Northern Ireland Office

Department overview
Formed	24 March 1972
Preceding Department	Dublin Castle administration (1171–1921) Home Office (1921–1972) Office of the Prime Minister (1921–1972) Office of the Governor (1922–1973)
Jurisdiction	Government of the United Kingdom
Headquarters	Northern Ireland Erskine House, 20-32 Chichester Street, Belfast, BT1 4GF Westminster 1 Horse Guards Road, London, SW1A 2HQ
Employees	167 (September 2011)[1]
Annual budget	£23 million for 2011–12[2]
Secretary of State responsible	The Rt. Hon. Chris Heaton-Harris MP, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Department executive	Julie Harrison, Permanent Secretary
Website	www.gov.uk/government/organisations/northern-ireland-office

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The Northern Ireland Office (NIO; Irish: Oifig Thuaisceart Éireann,^[3] Ulster-Scots: Norlin Airlann Oaffis)^[4] is a department of His Majesty's Government responsible for Northern Ireland affairs. The NIO is led by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and is based at Erskine House in Belfast City Centre and 1 Horse Guards Road in London.

Role

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.^[5] 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 Irish interests at UK Government level and the interests of the UK Government in Northern Ireland.^[6]

The Northern Ireland Office has a close working relationship with the Government of Ireland as a co-guarantor of the peace process; this includes the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference and its joint secretariat.^[7]

In the Irish Government, the NIO's main counterparts are:

• the Department of Foreign Affairs (on the peace process);^[8]
• the Department of the Taoiseach (supporting the role of the Taoiseach in the peace process);^[9]
• the Department of Justice (on national security matters and the legacy of the Troubles);^[10][11]
• the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (on electoral law).^[12]

History

After partition in 1924 the Dublin Castle administration was largely replaced by the Parliament of Northern Ireland with the Northern Ireland Department of the Home Office handling the oversight from London,^[13] with some extremely important decisions such as sending of British Army soldiers to Northern Ireland in 1969 being made by the Home Secretary.^[14] In March 1972 with the Troubles worsening and the UK Government losing confidence in the Northern Ireland Government, direct rule from Westminster was introduced.^[15]

The formation of the NIO put Northern Ireland on the same level as Scotland and Wales, where the Scottish Office and Welsh Office were established in 1885 and 1965 respectively. The NIO assumed policing and justice powers from the Ministry of Home Affairs. NIO junior ministers were placed in charge of other Northern Ireland Civil Service departments.

Direct rule was seen as a temporary measure, with a power-sharing devolution preferred as the solution. Under the Northern Ireland (Temporary Provisions) Act 1972, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland replaced the Governor of Northern Ireland and direct rule was annually renewed by a vote in Parliament.^[16]

The Sunningdale Agreement in 1973 resulted in a brief, power-sharing Northern Ireland Executive, which was ended by the Ulster Workers' Council strike on 28 May 1974. The Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention (1975–1976) and Northern Ireland Assembly (1982–1986) were unsuccessful in restoring devolved government. After the Anglo-Irish Agreement on 15 November 1985, the UK Government and Irish Government co-operated more closely on security and political matters.

Following the Good Friday Agreement on 10 April 1998, devolution returned to Northern Ireland on 2 December 1999. The Northern Ireland Executive was suspended on 15 October 2002 and direct rule returned until devolution was restored on 8 May 2007.

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. This transfer of power resulted in a smaller Northern Ireland Office, comparable to the Scotland Office and Wales Office.

Current ministers

The NIO ministers are as follows:^[17][18]

Portrait	Minister	Office	Portfolio
	The Rt Hon. Chris Heaton-Harris MP	Secretary of State for Northern Ireland	Overall responsibility; Political stability and relations with the Northern Ireland Executive; National security and counter-terrorism; Implementation of the Stormont House and Fresh Start Agreements, including legacy of the past; Representing Northern Ireland in the Cabinet on EU exit, including new economic opportunities; International interest in Northern Ireland, including relations with the Irish government.
	The Rt Hon. Steve Baker MP	Minister of State for Northern Ireland	Driving Economic and Domestic Policy; Long-term economic recovery from COVID-19; Promotion of the economy, levelling up and innovation - including City Deals and the Shared Prosperity Fund; Leading the department's work on the most critical constitution and rights issues in NI. Supporting the Secretary of State in his responsibilities, including: Legacy stakeholder engagement; Strengthening and sustaining the Union in Northern Ireland; Vital security casework; Building substantive relationships across sectors and communities; Leading workstreams on New Decade, New Approach Agreement; and the NI Protocol
	The Rt. Hon.The Lord Caine	Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland	Supporting the Secretary of State on legacy, New Decade, New Approach and Protocol. Reviewing planning for future political negotiations and developing plans to help achieve greater levels of Integrated Education in Northern Ireland. Leading the department’s work on Constitution and Rights such as abortion and ensuring women have access to services. Responsible for legislation and engagement in the House of Lords. Aiding political stability such as reviewing plans for the 25th Anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. Building substantive relationships across sectors and communities through engagement.

As Attorney General for England and Wales, The Rt Hon. Victoria Prentis KC MP is Advocate General for Northern Ireland, advising the UK Government on Northern Ireland law.

Secretaries of State for Northern Ireland

The department is led by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

Ministers of State for Northern Ireland

Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State for Northern Ireland

Permanent Secretary

The senior civil servant in the NIO is Julie Harrison, who was appointed in September 2023.