Every imported question, contribution and motion, with its classification. Unflagged, uncertain and not-yet-analysed records are all included so the analysis can be checked independently.
I have clearly laid out the time frame for when I intend to lay a Budget before the Assembly. I have set it out in a number of the debates that we have had on the Budget since the Assembly and the Executive were restored. Obviously, these are not ideal circumstances. I have been very upfront about that, but we have to…
The Minister has not answered the question. What are the legal consequences of her flagrant breach of the statutory duty under section 64(1) to lay a Budget? What example is it to set our citizens if we say to them, "The Minister can defy the law, but you must obey the law that this Assembly made"?
The Member will be aware of the challenges facing the Assembly and the Executive with the time frame for the Budget for the previous financial year and also for this financial year. He will also be aware that the same section of the 1998 Act requires that I lay a statement in the Assembly after I have been informed by…
I understand that the Member is referring to the £150 million of Fresh Start funding. Again, I cannot speak on behalf of the Education Minister, but I understand that the 10 integrated schools were part of the Department of Education's capital programme. As the Member will know, the Executive agreed to earmark funding…
Minister, you said that you are left dealing with the consequences of the removal of the ring fence, but one of the consequences is not that the Executive have to remove money. It is really important to nail that myth. A ring fence being removed does not remove the money from those schools. That was a decision made by…
The response to the question for written answer that the Member will have received will reflect the official correspondence that we received from Treasury about the financial package and any moneys that had been unring-fenced. That is the date in my response to which the Member is referring. I cannot answer for the…
The financial package that accompanied the Executive's restoration was clear that, from 2024-25, any uplift to the Executive's DEL budget through the Barnett formula would attract a 24% needs-based factor. Therefore, it has to be applied to the consequential received in the spring Budget. As I said, I sought and have…
The spring Budget announced by the Chancellor on 6 March 2024 provided £99·4 million of additional resource DEL Barnett consequentials for the Executive in 2024-25. That is based on the current Barnett formula, which will need to be updated to reflect the new 124% as part of the restoration package. I have sought and…
As part of the Budget process for 2024-25, I have written to my Executive colleagues setting out the approach to our equality considerations. Going forward, I plan to engage fully with the Equality Commission on how we can improve equality considerations as part of that wider process. As I said, I want to fully…
I am committed to ensuring that my Department follows best practice in relation to its section 75 duties, not only in considering the equality impacts of its own spending decisions but also in respect of the wider Budget process. The gender impact of Budget proposals should be captured as part of the equality impact…
At every stage of the process, my officials worked at pace to complete the review of the information and reach a judgement on whether it was sufficient to enable expenditure approval. Unfortunately, the review identified at several stages that the information provided to my Department contained significant errors and…
I have been involved in bilateral meetings with all of my Executive colleagues as part of the budgetary process, and we have discussed the various challenges that face each of the Departments and their Ministers. It would not be appropriate for me to go into the individual bids at this point, because there is a…
Has the Minister had any meetings with the Minister of Health to try to secure additional funding for nursing staff, following the Royal College of Nursing's decision to turn down the Executive's pay offer?
I assume that that will be a matter for the Education Minister. My Department has approved the business case and the expenditure for the implementation of the pay and grading review. It will obviously be for the Education Minister to take that forward and to ensure that the implementation of the proposed measures is…
I recognise the vital role of non-teaching staff and the crucial contribution that they make to the education of our children and young people. My Department provided expenditure approval for the implementation of the non-teaching staff pay and grading review on 3 April 2024. It is now for the Department of Education…
We are working through the Budget process, at the minute, so there is a good bit on the Department's plate, but it is something that I want to bring to the Executive in the near future. As part of the negotiations that we will have with Treasury about a future fiscal framework, it is important that we have an agreed…
The Secretary of State put forward a number of measures for consultation while the Executive were down. Departments will be in receipt of the responses to those in the next short while, and, certainly, I will consider the outworking of the consultation in respect of rates. As part of the consultation on the general…
I thank the Minister. The Fiscal Council and the Fiscal Commission conducted detailed analysis and presented several outcomes. Has the Minister discarded those? If so, what does she plan to do to cover the growing fiscal gap?
The Executive recognise the need for fiscal sustainability and, as part of a new fiscal framework, will want to look at all options to deliver efficiencies, generate revenue, enhance borrowing powers and examine fiscal devolution. The main revenue-raising measure that falls within my Department’s remit is the regional…
Obviously, there are legal issues in respect of the delivery of contracts. The position would be in respect of new contracts. I will write to the Member, outlining details on the specifics of the regulations on public procurement and contracts.