Tag: Nigel Dodds

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Dodds on 2014-05-01.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if she will review the effect of the operation of Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 on services available to assist victims in Northern Ireland.

Mrs Theresa Villiers

Responsibility for victims in Northern Ireland was devolved in 2007. All public bodies in Northern Ireland have a duty to promote equality of opportunity, having regard to the desirability of promoting good relations between persons of different religious belief, political opinion or racial group. The Equality Commission for Northern Ireland is responsible for the enforcement of this duty.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Dodds on 2014-05-01.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what recent estimate she has made of foreign direct investment in Northern Ireland.

Mrs Theresa Villiers

Northern Ireland remains one of the most successful regions in the UK for attracting foreign direct investment, attracting some 6% of inward FDI with around 3% of the UK population.

The Northern Ireland Investment Conference, which the Prime Minister and I attended, held last year is continuing to bear fruit and I welcome the recent announcement that Convergys – with whose senior management the Prime Minister took time at the Conference to discuss the benefits of Northern Ireland as a cost-effective investment location – is setting up a customer service centre in Londonderry in collaboration with its client EE.

This investment will bring 333 jobs to the city over the coming year and generate over £5million to the local economy annually.

The recent announcements from Concentrix of its intention to reinvest in Northern Ireland and add a further 1,043 jobs to its existing work force of 800, and from EY (which also attended the Investment Conference) of a further investment leading to 486 more jobs, are welcome votes of confidence that Northern Ireland is an excellent place to invest and to grow a business.

These two investments will inject some £38m in salaries into the Northern Ireland economy.

It is particularly heartening that so many companies choose to reinvest after they have established a presence in Northern Ireland and seen for themselves the benefits it can offer as a cost competitive business environment together with its high quality and well educated workforce.

The G8 Summit, which the PM brought to Co. Fermanagh in June 2013, also highlighted to the world the benefits of Northern Ireland as a place to visit and invest.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Dodds on 2014-05-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of policing of demonstrations and parades in London.

Damian Green

The policing of demonstrations and parades in London are an operational matter
for the Metropolitan Police and the City of London Police.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Dodds on 2014-05-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many officers have been seconded to the Police Service of Northern Ireland from police forces in England and Wales in each year since 2010.

Damian Green

The Home Office does not hold this information centrally.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Dodds on 2014-05-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people in England and Wales have been arrested following the issue of a warrant by the Police Service of Northern Ireland in each year since 2010.

Damian Green

Arrest warrants issued by the Police Service of Northern Ireland are a devolved
matter and the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Executive.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Dodds on 2014-05-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on the potential for growth in tourism as a result of the opening stages of the Giro d’Italia taking place in Northern Ireland.

Mrs Helen Grant

I have not held any discussions with the Northern Ireland Executive on the potential for growth in tourism as a result of the opening stages of the Giro d’Italia taking place in Northern Ireland. However, I would like to congratulate them on having won the right to stage the Big Start of this major cycling race on 9-11 May, which will further support Northern Ireland’s wonderful tourism offer and boost the economy.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Dodds on 2014-05-07.

To ask the hon. Member for South West Devon, representing the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission, what consultation there has been with charities in Northern Ireland on the Electoral Commission’s guidance on the Transparency of Lobbying, Non-party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Act 2014.

Mr Gary Streeter

The Electoral Commission informs me that since Royal Assent to the Transparency of Lobbying, Non-party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Act 2014 it has held four roundtable discussions across the UK, and has used an online survey to listen carefully to the needs of campaigners and explain its plans for guidance. One round table event was held in Northern Ireland and was hosted by the Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action (NICVA). 24 organisations were invited to attend; 11 organisations – including umbrella bodies – were represented.

The Electoral Commission is also providing a series of campaigner updates, giving information on what the Act will mean for charities and other campaigners. These updates are available on the Commission’s website and have also been promoted by the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland.

The Commission will publish its full guidance on the new rules, which will include joint guidance with the charity regulators, in the summer. This will ensure that campaigners have guidance available to them in advance of the regulated period which begins on 19 September 2014. Meanwhile, the Commission will continue to offer charities and others bespoke advice as usual, both before and after the guidance is published and the regulated period begins.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Dodds on 2014-05-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of her Department’s policies to combat the glorification of terrorism in Northern Ireland.

Mrs Theresa Villiers

Section 1 of the Terrorism Act 2006 makes the encouragement, including glorification of terrorism, a criminal offence. Any investigations into allegations of encouraging, including the glorification of terrorism, are of course entirely matters for the police, while decisions on prosecution of such offences are the responsibility of the Public Prosecution Service.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nigel Dodds on 2014-05-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many meetings she has had with the (a) Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, (b) Northern Ireland Parades Commission and (c) Equality Commission for Northern Ireland since 1 January 2014.

Mrs Theresa Villiers

I have held no meetings with the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, the Parades Commission for Northern Ireland or the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland since 1 January 2014. I am however due to meet both the Human Rights Commission and the Parades Commission in the coming weeks. In relation to the Equality Commission, the Rt hon Gentleman may wish to note that although appointments are made to the Commission by the Northern Ireland Office, sponsorship responsibility lies with the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister.