Parliamentary Debates (Hansard)
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Wednesday Volume 518 10 November 2010 No. 68 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Wednesday 10 November 2010 £5·00 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2010 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Parliamentary Click-Use Licence, available online through the Office of Public Sector Information website at www.opsi.gov.uk/click-use/ Enquiries to the Office of Public Sector Information, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 4DU; e-mail: [email protected] 269 10 NOVEMBER 2010 270 Mr Swire: Of course the Prime Minister continues to House of Commons take an interest in Northern Ireland. The food, drink and tobacco sectors account for 45% of total sales and Wednesday 10 November 2010 46% of external sales. These figures could and should increase, and the Secretary of State and I will work with The House met at half-past Eleven o’clock the devolved Administration, in whatever way we are asked, to support any incentive of that kind. PRAYERS Ian Paisley (North Antrim) (DUP): Will the Secretary of State commit to making representations to the Treasury [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] regarding alterations to how tobacco tax is lifted, so that the Treasury can receive a bigger taxation take while allowing the industry to invest in securing jobs in Oral Answers to Questions Northern Ireland? Mr Swire: The hon. Gentleman has in his constituency the Gallaher Group, which my right hon. Friend the NORTHERN IRELAND Secretary of State visited recently. The loss to the United Kingdom economy from contraband cigarettes and forfeited The Secretary of State was asked— duty is in the region of £2 billion to £3 billion a year. We should consider that closely, and continue to make Exports representations in that regard. 1. David Morris (Morecambe and Lunesdale) (Con): Naomi Long (Belfast East) (Alliance): Is the Minister What recent discussions he has had with ministerial as concerned as those of us who come from Northern colleagues on the contribution of Northern Ireland to Ireland that recent reports show a third quarter fall in the Government’s programmes to increase the level of growth in the private sector in Northern Ireland, and exports for the purposes of international trade. [22147] will he therefore redouble his efforts to rebalance the Northern Ireland economy more effectively? The Minister of State, Northern Ireland Office (Mr Hugo Swire): My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and Mr Swire: Clearly, Northern Ireland is not immune I have had regular discussions with ministerial colleagues to what is going on in the rest of the world—one has in Northern Ireland on economic development issues. only to look over the border at what is going on in We will continue to work with the Executive to rebalance Ireland to see that. We work very closely with Northern the Northern Ireland economy and grow the private Ireland on rebalancing the economy and we have the sector. support of the Finance Minister, who, along with the David Morris: Does the Minister agree that the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Industry, is meeting inspirational visit to China by the Prime Minister shows the Select Committee on Northern Ireland Affairs this that we should redouble our efforts on exporting? afternoon to discuss corporation tax. We must leave no stone unturned in our attempts to rebalance Northern Mr Swire: Yes, I certainly do. Invest Northern Ireland Ireland’s economy and, critically, to provide well-paid has recently led trade missions to Brazil, South Africa and sustainable jobs. and Vietnam, and 35 Northern Ireland companies from across the sector went with it. What is going on in Mr Speaker: Unless I am mistaken, the hon. Member China should work as an incentive to others to export. for Morecambe and Lunesdale (David Morris) did not Let me pay tribute to a company that I visited the other put a supplementary question to the substantive question. day in Ballymena—and I see that thehon. Member for If he did he can nod his head, but if he did not, he North Antrim (Ian Paisley) is present. Wrightbus has should do so. just supplied 450 double-decker buses to Singapore and has won the design project for the replacement of the iconic David Morris indicated assent. Routemaster bus here in London. The answer to rebalancing part of the Northern Irish economy is to get— Mr Speaker: He did; he is happy. He is sanguine about it. Mr Speaker: Order. That answer is too long. The Minister will resume his seat, and he must not repeat The Disappeared that. 2. Gavin Williamson (South Staffordshire) (Con): Ms Margaret Ritchie (South Down) (SDLP): I thank What recent progress has been made on locating the the Minister for his answer. Given the need to provide disappeared. [22148] growth in the Northern Ireland economy and ensure jobs and investment, can he provide assurances to the The Minister of State, Northern Ireland Office (Mr Hugo House that the Prime Minister, on his current trade Swire): In July, the Independent Commission for the mission to China, is aware not only of the need to Location of Victims’ Remains successfully recovered rebalance the economy in Northern Ireland but of the the remains of Charlie Armstrong, and it awaits DNA products that could be exported as part of international confirmation regarding remains it believes to be those trade—and also of the fact that the Government are of Gerard Evans and Peter Wilson. This would take the about to publish a paper on the Northern Ireland total number of disappeared who have been located to economy and corporation tax? nine. 271 Oral Answers10 NOVEMBER 2010 Oral Answers 272 Gavin Williamson: Is it still the case that the ICLVR is Mr Swire: The hon. Lady is entirely correct, but she to be wound up at the end of this year? must understand that the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Office in these matters is limited, and quite Mr Swire: May I pay tribute to the excellent work of properly so. The ICLVR is an independent organisation the ICLVR, particularly Geoff Knupfer and Jon Hill, and responds to intelligence provided to it—very often who do such good work, as I have seen for myself? I met anonymous intelligence. I hope that it will listen to what the Wilson family just before the find was announced, the hon. Lady has said, but it will respond only when and I can testify to the very serious effect that it has on the intelligence comes. I hope that those who have any families who have waited for many, many years to find understanding or any knowledge will bring that knowledge somewhere to put their loved ones in a grave and go and forward. see them regularly. That achieves closure for many people. The commission is a joint initiative between the Barnett Formula Funding Irish and the British Governments. It is led entirely by intelligence, and we will continue to be led by intelligence— 3. Tom Greatrex (Rutherglen and Hamilton West) (Lab/Co-op): What recent discussions he has had with Mr Speaker: Order. The Minister will have to practise. private sector companies in Northern Ireland on the He is far too long-winded, and that has got to change. effects on them of changes in Barnett formula funding for Northern Ireland consequent upon the outcomes of Eric Joyce (Falkirk) (Lab): The Minister refers to the the comprehensive spending review. [22149] recovery of remains, which is a painful reminder of the need to deal with the legacy of the past in Northern The Minister of State, Northern Ireland Office (Mr Hugo Ireland. If the Secretary of State decides to place any Swire): My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and new obligations on the Historical Enquiries Team, will I have regular discussions with people from the private he ensure that it is fully and properly funded to undertake sector in Northern Ireland. I have found a widespread them? recognition that the public sector can and should respond by delivering better value, and support for the objective Mr Swire: The two bodies are entirely different. We that we and the Executive share of rebalancing the believe that the HET is a good organisation and should Northern Ireland economy. be properly resourced, as we believe it represents the way forward. Tom Greatrex: The Minister will be aware of the recent report from PricewaterhouseCoopers stating that Mr James Gray (North Wiltshire) (Con): The whole 36,000 jobs will be lost in Northern Ireland as a result House will think fondly of that gallant soldier Captain of the Government’s policies—20,000 in the public Robert Nairac of the Grenadier Guards, who was so sector and a further 16,000 in the private sector. What brutally killed by the IRA. Does the Minister have any estimate has he made of the cost to the taxpayer of up-to-date information about whether his remains may those 36,000 people currently in work being made yet be discovered? unemployed by the Government’s policies? Mr Swire: My hon. Friend is right to draw attention Mr Swire: The hon. Gentleman was not in the House to that. Alas, Captain Nairac is not alone. A considerable at the time, but these are not the Conservative and number of bodies have yet to be located, which we hope Liberal Democrat parties’ cuts. These are Labour’s cuts— will happen in due course. [Interruption.] Northern Ireland has done better out of the spending review than it was led to believe would have been the case under the previous Government.