Shailesh Vara: The Northern Ireland Office holds general diversity data for people appointed to senior positions. Information on socio-economic background is not held by the Department.
Shailesh Vara: Northern Ireland has proven itself to be a top destination for foreign direct investment, with over 900 international companies investing in Northern Ireland. The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and I regularly champion new investment announcements in Northern Ireland, which show that Northern Ireland continues to be a great place to invest and do business, and the Secretary of...
Shailesh Vara: The Northern Ireland Office is involved in the planning of Decade of Centenaries commemorations in Northern Ireland, but does not yet have plans to commemorate the centenary of the creation of Northern Ireland in 2021. The Secretary of State and I will continue to work with all the NI parties, and with the Irish Government as appropriate, to remove the barriers to restoring the Executive...
Shailesh Vara: Reserved matters, where the Northern Ireland Assembly can legislate with the consent of the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, are outlined in Schedule 3 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 and include: firearms and explosivesfinancial services and pensions regulationbroadcastingimport and export controlsnavigation and civil aviationinternational trade and financial...
Shailesh Vara: The UK Government is determined to deliver the best deal for the whole of our United Kingdom, including Northern Ireland. As the December Joint Report makes clear, we are committed to avoiding a hard border, including any physical infrastructure or related checks and controls, while maintaining the constitutional and economic integrity of the United Kingdom. We have proposed a...
Shailesh Vara: On 11 May 2018, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland launched the public consultation, ‘Addressing the Legacy of Northern Ireland’s Past’. The consultation sets out how the proposed institutions will work in practice and provides everyone who has an interest with the opportunity to see the proposed way forward and contribute to the discussion on the issues. The consultation was...
Shailesh Vara: This Government has committed to a comprehensive and ambitious set of city deals across Northern Ireland to boost investment and help unlock Northern Ireland’s full potential. We have opened negotiations with local partners in the Belfast City Regions on a possible Deal and the Chancellor has invited Derry & Strabane District Council to also submit their proposals for a City Deal. Both...
Shailesh Vara: As set out in the Joint Report, the UK and the EU are committed to ensuring that our departure does not lead to a hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland. Our White Paper outlines a new and detailed proposal for a principled, pragmatic and ambitious future partnership between the UK and the EU and would enable us to meet these commitments. We firmly believe it is in the interests...
Shailesh Vara: As set out in the Joint Report, the UK and the EU are committed to ensuring that our departure does not lead to a hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland. Our White Paper outlines a new and detailed proposal for a principled, pragmatic and ambitious future partnership between the UK and the EU and would enable us to meet these commitments. We firmly believe it is in the interests...
Shailesh Vara: On 11 May 2018, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland launched the public consultation, ‘Addressing the Legacy of Northern Ireland’s Past’. The consultation provides everyone who has an interest with the opportunity to see the proposed way forward and contribute to the discussion on the issues. There has been extensive stakeholder engagement and following calls for additional...
Shailesh Vara: This Government is clear that it is only due to the unstinting efforts of our Police and Armed Forces that we have peace in Northern Ireland today. We have always acknowledged our ongoing duty of care to our former soldiers which includes providing legal support and representation. Policing in Northern Ireland is a devolved matter. It is the role of the Police Federation to represent and...
Shailesh Vara: May I start by paying tribute to Lord Melchett who, when he was in the House of Commons, was Peter Melchett? He did outstanding service to the nation when he was here. Indeed, he was a Minister of State in the Northern Ireland Office in 1976. May I also say, Mr Speaker, that in the past 36 hours or so in Northern Ireland there have been three car crashes, which have taken the lives of four...
Shailesh Vara: I make it absolutely clear to the hon. Lady that it is our intention that there will be no hard border and no physical infrastructure. The people of this country voted in the referendum, and this Government’s intention is to make sure that we are not part of the single market or the customs union. The whole United Kingdom, including Northern Ireland, will be leaving those two institutions.
Shailesh Vara: As far as the referendum is concerned, it was not a regional referendum but a national referendum, and the people of the United Kingdom took a decision to leave. On the hon. Gentleman’s second point, let me make it absolutely clear that we are committed to ensuring that the devolved Administration is up and running again. We are working very hard to ensure that that happens. He should...
Shailesh Vara: I assure my hon. Friend that we are in regular contact with all stakeholders in Northern Ireland, including the police. There is detailed planning for a no-deal scenario, but we very much hope that that will not be the case.
Shailesh Vara: I am grateful to my right hon. Friend for putting that point at the forefront of our proceedings following the recess. He is absolutely right: Michel Barnier made the commitment; and the European Union and Britain signed up to the joint report in December. We intend to hold him to it.
Shailesh Vara: I assure the right hon. Gentleman that we will issue guidance in the future. We are working on it at the moment and working with all the stakeholders. It will be forthcoming in the not-too-distant future, I hope.
Shailesh Vara: I assure the right hon. Gentleman that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State spoke to the Chief Constable this morning. We are in regular dialogue and we are considering the proposals that he has put forward. That is what I can say. We hope to come up with a solution in due course.
Shailesh Vara: It is important to remember that 58% of the external sales of Northern Ireland—over £14 billion—is with the rest of the United Kingdom. That is four times more than its trade with Ireland.
Shailesh Vara: Clearly we have a responsibility as a Government to business people in respect of what we will do or what we intend to do, but we cannot speak for other countries. It therefore of course makes eminent sense for businesses in Northern Ireland that do deals across the border to consult so that they find out what is happening with other EU countries. The UK Government cannot speak for the Irish...