Tag: Lord Laird

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Laird on 2016-01-11.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are responsible for any aspects of the finance and operation of the two universities in Northern Ireland, and if not, who is.

Baroness Evans of Bowes Park

Higher Education policy is devolved. The Department for Employment and Learning of the Northern Ireland Executive is the department responsible for Higher Education Institutions in Northern Ireland. This includes responsibility for providing funding to their HEIs for teaching and for recurrent research (also known as Quality Related research funding). In addition, the UK Government provides funding through the Department for Business Innovation and Skills’ Science & Research Budget for Research Councils, which are reserved bodies, and to the National Academies. The Research Councils provide funding for specific projects and programmes of research on a competitive basis open to universities across the United Kingdom, including those in Northern Ireland. Similarly, academics from universities across the UK can bid for funding from the National Academies.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Laird on 2016-01-27.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Dunlop on 27 January (HL5017) concerning equality and parity of esteem, whether terrorists and members of the security forces who reside outside Northern Ireland do not have parity of esteem with those who reside there.

Lord Dunlop

The Government is committed to affording due respect and parity of esteem to all the people in Northern Ireland as underpinned by the 1998 Belfast Agreement and in accordance with the obligations on the Government to promote equality and prevent discrimination across the United Kingdom.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Laird on 2016-02-09.

To ask the Leader of the House, further to the Written Answer by Lord Dunlop on 9 February (HL5480), what discussion she has had with the Northern Ireland Office about answering parliamentary written questions in full.

Baroness Stowell of Beeston

As Leader of the House, I regularly stress to departments the importance of giving full and timely answers to Questions for Written Answer. The content of each answer is a matter for the Minister concerned, and each Minister is responsible to the House for the answers they provide. That direct accountability is important: that is why Ministers in this House must provide personally signed answers to members.

The Ministerial Code says that “It is of paramount importance that Ministers give accurate and truthful information to Parliament”. It also makes clear that “Ministers should be as open as possible with Parliament and the public, refusing to provide information only when disclosure would not be in the public interest”. In addition, there is a longstanding rule of this House that all answers should be complete and comprehensible. I shall continue to make this guidance clear to all Ministers.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Laird on 2016-03-11.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government by what criteria they define a serious crime as opposed to other crimes.

Lord Faulks

Various definitions of serious crime are used in different contexts. Sections 2, 2A and 3 of, and Schedule 1 to, the Serious Crime Act 2007 define ‘involved in serious crime’ for the purposes of Part I of that Act, which relates to serious crime prevention orders. Section 81 (2) and (3) of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 defines ‘serious crime’ for the purposes of that Act.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Laird on 2016-05-18.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether parity of esteem as established in the Belfast Agreement 1998 applies to people who live in the Republic of Ireland.

Lord Dunlop

This Government understands the concept of parity of esteem, as set out in the 1998 Belfast Agreement, as placing a general obligation on the UK Government to treat people of different traditions in Northern Ireland fairly and with equal respect. In the Agreement it is clearly expressed and defined in relation to people living in Northern Ireland.

As a general obligation there is no definition of particular circumstances in which it does or does not apply.

As I have set out in previous replies to the Noble Lord, this Government is firm in its commitment to the protection of people against any form of discrimination, and the promotion of opportunity for all, across the whole of our United Kingdom.

In respect of the Noble Lord’s question about those who might march wearing army uniforms but who are not members of an army, the concept of parity of esteem clearly does not absolve people from upholding the law. This Government has made clear many times that we will never accept any form of equivalence between members of the security forces and those who engage in terrorism or other forms of paramilitary activity.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Laird on 2015-10-27.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the estimated cost to answer a media query to the Government and whether they impose a limit on the number of questions a member of the media can ask in a week.

Lord Bridges of Headley

The Government receives a large number of media queries each day, which are received and managed by the relevant department.

The amount of time each media query takes depends on many factors and variables, so it is not possible to estimate an average cost or time. No restriction is placed on the number of queries a journalist can make.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Laird on 2015-11-18.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what non-disclosure agreements the FCO made in 2003–04, and on what date each agreement was made.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office no longer retains case files for employment tribunals for 2003 and 2004. However our records indicate we settled two 2 cases in each year. Settlement agreements at that time included a standard confidentiality or non-disclosure clause.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Laird on 2015-12-03.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will publish from the migrant sponsorship management system the number of Tier 2 and 5 visas granted annually to each sponsor employer, and the number of Tier 4 visas issued annually to each educational establishment.

Lord Bates

The information is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Laird on 2016-01-11.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government on what dates since the Belfast Agreement in 1998 they have discussed with the government of the Republic of Ireland (1) human rights in the UK, and (2) human rights in the Republic of Ireland; who took part in those discussions; what were the issues discussed; and what were the various outcomes.

Lord Dunlop

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 human rights in Northern Ireland and Ireland as contained in the Belfast Agreement of 1998.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Laird on 2016-01-29.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will place the minutes of the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference since 1998 in the Library of the House.

Lord Dunlop

The British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference met on one occasion during 2007, 26 February in Dundalk. This was the last time that the body met.

Details of Ministerial attendees and the topics discussed were published in a Joint Communiqué between the two Governments. A copy of this has been placed in the Library (along with copies of all other Joint Communiques published since 1998).

Although a range of issues were discussed, no formal actions were listed. The focus however at the time was the drive towards devolution and the Conference urged all political leaders to act with courage and determination in order to attain this. Assembly elections subsequently took place in May 2007.