Debate contribution: Fiscal Devolution

Debate contribution by Mr Doug Beattie MC on 29 April 2025.

MLA

Mr Doug Beattie MC

Party at the time

Ulster Unionist Party

Date

29 April 2025

Type

Debate contribution

Business

Opposition Business

Heading

Fiscal Devolution

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 4921735

Read the official Assembly record

Text

I am standing in for our finance spokesperson, Steve Aiken, who is happily going through a bit of post-surgery recovery at the moment. I am sure that he would be slightly more colourful on the subject than I am likely to be. The Fiscal Commission and the Fiscal Council have made suggestions about closing the funding black hole between Northern Ireland and the rest of our nation. We welcome the changes in the required level-of-need funding and the fiscal settlement to close the gap in funding here created by the suspension of Stormont. It is clear that we are still looking at a significant shortfall in the years to come. We analysed the shortfalls over the past decades, and, historically, we have consistently missed out on pressures by about £0·5 billion per annum. It is easy to blame that wholly on the austerity measures from Whitehall, which have been significant, but it also has to be recognised that, on average, Northern Ireland citizens pay approximately £400 less in all forms of revenue raising than those in the rest of the United Kingdom. For comparison, the figure for the Republic of Ireland is substantially more, with a comparative shortfall of nearly €1,000. The details of that are laid out in the excellent work by the Fiscal Commission. We cannot keep going back to London to demand more money when we have not put our house in order. We certainly have not done that, which, in many cases, is due to the fact that we have not had continuity of government.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. It is certainly a swayed comparison — the Member is absolutely right — but we still have to look at the issue and at the measures that we can implement but are not implementing. I will touch on those in a moment. We have to ask whether our public services are efficient. How is it that we are incapable of public procurement? How is it that we have spent multiple millions on the A5 with not one square metre of tarmac laid? How is it that building construction has basically come to a halt because of inadequate water infrastructure. How is it that our Economy Department has had its accounts disclaimed? Equally, because it is an Opposition motion, I ask this: what costs of rigorous implementation are being accrued? Think of how much of the close to £1 billion spent on IT systems, consultancy fees and the creation of border posts could have been better allocated to health transformation or even to paying for much-needed police recruitment. To be honest, I do not think that anyone here really believes that we have a public service that is fit for purpose. Chasing an overspend of £1·3 million with forensic accountants while ignoring and deflecting the £3·5 billion overspend on capital projects is more than indicative of a lack of any critical thinking. A fundamental, independent review of how we spend our existing money, coupled with the transformation of those who deliver it — the Civil Service — is now a prerequisite. Anyone who believes that we have a fit-for-purpose delivery mechanism is kidding themselves and the people of Northern Ireland. What is the Finance Minister proposing? We know that he proposes not the mutualisation of Northern Ireland Water but the creation of a developer tax on new homes and properties that will ultimately see the extra costs passed on to buyers. There is no review of student funding, even though universities are haemorrhaging staff and students. There is no innovative funding model for the York Street interchange and no creation of an infrastructure bond, selling the long-term prosperity of Northern Ireland to overseas wealth funds. There is no substantial revision of the rating system. If he is proposing any of that, he is not keeping us informed. Were the Minister here, he would, of course, bite back, but he is not here. I join the chorus of others saying that it is absolutely disgraceful that he is not here.

If you do not mind, I will not. The Minister would, of course, bite back by referring to the Opposition's non-existent Budget proposals. However, he is the Finance Minister, and, as the Finance Minister, it is up to him to tell us how he will close the annual gap of £0·5 billion, because, in the absence of any proposal from him, that is glaring.

735 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Assessment

Not flagged

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Assessed 21 October 2026 at 12:27 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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