Tag: Jeffrey M. Donaldson

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 2016-03-22.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what funding he plans to allocate to the Royal Irish Aftercare Service in the next financial year.

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 2016-04-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether the Electoral Office for Northern Ireland is a Crown body or a non-departmental public body; and what the planned budget for that office is for 2016-17.

Mr Ben Wallace

The Chief Electoral Officer for Northern Ireland is a statutory officer holder. He/she is supported by the employees of the Electoral Office for Northern Ireland who are recruited directly by the Chief Electoral Officer under s.14A of the Electoral Law Act 1962.

An initial resource budget (excluding depreciation) of £2,011,000 has been allocated to the Chief Electoral Officer. Further funding – both capital and resource – will be made available to support the Electoral Office for Northern Ireland transformation programme which includes the introduction of digital registration.

The Chief Electoral Officer will also receive funding from the Consolidated Fund and the Northern Ireland Assembly to support the EU Referendum and Northern Ireland Assembly elections that are due to take place in 2016.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jeffrey M. Donaldson on 2016-06-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he has received representations to support the candidacy of Argentine Foreign Minister Susanna Malcorra for the position of UN Secretary General; what assessment he has made of the potential effect on UK sovereignty over the Falkland Islands of such an appointment; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Hugo Swire

I have received notice that Argentina’s Foreign Minister, Susana Malcorra, is bidding for the role of UN Secretary-General. We want a strong Secretary-General, one with integrity, a proven track record, first class communication skills, suitable and relevant experience and unimpeachable character. They should be committed to transparency and accountability, have strong leadership skills, a bold vision for an activist UN at the heart of the rules-based system, and be committed to cost-effective management and reform. It is imperative that any Secretary-General serves the whole membership. We judge all candidates on their merits. The United Kingdom has no doubt about its sovereignty over the Falklands and surrounding maritime areas, nor about the Falkland Islanders’ right to decide their own future.

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.