Commons
Debate
12 January 2026
2 contributions
Finance (No. 2) Bill
I want to take the Minister back to his earlier commitment on Scotland. Will the Government give the same commitment to farmers in Northern Ireland? We have a very different family farm structure from that in the rest of the United Kingdom, and the engagement of and representations by the Ulster Far…
That is an important point, and one that the Minister needs to clarify. The Government’s online advice actually says that it is not simply a married couple or those in a civil partnership; it says:
“Two people (such as siblings) who jointly own a farm will be able to pass on a farm up to £5.65 mill…
Commons
Proceedings
12 January 2026
New Medium Helicopter Contract
On 26 March last year, three RAF Pumas performed a final fly-past of Aldergrove in my constituency. What urgency is there to fill that capacity gap of medium-lift helicopters and to secure a full utilisation of what used to be Joint Helicopter Command Aldergrove?
Commons
Oral Questions
Northern Ireland
7 January 2026
2025 Budget
When the Executive were restored two years ago, a fund was set up for the transformation of public services. As of yet, that money has not been fully allocated. Will the Secretary of State use his offices to encourage the Executive to deploy that transformation fund to transform Northern Ireland’s p…
Commons
Debate
5 January 2026
Northern Ireland Troubles Bill: Armed Forces Recruitment and Retention
I welcome the steps taken by Ministers in their support for our armed forces, but may I caution them that the Northern Ireland Office’s troubles Bill has the potential to undo all that? The protections for veterans in the Bill are not specifically for veterans, no matter how they are packaged—and ho…
Commons
Debate
5 January 2026
Agricultural Property Relief and Business Property Relief
The Ulster Farmers’ Union and the Young Farmers’ Clubs of Ulster made many representations here with regard to the damage that this policy would do to Northern Ireland farms, but there is one specific point I want to ask the Minister about. He has mentioned a number of times the allowance being pass…
Commons
Proceedings
17 December 2025
Northern Ireland Troubles: Legacy and Reconciliation
Regarding the accusation that the Secretary of State is rushing this through, he will be conscious of an Irish Government who are not rushing anything through with regard to support. Yesterday the Justice Minister in the Republic of Ireland received permission from the Government to draft priority l…
Commons
Oral Questions
17 December 2025
2 contributions
Supply Chain Resilience
4. What discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on providing additional funding for the ReImagining Supply Chains Network Plus programme.
The Minister mentioned our investment event held last week, where I and the right hon. Member for Belfast East (Gavin Robinson) hosted Antrim and Newtownabbey borough council for its first Westminster economic investment showcase. How do the Government expect that UK Research and Innovation-funded s…
Commons
Westminster Hall
16 December 2025
Grassroots Cricket Clubs
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Turner. I congratulate the hon. Member for Welwyn Hatfield (Andrew Lewin) on securing the debate.
I do not want to start with something controversial, but I will. The hon. Member said that cricket is “quintessentially English,” and I think the h…
Commons
Debate
15 December 2025
Violence against Women and Girls Strategy
Violence against women and girls is a current issue, but it is also an historical issue. On the Northern Ireland Troubles Bill, sexual crime is not listed as one of those that can be looked at under the current commission, on which I have tabled an amendment. Will the Minister commit to working with…
Commons
Debate
15 December 2025
NHS: Winter Preparedness
I commend the Secretary of State for his action to try to prevent industrial action. Nye Bevan had his own challenges with the BMA.
The covid inquiry made a number of recommendations with regard to co-ordination and preparedness across all four nations. What interaction has the Secretary of State h…
Commons
Proceedings
9 December 2025
Northern Ireland Troubles: Operation Kenova
In the press conference this morning, the Chief Constable said that the
“investigation has demonstrated that murders that could and should have been prevented were allowed to take place”.
There was always an alternative to murder in Northern Ireland, so does the Secretary of State agree with me th…
Commons
Westminster Hall
8 December 2025
Digital ID
The hon. Member is speaking on behalf of his party, but also from a devolved nation point of view. Does he agree that this is one of those unusual circumstances in which this Government have managed to unite every party in Northern Ireland on a single issue, and in opposition to the proposal?
Commons
Ministerial Statement
4 December 2025
Northern Ireland: Legacy of the Past
I thank the Chair of the Select Committee for the evidence sessions. The Northern Ireland Troubles Bill will go into Committee of the whole House, so those sessions will be the only opportunity for witnesses to come put forward and give their testimonies on the Bill and the current legislation. Fort…
Commons
Debate
4 December 2025
Dawn Sturgess Inquiry
The Minister has referred to the threat that Russia poses to UK national security. A former Irish Teachta Dála who was also a deputy chief of an Irish army unit has said:
“If you are looking to affect a western country with extensive assets and poor security culture, then Ireland is ground zero…It …
Commons
Westminster Hall
3 December 2025
9 contributions
Veterinary Medicines: Northern Ireland
I beg to move,
That this House has considered the supply of veterinary medicines to Northern Ireland.
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Dr Allin-Khan. Before I begin, I direct Members to my entry in the register of interests.
As we approach the end of the year, Northern Ireland’s…
I thank the hon. Gentleman for the first of several interventions. At that meeting, we made it clear to the Minister that a solution must be in place by the end of this year. If it is not, the consequences for animal health, human health and our agrifood economy could be severe. Time is running out—…
+7 more contributions in this session
Commons
Ministerial Statement
2 December 2025
Criminal Court Reform
Justice is devolved to Northern Ireland, with the exception of the regulation of non-jury trials. On 9 June, the then Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, the hon. Member for Putney (Fleur Anderson), said in a Committee of this place on the extension of non-jury trials in Northern Ireland …
Commons
Oral Questions
2 December 2025
Topical Questions
In an earlier answer, the Foreign Secretary said that trade relations between China and the UK were “in our national interest”. To that extent, can I ask what conversations her Department had with Invest Northern Ireland prior to its signing a co-operation framework memorandum of understanding with …
Commons
Proceedings
1 December 2025
2 contributions
Budget Resolutions
When I look to the Northern Ireland-specific page and a bit in the Red Book, and remove any paragraphs that refer to funding or programmes that have already been committed to by this Government, there are actually only a couple of paragraphs left. So far down is the Northern Ireland Office in the pe…
I thank the hon. Gentleman for his intervention—that is one of the issues I was going to raise. The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland was here earlier; when I asked that specific question, he could not answer it.
Our voluntary and community sector in Northern Ireland is facing a funding cliff…
Commons
Ministerial Statement
25 November 2025
G20 and Ukraine
The Prime Minister’s statement says that Putin continues to seek to undermine our security. Can the Prime Minister give this House an assurance that when a deal is done to the satisfaction of Ukraine, our preparations for our security and defence against Putin—and he will not give up—will continue.
Commons
Oral Questions
25 November 2025
Hughes Report
The Minister will know that the Hughes report focused very much on England, but those affected by the redress scheme will be found across the entire United Kingdom. Will he ensure that he engages with Health Ministers from the devolved authorities?
Commons
Oral Questions
Northern Ireland
19 November 2025
UK-EU Agreement on Trade from Northern Ireland
Come 1 January, veterinary medicines in Northern Ireland will be reduced by 40%, according to suppliers over there. What steps are the Government taking to ensure that veterinary medicines are supplied to Northern Ireland? They ensure animal health but are linked to human health as well.
Commons
Debate
18 November 2025
Northern Ireland Troubles Bill
“For your tomorrow, we gave our today”, would have been the phrase that many in this House stood for in honour, sombre, last Remembrance Sunday, as we stood across this country, remembering those who served and those who sacrificed. When I stood at those memorials in South Antrim, at Ballyclare and …
Commons
Debate
17 November 2025
Asylum Policy
The common travel area allows movement across the UK, Northern Ireland and to the Republic of Ireland. It has been reported in the Irish media that a UK Home Office official briefed the Irish Department of Justice in regard to what the Home Secretary is bringing forward. Can I ask her what is the Ir…
Commons
Westminster Hall
4 November 2025
2 contributions
Cross-border Healthcare
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Dowd. I congratulate the hon. Member for Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe (David Chadwick) on securing a debate on cross-border healthcare, because we in Northern Ireland know only too well that health outcomes are not, and should not be, defined by bord…
I thank the hon. Member for raising a valid point that comes to the crux of this debate and of what has been said by every Member so far. It is about putting the “national” back in our national health service, and doing so across borders without the unnecessary bureaucracy that often comes with how …