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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“If we were to call a truce for a short time and work together to ensure that this place is properly funded, I would bring a Budget to my Executive colleagues, hopefully they would agree it, I would come to the Assembly, and you and I would thrash out the detail of it.”
“It would be better if the Member used his energies on that rather than on going round in an ever diminishing circle. We have the same debate every other week on this matter. Perhaps we will call a truce.”
“As the Member knows, each Department has been issued with a contingency expenditure envelope by my permanent secretary. Ongoing programmes can be funded. There are difficult decisions for all Ministers and permanent secretaries to take, as there are in all such cases. Does the Member want me or the Executive to bring forward a Budget with which all my Executive colleagues say they simply cannot deliver public services, or does he want to join us in ensuring that the pressure is put where it belongs, which is on the British Government? Frankly, I do not care whether they are dysfunctional, whether they are deciding who will or will not lead them or what Andy Burnham or Joe Soap will do, but I care about this place and about its being properly funded.”
“The common cause for us all is to ensure that this place is properly funded. We can then get down to the nitty-gritty of my producing a Budget based on the new figures and delivering it to the Executive. Hopefully, it can then be agreed and brought to the Chamber, where it can be debated and thrashed out. At this stage, however, our energies are better spent in challenging the British Government over their failure to properly fund the place.”
“It is six months since I published a draft Budget. To date, the Opposition and their leader have not published an alternative Budget. Members around the table and around the Chamber have responsibilities in their individual roles. I have published a draft Budget and submitted it to my Executive colleagues. They have come back to me and reported significant challenges in delivering a Budget based on the quantum that is available to me. I have listened to their concerns and gone back to the Treasury and the British Government to say that this place needs to be properly funded. Further research that I have presented to them makes a strong case in the context of the figures pertaining to Scotland and Wales, and I want a similar funding package for this place. <BR /> <BR />I am not sure what point the Member is trying to make on the issue.”
“My Department has also introduced the Back in Business scheme, and around 113 businesses have opened in such spaces since the scheme was restored last year. I remain willing to work with all Ministers to address such complex challenges.”
“I am finalising the policy consultation processes with my officials regarding two steps, namely the introduction of a business growth accelerator and increasing the vacant rating charge on empty commercial properties from 50% to 75% and, ultimately, to 100%.”
“There are two important points to note from the outset. First, derelict properties that are not fit for beneficial occupation fall outside the rating system. Secondly, a revaluation process is simply a means of redistributing the property tax in line with the latest market evidence. It acts as a revenue-neutral process within tax. It is not a policy lever to address the issues that the Member mentioned. When it comes to what the rating system can be used for in that regard, there are a number of proposed steps by which the system can align with wider Executive and local government policy.”
“I do not have those exact figures in front of me, but my interpretation — I may be wrong — is that a dormant post is one that is no longer required. Therefore, if a post is no longer required, in my view, it should not be in the system. Again, however, it comes down to accounting officers, Ministers and their senior teams regularly reviewing their needs when it comes to staffing levels and ensuring that those are updated as often as possible so that we have an accurate reflection of our staffing needs.”
“An administrative officer (AO) recruitment pilot demonstrated that the time that it takes to hire can be significantly reduced, which will help Departments to bring capacity in more quickly where it is most needed.”
“Responsibility for assessing and managing the impact of vacancies on public service delivery sits with Departments, as they are accountable for service delivery and affordability. Departments assess workforce pressures on an ongoing basis and prioritise resources to protect essential services within constrained budgets. Accountability for those decisions has not changed. The role of my Department is to support better, more defensible decision-making. Through the people strategy, more consistent strategy and workforce planning is being embedded across Departments, supported by common guidance and tools, a critical role assessment tool and the Integr8 programme to improve workforce data and insight. The people strategy also includes actions to streamline recruitment.”
“More than 1,100 people and organisations took the time to respond during the consultation process. I have also met representatives of Sands and the Little Forget Me Nots Trust. Those organisations provide support to families after the loss of a baby. Alongside work with those organisations, my officials ran a concerted social media campaign to encourage widespread engagement with the public consultation. They also held several stakeholder events to collect the opinions of those who provide specialist services and support to anyone who has been impacted on by such a loss.”
“The draft Baby Loss Certificate Regulations 2026 were debated and approved by the Assembly last Tuesday. That allows my officials to finalise the IT and operational arrangements that are necessary to launch the scheme. I remain committed to ensuring that the scheme is launched by the end of June so that parents who have endured such heartbreaking loss receive the recognition and support that they need. <BR /> <BR />As I stated during the debate, I am very grateful to members of the public who engaged with the process of developing and delivering the legal frameworks for the scheme. I am particularly grateful to the parents who shared their often painful experiences with us as part of our public consultation exercise. Their input helped us to ensure that we shaped the scheme to meet their needs as fully as possible.”
“There has been some indication of that, though not in significant numbers. There has been some indication that there have been people who have travelled to this jurisdiction to avail themselves of our current laws. It is important that we modernise our legislation and protect all young people.”
“I wish to legislate on that matter. Unfortunately, the paper that I produced earlier this year remains with the Executive. It is vital that we modernise our laws on divorce and the dissolution of civil partnerships to ensure that such matters can be dealt with as quickly and as responsibly as possible. I believe that there is a way forward for doing that.”
“The Marriage and Civil Partnership Bill was introduced on 16 March 2026 and passed its Second Stage on 20 April. It is now with the Committee for Finance, and I look forward to further engagement with the Committee on what are important changes. My expectation is that the Bill will pass later this year or early in 2027. It will end child marriage in this jurisdiction by increasing the minimum age for marriage and civil partnership from 16 to 18.”
“Those are all issues involved in the engagement that my officials are having currently to look at how we can progress the matter. All the questions that arise need to be looked at and interrogated and then, if possible, answered in the legislation. I am conscious that, under current legislation, everyone is innocent until found guilty. That will therefore have to be reflected in any legislation that we introduce. We have an opportunity, however, to learn from other jurisdictions to ensure that our legislation meets the needs of families who are going through that horrific experience.”
“I have met Women's Aid and other campaigners, and there has been a substantial amount of correspondence on the matter. It is quite clear that there is a need and a demand for such changes to be made. I would like to be in a position to introduce legislation much earlier, but, on reflection, it is only right and proper that we go through the process in a detailed way and learn from the issues that have affected the implementation of the law in England in order to ensure that, when we do introduce the law here, it is implemented immediately and is workable, resulting in the outcomes that we wish to see.”
“I expect the Bill to be one of the earlier pieces of legislation that will be considered by an incoming Executive and Assembly next year.”
“We can, and will, learn from there and elsewhere. <BR /> <BR />Rather than rush through a Bill of this importance and then await its implementation, I have asked officials to consider any policy in tandem with the work that will be required in order to commence any legislation. In that regard, I have already liaised with the Minister of Justice, as any reform will have an impact on the family and criminal judicial systems. I have also asked officials to consider other aspects of parental responsibility reform and potentially other private family law matters that could form part of a wider Bill to assist a wide range of people. <BR /> <BR />I expect that policy development will lead to a consultation on a number of issues later this year, which will allow work to commence on drafting that important Bill in the early part of 2027.”
“I am committed to legislating on that issue. Officials have commenced work on the detailed policy development that will be required to include provisions that are similar to Jade's law, which has been enacted but not yet implemented in England and Wales. I am very aware of the devastating impact that such circumstances can have on children and their wider families and of the additional trauma caused when an offender continues to attempt to exercise parental responsibility. I am committed to legislating to make a meaningful difference to the lives of people here. Although Jade's law is on the statute book in Britain, it has still not been enacted some two years later, owing to the various agencies and stakeholders involved in making the reforms and the associated legal and operational complexities.”
“There needs to be a collective, strategic approach to that matter across the Executive to ensure that we deliver the required changes to our rating system, whether those are to domestic rating policy or non-domestic rating policy. I have one paper with the Executive, and another will be on its way after the consultation. I have injected the £10 million into the draft Budget, but I can bring matters only so far. Others around the Executive table also have to look on this as a strategic way forward. While I fully accept — in fact, I have been clear from the outset — that this place is not properly funded by the British Government, there are measures that we can take ourselves to support our small and medium-sized enterprises and domestic ratepayers. That requires decision-making and leadership.”
“Yes. A consultation will be launched at the end of this month and will run across the summer, during which views will be sought from stakeholders on the possible introduction of that policy, which is largely based on the Scottish model. The process will run over the summer and then, hopefully, policy and support will be introduced later in the autumn or towards the end of the year. It is about allowing businesses to physically expand — build an extension or physically expand the business — and giving them a rates holiday in the following year to allow them to absorb the costs of the initial investment in construction. The rates holiday for a year would, hopefully, act as a buffer for that and encourage others to invest, and those businesses would move to paying rates the following year.”
“As I set out in my original answer, we are providing substantial support to our small and medium-sized businesses. In monetary value, it is around £0·25 billion of support. I have further proposals in front of the Executive. I want to have even more discussions about how we can help our businesses to expand physically and not have so much of a rates burden on them in the first year. I will continue to examine the options that are available to me within the limited powers and financial resources that we have, because I recognise the importance of supporting our small and medium-sized enterprises.”
“Even though our Budget is limited in the next year, I have set aside that £10 million because small and medium enterprises are the backbone of our local economy and require support. However, I understand why other Ministers are hesitant about agreeing a Budget at this stage without further support. It has to be the focus of the Executive — I know that it is their focus — and of the British Government to get a Budget agreed. Another reason to agree it is to release that £10 million to small businesses.”
“Once again, that highlights the importance of being able to agree a Budget. As I have set out, when the Executive are given the ability to do so, they can introduce measures to support not only our public services but our local businesses and our economy. I am appealing to the British Government to give us the proper resources to continue that work.”
“<BR /> <BR />Those matters remain subject to the completion of the Budget process. Once that process concludes, I will bring forward proposals to the Executive for the further expansion of small business rates relief support and an increase in the number of recipients. Should approval be granted, those measures will be applied retrospectively. In addition to the existing small business rate relief scheme, my Department has recently extended the Back in Business and rural ATMs schemes, which also provide valuable support to our town centres.”
“With your permission, Mr Speaker, I will answer questions 4 and 14 together. <BR /> <BR />Around 30,000 businesses from a tax base of 75,000 already receive a reduction of between 20% and 50% through the small business rate relief scheme, which has been extended to 2026-27. Many recipients of that support are currently operating in our town centres. Last year's review highlighted that there was an appetite for enhanced support to be delivered to small businesses. For that reason, I set aside around £10 million in the draft Budget for an enhancement of the scheme. My proposals would see the number of recipients increasing, including businesses that are operating in town centres. They will also enhance the level of support provided to recipients across the scheme.”
“There is regular engagement between the partners on the planning and delivery of growth deals. Inflation and other pressures are always bearing down on projects that we are involved in. We have an envelope of funding here for delivery. As I have said in previous answers, I continue to engage with the British Government on receiving proper funding for this place. At the moment, however, the city and growth deals funding is what it is.”
“I do not have the full details of those projects in front of me, but I will be happy to share them with the Member. It is clear from the list of projects that it will bring forward that the Causeway Coast and Glens growth deal is being used in a way that will increase the economic powerhouse of that place. Innovations such as the Centre for Food and Drug Discovery at Ulster University and the Foodovation Centre at the North West Regional College — I had an opportunity to visit the centre for the launch of the programme and have discussions with the staff — ensure that businesses in that area have access to the highest level of innovation, research and marketing that is available anywhere. That, in itself, will sustain the jobs that those businesses have and create further employment in that area.”
“<BR /> <BR />The most advanced projects in the growth deal are the Centre for Food and Drug Discovery, which is a leading-edge, industry-facing facility that will position the North as a global hub for drug discovery, food innovation and health research, and the Coleraine leisure and well-being centre, which will enhance health and well-being, strengthen the visitor offer for the region and support town-centre regeneration in Coleraine. Other exciting projects across the borough include the Bushmills and Dungiven regeneration programmes, the Cushendall Innovation Centre and the Portrush to Giant's Causeway greenway.”
“I was pleased to sign the Causeway Coast and Glens growth deal on 28 April 2026 on behalf of the Executive, underlining our collective commitment to delivering for the region. It represents a £72 million investment across nine projects funded equally by the Executive and the British Government. Funding from council and other deal partners brings the total investment to £129 million. The capital injection will support a strong portfolio of transformative projects right across the Causeway Coast and Glens area focused on innovation, regeneration, tourism and infrastructure. The projects are designed to deliver real, practical benefits for people and communities.”
“I would not put it in the same context in which you put it — as being a fact — but the procedures are clear: up until the end of July, we have 45% Vote on Account, and, after that, the permanent secretary can give permission for 95% of last year's Budget and cash to be spent. That will result in less spending power for Departments this year. I am fully focused on ensuring that we get proper funding from the British Government that will allow the Executive to set a Budget that will not only make our public services sustainable but allow us to carry out the programme of transformation that is required.”
“In the absence of a Budget, as the Member will be aware, we are currently operating on 45%, as set out in the Vote on Account. If we still have not set a Budget by the end of July, the permanent secretary of the Department of Finance can issue permission to Departments to spend 95% of last year's total Budget and cash holdings. The preferred option is to agree a Budget, but, for that Budget to be agreed, it will have to be properly funded and resourced by the British Government.”
“I have had several meetings with the Secretary of State on the matter. The Executive have also corresponded with the Secretary of State and the Treasury, and, in the last number of days, we have received a response from the Secretary of State to our Executive position. We will have to study that response and respond in due course. There has been distraction as a result of the ongoing wrangles within the Labour Party, and there now needs to be a focus from the British Government on the issue. They need to come and sit with us, have a proper discussion and engage with us on the needs of public services here and how we properly fund public services and support our economy to levels that are comparable to Scotland and Wales.”
“<BR /> <BR />In relation to the release of capital, my permanent secretary has written to all permanent secretaries across Departments to set out an estimated funding package over this period of time, and capital is within that. Departments can release certain amounts of capital for projects, particularly those that are Executive flagship projects and others for which contracts have been committed to.”
“I have outlined to the Secretary of State and, in writing, to the Treasury that, when I compare our funding package with those of Scotland and Wales, as I said in my substantive answer, I see that, while Scotland is funded in the region of £3 billion over its level of need and Wales is funded in the region of £1 billion over its level of need, we are funded at need. I have said to the Treasury that it needs to examine those figures and ensure that this place is properly funded going forward. However, it is clear from the figures that we are not being fairly funded and that those who pay taxes here are not getting a fair return on their taxes.”
“Funding for the Executive has managed to meet levels of need only through the provision of one-off packages in recent years, which is not a sustainable or equitable position. The Executive recognise that we have a role to play in improving efficiency in how we deliver public services, but we need to be properly funded to enable transformation to take place.”
“With the Speaker's permission, I will answer questions 2, 10 and 12 together. <BR /> <BR />The Executive need sustainable long-term funding that allows us to plan, invest and deliver. I have made and continue to make the case, including through ongoing engagement with the Secretary of State, for fairer funding for public services and the investment required to grow our economy. In my engagement with both the Treasury and the Secretary of State, I have highlighted that, while the interim fiscal framework has supported our funding close to our 124% level of need, evidence has shown that we are not funded fairly when compared with Wales and Scotland. If the Executive were funded to the same levels, it would mean an additional circa £1 billion and £3 billion per annum respectively.”
“I am happy to come back to the Member with more details. As I said at the start, there are currently no cost overruns for major IT projects managed directly by my Department. I am happy to come back to the Member about time slippage etc on that project.”
“As I said, there are currently no projected cost overruns for major IT projects in my Department. The matters to which the Member refers are matters for the Departments involved. It is for the relevant senior accounting officers, Ministers and officials to manage those projects.”
“In fairness, Mr Dunne, I answered the question that you asked me:”
“There are currently no projected cost overruns for major IT projects managed by my Department.”
“The scheme will be widely advertised, and we will hold an event ahead of the launch date to ensure that the public are aware of the scheme and know how to apply to it. We will then get certificates out to families as quickly as possible. The final piece of clunky legislation that we have to produce in this place for the scheme will hopefully pass in the next few minutes, and the next step will be to issue certificates.”
“As all Members who contributed to the debate said, the certificate will not replace the loss of the baby. What it will do is acknowledge the loss, the baby and the family's grief. Families will reflect on their loss in different ways, but we have allowed baby loss certificates to be issued. Without patting ourselves on the back, we should therefore be collectively proud that we have done that in a collegiate and respectful way. <BR /> <BR />As Members said, the scheme will go live in mid-June. The Registrar General and his team and I have put the resources in place. We expect there to be significant demand for certificates in the first weeks and months. We will work our way through the applications and respond to families as quickly as possible.”
“This is a team effort today. We are about to clear the final legislative hurdle to ensure that we can issue certificates to those who have lost a baby before 24 weeks.”
“Since I came into the Chamber this morning, we have discussed hundreds of millions of pounds and passed the Further Consideration Stage of two pieces of legislation — one on how we regularise spend and the other on how we monitor spend. None of those is more important than what we are about to do now with the baby loss certificates and the regulations around them. It has been a simple, collective act of the Assembly and the team that we rely on, whether the Registrar General and his team in the GRO or the broader public service and Civil Service, to enact the legislation.”
“The regulations bear the imprint of more than 1,100 people and organisations who responded to our consultation. I record my gratitude to all those who took the time to share their experiences with us and for their bravery in setting out how deeply their loss impacted on their lives. Their insights into how the scheme should look and work have helped us design a certificate scheme that will meet their needs as fully as possible. I know that, for many, it will have been a difficult process, and I am grateful for their contributions. <BR /> <BR />I welcome Members' comments and commend the regulations to the House.”
“<BR /> <BR />The details of the regulations before the Assembly have been shaped around what the public told us during our consultation last summer. They include specific provisions about what a baby loss certificate will contain; the form of the application required for the issue of a baby loss certificate; how the General Register Office (GRO) will maintain records of the baby loss certificate; and how an amendment may be made to a certificate. In short, they provide the formal legal provisions required to support the operation of the scheme and the issue of baby loss certificates from the General Register Office. <BR /> <BR />Throughout the process, I have repeatedly been impressed and humbled by the candour and honesty of families who have been affected by baby loss.”
“Since the passage of the Deaths, Still-Births and Baby Loss Act through the Assembly, my officials have worked at pace to finalise the regulations to provide the framework for a baby loss certificate scheme. My motivation, their motivation and, I suspect, the motivation of others who will contribute to today's debate is the same: to progress the scheme so that we can formally recognise losses prior to the end of 24 weeks of pregnancy. We know that a baby loss certificate cannot take away the pain that parents feel following such losses, but it is my hope that, by formally recognising their loss through a certificate that validates the life that was lost, we can provide them with a measure of comfort; help them to start a hard conversation with a friend or family member; or give them a way of reaching out for help in their grief.”