Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Union between Northern Ireland and the Rest of the UK

Wednesday 4 November 2020 · 7 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 2 Partly answered 4 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Government committed to levelling up the UK economy, including Northern Ireland.
  • UK Government supports unfettered trade across the Irish Sea for Northern Ireland businesses.
  • 617 million committed for city and growth deals in Northern Ireland, complemented by the inclusive future fund.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Sara Britcliffe
Northern Ireland
Context

The question arises from concerns about strengthening ties and support for Northern Ireland within the UK union.

Question

What steps are being taken to strengthen the Union between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK?

Answer from Brandon Lewis

We as a Government are committed to levelling up across the whole UK, taking every opportunity to strengthen the economy of Northern Ireland. The government has supplied £2.4 billion to support Northern Ireland through the fight against coronavirus, including an extra £900 million and £200 million.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not specify concrete steps or mechanisms other than broad commitment to levelling up and providing funding for general support.

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Q2 Selaine Saxby
Brexit Business & Trade
Context

The question addresses the need for seamless trading between Northern Ireland and other parts of the UK.

Question

Does the Secretary of State agree that unfettered trade is needed across the Irish Sea to allow businesses like those in North Devon to continue trading without barriers?

Answer from Brandon Lewis

Absolutely. The UK Government has been very clear that there should be no tariffs on internal UK trade and we want to deliver unfettered access for Northern Ireland businesses moving goods from Northern Ireland to Great Britain as provided for in the protocol.

Answered
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Q3 Sara Britcliffe
Economy Northern Ireland
Context

The question focuses on the government's commitment to support economic growth in Northern Ireland through specific deals.

Question

Will my right hon. Friend confirm that £600 million is committed towards city and growth deals in Northern Ireland to boost recovery?

Answer from Brandon Lewis

Yes, we have already committed £617 million for the city and growth deals programme in Northern Ireland, which is complemented by the inclusive future fund. This totals more than £1.2 billion when combined with the Northern Ireland Executive's contributions.

Answered
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Q4 Louise Haigh Lab Sheffield Heeley
Northern Ireland Benefits & Welfare
Context

The question stems from the delay in extending the furlough scheme to cover lockdowns specifically in Northern Ireland, despite higher COVID-19 rates.

Question

Will Northern Ireland receive full backing of 80% furlough scheme if it extends or reintroduces restrictions?

Answer from Brandon Lewis

The 80% furlough scheme has been extended to businesses that need it until 2 December. The Treasury and Prime Minister will keep this under review, ensuring support for people and businesses in Northern Ireland as needed.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not provide a direct confirmation of extension or timeline beyond current review process.

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Q5 Louise Haigh Lab Sheffield Heeley
Policing & Resources Northern Ireland
Context

The question addresses the delivery of promises made in NDNA, particularly regarding police numbers and funding for vital community policing.

Question

Will the Secretary of State ensure the Finance Bill is used to deliver promised 7,500 police numbers for Northern Ireland under NDNA?

Answer from Brandon Lewis

We have been working with the devolved Administrations and continue to assess programme delivery. Policing in Northern Ireland is a devolved matter; we work closely with PSNI on ensuring they have needed funding through regular conversations.

Not addressed: Changed topic from Finance Bill to general discussions about NDNA commitments without addressing specific police numbers or finance bill inclusion.

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Q6 Jeffrey M. Donaldson DUP
Northern Ireland Culture, Media & Sport
Context

The Resurgam Trust in the questioner's constituency and the Schomberg Society in the Mournes are noted for their transformational work at a community level, promoting heritage and culture.

Question

The Secretary of State will be aware that strengthening the Union is also a matter for the local community level. The Government committed to establishing a culture and community fund as part of New Decade, New Approach to promote our heritage and culture at community level. What steps has he taken to implement that fund?

Answer from Brandon Lewis

We provided a further £2 billion of funding to implement the New Decade, New Approach agreement. We have ring-fenced £140 million for Northern Ireland's unique circumstances. That fund can cover a range of projects that support community reconciliation initiatives to ensure that we are removing barriers and bringing people in Northern Ireland together. The allocation of funding for specific projects remains subject to final decisions.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The exact steps taken to implement the culture and community fund were not specified, only general funding details provided.

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Q7 Jeffrey M. Donaldson DUP
Northern Ireland Business & Trade
Context

The Government committed to scoping the establishment of a Northern Ireland hub in London as part of New Decade, New Approach.

Question

Staying with the agreement, the Government also gave a commitment to scope the establishment of a Northern Ireland hub here in London. Given the current economic situation, does the Secretary of State agree that such a hub is important for strengthening Northern Ireland's economic position and its trade with the rest of the United Kingdom?

Answer from Brandon Lewis

We are committed to the agreement and to scoping the potential for a Northern Ireland hub in London. We will be working with the Northern Ireland Executive to explore options for delivering such a hub, which would complement Invest Northern Ireland and the Northern Ireland Office itself.

Partly answered

Not addressed: No specific commitment or timeline was given regarding the establishment of a hub.

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