Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Power Sharing

Wednesday 9 November 2022 · 3 questions

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 1 Partly answered 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Tan Dhesi asked the Secretary of State about recent discussions on power sharing in Northern Ireland and whether these discussions have been shared with Cabinet colleagues.
  • Tan Dhesi questioned if the Secretary of State was overruled by the Prime Minister regarding a reported call for an election.
  • Oliver Heald praised the Secretary of State for initiating talks on power sharing and stressed the importance of reaching an agreement for cooperation with Europe.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Tan Dhesi Lab Slough
Northern Ireland
Context

The ongoing political situation in Northern Ireland requires regular engagement and discussions among parties to maintain stability.

Question

What recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on power sharing in Northern Ireland. He engages regularly with the Northern Ireland parties, speaking to all Executive party leaders this morning, but wants to know if these discussions have been shared with other Cabinet members.

Answer from Chris Heaton-Harris

I engage regularly with the Northern Ireland parties—indeed, I spoke to all the Executive party leaders only this morning—and I will continue to keep my Cabinet colleagues fully apprised of those discussions.

Answered
Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Q2 Tan Dhesi Lab Slough
Northern Ireland Democracy & Elections
Context

The Secretary of State previously stated he would call an election but did not follow through, leaving Northern Ireland in political uncertainty.

Question

Reports suggest the Secretary of State was overruled by the Prime Minister. Is that true? He referenced a statement made to the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee about calling an election at one minute past midnight on 28 October, which did not happen and left the situation unresolved. He asks if this non-occurrence is due to direct overruling or misleading of the committee.

Answer from Chris Heaton-Harris

I do not believe that I was overruled by the Prime Minister.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Clarification on misleading the committee

How: Did Not Address The Accusation Of Misleading

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Q3 Oliver Heald Con
Northern Ireland Foreign Affairs
Context

The UK-EU Parliamentary Partnership Assembly discussed issues related to the protocol in Northern Ireland, urging for an agreement between the Government and European Commission.

Question

He commends the Secretary of State on initiating talks but encourages him to reach a decision. Voices from across Europe raised concerns about the situation in Northern Ireland during the assembly discussions, stressing that reaching an agreement is essential for further cooperation on various issues.

Answer from Chris Heaton-Harris

I thank my right hon. and learned Friend for the work he does in the Assembly. It is a vital new institution, which has deep roots in the European Parliament as well as this Parliament, and it will add great value to our discussions.

Not addressed: Finalizing decision on Northern Ireland protocol issue

How: Discussed Assembly'S Importance Instead Of Addressing Specific Issue

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)