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The F:ISC will meet in Cardiff on, I think, 27 February, and, as I said, I have already had a meeting with my Scottish and Welsh counterparts on that matter. I will raise the matter directly, as will they, I am sure, with Treasury officials at the upcoming meeting.
I thank the Minister for his answer. He has somewhat answered my supplementary question. As part of ongoing engagement, will the Department be working with counterparts in other devolved regions to lobby the Treasury on that issue?
I raised that issue in my introductory call with the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 5 February. I will also use the Finance: Interministerial Standing Committee (F:ISC) meeting, which is due to take place later this month, to highlight the issue again with the Chief Secretary in person. In advance of that meeting,…
I have given my commitment to the House that I will take careful, personal consideration and oversight of the matter as that area of technological advancement increases and increases rapidly. We have all witnessed significant technological advancement in our own lifetime, which has, in many ways, provided and improved…
It is reassuring to hear your position on that, Minister. Given the concerns that there are in the Civil Service, what safeguards and guarantees will you put in place to ensure that any AI that is adopted in the Civil Service will be used to support employees and not replace them?
As I say, we have started a number of pilots in my Department. I know that other Departments and government agencies are using AI. We have set up a working group to take an initial view of it and to learn from other state providers and states that are at a much more advanced stage than we are. As I said to the…
I can imagine the headlines in some of tomorrow's newspapers as they report that the Assembly has discussed artificial intelligence, and what the suggestions might be. A working group is a sufficient and effective response to where we are at this stage. As I said, technology is rapidly changing. Developments in AI can…
Thank you, Minister. World-leading work on artificial intelligence is happening in my constituency of South Belfast, with Kainos, Queen's University Belfast and the business sector ready to go. Does the Minister agree that, given its potential to boost economic growth and productivity and the opportunities that lie…
The pace of technological change is rapid. It is crucial that we understand the transformative power of AI and how it can be harnessed to benefit our society but in a responsible and controlled manner. AI presents many opportunities for the public sector to automate routine tasks, streamline processes and improve the…
There are at least two aspects to the issue. The first is about support for public bodies and government agencies, for which I am directly responsible along with my Executive colleagues. In our initial response to storm Éowyn, we were able to allocate £17 million or thereabouts. The second is about responsibility for…
I am aware of some householders in Fermanagh and South Tyrone who are still without telecommunications. My question is similar to Mr McGuigan's supplementary: what, if any, extra moneys will be made available in subsequent rounds for further damage that becomes apparent during the slow restoration of services by…
Again, those are matters for individual Ministers. Just before I came into post, my predecessor received notification from the Treasury that some funding was available. It was moved on very quickly. A letter was issued to Departments to respond. They did respond and funding was allocated on that basis. It is up to…
Minister, on that point specifically, you will know that rural areas suffered very badly as a result of storm Éowyn. Will you advise on what direction has been given to those various Departments on how they might prioritise those rural areas? What practical assistance will they be giving to services and other aspects…
I have had no discussions with the Minister for Communities on that matter. Funding was allocated on the basis of a call that went out to Departments. In fairness to all Departments, there had to be a very quick turnaround because the money came to us at very short notice from the Treasury. However, it will be for…
Minister, in respect of the money that you have allocated to the Department for Communities, what discussions have you had with that Minister to determine whether he can enter into a compensation scheme for those who lost electricity for a long time, particularly for the loss of food from freezers etc?
In the immediate aftermath of the storm, my predecessor had discussions with the Secretary of State. I will continue to have discussions with both the Treasury and the Secretary of State, and, as the true costs of the storm emerge, I will assess whether it is appropriate to make a reserve claim to the Treasury for…
I thank the Minister for his answer and the detail in it. Given the unprecedented damage caused by storm Éowyn, does the Minister intend to ask the Treasury for further support for costs incurred due to the storm?
The Executive agreed to allocate £17·4 million to help Departments deal with the impact of storm Éowyn. The Department for Communities will receive £1·4 million towards a range of pressures, including the emergency financial assistance scheme. The Department of Education will receive £3 million for school building…
I feel as though I have gone back in time. I am now the Minister of Finance; that is for the Minister for Infrastructure. Those are decisions for the Department for Infrastructure. As an Executive, where we can, we want to see revenue raising form a part of each of our Departments in a fair and equitable manner that…
In the Minister's previous role, he often and correctly championed public transport and spoke of the need to incentivise its use by reducing fares etc. Given that a key component of his predecessor's Budget sustainability plan includes increasing Translink fares, has the Minister had a chance to reconsider that?
My predecessor, Dr Archibald, commissioned Ulster University to look at the cost of doing business. I look forward to receiving the report and examining the evidence base in it. It is important that, as my predecessor did, we gather evidence and move forward on that basis. We have to collect data and be data-driven.…
Minister, as councils start to strike their rates, local businesses, particularly independent retailers, in city and town centres are seeing their rates go up and up. If we are truly serious about town centre, village and city centre regeneration, can we look at a package that rebalances commercial rates and takes the…
I am not sure, but the funding is currently around £2,500, I think. I can supply the correct figure to the Member, but it is somewhere in that region. That money is given to Stonewall each year for services and advice to the Department. As with all advice, the Department does not have to take it on board, but we are a…
When considering revenue raising, perhaps the Minister could look at wasteful spend in his Department. It has been revealed that the radical, discredited Stonewall charity is still being funded through the Department of Finance. That charity has been associated with radical gender policies for younger-age children and…
FlaggedGender, sexuality, abortion and related social issuesCriteria met: Dog-whistle messaging, Controversy escalation.