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.
As I said in my answer, it is vital that, when we provide training to our Civil Service colleagues, people with lived experience also provide that training. Stonewall and all other organisations will be treated the same way when it comes to bidding for funding etc. I will not discriminate against any group. We run an…
The Civil Service is an equal opportunities employer and is committed to building a diverse and inclusive Civil Service that reflects the society that we serve. Learning and development for the Civil Service is provided through various sources, including external groups identified as subject matter experts and…
Between June monitoring and the Budget this year, we will increase our childcare and early years strategy funding to £50 million, doubling it from last year. That is a significant strategic move and investment by the Executive. We have also committed to ensuring that £5 million will go on top of that as part of the…
The Executive decided to use the allocations of around £146 million that came from Barnett consequentials in relation to National Insurance contributions more strategically than simply salami-slicing them and handing them out to Departments. For instance, the £50 million that went to Health to add up to the £215…
The deadline for departmental June monitoring returns is Thursday 5 June 2025, with Executive consideration expected by mid-to-late June. The Barnett consequentials confirmed in the Chancellor's spring statement, combined with confirmed Barnett consequentials in respect of employers' National Insurance contributions,…
Those who thought that Brexit was a good idea eight years ago — nine years ago now — should have had long enough to reflect that it was not such a good idea. I have not seen the detail of the agreement between the British Government and the EU this morning, but perhaps in it is further easement of the barriers that…
The report is important academic research to show to the Treasury, because it shows the differences between here and the other regions that the Treasury has responsibility for and highlights once again the fact that, when they make decisions in Whitehall about this place, they need either to take into account the…
The independent report by the Ulster University Economic Policy Centre published by my Department on 6 May provides an important evidence base to highlight the detrimental impact that decisions that are taken in Westminster are having on our business, community and voluntary sectors, as well as our public finances.…
One of the, perhaps, unintended consequences of the new policy on allowing staff to work from home or from different locations has been ensuring that more regional balance has been facilitated, as staff work closer to home or from home, meaning that spending and investment take place closer to home than they did…
I do not wish to pre-empt the review that I mentioned in my answer, which will take place over the next 18 months. Once that review is complete, I will ensure that the Member receives confirmation of the plans.
My Department is assessing its entire accommodation requirement as part of the Civil Service estate. The implementation of the Civil Service hybrid working policy in 2021 has significantly changed how the Civil Service uses its estate and has provided opportunities to progress a leaner, greener, modern estate suited…
It is up to each Department to do an audit of the services that it brings in from the community and voluntary sector and of how they might be impacted on by the loss of the funding. However, I emphasise that I am not suggesting that we will lose the funding; we do not have clarity at the moment, ahead of the spending…
It is imperative that the British Government properly engage on the matter. The Executive have given them a paper on what, we believe, the way forward should be. That is an agreed position around the Executive table. As I said, I have raised the matter with Treasury, directly with the Minister for Housing and Planning…
I met representatives of the community and voluntary sector a number of weeks ago on that very matter and discussed the challenges that the sector faces. The situation is far from ideal. We require clarity. It seems as though that is a standard answer to every question, but I do not expect any clarity from any…
I have written to the Chief Secretary to the Treasury directly and jointly with my counterparts in Scotland and Wales about EU replacement funding beyond 2025. The issue has been a central point of discussion in my meetings with the Treasury. I have also written to other British Government Ministers about the matter…
I have had no discussions with the Infrastructure Minister about a new funding model for NI Water, but I am conscious that she has responded to a number of debates and questions about that matter in the Assembly.
DFI's resource budget outcome of £638·2 million for 2025-26 is an increase of £78·7 million — a 14% increase — from its opening 2024-25 resource budget. That allocation should enable the Department to meet its highest priority measures and essential services. The Department's 2025-26 capital outcome is £917 million,…
I am delighted that the Member is taking more of an interest in Southern politics. I suspect that his party is moving beyond its partitionist approach; it is good to see it. If I had a €12 billion surplus — I think that is how much it is — in my Budget, I would expect the Member to stand in the Chamber and call on me…
It is for the Department of Infrastructure to determine NI Water's funding within the budget envelope that the Executive agreed for the Department. My intention is that 2025-26 will be the last single-year Executive Budget. The multi-year spending review, which will be announced by the Chancellor in June, will set…
It is not an issue that immediately jumps to mind as one that has been raised with me by officials. It is a matter that I will take under further consideration, and I have no doubt that the Member will raise it in the Committee's considerations. As I said in response to the previous question, we do not want to place…
I am keen to see the baby loss certificate scheme progress urgently to give bereaved families formal recognition of their loss. I want all parents and families who have suffered the devastating loss of a baby to feel that their grief is recognised. The Deaths, Still-Births and Baby Loss Bill, which will provide a…
There has been no direct comment from the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, though I am aware that Rachel Reeves has commented on that over a period of time. It will be interesting to see whether the comprehensive spending review will be used to see how we classify debt. Will it help alleviate some of the pressures on…
There is an ever-growing list of issues that we are raising with the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, and I hope that the spending review will resolve some of them. I expect that it will not resolve others, so those discussions will have to continue. However, as I have noted, those issues include our funding at need…
The Member will be aware that my predecessor commissioned Professor Gerry Holtham to carry out work to identify the true need of spend in this region. That work has been completed, and I can confirm to the House that I have issued that report to the Chief Secretary to the Treasury and copied in the Secretary of State.…