MPs to question Hilary Benn MP
The Northern Ireland Affairs Committee will question Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Hilary Benn in a regular accountability session focused on the work of the Northern Ireland Office and its ministers.
The hearing, which will also feature NIO Minister Fleur Anderson and Permanent Secretary Julie Harrison, will be a chance for MPs to ask about areas of interest to the Committee.
Meeting details
There are likely to be questions on the Government’s plan to repeal and replace the 2023 Legacy Act. The Committee wrote to the Secretary of State last week to outline the evidence it had heard so far in its inquiry ahead of any potential announcement on a joint approach with the Republic of Ireland.
Members may also wish to explore issues concerning the funding of public services, following the announcements made in last week’s Spending Review and the Government’s response to the Committee’s report, which was published on 19 June.
Also on the panel will be the Cabinet Office’s Windsor Framework Director Fleur Johnson, with the Committee expected to ask about the latest developments affecting the operation and implementation of the post-Brexit legal agreement.
Other issues that could be raised include reform of the NI Assembly, the future of Spirit Aerosystems and the role of the NIO in tackling violence against women and girls in Northern Ireland.
The Committee previously took evidence from the Secretary of State in November.