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I thank the Minister for her answer. I recognise the rate, but how is your Department supporting people with disabilities or special educational needs to ensure that they also have the opportunity to gain education and support at that level?
NISRA's labour force survey reported that, in 2023, approximately 40% of people here aged 16 to 64 held a qualification at level 4 or above. East Antrim compares favourably with that, with a rate of over 43%. I am committed to continuing the work of my predecessor in addressing subregional disparities such as those in…
I thank the Member for his good wishes. Community wealth building has an important role to play in creating a more regionally balanced economy. I welcome the collaborative approach that the Larne partnership and the North West Community Wealth Building Partnership are taking. I recognise the huge potential that that…
Cuirim ádh mór ar an Aire ina post nua. How will the measures that the Minister outlined in her initial answer benefit the North West Community Wealth Building Partnership and the unique challenges of our region?
Payment of the real living wage is a key element of a good job. The Department for the Economy gives financial support, providing £125,000 per year to the full-time living wage franchise here to encourage uptake of the real living wage and provide accreditation in the North for the first time. A consultation on…
We continue to make positive progress on community wealth building and the nine recommendations outlined in the 2022 community wealth building report that I am responsible for taking forward. Along with my colleagues the Minister of Finance and the Minister for Communities, I will be meeting Development Trusts and…
Again, as I said in my earlier answer, access to education and skills is a top priority for me, and I will work with Ulster University on its plans for all its campuses. As the Member will be aware, universities are autonomous institutions, so it is for them to make decisions on how they spend their money. I will be…
I see no contradiction in my position between what I said previously and what I say now. The consistent message is that we have been underfunded and need to be properly funded on the basis of our level of need in order to deliver for all our citizens. The Member may be aware from my presentations to the Finance…
This is a slightly surreal situation, Minister. You are saying that the budget that you gave to the Department that you are now in charge of is not large enough. Indeed, you are saying that the budget is down from 2021, when your predecessor, now Senator Murphy, was Minister of Finance. There is a slight irony there.…
As I said in my response to Dr Aiken, skills and access to education are key priorities for me. When I look at the draft budget allocation, I will try to put as much funding as possible into ensuring that we can deliver on education and training and on the priorities that we have in that area. We are still going…
With the ongoing reviews of further education and higher education student support, how is the Department planning to build in the potential budget that will be required to fund any uplifts to loans, grants or any other support?
As the Member will know, Magee is one of my top priorities, and it is an Executive priority. While the Budget settlement is extremely challenging, Magee is an area that I have prioritised.
All Departments' budgets are extremely challenging, as, I am sure, the Member will be aware. The Executive's fiscal position is extremely difficult owing to years of underfunding from the British Government. Indeed, my Department's resource baseline for 2025-26 is 5% less than it was for 2020-21. DFE has £83 million…
I thank the Member for his question. My predecessor engaged with senior representatives from Boeing and Airbus on the sale of Spirit's local operation. My officials and I will continue to engage with all interested parties including TEO, the British Government, the business and other stakeholders to ensure the best…
The Minister will be aware that Spirit AeroSystems is a major employer in Northern Ireland and that there is potential interest from other companies. Will the Minister do all that she can to ensure that the entire operation here will have a viable future?
First of all, it is important to say that no Government should arm Israel. Invest NI has assured me that it does not support projects that arm Israel, and no evidence has been presented to the contrary. However, I have asked Invest NI to review its investments to make absolutely sure that that is the case. It is…
I thank the Member for that. One issue that cuts across all of what we are trying to achieve economically is skills and people's ability to access appropriate skills and training. That is certainly a priority for me. Just this morning, I attended the launch of the Ulster University Economic Policy Centre's update of…
I thank the Minister for her remarks so far. I declare an interest as chair of the all-party group on aerospace, defence, security and space. Minister, you will be aware of the importance of apprenticeships. Indeed, last week, in the Assembly, we had a meeting on apprenticeships in aerospace, defence, security and…
My predecessor identified the aerospace sector as a strategic subsector in the 'Advanced Manufacturing, Materials and Engineering Sectoral Action Plan', which was published last year. That sector offers strong growth potential. The action plan sets out a range of activities including investment in people and skills,…
I have raised that issue frequently with the now former Minister for Infrastructure at the Executive table and in correspondence and meetings with him. If we are serious about housebuilding in Northern Ireland and ensuring that we have the homes that people need, we need to address the waste water infrastructure…