Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Restoration of Power Sharing

Wednesday 17 January 2024 · 11 questions

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 3 Partly answered 8 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Ministerial discussions at Hillsborough Castle focused on restoring the Northern Ireland Executive.
  • The DUP's concerns include issues related to the Northern Ireland protocol and goods availability.
  • The 3.3 billion financial package is tied to the restoration of the Northern Ireland Executive budget.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Catherine West Lab Hornsey and Friern Barnet
Northern Ireland
Context

The situation has been ongoing for four years with the collapse of institutions on February 3, 2022.

Question

What recent discussions have you had with party leaders regarding the restoration of power sharing and the formation of a new Northern Ireland Executive?

Answer from Chris Heaton-Harris

I recently held discussions at Hillsborough Castle on Monday with political party leaders focused on restoring the Northern Ireland Executive and addressing related issues.

Answered
Was this summary accurate? Tell us

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

Q2 Stephen Morgan Lab Portsmouth South
Northern Ireland
Context

Ongoing negotiations have not yet resulted in the restoration of the Executive.

Question

What does the Secretary of State think the DUP is looking for during ongoing negotiations?

Answer from Chris Heaton-Harris

The Northern Ireland protocol has been a concern, specifically how leaving the EU impacted goods availability and Northern Ireland's status within UK influence, but the Windsor framework addressed this issue.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not address what the DUP is seeking in negotiations.

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

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

Q3 Stephen Farry
Economy Taxation Northern Ireland
Context

A financial package of £3.3 billion was proposed to address the crisis in public services.

Question

Will the Secretary of State consider releasing elements of a £3.3 billion financial package to address public sector pay pressures?

Answer from Chris Heaton-Harris

The package is fair and generous, but funds are tied to a restored Executive budget from this place, not available otherwise.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not commit to releasing parts of the £3.3 billion package.

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

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

Q4 Sarah Jones Lab Croydon West
Northern Ireland
Context

The lack of a functioning assembly affects public service and potential strike action.

Question

What efforts are being made to restore the Northern Ireland Executive given ongoing issues with bills, strikes, and other matters?

Answer from Chris Heaton-Harris

There is significant activity including meetings galore, especially with the DUP, but progress depends on interlocutors involved.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not provide specific details about meetings and conversations.

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

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

Q5 Catherine West Lab Hornsey and Friern Barnet
Economy Northern Ireland Local Government
Context

Industrial action is due to hard-pressed public servants feeling at their wits' end.

Question

Would it not be better if the Assembly were functioning normally so that issues like this could be resolved?

Answer from Chris Heaton-Harris

A £3.3 billion package is available for a restored Executive to address public service needs, including pay pressures.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not address whether a functioning Assembly would help resolve current issues.

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

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

Q6 Robert Buckland Con
Northern Ireland
Context

Direct rule requires primary legislation under the St Andrews agreement.

Question

Is it not right that, were direct rule contemplated, primary legislation would be needed, and should we aim to restore governance at Stormont?

Answer from Chris Heaton-Harris

We do not want to go down the route of direct rule or joint authority; our aim is to find a form that allows the Executive to reform, which we are working on with Northern Ireland colleagues.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not directly address whether primary legislation would be needed for direct rule.

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

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

Q7 Shailesh Vara Con
Northern Ireland
Context

The Republic of Ireland has taken an interstate case against the UK Government regarding the Legacy and Reconciliation Act.

Question

Does my right hon. Friend agree that it is regrettable for the Taoiseach to pander to his domestic audience rather than focus on Northern Ireland's greater good?

Answer from Chris Heaton-Harris

The decision by the Republic of Ireland to pursue an inter-state case is unhelpful and unfortunate, affecting efforts to bring justice to victims of troubles through the Legacy Act.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not comment on whether the Taoiseach is pandering to his domestic audience.

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

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

Q8 Hilary Benn Lab Leeds South
Northern Ireland
Context

Following the conclusion of talks on the Windsor framework, there is a deadline for restoring the Northern Irish Executive. The House voted in March to support the framework.

Question

Now that the talks have concluded, with the House having voted overwhelmingly to support the Windsor framework back in March, Labour Members stand by our commitment to implement it if we were to be in government, and we support the efforts the Government are making to restore the institutions. Furthermore, it is worth pointing out that there would be no prospect of negotiating with the European Union further arrangements of benefit to Northern Ireland if the UK were to renege, again, on an international agreement it has signed. Will the Secretary of State confirm that if the Executive are not restored by tomorrow evening, he will need to bring forward legislation to postpone the elections?

Answer from Chris Heaton-Harris

I thank the right hon. Gentleman for his question and for his affirmation of the work done on the Windsor framework. Obviously, I will be doing everything I can to ensure that it is not a Labour Government who come in to do any of this in the future. However, he is right to say that as of midnight on Thursday—tomorrow night—I will need to bring in primary legislation, because a duty falls on me to call an election for the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Answered
Was this summary accurate? Tell us

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

Q9 Hilary Benn Lab Leeds South
Employment Northern Ireland
Context

Public sector workers in Northern Ireland are set to go on strike due to a lack of a pay rise for almost three years. Leaders and the head of civil service have called on the Secretary of State to release available money for pay increases.

Question

I am grateful for that clarification. The absence of the Executive and the failure to sort out the urgent question of public sector pay is going to result in the biggest strike in Northern Ireland for many years tomorrow. Some workers have not had a pay rise for almost three years—that is not sustainable. As we await the restoration of the institutions, the party leaders and indeed the head of the civil service in Northern Ireland have all called on the Secretary of State to release the money for pay, which he has said is available. Will he now do so, so that public sector workers in Northern Ireland can get the pay increase they deserve?

Answer from Chris Heaton-Harris

I am acutely aware of the industrial action scheduled for tomorrow and the detrimental impact it will have on public services. I hear the call from the right hon. Gentleman and others to step in, but let me put this into a slightly different context. Public sector pay is devolved to Northern Ireland, and he will know that, as I mentioned earlier, this Parliament set the budget for Northern Ireland this year, with primary legislation.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The Secretary of State did not commit to releasing the available money for public sector pay increases but emphasized that decisions on such matters are devolved and should be made by local politicians.

How: Context, Devolution

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

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

Q10 Gavin Robinson DUP Belfast East
Northern Ireland
Context

The Secretary of State has mentioned that the Northern Ireland protocol does not enjoy support from any Unionist in Northern Ireland. The restoration of institutions is contingent on confidence within both nationalist and unionist communities.

Question

The Secretary of State will know that Northern Ireland can benefit from power sharing arrangements only when those institutions enjoy the support and confidence of both the nationalist and Unionist communities. I think I have previously heard him accept that the Northern Ireland protocol does not enjoy the support of any Unionist in Northern Ireland. Despite references to talks having concluded in December, the Secretary of State helpfully indicated on Monday this week that further progress had been made. Does he accept that the restoration of institutions will be secured only when that confidence within the Unionist community is put where it needs to be?

Answer from Chris Heaton-Harris

I thank the hon. Gentleman for his question and for the many, many hours of work that he personally has put into the talks we have been having. They are detailed talks and it is a complex situation. I have said before, because it is absolutely obvious, that the Unionists in Northern Ireland are deeply unhappy with the existing Northern Ireland protocol.

Answered
Was this summary accurate? Tell us

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

Q11 Gavin Robinson DUP Belfast East
Employment Northern Ireland Local Government
Context

Public sector workers are set to strike due to a lack of pay increases. The Secretary of State had secured the availability of funding, but release is being delayed.

Question

I appreciate the Secretary of State's remarks. He will have heard the concerns around the general strike, which will be called tomorrow. He will know that his Government dismissed our calls when we said that there simply was not sufficient money. He knows we had to battle for sufficient money and that in the run-up to Christmas he personally secured the availability of that money. The release of the funds is called for by the DUP, every political party in Northern Ireland, the head of the Northern Ireland civil service and, this morning, 50 chief executives of public sector agencies across Northern Ireland. I do not believe there is a lack of will on the Secretary of State's part, but this is a choice—a political choice that the Government can make. Will the Secretary of State use today to encourage his Government colleagues, the Treasury and anyone else who believes that using public sector workers as blackmail or political pawns is beneficial in any way?

Answer from Chris Heaton-Harris

I thank the hon. Gentleman for his question and the way that he put it. As I mentioned earlier, public sector pay is devolved and is properly a matter for locally elected politicians who are best placed to take decisions in that space.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The Secretary of State did not commit to encouraging his government colleagues to release funds but stated that the issue is devolved to local politicians.

How: Devolution, Context

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

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