The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Laird on 2015-12-21.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government which public inquiries they set up between May 1997 and January 2004; and what was the purpose of each.
Lord Bridges of Headley
This information was made available as part of the evidence provided by the Government to the House of Lords Select Committee on the Inquiries Act 2005:
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201314/ldselect/ldinquiries/143/14318.htm
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Laird on 2016-01-20.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will list all the occasions they discussed parity of esteem, as outlined in the Belfast Agreement 1998, with the government of Ireland; who attended; on what date; what was discussed; and what action, if any, was taken.
Lord Dunlop
As has been explained previously to the Noble Lord, the UK and Irish Governments meet regularly at ministerial and official level to discuss issues of mutual interest and concern. These include matters relating to the implementation of the Belfast Agreement.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Laird on 2016-02-01.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government who decides the agenda for discussions with the government of the Republic of Ireland under the Belfast Agreement 1998.
Lord Dunlop
Discussions with the Irish Government in matters relating to the Belfast Agreement are in accordance with the established three-stranded approach to Northern Ireland affairs. A commitment to continue to uphold the three-stranded approach was also contained in the Government’s Northern Ireland manifesto at the General Election.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Laird on 2016-02-23.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Dunlop on 23 February (HL6044), whether they will clarify whether the Conference held in 2007 was the final meeting of the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference or its most recent meeting.
Lord Dunlop
The British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference remains part of the architecture of the Belfast Agreement and its most recent meeting was held in 2007. There are no plans to hold a meeting of the Conference in the immediate future.
Interaction between the UK Government and Irish Government takes place regularly at all levels and in many different forums. These include an annual summit between the Prime Minister and the Taoiseach, and regular meetings between the heads of UK and Irish government departments.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Laird on 2016-05-04.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether parity of esteem as established in the Belfast Agreement 1998 applies to (1) people temporarily residing in Northern Ireland, and if so for how long such people have to live there for parity of esteem to apply; and (2) people who live outside Northern Ireland but work in the province.
Lord Dunlop
As I have explained in my previous replies to the noble Lord, the concept of ‘parity of esteem’ is expressed and defined in the 1998 Belfast Agreement in relation to people living in Northern Ireland. This Government sees parity of esteem as treating everybody in Northern Ireland fairly and with equal respect, just as it is committed to treating people fairly and with equal respect wherever they live in the United Kingdom.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Laird on 2016-09-13.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have plans to reduce noise on public highways, and if so, when they plan to implement those plans.
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
The Department for Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) set out plans to reduce noise from public highways in Noise Action Plans, which were published in January 2014. Road traffic noise is covered in the “Noise action plan for roads (including major roads)” and the “Noise action plan for agglomerations.”
These identify “noise important areas” and highway authorities are required to assess whether any mitigation is required at each noise important area. Highways England is in the process of mitigating at least 1,150 noise important areas by 2020, as part of the £300m Environment Fund in the Road Investment Strategy.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Laird on 2015-11-04.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the extent to which UK citizens’ data have been collected by the government of the United States through the PRISM programme, and whether they have taken steps to prevent such data being collected in the future.
Baroness Anelay of St Johns
It is the long-standing policy of successive Governments not to comment in detail on matters of intelligence. This includes discussions with allies and liaison agencies.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Laird on 2015-11-24.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will publish the draft bill setting up the Historical Investigations Unit and other legacy bodies that was presented to political parties at the recent negotiations held under the Belfast Agreement 1998.
Lord Dunlop
The recent negotiations established substantial common ground between the parties on how to establish the legacy bodies identified in the Stormont House Agreement.
The Government is currently reflecting on how we can move forward and achieve broad consensus in support of legislation to establish these legacy bodies.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Laird on 2015-12-21.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the financial year 2003–04, what was the total cost of each public inquiry conducted; and what was paid to each inquiry chairman, including expenses and VAT.
Lord Bridges of Headley
The information in relation to this time period is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, the total cost on completion of those inquiries which span this time period is available as part of the evidence provided by the Government to the House of Lords Select Committee on the Inquiries Act 2005:
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201314/ldselect/ldinquiries/143/14318.htm
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Laird on 2016-01-20.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they consider parity of esteem, as outlined in the Belfast Agreement 1998, to have been a success, and if so, on what basis.
Lord Dunlop
I have nothing further to add to my earlier responses on parity of esteem.