honourable friend in relation to

the strength of cooperation between

the PSNI in all levels in terms of

fighting terrorism and organised

crime and tally resolute against

this threat and how we are

strengthened by the cooperation and

how that needs to deepen and

flourish further in the years ahead.

I welcome those words from the

Secretary of State for the crimes of

dishonesty of course as well as

violence mark the troubles. What

provisions is he making to prevent

any future hard border against

smuggling and organised crime? What

assessment he made of the increasing

border Force officers needed to

secure any hard border?

On the last

point, we are firmly working on the

basis that a hard border will not

happen. That's a quarterly common

travel area and that the work

jointly as part of the negotiations

underpinned Nat. I would point to

positive joint work between Revenue

and Customs agencies in Northern

Ireland and in the Republic, too, to

confront organised crime and work

with the National Crime Agency, that

is being strengthened even further.

Thank you. It's very kind of you.

The Secretary of State will know

perfectly well that his Cabinet

colleague, the Brexit secretary, is

preparing for a no deal Brexit. If

we have no deal, that will

inevitably mean a hard border for

Northern Ireland and that would be a

capacity for Northern Ireland. Just

for once, with the Secretary of

State set aside his diplomatic speak

and explain to the people of

Northern Ireland how the Government

would take back control of the

Northern Ireland border in the UK

crashes out of the EU?

I think it

rightly focus on getting that deal.

Our support Common travel area,

which is equally supported by the

Irish governments and the principles

that have already been agreed in

relation to be progress on the first

phase of the negotiations. That is

where our focus right the remains

and I believe that remains fully

achievable. -- firmly achievable.

Question number two.

Thank you. The

communal line continues to grow with

42,000 people in work than 2010, and

read investment playing an important

part in that successful as we

develop our new regulation ships and

expand global trade network, we will

continue to promote Northern Ireland

have a place to invest and do

business.

I think the minister is

seeking to put this question number

three. That of the honourable

gentleman for Whitney who we would

not wish to exclude.

I thank my

honourable friend for her reply.

Would she confirmed that the

Government remains committed to

devolving tax powers to the

executive in order to help Northern

Ireland better compete with Ireland

for investment and jobs? For this to

happen, we need a fully functioning

set of sustainable finances.

Mr

Speaker, my honourable friend is

absolutely right. The imperative

front is to see a fully functioning

executive restored so it can take

these kind of steps to support the

economy along with many, many other

things on it to do list.

Thank you.

Would my honourable friend please

confirm that Northern Ireland

remains one of the most attractive

part of the UK in which to invest

and the key to continuing this will

be working with the restored

executive to ensure that Northern

Ireland benefits from the modern

industrial strategy?

Again, Mr

Speaker, this is precisely the point

in front of us. Northern Ireland has

already proven itself to be a top

destination for inward investment in

the last year alone unwelcoming 22

new investors, which brings 34 new

foreign investment projects, more

than 1600 new jobs. But you can

exact kind of thing further, we need

an executive in place.

In 2007,

intelligible devolution, the parties

in Northern Ireland collectively

agreed to throw their weight behind

the important work of growing the

economy in Northern Ireland to

achieving success particularly in

relation to direct investment. Any

Minister outlined how you will

assist, invest NI in the absence of

ministers because Sinn Fein reviewed

this to get back into Government and

deliver for Northern Ireland.

Mr

Speaker, the honourable lady draws

us into some of the themes that we

get to at some length in this place

on Monday night. This Government is

prepared to do everything necessary

to support the good governance of

Northern Ireland. The point remains

that our first priority is to see an

executive restored so that it can do

its part of the economic development

we all want to see for Rossetti, for

the rest of Northern Ireland and

indeed for the good of the old

United Kingdom as they also face the

large task of EU experts.

Will the Minister ensure that the

government 's efforts to bring

inward investment focus on the whole

of Northern Ireland, including

places like Newry, Omar, and

Londonderry,/ dairy.

I look back 20

last week when I was in the Newry,

talking to teenagers about the

future they want for Northern

Ireland and that is extremely

important. We need to look across

the entire area and ensure we are

working for all of the people in the

Northern Ireland as well as all the

people in the United Kingdom.

Mr

Speaker, this government is

committed for a strategy that works

for everyone. We want to deliver

growth across the country and

support and create jobs in Northern

Ireland. Ultimately the requirement

for strong growth is political

stability so I say again that we

received a restored executive.

The

UK Government 's pledged to fund the

EU peace for a interrater up until

2020, there is still already strong

third party cooperation in the

northern Arctic programme so will

bid UK seat that third country

status after Brexit or after 2020,

given the strong involvement in

Northern Ireland in intereg or as

the government looking at an option

to replace it?

This is a very

important point. I would be more

than happy to write on the detail

but in brief the government will

guarantee funding for structural and

investment funds projects signed

until the point at which we leave

the EU. We have spoken specifically

about European territorial

cooperation fund of which this is a

part and we have a position paper on

Ireland and Northern Ireland and we

think it is important to endeavour

to see those funds continue.

With

the Minister agree with me that too

many people are concentrating on

potential threats that may emerge

after Brexit but what is she doing

to try and promote businesses in

Northern Ireland who have a

fantastic opportunity to take

advantage of getting business into

GB as well as into the EU,

strategically placed, as they are,

in Northern Ireland.

I think the

honourable gentleman raises an

important point. There are a few

things to say on this. The first is

that we ought to pay tribute to

those businesses in Northern Ireland

that have created so many thousands

of jobs, for example we see more

than 10,000 new jobs having been

created in the last year alone which

is important progress. Secondly I

would say this government will never

be neutral on the subject of the

union and you will see our support

on the trade that leads to go

between Northern Ireland and Great

Britain. Our exit from the European

Union gives additional opportunities

for firms in Northern Ireland to

trade around the globe that is an

opportunity to be seized.

On that

precise point trade between Northern

Ireland and Ireland is important but

far outstripped by trade between

Northern Ireland and Great Britain.

Will the Minister confirm that the

Conservative government will do

nothing to fracture the internal

market of the United Kingdom.

Yes,

Mr Speaker, I certainly can. We are

convinced of the need to go out and

seek those opportunities around the

globe that will bring more jobs to

Northern Ireland, greater prosperity

to both Northern Ireland and the

United Kingdom together because we

are stronger together.

Number five,

Mr Speaker. With permission I will

answer questions five and 12

together. The government has a clear

manifesto commitment to work towards

a comprehensive and ambitious set of

city deals across Northern Ireland,

to boost investment and unlock

Northern Ireland 's full potential.

The Communities Secretary and I have

already had early discussions with

partners in the Belfast city

regions.

I would like to confirm

that city deals developed by this

government have been a success

across Great Britain and that

Northern Ireland stands to benefit

immensely from their development

over there.

I can. The fact is that

Northern Ireland has had no city

deals, whereas England, Scotland and

Wales have made 33 deals worth up to

£4.9 billion. It is the change that

that brings. The other finance that

that is able to unlock and that is

why we do believe very strongly that

there is a firm place for city deals

in Northern Ireland and we are

committed to advancing map.

Can my

right honourable friend give an

assurance that as an England, it is

important that the provincial towns

benefit from city deals and Willie

ensure that not just Belfast but the

whole of Northern Ireland benefit

from the growth of city deals?

Absolutely. We want to see the

benefit of city deals being felt

across Northern Ireland down whilst

the Belfast city region have been

advancing their own proposals it is

right that we do look across

Northern Ireland and to the

north-west and all parts to see that

the benefit of city deals is felt

firmly and the transformative effect

that can be brought about is felled.

The Secretary of State should be

encouraged that discussions continue

apace at local level in the Belfast

city region and with officials at a

regional and national level as well,

but with no Assembly sitting and the

Democratic participant of deficit in

this arrangement, how will he

encourage the involvement of

representatives in that Belfast

region and in this House to see the

project come to fruition?

Is the

honourable gentleman knows, I have

had some initial discussions with

honourable and right honourable

members as well as with Belfast City

Council at that initial phase. We

are looking carefully as to how this

work can move forward practically

through officials and other means.

It is that determination that I have

to see city deals taking effect and

the benefit of that being felt and

how that engagement will continue to

make that happen.

Number six,

please.

With your position I will --

with your permission I will answer

this question 13 together. The

fundamentals of the Northern Ireland

economy remains strong growth last

year at 1.6%. Economic activity is

up and exports have risen.

Unemployment has fallen to levels

not seen since before the Labour

recession of 2008 and 42,000 more

people are in work compared to 2010.

I thank the Minister for the answer.

Can the Minister confirm that the

unemployment rate in Northern

Ireland today is 4.7%, down from 7%

under the party opposite and any

return to the high tax and

out-of-control spending a record

deficit of the Labour years would

have a disastrous impact on the

Northern Ireland economy.

I

certainly would. Under this

Conservative government unemployment

is at its lowest level in four

decades. Label would put all of that

at risk and we want to see over 1000

jobs continue to be created per day.

Excessive noise in the chamber. We

are discussing... Order! Matters of

very great importance to the people

of Northern Ireland and they should

be treated with respect. As should

the honourable lady, the member for

Chelmsford, who is about to ask her

question.

Thank you. Does the

Minister agree that was the recent

performance of the Northern Ireland

economy is strong thanks in large

part to this Conservative

government, the sparkling gem of our

country that is Northern Ireland

still has the potential to do better

and this would be boosted by the

restoration of an executive with

local ministers taking local

decisions?

Mr Speaker, my honourable

friend is absolutely right and I

know she knows the region well. She

will know that tourism numbers, for

example, for the first six months of

2017, have hit a high record and

Belfast and the Causeway Coast are

being rated the best region in the

world to visit in the coming year by

lonely planet. What we need to do to

continue that kind of progress is

our ad political stability to the

mix so economic development can

continue to be supported.

The

Minister will know that there has

been some good results out this

morning as far as the economy of

Northern Ireland but also would she

agree that this party has negotiated

a fantastic deal with the Tory party

which will help to create jobs in

Northern Ireland and strengthen the

economy in the future?

Everybody in

this House ought to celebrate their

being further economic progress in

Northern Ireland and there being a

strong government that can do that

and support economic progress for

the whole of the United Kingdom.

Could the Minister indicate to the

House who is now responsible for

expenditure on this area? Who will

sign of projects on this area? Will

parties other than Sinn Fein and the

DUP be consulted on those

expenditure proposals?

The right

honourable gentleman is a

distinctive Northern Ireland

minister and he is entitled to be

heard by courtesy at the very least

by members of his own benches.

The

Right Honourable gentleman raises

important points that again were

given a very good debate in this

chamber on Monday night. The point

is that we wish for political

progress to be seen through the

formation of an executive where

accountability would be extremely

clear. In the interim period we see

that measures have not been put in

place by this House on Monday night

to allow the Northern Ireland civil

service to continue to spend as is

required by the population of

Northern Ireland and they are under

a duty to do so fairly and equally

between communities.

Number seven,

Mr Speaker.

Maintaining our strong

historic ties with Northern Ireland

is an important priority including

the rights of our citizens in the

UK, as provided for in domestic

legislation including the Northern

Ireland act 1949. These reciprocal

arrangements reflect the

long-standing social and economic

ties between UK and Ireland.

Along

with the Ireland act of 1949 the

Good Friday Agreement has been a

pillar of progress and also meant

that political funding rules in

Northern Ireland are different to

the rest of the United Kingdom. At

the weekend and investigation

revealed the constitutional research

Council, an organisation with ties

to the Scottish Conservative Party

has been given a record fine for

failing to disclose the origin of

£425,000 of donation to the DUP. Can

the secretary of state in light of

the House today as to why the

constitutional research Council was

given the filing the first place?

All I can say to the honourable

gentleman is that in respect of the

constitutional arrangements, yes, of

course we uphold the Belfast Good

Friday Agreement and we are

determined that will be reflected

into the final deal but I cannot

offer him any more greater insight

into the other matters he has

brought into the House.

I know from previous questions at

the honourable lady is concerned on

a particular circumstances that can

apply to claimants in Northern

Ireland. The DWP and the Northern

Ireland Department for communities

have worked closely together to

enable the exemption for

nonconsensual conception to be

applied sensitively. As I said to

the honourable lady in July this

year guidance states that women

applying for this exception do not

have to tell a third party the name

of the other biological parent, nor

is there a requirement of the third

party to seek any further evidence

beyond confirming that the exception

should apply.

I have been pursuing

this issue for over two years now.

That answer is simply not good

enough. When I visited Belfast

recently the Northern Ireland

women's aid Federation, doctors,

nurses, midwives, social workers,

all expressed their serious, loans

about the applications of this

policy for women fleeing domestic

is, both of whom can be prosecuted

under the criminal Law act in

Northern Ireland. Will she act now

and speaking the Prime Minister 's

ear and ask for this policy to be

scrapped once and for all?

No, I

went. She making the answer is not

good enough but it has the merit of

being true.

Can the Minister simply

confirm that women rape victims in

Northern Ireland will be at risk of

potential prosecution as a result of

these measures? Yes, or no?

No.

I

think the Minister and I hope the

Prime Minister need to reflect on

that answer because I have a letter

here from the Director of Public

Prosecutions in Northern Ireland who

said in answer to my question about

this very issue, it is a potential

offence to withhold information

regarding an act of rape. The

legislation does not distinguish

between a Victor Mansaray third

party to whom disclosure is made.

Each is potentially liable to

prosecution. How on earth can the

government countenance making women

in Northern Ireland who are subject

to rape imprisonable under the law?

How can she accept that?

The fact

is, Mr Speaker, we are not doing so.

As I answered to the honourable

lady, there is clear guidance on the

former makes the legal position very

clear and we have sensitively