John O'Dowd
Upper Bann · Sinn Féin · Northern Ireland
“As I set out in response to the previous question, we have in place the vacant property rate relief scheme and the small business rate relief scheme, which are very successful. I set aside £10 million in the draft Budget for small business rate relief to be invested.”
“I am particularly keen to hear from those impacted by vacant commercial units and especially about how any phased increase can be implemented in a sustainable way that is fair, proportionate and sustainable within the tax system.”
“I outlined my intent to take that approach in my statement on 18 November, alongside the fact that reform of rating policy should support growth, make better use of property and ensure that the system is fair, proportionate and aligned with wider economic objectives.”
“The accelerator will operate alongside our highly successful Back in Business scheme, which has helped to bring over 100 vacant high street properties back into use since May 2024. Those issues have been the subject of considerable interest and comment in the Assembly, and it is right that we grasp the nettle now.”
“There are no circumstances in which a hard border would be good for the people of Ireland; it would not be good for anyone. Those who suggest that are being naive at best and dangerous at worst, in the sense of not understanding this society. <BR /> <BR />Rural communities along the border are one and the same.”
“This announcement represents the next step in that. That said, I also put on record my intention to strengthen support for small businesses. In that vein, £10 million has been set aside in the draft Budget to broaden the impact of the small business rate relief scheme in order to increase the number of businesses that can benefit from it.…”
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“All Ministers need to be extremely careful about how they use Civil Service resources, which are there primarily to support delivery front-line public services and should not be used in a party political way. I heard the Minister of Education's comments in the Chamber yesterday about his engagement with his permanent secretary on the matter. My understanding is that it would be a matter for the head of the Civil Service to further develop any inquiries in that case.”
“We all want to see public sector workers, including healthcare workers, get the pay rise that they deserve in a timely manner. I plan to hold a December monitoring round, at which time we will understand the funding available following the Chancellor's autumn Budget. That will also provide an opportunity for Departments to declare any easements of funding that they no longer require, which the Executive can then consider reallocating to public-sector pay. The Executive have agreed that, in that monitoring round, the Department of Health will have first call on £100 million of available funding for health service pay costs, alongside funding to meet the pay awards of other public-sector workers.”
“All Departments have, within their remit, the responsibility to review revenue raising and see how they can raise revenue. That should be done in a fair and equitable way, but each Department has the authority to do it, and I encourage them to do so.”
“In addition, I recently published a report on aligning spending with priorities, which examines how the 2025-26 Budget aligns with the Programme for Government. That is a significant step forward in illustrating how Departments' spending is allocated towards the priorities that are set by the Executive. That will become an increasingly valuable tool for directing resources to priority areas.”
“The Budget sustainability plan, which was published in October 2024, marked an important first step in the pathway towards more fiscally sustainable Budgets and policy decisions. Since the publication of the plan, officials have been progressing its commitments. One of the strands of that work is the development of departmental five-year plans. My officials are working with each Department to develop those plans. They will articulate each Department's strategic direction over the medium term, outline the associated costs and identify opportunities to reduce expenditure in a way that supports long-term sustainability. <BR /> <BR />Following the autumn Budget announcement on 26 November, I intend to bring forward proposals for a draft Budget, which will include funding allocations for all Departments, including Health and Justice.”
“People who face financial difficulties can apply for comprehensive support with their rates through the benefits system. LPS will work with people who are having difficulty in paying and agree an affordable repayment plan. That is in the case of those who wish to pay but cannot afford to pay. You will always run into people who can afford to pay but refuse to do so, and we have no reluctance in pursuing legal action in those cases.”
“For example, bringing a small business to court can mean the end of that business and the loss of its jobs etc, but, one way or the other, everybody has to pay their rates. That is the strategy to which my Department works.”
“It does not impact on front-line delivery until a decision is made to write off an amount of debt. Such a decision is made over a period of years. It will not impact on them then. Departments spend on the amount of money that, we predict, will come in from the rates; that is how the planning is done. In year, there is no impact, but, when we reach the stage at which we have a number of years of debt that we need to write off, there will be an impact on further years' spending. It does have an impact, hence the reason for Land and Property Services and me putting a greater emphasis on ensuring that we go through the process of retrieving all moneys that can be retrieved. As I have said to Members, we have to be measured on this.”
“Some £59 million has already been subject to legal recovery action, which enables further legal action to be taken where rates remain unpaid; and £12·8 million is being repaid through active payment plans or agreements with Land and Property Services. The remaining £73·5 million is under review for further legal action. It is important that Members understand that, within that amount, there are cases that are not suitable for legal action, including those in which there has been a bereavement, an appeal or where the ratepayer is in receipt of benefits.”
“Last year saw Land and Property Services (LPS) collect a record £1·63 billion in rates. As I outlined to the House on 21 October during the debate, my Department remains committed to the collection of unpaid rates. Already this year, the amount owing from previous years has reduced by 20%, and, as legal action for non-payment increases in the coming months, that will continue to drive the amount owed down further. There are two categories when it comes to rates debt: those who cannot pay and those who will not pay. We have to pursue rigorously those who refuse to pay, and we have to support and work with those who cannot pay in order to find a way for them to do so. <BR /> <BR />It might be helpful if I provided more detail on the £145 million that is outstanding.”
“I have encouraged, do encourage and will continue to encourage all Ministers, their Departments and their arm's-length bodies to take advantage of the changes to procurement legislation, guidance and policy to ensure that we achieve best value for money.”
“Yes, they can. I continue to hear stories of difficulties that schools and other bodies have in procurement exercises. I am of the view — evidence backs this up from the changes that we have made in the past year through the Procurement Act and supported by the Executive — that significant changes have been made. Increasing the threshold for public tendering from £30,000 to £50,000 last year allows schools to make local spending decisions and to contract with local suppliers for lower-value contracts. Given the financial constraints facing us, it is important that we continue to reduce unnecessary bureaucracy, which wastes time and money.”
“That change recognises that most local businesses have fewer than 50 employees and is aimed at making it easier for them to deliver grant-funded projects for communities. As a result, the new guidance will help to reduce bureaucracy, support faster delivery and lower costs for funders and recipients.”
“Following the introduction of the Procurement Act in February 2025, my Department carried out a review of existing procurement policy and guidance to ensure that the flexibilities in the new legal framework can be maximised. The revised guidance, known as the "'Dear Accounting Officer' letter 05/22 (Grant or Procurement)", was approved for publication by the Executive on 16 October 2025. As a result, we have updated the guidance to reduce red tape and make procurement easier for grant recipients, especially those in the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector. Grant recipients will now no longer need to follow the same procedures as government Departments and arm's-length bodies.”
“My Department, like all Departments, continues to face significant challenges, which, unfortunately, has impacted on the services that we can provide, including the routine maintenance of public grounds. My Department's construction and procurement delivery team has prioritised essential building maintenance services to ensure the health and safety of the working office environment for staff and visitors to our buildings. My Department's estate management unit is in regular contact with the premises team to ensure that any statutory and priority health and safety issues are identified and dealt with promptly.”
“There are no staff in my Department or its arm's-length bodies (ALBs) working in County Hall, Ballymena. As of 30 June 2025, 254 staff are based in County Hall, Ballymena from the following public bodies: Department for Infrastructure, 67; Department of Health, 149; Department for Communities, 34; Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, four.”
“I have appointed the Construction and Procurement Delivery (CPD) deputy secretary to the social value champion role. Her role is to monitor the progress of the social value strategy and identify areas for improvement. I intend to publish a progress report shortly, as I said in my original answer. As the first Department to develop and publish a strategy, we recognise that we are leading the way. Therefore, feedback from all sectors is particularly welcome to help inform future strategies.”
“Yes is the answer. If there are areas in which we can seek improvement, let us look at those to see how we can improve. Given the proportion and importance of the small and medium-sized enterprise sector to our economy, it is only right and proper that my Department and, indeed, others engage in relation to social value and many other aspects of doing business. In my opinion, yes is the answer, but, if there are other areas where we need to learn, I am happy to do so.”
“A progress report with further details on what has been achieved in the six months will be published on the Department of Finance website in the coming weeks.”
“I am proud that my Department is the first Executive Department to publish a social value strategy, which was developed in partnership with key stakeholders in the business and voluntary, community and social enterprise sectors. While the strategy was a commitment in the revised procurement policy note, 'Social Value in Procurement', it goes beyond procurement and sets out the social value goals and ambitions, focusing on the Department's key responsibility as owner of the Civil Service office estate and policy lead for finances, procurement and human resources. Demonstrating my commitment to raising the profile of social value in my Department, I have appointed a social value champion who will monitor and report on the Department's progress. Good progress has been made on the strategy, with 11 targets already met.”
“I am not aware of it. If the Member has any more details on it, please correspond with me on it. As I said, it has to be inclusive, and all further education colleges have to be included in it. If the Member has information in that regard, she should please forward it to me.”
“I take on board the Member's comments and the direction of travel that he is coming from or wishes to see. I want to continue to see the Civil Service as an inclusive employer. That means that all of those under-represented sections of our society have to be reached out to, and we need to look at the ways of making sure that we are not presenting barriers to their entering the service. We also have to be conscious of other employment and equality legislation, but I assure the Member that the team behind this are committed to ensuring that the Civil Service is inclusive. If there are lessons to be learnt, I am more than happy to learn, and I am sure that the team working behind this are too.”
“The Civil Service is an equal opportunities employer committed to building a diverse and inclusive Civil Service that reflects the society that it serves. The student placement competition has been advertised widely via a range of channels and welcomes applications from disabled students. The Civil Service engages directly with the placement teams in local universities to promote the opportunities. Information on the NI Union of Supported Employment is included in the candidate information booklet. The Civil Service will discuss putting reasonable adjustments in place for disabled applicants at any stage of the selection process.”
“I have had several meetings with the community and voluntary sector on that. The first meeting was with the Chief Officers Third Sector (CO3) group on 17 September, at which I provided an update to 41 representatives of the sector and listened to many of their concerns. I have kept the sector regularly updated. I met it again on 1 October under the auspices of NICVA and wrote to it again on 3 October. I have directed my officials to do the same and to collaborate with the sector through their intensive engagement with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and the NIO over the next number of weeks.”
“We have agreed to an intensive period of trilateral working at official level to urgently develop a way forward. <BR /> <BR />I have also repeatedly raised those issues with the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, most recently in person at a meeting on 17 October. I followed that up in writing on 23 October, calling on him to provide flexibility on the capital/resource split through the budgetary process. I emphasised the negative impact that the proposal for capital-heavy funding would have here. It is unacceptable that the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government left it so late to commence that joint working, but I remain ready to work with anyone at any time to progress the matter. The stakes are too high to do anything else.”
“As the House will be aware from the recent motion on the matter, I have been engaging with Ministers in the NIO, Treasury and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on it since my appointment as Finance Minister. That engagement has intensified as the continued Whitehall delay has increased the urgency of the situation. Last month, I met Hilary Benn and reiterated the urgency of the issue and stressed the need for resource — not capital — funding to tackle economic inactivity, which is a key barrier to economic growth. I also highlighted the risks, particularly to the community and voluntary sector, of further delay. I attended a trilateral meeting with the Secretary of State, Hilary Benn, and Steve Reed, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, on 22 October.”
“He may do at times. As I said, the listing of the building does not assist us in moving forward, but a public-sector body is interested in it. The Member will be aware that we have an estate strategy on the disposal of public buildings. We have been successful with the disposal of a number of buildings, and we will continue to put buildings on the market as they become vacant. The market will respond in due course with what it is prepared to pay for those etc, but we have an estate strategy and a plan. I am content with how things are moving forward.”
“I thought for a second that the Member was calling me a big brute.”
“The listing will present challenges to future potential buyers and occupants of the property. It was simply impossible for us to bring together a business case that would allow us to invest in that building the money that is required to bring it up to modern heat efficiency standards etc. Others have a different vision for the use of the building, and I hope that their business case stacks up and that progress is ahead. There will be different views inside and outside the Chamber about some of those matters, but I know that the listing has caused challenges, shall we say, in ensuring that the building is put to future use.”
“I am not sure whether I raised that directly with the Minister for Communities in writing — I will clarify that for the Member — but representations were certainly made at official level at my request, because it caused concern. Interest has been shown in the site, which could be of huge benefit to the entire area by continuing the progress that we have seen in central Craigavon over many years. I will clarify that point and respond directly to the Member on it, but representations were made through officials at my request.”
“There will be different views and opinions on such matters. It is unfortunate that we have reached this position. My Department made its case to the historical environment division of the Department for Communities. The decision has now been made. I am aware that there is interest in the building from at least one public-sector organisation. It is assessing the building to see whether it can be incorporated in its plans for future development. I hope that that moves forward at pace and that the building does not lie vacant and become a blight on an area of Craigavon that has seen significant investment in recent years and is thriving both commercially and residentially. I want to ensure that the building becomes usable again, but it will have do so through a sector other than the Civil Service.”
“Notice to all occupants has been issued of the Department's plans and to vacate the building at the end of their occupational agreements this financial year. Non-Civil Service bodies located in Marlborough House are progressing with their own plans for their future accommodation.”
“In line with my Department's estate strategy, we are progressing with plans to divest ourselves of Marlborough House in Craigavon and move forward with replacement accommodation in the area. That will deliver savings at a time of budgetary pressures while providing an efficient, modern working environment for Civil Service staff. Marlborough House is the worst-performing site in the Civil Service estate with regard to energy efficiency and is significantly under-occupied. A business case has been approved for replacement accommodation for Civil Service staff, with the preferred option being High Street Mall in Portadown. That is progressing, with the accommodation expected to be ready in 2026.”
“Commitments have already been made by the Executive, but, if the Chancellor is to raise taxes, let us ensure that they are fair and progressive and that the money goes to front-line services.”
“I thank the Member for his question. I listened carefully to the Chancellor's address this morning. Very broad hints were dropped that taxes would be increased. The question that has not been answered thus far is this: on whom will that tax burden fall? It is important that that tax burden falls on those with the broadest shoulders and that any money raised from those taxes is invested in front-line public services. The Member will be aware that it will be for the Executive to decide how to allocate any Barnett consequentials that we receive as a result of that. Recently, we made commitments to allocate significant funding to Health, Education and Justice.”
“The matter has not been discussed during my tenure. There are well set criteria for the devolution of corporation tax here. Given that the costs to the Executive associated with devolving corporation tax are estimated to be between £300 million and £400 million, I do not think that the Executive or public services can afford that at this time. I have, however, tabled an Executive paper on the fiscal framework. We want a full examination of tax-varying powers and of what should be devolved to the Executive in the time ahead, following on from the Fiscal Commission's report. Any discussions about corporation tax need to be included in those discussions.”
“I have asked my officials to engage with our counterparts in Dublin to see exactly what process is in place for supporting Opposition parties there and to see whether we can replicate those measures here. I note that, in Scotland and Wales, such measures have not been introduced. The Member will also be aware that the SDLP receives, I think, approximately £7,000 more per Member to carry out its function as the Opposition. We want to ensure that we do not duplicate finances that the SDLP already receives.”
“It is important that the Budget is used as an opportunity to support working families. I pressed that point both at the Financial Interministerial Standing Committee (FISC), which comprises the Ministers from the devolved institutions, and at the meeting with the Chief Secretary to the Treasury in mid-October. I followed that up in writing to the Chief Secretary to the Treasury. I specifically called for the support for childcare to be increased from 20% to 30% and for the £2,000 annual cap per child to be reviewed. I also asked the Treasury to ensure that, if further austerity measures are to be introduced, they do not target working families and businesses. It is important that we support workers' families and businesses through this time, and the Treasury has an ideal opportunity, in the upcoming Budget, to do so.”
“As early as August of this year, I wrote to the Treasury on behalf of the Executive requesting access to the reserve fund for the PSNI data breach. Since then, there has been ongoing engagement with the Treasury on the issue, including between the Chief Secretary to the Treasury and me and at official level. It is regrettable that the Chief Secretary to the Treasury declined the Executive's request for access to the reserve fund for costs associated with the PSNI data breach. I and the Executive will continue to make the case to the Treasury. I also note the comments from others on the matter, which are welcome in supporting our approach to the Treasury.”
“I have also reiterated my calls for a reduction in VAT to ensure that our hospitality sector can compete on a level playing field in the all-island economy.”
“<BR /> <BR />I have made it clear to the Chief Secretary to the Treasury that further austerity measures must not be taken that place an unfair burden on people, businesses or public services. The significant reduction in the resource Budget for local growth funding will severely impact on the community and voluntary sector's ability to deliver vital services, particularly for those furthest away from the labour market. The Assembly also sent a clear and united message that we stand with the community and voluntary sector and that there must be an urgent change to that approach. I have pressed the Chief Secretary to work with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to consider the funding profile of the new local growth fund.”
“With your permission, Mr Speaker, I intend to answer questions 1 and 4 together. <BR /> <BR />I have urged the Chief Secretary to the Treasury to use the autumn Budget as an opportunity to further support workers and families, particularly on childcare. Economic growth and improved public services cannot be achieved without meaningful investment and support for working families. Affordable childcare is essential to improving labour market participation and to driving economic growth. I have therefore urged the Treasury to consider enhancements to the tax-free childcare scheme. I have also asked that the autumn Budget can be used to reverse the two-child benefit cap, recognising the hardship that it places on families.”
“On a point of order, Mr Speaker. Is it appropriate for Members to discuss a ruling that was given from the Speaker's Chair during a previous debate in the way that Mr Gaston is doing? It appears that Mr Gaston is giving his interpretation of the ruling. I know that he read out the Deputy Speaker's words, but we do not have the context of what Mr Gaston was saying at that time. In my humble opinion, in that context, a ruling from the Speaker's Chair has no determination in defining how a law is presented to the Assembly.”
“Therefore, neither the Minister nor the Department has the final say: the Chamber has the final say. However, I urge Members to move beyond thinking about motions to the point where we are thinking about legislation.”
“It is important for Members to recognise that we have moved out of the period in which we debated motions that have no impact: we are now writing law. When you write law, you write it for whatever circumstances might arise in future. The Department's proposal, which is the subject of a number of amendments, is that it has no intention to charge for the first certificate. However, when you write law, you have to take into account circumstances that may arise in future, where multiple copies may be required. If you do not have the powers to prevent that, you will be left facing financial consequences in a situation where you do not want to face financial consequences. <BR /> <BR />Setting all that aside, if the Department were to seek to introduce charges, it would have to bring the regulations back to the House before it could do that.”
“I believe that the framework that we have agreed and that will be presented to the Committee and others is the best way forward for what is a hugely complex and, at times, difficult process to be involved in. However, I believe that we are making significant strides in the right direction.”
“However, let me be clear: the overarching approach is to not lose compassion and understanding for the circumstances that people find themselves or their businesses in. That is why making it easier to pay and setting up plans to recover in slower time remain the top priorities for me as Minister. I could ask my officials to have a more ruthless approach, for instance, with businesses and to pursue them more rigorously, but that will put more and more businesses out of business each year. We will collect more rates, or maybe we will not, because, once they are declared bankrupt, we might not be able to get the rates at all. You have to give the freedom to officials to deal with it on a case-by-case basis, working within an agreed framework.”
“Key deliverables for this year include new digital services that will enhance ratepayers' experiences through, for example, online billing and flexibility in managing payment options as well as using data-driven insights to strengthen decision-making on enforcement action. <BR /> <BR />My Department is committed to maximising rate collection, and I think that the £1·63 billion that was collected last year demonstrates that. I commend my officials for their performance to date in very challenging circumstances. I also recognise that there is always a need to do more, and a process is under way for, amongst other things, my plans for rating policy reviews and a rate collection strategy.”
“I am in no doubt about how difficult it is to maintain those levels of collection in a very challenging operating environment; however, I am committed to striving to do more. Land and Property Services has a revised strategy for improving rates collection over the next three years. Supporting the principles that I have endorsed in the road map for rating, the strategy is built around three key aims: making it easier for ratepayers to pay; supporting those who need help to pay; and taking effective action against those who will not pay. My Department has set out not only a clear ambition to increase collections but the approach to achieving that ambition.”
“Not all ratepayers are able to pay what is owed, through no fault of their own. In those cases, officials have a responsibility to be understanding and support the ratepayer to come to a payment agreement that is affordable and sustainable. On the other hand, there are those who can make payment but wilfully choose to avoid doing so. Those cases require relentless recovery and enforcement action and can often take years to resolve. It is fair to say that, sometimes, distinguishing clearly between those who cannot and those who will not is challenging, and my officials work hard in managing the demands in handling both. <BR /> <BR />I am pleased to say that good progress has been made in the year to date in rates recovery, and I am looking forward to a positive end-year out-turn against the target set.”