Tag: Northern Ireland Office

The press release issued by the Northern Ireland Office on 25 May 2023.

The Northern Ireland (Interim Arrangements) Act, which received Royal Assent yesterday (24 May 2023), also allows the UK Government to explore, with the Northern Ireland Civil Service, options for budget sustainability.

Current civil servant decision-making arrangements are due to expire on 5 June. This Act continues these powers until an Executive is formed, and in the absence of ministers enables preparatory work to take place around options for budget sustainability, including further revenue raising. Further, the Act requires that NI departmental accounts are laid in the House of Commons to increase transparency and scrutiny around how public money is spent.

This Act supports the UK Government’s focus on the restoration of the Executive and Assembly. Locally elected, accountable and effective devolved government is the right way for Northern Ireland to be governed, per the vision of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement.

Through this Act, the UK Government is acting  to ensure the management of public services and funds can continue, but a restored Executive is necessary to progress much needed and long promised public service transformation.

Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, the Rt Hon Chris Heaton-Harris MP said:

I greatly appreciate the ongoing work by Northern Ireland’s civil servants to keep public services going while we are without an Executive. While I am hopeful that locally elected ministers will once again resume their responsibilities in government, this new legislation ensures continued governance for the people of NI.

The government has a responsibility to provide this certainty, and our desire to see an Executive restored recognises that strong local devolved government offers the best way to build a brighter future for the people, communities and businesses of NI.

The press release issued by the Northern Ireland Office on 11 May 2023.

Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has appointed The Rt Hon Sir Declan Morgan to be Chief Commissioner of the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR).

The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, the Right Honourable Chris Heaton-Harris MP, has identified The Rt Hon Sir Declan Morgan to be appointed Chief Commissioner of the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR).

The appointment will take place following the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Bill receiving Royal Assent and establishment of the ICRIR, taking account of any further considerations and final requirements of Parliament.

The ICRIR is a key component of the Bill, currently progressing through Parliament, which represents the Government’s pledge to address the extremely complex and sensitive legacy of Northern Ireland’s past. It is being established as an arm’s length body that will operate independently of government.

Sir Declan, a former Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland, will begin work from early next month to identify other Commissioners and to consider how the new Commission will carry out its role. He will lead the process to recruit the Commissioner for Investigations. That role is currently advertised, seeking the broadest possible field of experienced candidates, and subject to fair and open competition, with appointment on merit. In light of the announcement of the Chief Commissioner, the deadline will be extended until 01 June to allow him to lead the appointment process and form a panel.

Confirming the announcement via a written ministerial statement to Parliament, Mr Heaton-Harris said:

Sir Declan brings a wealth of experience from his previous role as former Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland from 2009-2021.  A hallmark of his distinguished career has been his commitment to addressing Northern Ireland’s past. I am confident that he will bring the highest level of experience, expertise and integrity to this post which will help build public confidence in the ICRIR.

The press release issued by the Northern Ireland Office on 27 April 2023.

The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has set a budget for 2023-24 and introduced legislation to ensure public services can continue to function in the absence of an NI Executive.

The press release issued by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on 20 April 2023.

The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, the Right Honourable Chris Heaton-Harris MP, has announced the reappointment of Danny Kinahan as the Veterans Commissioner for Northern Ireland.

Background

The Northern Ireland Veterans Commissioners Office was established in September 2020 to provide a voice for veterans living in Northern Ireland to ensure fairness and safe access to services.

Terms of Appointment

The appointment is for a further term of three years, ending on 31 August 2026.

• The position is a part-time appointment.
• The position attracts a fixed remuneration of £306 per day plus expenses, with an expectation of a time requirement of 110 days per year.
• The position is not pensionable.

Biography

Danny Kinahan was appointed to the position of Veterans Commissioner for Northern Ireland on 27 August 2020. He is a former Army Officer, who served as Ulster Unionist Party MP for South Antrim for two years from 7 May 2015 – 3 May 2017. He was a member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for six years prior to serving as an MP.

Danny is also the co-ordinator and co-creator of the Westminster Northern Ireland Veterans’ Support Group and is the Deputy Lieutenant for County Antrim.

Regulation

This appointment is not regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments.

Political Activity

All appointments are made on merit and with regards to the statutory requirements.  Political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for appointees’ political activity in defined categories to be made public.  Danny Kinahan previously declared membership of the Ulster Unionist Party and worked as a district councillor. He stood down from political life prior to taking up the appointment.

The press release issued by the Northern Ireland Office on 6 April 2023.

Integrated Education is celebrated by Secretary of State for NI Chris Heaton-Harris and Tánaiste Micheál Martin who held a joint reception at W5 in Belfast.

The press release issued by the Northern Ireland Office on 31 March 2023.

Eighteen projects across Northern Ireland will receive more than £57 million through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) to help support people into work.

Thousands of people across Northern Ireland will be supported into work as the UK Government confirms funding for transformational projects to tackle economic inactivity, boost job opportunities and grow the local economy.

Eighteen projects across Northern Ireland will now receive more than £57 million through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) to help support people into work, compared to the £42 million competition value announced in December. Delivered in partnership with approximately 80 joint bidders or community partners, this means around 100 organisations in total will receive support.

The successful bids will support over 25,000 economically inactive people in Northern Ireland – offering them support to find high quality jobs. Charities, voluntary and community organisations, businesses and colleges will all play a vital role in supporting people into employment as the UK Government takes back control of funding previously run by the European Union.

Decisions taken by UK Ministers mean that additional funding has been allocated from the Northern Ireland UKSPF funding pot to enable projects to reach more people while also continuing their vital work and allowing for a greater range of delivery across all parts of Northern Ireland. The UK Government has confirmed that all organisations can start planning to use the funding from April when current money from the European Social Fund ends.

Announcing the new UK Government funding, Levelling Up Minister Dehenna Davison said:

We are making the most of opportunities outside the European Union to deliver for people in Northern Ireland.

It is fantastic that organisations have come together in new partnerships to deliver creative solutions to economic inactivity through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. In recognition of the huge impact charities, businesses and colleges are having on the ground, I’m delighted to announce that we are boosting the original funding pot for this competition by an additional £15 million to help them support even more people into fulfilling jobs.

This is an important milestone in the investment we are making to level up Northern Ireland and the whole of the UK.

The successful projects were allocated following a fair and open competition that organisations across Northern Ireland bid into for a share of the cash.

The new funding has been allocated from the £127 million UK Shared Prosperity Fund for Northern Ireland, which succeeds EU structural funds. The UK Government has been working closely with local partners to direct funding where it is most needed.

Successful projects being announced today include:

• Action Mental Health and six partners including Mencap, NOW Group and the Royal National Institute of Blind People will receive around £12 million to deliver an innovative programme of specialist employment preparation and training for over 4,500 people across Northern Ireland with significant disabilities or health conditions who face multiple barriers in accessing employment.
• Triangle Housing Association and its partners will provide intensive wrap-around support for economically inactive people, including women, those with disabilities, neurodiversity, autism and/or mental health issues to move towards sustained employment. The project will benefit from almost £4.8 million to support each person with holistic, wrap-around support through ongoing assessment and a personal development plan.
• Network Personnel Limited, along with its partners, will receive around £2 million for a partnership targeting economically inactive people through holistic interventions to increase their skills levels, move closer to mainstream provision, and take steps to secure sustainable employment or self-employment. Delivering across Mid Ulster, Mid and East Antrim, Antrim and Newtownabbey, Fermanagh and Omagh, Causeway Coast and Glens and Derry City and Strabane council areas, it plans to support over 1,300 people over the next two years.
• NIACRO will receive over £1.5 million towards a project to support over 1,500 people across Northern Ireland with convictions in prison and the community to find sustainable employment over the next two years. Services will include one-to-one mentoring, employability support, advice and training.
• Women’s TEC and its partners will support women across Belfast and the rural Newry, Mourne and Down region, through their £872,000 ‘Building Futures’ project. The aim of the programme is to support women furthest from the labour market to feel confident, motivated and empowered to find and sustain employment, improving their confidence, self-efficacy, and life and work skills.
• Extern Northern Ireland’s ‘Moving Forward Moving On’ project will receive £648,000 to provide intensive mentoring and employability support to young people in Belfast and Antrim and Newtownabbey who are furthest from the job market. It will include accredited courses in employability skills, life skills and personal development, as well as mentoring support and soft skills training

Northern Ireland Secretary, Chris Heaton-Harris said:

The £57 million funding will support the vital work of community and voluntary organisations, enabling them to support people in Northern Ireland into secure and sustainable employment.

Through its People and Skills strand, the UK Shared Prosperity Fund will invest in skills training and interventions to support economically inactive people in Northern Ireland. This is key to boosting productivity and harnessing Northern Ireland’s growth potential.

Each organisation will today receive a notification setting out any project conditions that they need to meet before funding will be released.

The money confirmed by UK Government to improve economic activity represents 45% of the total UKSPF allocation for Northern Ireland, in recognition of the need to tackle the high levels of economic inactivity across Northern Ireland compared with the UK average.

This builds on the UKSPF Investment Plan published last year, which was developed in close collaboration with partners in Northern Ireland including representatives from the voluntary sector, local councils, businesses and higher education. The investment is designed to improve pride in place, increase life chances and support growth by investing in key priorities for Northern Ireland.

The press release issued by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on 23 March 2023.

Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Chris Heaton-Harris has today (Thursday 23 March) launched important new educational resources for pupils in Northern Ireland and across the UK as part of the programme to mark the 25th anniversary of the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement.

During a visit to Carrickfergus’ Ulidia Integrated College, whose pupils became the first in the UK to use the new materials, the Secretary of State attended an assembly using the materials to tell the story of the journey to the world-renowned peace deal, and its continuing role today.

The free, optional resources support secondary school and college teachers in Northern Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales to give an assembly on the Agreement using a short animated video, and to lead a follow-up classroom discussion.

They have been developed independently by The National Archives and in collaboration with academics, teachers and other experts, with consultation from curriculum and school bodies across the UK. This first group of resources will be followed later this year by classroom materials.

During the visit to Ulidia Integrated College, the Secretary of State viewed the new Assembly video resource alongside pupils and teachers, before discussing with the young people what the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement anniversary means to them. He then met with pupils using the new materials for classroom discussion.

Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Chris Heaton-Harris said:

“Thanks to the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement, Northern Ireland’s young people have grown up in peace and safety, looking forward to a future of hope and opportunity.

“That’s why I’m incredibly proud to launch this new education package, which will give young people in Northern Ireland and across the UK the chance to deepen their appreciation and understanding of the Agreement’s benefits and encourage them to engage with this historic anniversary.

“It’s particularly relevant that I’m launching this initiative in an integrated school, a symbol of reconciliation, which the Agreement promoted.”

Jeff James, Keeper and Chief Executive of The National Archives said:

‘This important resource gives young people the opportunity to study and discuss the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement using material from the original documents. It allows students to consider topics that affect them and their communities, at a level which is meaningful to them and to gain an understanding of how important the Agreement is.’

UK Government Minister for Skills, Apprenticeships and Higher Education Robert Halfon said:

“The 25th anniversary of the signing of the Agreement is significant not just for Northern Ireland but for the whole of the UK.

“It is absolutely right that we recognise the progress that has been made since 1998 and these free, optional resources for school assemblies can help build an understanding of our complex history.”

Teachers, and those who wish to use the free educational resources developed by The National Archives, can download the materials here.

The press release issued by the Northern Ireland Office on 15 March 2023.

Secretary of State for NI, Chris Heaton-Harris MP is in Washington D.C. to mark St. Patrick’s Day and engage with key partners in the US on NI issues.

The press release issued by the Northern Ireland Office on 14 March 2023.

The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, the Right Honourable Chris Heaton-Harris MP, has announced the temporary appointment of Sarah Ling as the Chief Electoral Officer for Northern Ireland in accordance with section 14(5) of the Electoral Law Act (Northern Ireland) 1962.

The appointment will commence on 3 April 2023 and run for a maximum period of three months until a new Chief Electoral Officer is able to take up the role.

Biography

Sarah Ling currently performs duties as deputy to the Chief Electoral Officer for Northern Ireland and was deputy returning officer for Belfast constituencies at the last Assembly elections. She is a former Electoral Service Manager for the London Borough of Croydon and consultant for the Association of Electoral Administrators working on the delivery of elections (combined Parliamentary, Local and Parish 2015, Police and Crime Commission 2016, EU Referendum 2016, Parliamentary 2017, European Parliamentary 2019, Parliamentary 2019 and various by elections). She is also a former head of Registration Reform and Canvass Reform in the Cabinet Office.

Regulation

This appointment is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments.

Political Activity

All appointments are made on merit and with regards to the statutory requirements.  Political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for appointees’ political activity in defined categories to be made public.

Sarah Ling has declared no political activity in the past ten years.

The press release issued by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on 2 March 2023.

The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, the Right Honourable Chris Heaton-Harris MP, has announced the appointment of Fiona Ross as a Non-Executive Board Member at the Northern Ireland Office.

Ms Ross will take up her appointment with effect from 1 March 2023.

Biography

Fiona Ross is chair of the Córas Iompair Éireann (CIÉ), Ireland’s Public Transport Provider. She served on the Board of the Irish Health Service Executive (HSE) for two years before being appointed in August 2021 to chair the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board. She also holds non-executive positions with Rail, the Scottish Government, and private enterprises including SphereInvest and Smith & Williamson Europe and acts as independent advisor to the Mayor of Bristol City Council.

Terms of Appointment

• The position is part-time for a term of three years.
• The position attracts a fixed remuneration of £10,000 a year for a time commitment of approximately 15-20 days a year, including supporting the work of the department’s Audit, Risk & Assurance Committee.
• The position is not pensionable.

Regulation

This appointment is not regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments.

Political Activity

Non-Executive Board members are appointed on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for appointees’ political activity in defined categories to be made public.

Fiona Ross has declared that she has not been politically active in the last five years.