Tag: Jeffrey M. Donaldson

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jeffrey M. Donaldson on 2016-01-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what discussions she has had with the Home Secretary on the oral and written evidence provided by the Government to the Joint Committee on the Draft Investigatory Powers Bill.

Mrs Theresa Villiers

I have been in regular contact with the Home Secretary on the Investigatory Powers Bill since drafting began last year. The Government is fully aware of the crucial importance of this legislation for combating terrorism in Northern Ireland. In November, the Home Secretary and I met to discuss the pre-legislative scrutiny process and the latest draft of the Bill that has been examined by the Joint Committee.

Between November and January, the Government provided detailed evidence to the Joint Committee, including the Home Secretary’s oral evidence given last week. The Government’s evidence has explained the provisions of the Bill in detail and has set out the necessity of the powers as well as the safeguards that are to apply.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jeffrey M. Donaldson on 2016-02-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress his Department has made on the Gateway Project for armed forces veterans; and what plans he has to include Northern Ireland within the scope of that project.

Mark Lancaster

The Ministry of Defence has explored options for the development of a veterans gateway service to provide a single cross-sector point of access for all veterans. The Armed Forces Covenant Reference Group has recently directed that the Covenant Fund prioritise funding for a pilot project to set up a 24 hours a day single point of contact veterans gateway service in financial year 2016-17 and this will be formally announced shortly. The project’s reach will extend across the UK, including Northern Ireland.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jeffrey M. Donaldson on 2016-02-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress his Department has made on the Gateway Project for armed forces veterans; and what plans he has to include Northern Ireland within the scope of that project.

Mark Lancaster

The Ministry of Defence has explored options for the development of a veterans gateway service to provide a single cross-sector point of access for all veterans. The Armed Forces Covenant Reference Group has recently directed that the Covenant Fund prioritise funding for a pilot project to set up a 24 hours a day single point of contact veterans gateway service in financial year 2016-17 and this will be formally announced shortly. The project’s reach will extend across the UK, including Northern Ireland.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jeffrey M. Donaldson on 2016-03-22.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has to maintain the Royal Irish Aftercare Service in support of veterans of Operation Banner in Northern Ireland.

Mr Julian Brazier

The Ulster Defence Regiment and The Royal Irish Regiment (Home Service) Aftercare Service provides a vital service to support all veterans and dependants of those Regiments as well as sick and wounded personnel who leave the Armed Forces and wish to settle in Northern Ireland. Around £900,000 has been allocated to deliver this service in financial year 2016-17. Looking ahead as part of our commitment to deliver the most effective and efficient services to our veterans the Ministry of Defence is considering integrating the Aftercare Service into the MOD’s broader veterans welfare organisation, Veterans UK.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jeffrey M. Donaldson on 2014-06-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many freedom of information requests to her Department remain unanswered after (a) 20 and (b) 90 days on 1 April 2014; and which freedom of information requests to her Department on what subjects remain unanswered.

Mrs Theresa Villiers

At 1 April 2014, there was one request remaining unanswered after 20 days and one request remaining unanswered after 90 days. The subject matters associated with these unanswered requests relate to the arm shipments in the 1970s and 1980s from Libya to Ireland, and matters relating to a High Court injunction concerning the release of inquest papers by the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jeffrey M. Donaldson on 2014-06-05.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what plans she has to reappoint the Parliamentary Boundary Commission for Northern Ireland.

Mrs Theresa Villiers

In May, I reappointed William Smith to the Boundary Commission for Northern Ireland for a further five year term. There is currently one remaining vacancy in the position of member and I plan to launch a competition to fill this position in the autumn. This will ensure that the Commission will have its full complement of members well in advance of when preparations need to commence for the next review of Parliamentary constituencies in Northern Ireland, which is likely to be around late 2015.