Debate contribution: Budget 2026-29/2030: Reports

Debate contribution by Mr Brian Kingston on 11 May 2026.

MLA

Mr Brian Kingston

Party at the time

Democratic Unionist Party

Date

11 May 2026

Type

Debate contribution

Business

Committee Business

Heading

Budget 2026-29/2030: Reports

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 5524112

Read the official Assembly record

Text

I rise to speak as a DUP member of the Finance Committee. The DUP has led the fight for increased funding from the Treasury at Westminster for public services in Northern Ireland to reflect our true level of need. We continue to campaign to increase that, above the current level of 124% pro rata compared with England, to the 128% that was recommended in Professor Gerald Holtham's review last year. There is, of course, unanimous support across the Assembly for increased funding from HM Treasury. Our DUP MPs are leading that cause at Westminster, where Sinn Féin MPs do not even take their seats. While that campaign continues, it is extremely challenging for our Executive to live within their existing Budget. As a result, we have before us a draft annual Budget and multi-year Budget that are not agreed by the Executive, nor indeed by any Minister in the Executive — perhaps with the exception of the Finance Minister, but he can confirm that. The financial reality, however, means that the Executive have responsibility for managing our current actual funding envelope. Some parties — we have heard from them today — have a one-point action plan of "Blame the Brits". However, the Executive must do all that they can, first, to bring in additional government funding through special initiatives and, secondly, to promote efficiency and the transformation of our public services. Sinn Féin's Jemma Dolan said earlier that local fundraising through the rates cannot meet the funding gap, which is true, but that does not mean that we should not do all that we can to grow our economy, increase our rates base and, of course, increase household income and spending power. It was the DUP that championed the city and growth deal funding for Northern Ireland and got that included in the confidence-and-supply agreement with the then Government in 2017. That has provided £1·3 billion for four deals that now cover all of Northern Ireland.

That is a timely intervention. I wanted to go on to say that the strategic defence review in 2025 highlighted that UK defence spending will increase to 2·5% of GDP by 2027, with the aim of reaching 3% in the next Parliament. Countries across Europe have recognised that need. The parties here that want to stick their heads in the sand and ignore the threat from Russia and elsewhere are failing in the fundamental responsibility of government, which is to protect its citizens from real and present dangers. The Republic of Ireland is Europe's biggest outlier in that regard. The defence review resulted in a £50 million defence growth deal for Northern Ireland, supporting defence tech start-ups and small businesses, creating highly skilled jobs; growing Northern Ireland's aerospace, defence and security sector, which employs thousands of our people; and strengthening UK national security as well as defending people in Ukraine and other places that are under hostile attack. Among other initiatives, the Communities Minister has highlighted the potential, building on the principles of the 2015 Fresh Start Agreement, for a portion of savings from tackling benefit fraud and error to be retained for the funding of public services in Northern Ireland. That represents a real opportunity to increase funding for public services. I would welcome an update from the Finance Minister, when he responds, on how that is progressing, or not, at the Executive table and in talks with the UK Government.

There are also opportunities for the greater use of financial transactions capital, which is now provided on a net basis, meaning that there is no longer a requirement to make repayments to Treasury.

I am interested in particular in hearing from the Finance Minister about efficiency savings across the Executive. I do not doubt that it is difficult to manage a four-party Executive Budget; it has not currently been agreed for even one year, let alone three or four years. What targets are being set to make efficiency savings, and what progress is being made and annually measured? The transformation fund and the delivery unit in TEO are positive initiatives, but the Finance Minister should be the champion for efficiency savings and should push all Ministers to make them. I would welcome an update from the Minister on those matters.

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

Assessment

Not flagged

Jev’s structured answers

Assessed 21 October 2026 at 15:38 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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