Select committee: Northern Ireland Affairs Committee

Recommendation 15

Second Report - The effect of paramilitary activity and organised crime on society in Northern Ireland Published 1 Feb 2024 Paragraph 92 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)

We are concerned to hear claims that paramilitary organisations act as gatekeepers within some communities and masquerade as community organisations to receive public money. The Government must embed a standard code of practice and behaviour that all community-level organisations availing of Government funding have to sign up to as part of efforts to tackle the issue of gatekeeping of funds by paramilitary groups. The Government, Northern Ireland Executive (when it is established), and the Irish Government must agree as soon as possible a common approach to engagement with, and funding of, community organisations that claim to tackle paramilitarism. Any agreement on a set of principles or protocol governing engagement with individuals who are current or former members of paramilitary organisations, or their advocates, must be reflective of the need to maintain contact for a clear and legitimate policing purpose and not indirectly fetter the PSNI in exercising their statutory duty to protect life and property. Moreover, the Committee contends that any due diligence test for those in receipt of public funding must be compliant with equality legislation.

From: Northern Ireland Affairs Committee, Second Report - The effect of paramilitary activity and organised crime on society in Northern Ireland (HC 43), paragraph 92, 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.

Read the government's response ↗ Report an error