Select committee: Northern Ireland Affairs Committee

Recommendation 6

Second Report - The effect of paramilitary activity and organised crime on society in Northern Ireland Published 1 Feb 2024 Paragraph 48 Addressed to Northern Ireland Executive; Northern Ireland Office

Northern Ireland Affairs Committee The effect of paramilitary activity and organised crime on society in Northern Ireland All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗

Recommendation (the committee's words)

To counter the risk and reality of people romanticising paramilitary groups in Northern Ireland, it is crucial that public agencies and wider civic society use language rooted in safeguarding and child protection when describing the activities of these criminal gangs which include the abuse and exploitation, including sexual abuse and exploitation, of children and young people. The Government, or the Executive when it returns, must undertake an audit of the extent to which the Northern Ireland framework for safeguarding children and young people protects those abused by paramilitary or organised crime gangs. This should include an assessment of the extent to which the PSNI and other crime agencies currently utilise the powers contained in the Human Trafficking and Exploitation (Criminal Justice and Support for Victims) Act (Northern Ireland) 2015 with respect to the exploitation of children. The Government must work with the Executive, when it is established, to develop an integrated strategy to protect children and young people from the harm perpetuated by these groups. In particular, the Government must work with the NI Department of Justice as soon as possible to agree a definition for Child Criminal Exploitation which takes account of current Home Office guidance.

From: Northern Ireland Affairs Committee, Second Report - The effect of paramilitary activity and organised crime on society in Northern Ireland (HC 43), paragraph 48, 1 February 2024

Government response

The government responded to the whole report on 23 May 2024 (deadline 23 May 2024).

Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.

The government says tackling paramilitarism needs a "whole of government approach", but states that most of the levers lie with the restored Northern Ireland Executive, and it commits only to independent scoping work on a formal process of paramilitary group transition.

On the scope of national security, the government's "assessment is that roles and responsibilities are well understood" and it will keep the effectiveness of coordination mechanisms "under ongoing review".
On police numbers, the government states that the increase to 7,500 officers "is not a UK Government commitment" but is listed under Executive priorities. On wider police funding, it says Additional Security Funding has been confirmed at £32m per year through to 2024/25.
On future funding of the Programme, the government says the current phase is being reviewed and it "will engage with the NI Executive" on a future phase, "including on any proposals for multi-year funding".
On transition, the government says it is "committed to taking forward further work, including through independent scoping and engagement" to assess "whether there is merit in and support for" a formal process.

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