Hilary’s Parliamentary Activity - Hilary Benn - Labour MP for Leeds South

Northern Ireland Office: Social Media

Northern Ireland Office

Hilary Benn received a response to a question they put to the government

The Northern Ireland Office has spent the following on social media advertising in the last five years: 2024/25 (to date): £0 2023/24: £0 2022/23: £29,395.01 2021/22:...

Veterinary Services: Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland Office

Hilary Benn received a response to a question they put to the government

The Government has engaged with the Northern Ireland Executive extensively on the issue of veterinary medicine access. This includes through the Veterinary Medicines Working Group, which I...

Report from the Independent Monitoring Panel from 1 January-30 June 2025

Northern Ireland Office

Written Ministerial Statements

On 24 February 2025 (HCWS463) I informed the House that an Independent Monitoring Panel would scrutinise the operation of the Internal Market Guarantee set out in the Safeguarding the Union...

Independent Review of the Windsor Framework: Alliance

Northern Ireland Office

Hilary Benn received a response to a question they put to the government

As stated previously, the Northern Ireland Office speaks to parties regularly and does not give a running commentary on those discussions.

“Soldier F” Trial Verdict

Commons debates

Further to that point of order, Mr Speaker. What I said was absolutely accurate, as the right hon. Gentleman well knows. On the circumstances of the trial of Mr Downey in relation to the Hyde...

“Soldier F” Trial Verdict

Commons debates

The Irish Government do not have a veto. I stood next to the Tánaiste, Simon Harris, and I made commitments on behalf of the British Government and he made commitments on behalf of the Irish...

“Soldier F” Trial Verdict

Commons debates

I will do so when we have been able to inform the families in those cases. I hope that the hon. Gentleman would accept that it is only right and proper that we inform the families first, and...

“Soldier F” Trial Verdict

Commons debates

I say to the hon. Member that the Saville inquiry report made for very sobering and distressing reading for all of us. Like many Members present, I was in the House to hear the former Prime...

“Soldier F” Trial Verdict

Commons debates

The hon. Member raises an important point. It is, however, very important to distinguish, as I know she will, between potential criminal prosecutions, which are the result of decisions of...

“Soldier F” Trial Verdict

Commons debates

The protections were put in place for veterans after consulting veterans, and they are not unimportant: the ability to stay at home and give evidence; the protection from repeated investigations;...

“Soldier F” Trial Verdict

Commons debates

The letters of comfort—or the on-the-run letters, however one wishes to describe them—had their origin in the time after the Good Friday agreement, as the hon. Gentleman will be well...

“Soldier F” Trial Verdict

Commons debates

The hon. Gentleman will be aware of the protections that we have put into legislation following the discussions that we have had with veterans, which I referred to earlier. I join him in again...

“Soldier F” Trial Verdict

Commons debates

It would indeed be possible for them to refer the case to the commission.

“Soldier F” Trial Verdict

Commons debates

It is a fundamental principle of our legal system that we accept the verdicts of the courts, even if we may not agree with them. The hon. and learned Gentleman is a distinguished lawyer, and he...

“Soldier F” Trial Verdict

Commons debates

I would cite to the right hon. Gentleman the case of Mr John Downey, to whom I have referred in the House before. He received one of those letters, and as a result his trial for the Hyde Park...

“Soldier F” Trial Verdict

Commons debates

The legacy Act offered a false promise of immunity. It was found to be incompatible with our obligations, and it had no support in Northern Ireland. At some point, Opposition Members must...

“Soldier F” Trial Verdict

Commons debates

I apologise if I have got this wrong, but I do not remember using the word “equivalence”. What I said was that independent prosecutors would make decisions on the basis of the...

“Soldier F” Trial Verdict

Commons debates

I gently say to the hon. Gentleman that I do not accept the characterisation he used at the end of his question. This is not a politically correct process; this is about trying to find a way...

“Soldier F” Trial Verdict

Commons debates

I share my hon. Friend’s concern about what happened as a result of the legacy Act, but I welcome that two of the cases she mentioned—the M62 coach bombing and Warrenpoint—are...

“Soldier F” Trial Verdict

Commons debates

I agree with the hon. Member that 90% of those who were killed during the troubles were killed by paramilitary terrorists, which is why the vast majority of those who have been prosecuted and...