All of Mr John O'Dowd’s imported questions, contributions and motions in this mandate, newest first, including those assessed as not flagged, uncertain or not yet analysed.
1,596 records match, page 22 of 64.
The level of cooperation and engagement between the Department of Health and my Department has been an exemplar of how to do things.
Assessment details for Debate contribution: Health: Budget Priority Official Assembly record for Debate contribution: Health: Budget Priority
The draft Budget that I have put forward provides almost £26 billion in resource DEL funding for the Department of Health over the three-year Budget period. Excluding earmarked amounts, that would mean the Health budget receiving over 52% of available resource DEL funding each year. Given the priority placed on…
Assessment details for Debate contribution: Health: Budget Priority Official Assembly record for Debate contribution: Health: Budget Priority
Yes, there was extensive engagement at official level with the small business sector before the proposals went out to consultation. Obviously, their voices will be important in the consultation responses.
Assessment details for Debate contribution: Rate Relief Official Assembly record for Debate contribution: Rate Relief
The consultation paper puts forward costed options that focus on two main areas of the small business rate relief scheme. The first is an uplift in the valuation threshold for the scheme so that properties with a slightly higher valuation can be brought into the scheme. The second area is to enhance the level of…
Assessment details for Debate contribution: Rate Relief Official Assembly record for Debate contribution: Rate Relief
As I said, I cannot discuss Executive business, but I will say this: I like to think of the matter as still being under discussion rather than being blocked. There is a potential landing zone for agreement on these matters. We have to look at other ways of raising funds. It is a relatively small amount, but…
Assessment details for Debate contribution: Rate Relief Official Assembly record for Debate contribution: Rate Relief
With the Speaker’s permission, I will answer questions 6 and 10 together. As I set out in my statement to the Assembly in November, I am committed to delivering positive and progressive change to the rating system. Small businesses are the backbone of our economy. I want to see extra help going to those businesses,…
Assessment details for Debate contribution: Rate Relief Official Assembly record for Debate contribution: Rate Relief
As the Member will be aware, I cannot discuss Executive business.
Not analysed
Assessment details for Debate contribution: Benefit Fraud Detection Official Assembly record for Debate contribution: Benefit Fraud Detection
There is a long-standing commitment in the Fresh Start Agreement that the Executive can bid for a share of savings from actions carried out to reduce benefit fraud and error, where those savings can be verified by the Office for Budget Responsibility. On the basis of that commitment, my Department has provided to the…
Assessment details for Debate contribution: Benefit Fraud Detection Official Assembly record for Debate contribution: Benefit Fraud Detection
My officials engage with officials from all Departments on such matters. We will keep a watching brief on all the issues and will have to work our way through them. I am satisfied that the processes are in place to monitor those situations. If further guidance or information is required by the Assembly or by Executive…
Assessment details for Debate contribution: Economy Accounts: Disclaimed Opinion Official Assembly record for Debate contribution: Economy Accounts: Disclaimed Opinion
No, it is an important accounting issue but an accounting issue. No money has been lost, and there has not been an overspend as a result of this matter.
Assessment details for Debate contribution: Economy Accounts: Disclaimed Opinion Official Assembly record for Debate contribution: Economy Accounts: Disclaimed Opinion
I will engage with my officials to establish whether further guidance is required or whether the guidance that is in place is sufficient to ensure that proper processes and outcomes are followed. As I said in my original answer, it was a unique and complex case, but I assure the Member and other Members that it is not…
Assessment details for Debate contribution: Economy Accounts: Disclaimed Opinion Official Assembly record for Debate contribution: Economy Accounts: Disclaimed Opinion
My officials have reviewed the Comptroller and Auditor General's (C&AG) findings from the 2024-25 Department for the Economy annual report and accounts and are pleased to note that DFE has made improvements on certain issues identified in the previous audit reports. I welcome the commitment that DFE has made to…
Assessment details for Debate contribution: Economy Accounts: Disclaimed Opinion Official Assembly record for Debate contribution: Economy Accounts: Disclaimed Opinion
I do not think that I used any of the adjectives that the Member attributed to me, but, if he wants to call me a genius, he should feel free to do so. The issues around delivering capital projects are well known, and there is a challenge for the entire House and for the Executive. If we continue to layer bureaucracy…
Assessment details for Debate contribution: Capital Funding: 2025-26 Surrender Official Assembly record for Debate contribution: Capital Funding: 2025-26 Surrender
Engagement has been ongoing between my departmental officials and DFI over several months. Obviously, we were all aware that there was an issue with the A5 as a result of a legal challenge. I was aware of the potential surrendering of money, but the exact amount of that money did not come through until a later stage…
Assessment details for Debate contribution: Capital Funding: 2025-26 Surrender Official Assembly record for Debate contribution: Capital Funding: 2025-26 Surrender
There have been significant allocations to Education over a period of time. As I said, £22 million has been invested in Education this year. The school estate clearly needs significant investment, and I will do all that I can to support the Education Minister in doing that, along with my Executive colleagues.
Assessment details for Debate contribution: Capital Funding: 2025-26 Surrender Official Assembly record for Debate contribution: Capital Funding: 2025-26 Surrender
In fairness to all Ministers, there was no monitoring round until December. Ministers and Departments will have been aware of the schedule that we have for monitoring rounds. The Infrastructure Minister had to examine complicated legal requirements and issues before surrendering any moneys. The message is clear to all…
Assessment details for Debate contribution: Capital Funding: 2025-26 Surrender Official Assembly record for Debate contribution: Capital Funding: 2025-26 Surrender
Departments have surrendered £280 million of capital in 2025-26. Excluding Irish Government and Treasury earmarked funding that was returned for reprofiling into future years, a total of £199 million of surrendered capital was available to the Executive for reallocation in the June and December monitoring rounds. It…
Assessment details for Debate contribution: Capital Funding: 2025-26 Surrender Official Assembly record for Debate contribution: Capital Funding: 2025-26 Surrender
There appears to be a misunderstanding across the House on occasions that I have more power than I have. I have suggested to some of your colleagues that, if they want to give me more power, I will take it. Some of your ministerial colleagues might not be too keen on the matter, but I assure you that I would use it…
Assessment details for Debate contribution: December Monitoring Round: PFG Targets Official Assembly record for Debate contribution: December Monitoring Round: PFG Targets
The investment strategy is an Executive document. I assume that it will be up to the First Minister and deputy First Minister to announce when it will be available. However, I want to correct some of the Member's assumptions. He will know that there has been progress on Casement Park. There have also been…
Assessment details for Debate contribution: December Monitoring Round: PFG Targets Official Assembly record for Debate contribution: December Monitoring Round: PFG Targets
It would be up to the Communities Minister to reassure you about the calculations and figures and how they deliver the quantum of housing in each case. There may be different circumstances around site ownership and the stage of development of programmes etc.
Assessment details for Debate contribution: December Monitoring Round: PFG Targets Official Assembly record for Debate contribution: December Monitoring Round: PFG Targets
One more fiscal event has yet to take place in Westminster: the Supplementaries. I expect some funding from that, but I do not expect major investment to come this way.
Assessment details for Debate contribution: December Monitoring Round: PFG Targets Official Assembly record for Debate contribution: December Monitoring Round: PFG Targets
The Department for Infrastructure was allocated £59·8 million to deliver essential improvements to our roads, transport and water services. That includes £13·2 million for road maintenance; £5 million to deliver eight new trains and track improvements, enhancing connectivity across the island of Ireland by improving…
Assessment details for Debate contribution: December Monitoring Round: PFG Targets Official Assembly record for Debate contribution: December Monitoring Round: PFG Targets
In the December monitoring round, as well as providing over £100 million of resource departmental expenditure limit (DEL) to help deliver pay awards for a number of groups of public-sector workers, I secured Executive agreement to allocate £162 million for capital investment, which will deliver real improvements to…
Assessment details for Debate contribution: December Monitoring Round: PFG Targets Official Assembly record for Debate contribution: December Monitoring Round: PFG Targets
As I said, there may well be legal proceedings under way, so I am somewhat constrained in what I can say. My understanding is that the premises have been managed by a company. The individuals in the company may well be associated with a political party, but my understanding is that the bill is in the name of a company.
Assessment details for Debate contribution: Rates Bill: North Antrim DUP Constituency Office Official Assembly record for Debate contribution: Rates Bill: North Antrim DUP Constituency Office
The case is not being dealt with differently from any other case of outstanding moneys owed to LPS. I assure the Member that the case has not been given special treatment. We have to be careful about naming those responsible for the payment of outstanding debts because of legal requirements, legal protections and the…
Assessment details for Debate contribution: Rates Bill: North Antrim DUP Constituency Office Official Assembly record for Debate contribution: Rates Bill: North Antrim DUP Constituency Office
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