All of Dr Caoimhe Archibald’s imported questions, contributions and motions in this mandate, newest first, including those assessed as not flagged, uncertain or not yet analysed.
You were giving me heart failure there; I thought that I had the wrong folder. Thank you for the opportunity to make a statement on the outcome of the 2023-24 provisional out-turn and the Executive's June monitoring exercise. I have carefully considered whether the June monitoring round should proceed during the…
Supply Resolution for Excess Votes for 2016-2017, 2018-2019, 2020-2021, 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 That this Assembly approves, that sums be granted out of the Consolidated Fund not exceeding £397,000 for the year ending 31 March 2017 and not exceeding £45,000 for the year ending 31 March 2019 for use by the Public…
Supply Resolution for the Northern Ireland Main Estimates 2024-2025 That this Assembly approves that a sum, not exceeding £25,255,627,000, be granted out of the Consolidated Fund, for or towards defraying the charges for the Northern Ireland Departments, the Food Standards Agency, the Northern Ireland Assembly…
In compliance with section 52 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, I will make the following statement on the twenty-second meeting of the North/South Ministerial Council (NSMC) in special EU programmes sectoral format, which was held in the offices of the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan…
The monitoring round process is not set in stone and is kept under review. Sometimes there is not a great deal of money to allocate in October monitoring rounds, and the bulk of the money comes in January and June. However, we intend to do an October monitoring round process this year, and one of the reasons for that…
We know for definite that there will be a minimum of £65 million for allocation. That is comprised of the £24 million from the application of the 24% needs-based adjustment factor to the spring Budget consequentials and £41 million of agreed carry-over of Barnett consequentials that was received late in 2023-24. It is…
I had initially hoped — I think that I have been on record a number of times saying this — to be in a position to allocate some of that funding in June monitoring. It was an ambitious timeline and was dependent on agreeing a way forward with the British Government. Progress has not been rapid enough to achieve that…
I think that we would all agree that it has been clear that the funding that we have for public services is not sufficient and that we need to transform how we provide public services. Across many sectors, public services are in critical need of investment and reform to ensure that we deliver quality and efficiency of…
As the Member will be aware, the transformation board will allocate the specific money that has been ring-fenced for public sector transformation. It is £47 million this year and in each of the next five years. The process to ask for bids started only last week, so Departments will only be submitting those bids at…
We all recognise that there are inflationary impacts that hit all Departments and their delivery of public services over a year. Over the past few years, there have been particular inflationary impacts that have resulted in costs going up. The Department of Health states that it requires that particular figure. Over…
I am happy to engage with the Member and the Federation of Small Businesses. I have had the opportunity to engage with the FSB on a number of occasions since taking up office, and I am happy to do so again.
There is a prompt payment policy, and all Departments, government bodies and public bodies should adhere to it. I encourage the making of all payments promptly, particularly to small businesses and microbusinesses, because what are small amounts of money to some public-sector organisations could be the difference…
The projects that have been earmarked for capital bids are previous Executive flagship priorities. They are based on bids made by Departments for funding that, they believe, will be required in this financial year. It will be for Departments to keep that under review and ensure that, if they are not going to spend any…
As the Member has stated, our capital budget to allocate this year was almost as pressed as our resource budget. We had one and a half times as many bids as money available. It is very challenging for Departments to determine what they will be able to deliver. All Departments now have their allocation and are planning…
Working together and having a unified voice will better place us to meet the challenges that we have head-on. I want to work with all my ministerial colleagues in making the case for more investment in public services. One of our first actions in February was to write to the Prime Minister about long-term funding for…
We are all aware that over a decade of austerity and cuts has been hugely damaging for our public services and for workers, families and communities here. It is clear that all Departments are under significant financial pressure. That was evidenced by the fact that, in terms of departmental resource bids, there were…
I thank the Member for his question. He is right: that work has been going on for some time. It is work that I am committed to. He will be aware that, in taking forward any negotiations on the devolution of fiscal powers, we will have to have an Executive position, so I will bring recommendations to the Executive. I…
As the Member will be aware, the Independent Fiscal Commission published its report in 2022. There was a subsequent consultation on that report. I will consider the responses to the consultation, all the tax powers that were reported on and the findings and bring recommendations to the Executive in due course. As the…
Civil Service staff are posted in accommodation across the region in the Department of Finance's office estate and in buildings that are owned or leased by other Departments. Six Connect2 hubs were opened in August 2022, allowing staff to work remotely at six regional locations as an alternative to working from their…
I thank the Member for that question. I said in my response to the Education Minister in relation to the proposals that he brought forward that my officials were happy to continue to engage with his officials about any of the proposals, including rates relief.
As I have just outlined in relation to the rates relief support, there are currently 141 registered childcare providers that are entitled to small business rates relief and receive about £150,000 of support. The small business rates relief scheme has been extended by my Department for 2024-25. I am committed to…
As the Member will be aware — I have received correspondence on this issue — there have been calls to provide rates relief to improve affordability. Around 75% of identifiable childcare providers in the rating system currently qualify for small business rates relief, which means that the rates bills for those…
With the Speaker's permission, I will answer questions 9 and 10 together. Alongside my Executive colleagues, I am committed to addressing issues of affordability and sustainability and supporting our children to have the best start in life. I raised the importance of making improvements to the tax-free childcare…