Contributions
1,346 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARD Northern Ireland City DealsIn fairness to myself, I have pointed out that these two schemes are not as far advanced as the Belfast and the Derry/Londonderry and Strabane city deals, because one of them only…09 Oct 2024HANSARD Northern Ireland City DealsI have already indicated to the House that I of course give that assurance. As I said in answer to the previous question, all those who have an interest in these schemes…09 Oct 2024HANSARD Northern Ireland City DealsThe hon. Gentleman makes a powerful and important point. The progress that Northern Ireland has made over the past 26 years since the signing of the Good Friday agreement is what…09 Oct 2024HANSARD Northern Ireland City DealsThe hon. Gentleman is right: a number of things have been paused. I can think of a levelling-up project in my constituency that has been paused as a result of our fiscal…09 Oct 2024HANSARD Northern Ireland City DealsI am not aware of an impact assessment that has been done. At the end of July, the Chancellor announced all the things that she would have to look at in dealing with the very…09 Oct 2024HANSARD Northern Ireland City DealsI certainly will do that, which is precisely why my next meeting on this matter will be with the chief executives of the two deal areas. They will no doubt tell me about the…09 Oct 2024HANSARD Northern Ireland City DealsI very much enjoyed seeing the hon. Gentleman at the signing of the Derry/Londonderry and Strabane city deal—it was a great event. It is the responsibility of all of us in the…09 Oct 2024HANSARD Northern Ireland City DealsThe right hon. Member is very generous and kind to me, but I cannot claim credit for the Belfast city deal—it was unaffected by the announcement that the Treasury made—and the…09 Oct 2024HANSARD Northern Ireland City DealsAs I am sure my hon. Friend understands, anyone holding my office, including me, will argue the corner of Northern Ireland. I will continue to do so.09 Oct 2024HANSARD Northern Ireland City DealsI do not agree with the right hon. Gentleman’s last proposition. As I have already indicated to the House, given the fiscal inheritance, the prudent thing is for the Government to…09 Oct 2024HANSARD Northern Ireland City DealsI will indeed be that champion. May I take this opportunity to congratulate my hon. Friend on assuming the leadership of her party? We all wish her well in that endeavour. I also…09 Oct 2024HANSARD Northern Ireland City DealsI absolutely take the right hon. Gentleman’s point, given his long experience in these matters and the role that he and others have played in assisting with the restoration of the…09 Oct 2024HANSARD Northern Ireland City DealsMy hon. Friend makes an important point. The House may have seen that yesterday, the Northern Ireland Executive—whose funding is secure because of the deal that was offered,…09 Oct 2024HANSARD Northern Ireland City DealsI am grateful to the hon. Gentleman, whom I welcome to his post—this is, I think, the first time we have faced each other. He makes a fair point about the areas covered by the two…09 Oct 2024HANSARD Northern Ireland City DealsI absolutely recognise the uncertainty that this has created and, as I have indicated, I will be meeting the chief executives of the two deals very shortly. Given the uncertainty…09 Oct 2024HANSARD Northern Ireland City DealsI am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his response. On the matter of Casement Park, since he raised it, I will say that we took the decision for the reason we set out, and I…09 Oct 2024HANSARD Northern Ireland City DealsAlthough my hon. Friend encourages me to, I will not speak for the Chancellor. She will tell us what is in the Budget when she stands up on 30 October.09 Oct 2024HANSARD Northern Ireland City DealsAs the Chancellor set out in July, the Government have inherited a £22 billion black hole in the public finances. As a result, the Treasury is having to consider a range of…09 Oct 2024HANSARDLegacy of the TroublesI wish to provide an update to the House following the Northern Ireland Court of Appeal’s judgment in Dillon and others regarding the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and…07 Oct 2024HANSARDPatrick Finucane MurderI am not, is the answer. I know that the hon. Member was slightly late in coming to the Chamber, and from the beginning I set out my thought process. He will have an opportunity…11 Sept 2024