Commons Sense

House of Commons · Written Ministerial Statement

Report of the Independent Reviewer for National Security Arrangements 2024

08 July 2025 · Northern Ireland Office

Proposed by Hilary Benn Lab Leeds South

Democracy & ElectionsNorthern Ireland

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

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At a glance

Key points

  • Hilary Benn presents Dr Jonny Byrne's report on the Independent Reviewer for National Security Arrangements in Northern Ireland for 2024.
  • The report highlights compliance with Annex E of the St Andrews Agreement and significant reductions in security-related incidents in 2024.
  • The report discusses challenges in defining 'national security issues' and potential implications for future policy discussions on normalisation.

Issue summary

Hilary Benn presents a summary of Dr Jonny Byrne's report on the Independent Reviewer for National Security Arrangements in Northern Ireland for 2024.

Action requested

The minister provides a detailed summary of the report, highlighting compliance with Annex E of the St Andrews Agreement and noting significant reductions in security-related incidents in 2024. The report also discusses the challenges in defining 'national security issues' and the potential implications for future policy discussions on normalisation.

Key facts

  • Dr Jonny Byrne is the Independent Reviewer of National Security Arrangements in Northern Ireland.
  • There were no national security attacks in Northern Ireland in 2024, compared to one each in 2023 and 2022.
  • The NIRT threat level was lowered from SEVERE to SUBSTANTIAL on 6 March 2024.
  • Six bombing incidents and seventeen shooting incidents occurred in 2024, compared with eight bombings and thirty-three shootings in 2023.
  • There were sixty-seven security related arrests under Section 41 of the Terrorism Act 2000, with nine persons subsequently charged.
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