Northern Ireland Office

The Northern Ireland Office (NIO) is a United Kingdom government department responsible for Northern Ireland affairs. The NIO is led by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, and is based in Northern Ireland at Stormont House.

The NIO’s role is to “maintain and support” the devolution settlement resulting from the Good Friday Agreement and St Andrews Agreement and the devolution of criminal justice and policing to the Northern Ireland Assembly.

The department has responsibility for:

• electoral law
• human rights and equality
• national security in Northern Ireland
• the UK Government’s approach to the legacy of the Troubles

It also represents Northern Ireland interests at UK Government level and the interests of the UK Government in Northern Ireland.

The devolution of policing and justice powers on 12 April 2010 transferred many of the NIO's previous responsibilities to the Northern Ireland Assembly and its devolved government, the Northern Ireland Executive. The Department of Justice is now responsible for those matters.

When devolution was suspended, the government of Northern Ireland through the NIO, in lieu of the Northern Ireland Executive, was referred to as direct rule.

Ministers

The current ministers at the NIO are:

• Secretary of State for Northern Ireland — Owen Paterson MP (Conservative)
  • Minister of State for Northern Ireland — Hugo Swire MP (Conservative)

The Director General is Hilary Jackson.

See also

• Northern Ireland Affairs Committee
• Northern Ireland Assembly
• Northern Ireland Executive
• Department of Justice

External links

• Northern Ireland Office