Caoimhe Archibald
East Londonderry · Sinn Féin · Northern Ireland
“Taken together, that points to a scheme that is operating effectively in its early stages, while, of course, remaining under review as further evidence becomes available. <BR /> <BR />I therefore commend to the Assembly the Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay (Employment and Earnings) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2026.”
“I seek the Assembly's approval for the Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay (Employment and Earnings) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2026. The statutory rule was made on 1 April and came into operation on 6 April. It is before the Assembly today under the confirmatory procedure.”
“The 2026 regulatory impact assessment estimates one-off employer familiarisation costs of up to £1·36 million, with wider HMRC implementation costs forecast at £1·5 million and annual systems maintenance costs of around £10,000. It may assist Members to note that early implementation has gone smoothly.”
“The amendment ensures the continued operation of those regulations and forms part of a wider package of legislative measures establishing statutory parental bereavement pay as an entitlement for bereaved parents.”
“The regulations before the Assembly today are a key part of that implementation and ensure the continued operation of the statutory parental bereavement pay framework. The policy objective is clear: to support bereaved working parents at a time of profound loss and provide a minimum standard of protection in law.”
“<BR /> <BR />The confirmatory procedure means that the regulations before the House today have come into operation before the Assembly debate has taken place and must then be approved by the Assembly within the relevant statutory period. In this case, the deadline for approval is 20 September 2026.”
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“I thank the Members who tabled the motion and the amendment. <BR /> <BR />The impact and benefit of the European social fund and the European regional development fund in the North was clear. The European social fund provided funding for vital services through the community and voluntary sector to support some of the most vulnerable people in society. It enabled people to develop new skills and to navigate the path to becoming economically active and promoted greater social inclusion. It was locally organised, place-based and person-focused. The European regional development fund provided funding that enhanced the competitiveness of small and medium-sized businesses. It also provided much-needed funding for research and development and for the move towards a low-carbon economy.”
“Go raibh maith agat, a LeasCheann Comhairle.”
“2) Bill, thereby authorising spending on public services by Departments in 2024-25 and the Excesses identified by the Public Accounts Committee.”
“He will also be aware, however, that we, as an Executive, will have to take a position in any negotiation on fiscal powers, so I will bring to the Executive, in the near future, recommendations based on the consultation on the work of the Fiscal Commission. <BR /> <BR />I will draw my remarks to a close. I have tried to respond to Members on as many of the issues that have been raised as possible. As always, the debate has been useful, with many points being raised, and I thank Members for their contributions. It is imperative that the legislation debated today continues its passage through the Assembly so that public services continue to be delivered to our citizens. I ask Members to support the Budget (No.”
“It is important that we look at all opportunities to deliver efficiencies, generate revenue, look at further borrowing powers and explore further fiscal devolution. <BR /> <BR />Mr Tennyson also referred to the devolution of fiscal powers. I do not disagree with him about the need to look at that with some degree of urgency. He will be aware — I have said this to him a couple of times today — that I have recently established a budget sustainability team and a fiscal team that will take forward that piece of work. The number of officials in my Department who work on those issues is small, and they have had an awful lot on their plate in the past months, but we are giving significant attention to the budget sustainability plan and to being in a position to negotiate the future fiscal framework.”
“We would all like to provide more funding for our hard-pressed public services, but the Executive must live within the funding available to them. The amount of funding is higher than before, due to the agreement of the interim fiscal framework. I intend to build on that as we agree a final fiscal framework. I have also made, and will continue to make, the case for additional funding for public services, as I reflected to Mr Chambers. <BR /> <BR />I have covered many of the points. Diane Dodds referred to the need to deliver efficiencies in Departments. That point was well made, and many of us agree with that. I have been on record as saying that we aim to put our finances on a more sustainable basis.”
“It always needs to be taken through the Assembly by accelerated passage, because it must always be written to the Executive's most-up-to-date spending plans. Failure to do so risks Departments running out of cash before the new Bill is introduced. The need for accelerated passage is in line with the approach taken to equivalent Bills in other jurisdictions. <BR /> <BR />Mr Durkan spoke at some length about the things that have not been funded in the Budget. I am sure that he recognises the pressures facing our public services, which are very well rehearsed at this point. It is easy to say where more money is needed — we could all do that — but it is not so easy to identify where money can be found.”
“<BR /> <BR />Mr Beattie's contribution reflected his view that the Department of Health needs a 6% uplift, year-on-year. It got a 6·3% uplift this year. I recognise, however, the huge challenges for all those people who are on waiting lists or trying to access GP appointments and those who work in our health service. It is really important that we, as an Executive and an Assembly, collectively make the case that we need to see proper investment in all our public services. Certainly, I will make that case to the incoming Government as soon as we know who that will be. <BR /> <BR />Mr Durkan made a number of comments about the level of scrutiny in the Budget Bill process. The Member will be aware that it is normal to obtain accelerated passage for the Budget Bill.”
“<BR /> <BR />Mr Chambers made a number of comments about the Department of Health's budget. I put on record again that I wish that I had been in a position to give the Department of Health more money in the Budget and the June monitoring round. It is the same for all Departments. We are constrained by the funding envelope available to us. I must, however, reject the assertion that Health was not prioritised. It got over 50% of the amount of money available to us for allocation in the Budget process, and it got 57% of the money available for allocation in the June monitoring round. Therefore, it is disingenuous to say that the Executive have not prioritised Health. In fact, over the past three years of the current spending review, there has been a £1·6 billion uplift in the Department of Health's baseline.”
“Deborah Erskine asked when the next Budget process will begin and whether it will be a multi-year Budget process. I aim to begin work on the next Budget as soon as possible after the election, once we have clarity around the timing and scope of the next spending review. As the Member will be aware, whether that results in a multi-year or single-year Budget will depend on decisions taken by the new Chancellor. I have repeatedly made the case to the Chief Secretary to the Treasury and the shadow Secretary of State that our preference is most certainly for a multi-year Budget. I am sure that Members, like me, have been following the media commentary on that. It is not exactly clear whether we will get a one-year or a multi-year Budget. My preference most certainly is for a multi-year Budget.”
“I am aware that the Economy Minister is also working towards securing the Executive's agreement to close the non-domestic RHI scheme. Given that DFE is the lead Department on energy policy and the operation of the non-domestic RHI scheme, responsibility for the business case rests with his Department.”
“<BR /> <BR />Mr Brett also asked about the RHI business case. The Department for the Economy submitted a business case addendum to my Department in November 2023. The addendum proposed an uplift in the non-domestic RHI tariffs that were set in 2019. Following engagement between my officials and their counterparts in DFE, my Department has approved the expenditure associated with the revised tariffs.”
“Departments may, of course, bid for additional funding through the in-year monitoring process, but they cannot assume that funding will be provided. <BR /> <BR />Mr Brett, in his contribution, asked how Departments will be able to meet public-sector pay pressures in the coming year. I fully acknowledge the vital role of public-sector workers in delivering public services on a daily basis. As the Member will be aware, I got the agreement of Treasury that £688 million could be used in 2023-24 to enable Departments to meet public-sector pay awards. However, it was clear to all Ministers that, in setting the 2024-25 Budget, Departments would have to manage the cost of any pay awards within the budget allocated to them, because the financial package did not have a recurring amount of money for public-sector pay.”
“<BR /> <BR />Ms Bradshaw, in her contribution as the Chair of the Committee for the Executive Office, asked how the Department could plan effectively in the absence of certainty on its funding. I appreciate that the absence of a multi-year Budget may mean that Departments do not have longer-term certainty on their budgets. Unfortunately, I am constrained by the period of the Treasury spending review, as Members will be aware. I have expressed my commitment to multi-year Budgets where possible. Departments, however, have certainty over their budgets for the current financial year, as agreed by the Executive on 25 April. The funding envelope for each Department has been set. The guidance is clear that that must be regarded as the ceiling, and Departments must plan to live within that amount.”
“As climate action is so far-reaching, as Mr Elliott also said, it should be a consideration right across spending areas in Departments. I encourage my Executive colleagues to consider their statutory obligations in the Climate Change Act when prioritising expenditure within the funding envelopes that have been provided to their Departments. Once the Programme for Government priorities are agreed, which may include climate requirements, consideration will be given to how those priorities may be best reflected in the subsequent Budget process. Any decision on prioritising the climate in the Budget will, however, be for the Executive in what will likely be a continually strained fiscal environment.”
“<BR /> <BR />Mr O'Toole and a number of other Members rightly highlighted the important role that Committees play in the Budget scrutiny process. I encourage all Departments to ensure that they fully engage with their Committees as part of that process. <BR /> <BR />Mr Tennyson and Mr Elliott spoke about climate change priorities not being reflected in the Budget process. While some Departments had submitted bids for climate change, given the constrained financial position, I did not ring-fence any allocations specifically for that purpose. That is not reflective of the priority that I consider should be attached to climate change; rather, it reflects the intention to provide Departments and Ministers with maximum flexibility to manage their budgets.”
“I know that the development of a financial provisions Bill, which is being taken forward by my Department, will address a number of the issues listed. Likewise, my Department is working on legislation that relates to the Fiscal Council. <BR /> <BR />Mr O'Toole referred to RRI borrowing, as did a number of other Members. As the Member will be aware, the Executive fully utilised the £220 million of RRI borrowing available to them in the 2024-25 Budget. The level of RRI borrowing will grow in line with inflation until 2028-29 as a result of the financial package. It will be for the Executive to decide how to make best use of that borrowing in future Budgets in the context of a Programme for Government and an investment strategy.”
“No, I will not. <BR /> <BR />Mr O'Toole also mentioned that the June monitoring round provided no strategic plan and did not set out how issues such as waiting lists would be addressed. In-year monitoring rounds do not set long-term strategic plans; they allocate any funding that has become available in-year and consider any emerging issues. The June monitoring round provided allocations to help mitigate the worst impacts identified by Departments, and that will provide the clarity that is needed to allow Departments to plan effectively. <BR /> <BR />Mr O'Toole also highlighted a number of cases where expenditure relies on the sole authority of the Budget Act. I agree that it is important that Departments take steps to ensure that that spend is regularised as soon as possible.”
“The monitoring round was required to give Departments certainty on the funding available to allow them to plan effectively and avoid unnecessarily harsh decisions being taken.”
“As I made clear yesterday, having considered the guidance, my view and that of the Department is that June monitoring is normal and routine business of the Executive. Given the financial pressures facing Departments, it was essential to provide clarity on any additional funding as soon as possible. Therefore, I am content that it does not breach the pre-election guidance and that the impartiality of civil servants has not been compromised. <BR /> <BR />Mr O'Toole mentioned running out of money being used as a reason for the monitoring round proceeding. While the potential of Departments exhausting their cash limits is a real and valid reason for the urgency surrounding a Budget Bill, it is not the reason for the monitoring round.”
“My thanks to the Members, Chairs and Deputy Chairs who contributed to the Second Stage of the Budget (No. 2) Bill. As Finance Minister, it is always useful to hear the views of the respective Committees and Members on the important financial and economic issues that face us as an Administration. I noted many of the issues raised by Members and will endeavour to respond to as many as I can. <BR /> <BR />Mr O'Toole, leader of the Opposition, raised a number of issues, including some relating to June monitoring. To avoid any doubt, I clarify that the allocations agreed in June monitoring are not included in the Budget (No. 2) Bill that we are debating. As usual, they will be reflected in the Supplementary Estimates later in the year.”
“Go raibh maith agat, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle.”
“I met the Communities Minister on 24 June to discuss the housing supply strategy and encouraged him to look at opportunities to utilise other sources of funding to increase the supply of new social and affordable housing. I continue to work collegiately with the Communities Minister and other Executive colleagues on that important issue.”
“I was glad that the Executive were able to agree £20 million for new social housing in the June monitoring round. There was a limited pot of capital available to us to allocate and a huge volume of bids. That was also the case when we were setting the Budget, so I was pleased that we were able to allocate a significant portion of the money available in June monitoring to social housing. I understand that that will enable around an extra 200 new social homes to be delivered. <BR /> <BR />We are all aware of the constraints on our capital budget. I am committed to working with the Communities Minister to identify how we can take forward further investment in our housing. We are all aware of the demand for new homes.”
“The Executive also committed to provide funding for a non-consolidated recognition payment in lieu of back pay to eligible staff in 2025-26. That will come from the repurposed funds in the financial package. However, utilisation of that funding will occur only if the Treasury does not agree to my request.”
“I wrote to the Chief Secretary to the Treasury back in April to ask for £180 million to be reprofiled in 2024-25 from the repurposed funds in the financial package to support Education Authority pay and grading review workers. With a significant and detrimental industrial action imminent, the Education Minister had written to me to seek my support for a proposal that would allow him to make an offer to the trade unions. The Education Minister requested that the Executive allocate £43·7 million in the June monitoring round towards the assimilation of those important workers onto the new pay scales with effect from 1 April. I have been working collegiately with the Education Minister to find a way forward for the workers, and I am pleased to advise that that allocation has been provided for in June monitoring.”
“As part of the June monitoring allocations, £15 million of capital will be made available to the Department of Education for special educational needs minor works and other statutory minor works. The Department of Education requested that funding to meet additional pressures that had been identified for specialist provision in mainstream school placements and for other urgent works across the schools estate. I am sure that we are all contacted regularly by schools in our constituencies that are affected by that issue. The funding will provide for urgent health and safety works and statutory works in order to keep schools open and children safe. The Department of Education was allocated £29·5 million to address a range of issues, and that was in addition to the funding for the Education Authority (EA) pay and grading review.”
“I encourage the Member to write to me on that issue. I will then share that with officials so that we can take a look at it and include it in the ongoing consultation that they have with their counterparts.”
“Obviously, VAT is a reserved matter. My officials engage regularly with their counterparts in Treasury. We have made the case on many occasions, and will continue to make the case, that, for example, we should have the ability to reduce VAT for hospitality and tourism. We are in the particular circumstance of having competition from the South, where businesses are at an advantage.”
“I encourage the Member to write to me with some of the details. I will be happy to take the matter on board and give it consideration.”
“I am not sure that that is something that has been brought to me for my immediate attention. I will, however, be happy to respond to the Member in writing. Go ahead with your supplementary question.”
“I am committed to continuing to make the case to the incoming British Government later this week that we need to see proper investment in our public services, including in the Department of Justice.”
“I put on record my thanks to the Justice Minister for her constructive engagement on setting the Budget and on June monitoring. She was very clear about the pressures facing the PSNI and pressures right across the justice system, and I have taken on board what she said. I will not put words in her mouth, but I think that she will recognise that I have tried to make additional allocations to support the Department of Justice, through an additional £95 million in its budget for 2024-25, which was announced on 25 April, and then through additional funding in the June monitoring round. <BR /> <BR />We all recognise the challenges that we face with our public finances.”
“There was a resource bid from the Department of Justice totalling £274·7 million for the PSNI, as well as an additional capital bid of £16·4 million, which was sought for the maintenance and enhancement of the PSNI estate, plus a bid of a further £18·7 million for ring-fenced resource DEL. As the Member will be aware, however, resource and capital bids in the June monitoring round far outweighed the level of resources available. The Executive have agreed to provide an additional £35 million of resource DEL to the Department of Justice.”
“I will be happy to write to the Member to share the detail of that, which I have already shared in response to questions for written answer on how much of the debt refers to a particular year.”
“I do not have those figures in front of me, but it is not written off after a period. There are very limited circumstances in which rating debt is written off: if somebody dies, for example, or a company goes bankrupt.”
“I will see whether I can find the figures for this year. Last year, £1·5 billion was raised. That is a really important contribution to the delivery of our public services. Rating debt varies year-on-year. At 31 March 2024, the value of outstanding rating debt was £180·5 million. That has been reduced somewhat in the interim. Land and Property Services (LPS) continues to collect all outstanding rating debt, and arrangements are in place for those who face rating debt and those who are struggling to make their rate payments. I encourage anybody who is in that position to contact LPS.”
“I have set out my position on June monitoring and pre-election guidance to Mr O'Toole on, I think, four occasions. I considered the pre-election guidance, and I consider June monitoring to be normal and routine business for the Executive. The pre-election guidance is clear that each case should be considered on its merits.”
“<BR /> <BR />Any delays in June monitoring could risk overspends or lead to greater adverse impacts than would have been the case had decisions been taken earlier.”
“I have been clear that I considered the pre-election guidance in making the decision to proceed with the June monitoring round. I did so on the basis that June monitoring is normal and routine Executive business and that it is therefore appropriate to proceed with it during the pre-election period. <BR /> <BR />Given the financial pressures across our Departments, it was vital that they had confirmation of the additional funding allocations as soon as possible in order to have certainty in making decisions. It was important to give certainty to all who rely on the services involved, whether they are healthcare workers, those on waiting lists, classroom assistants, school bus drivers or all those parents who may be able to benefit from the childcare provision.”
“As the Member will be aware, I signed the interim fiscal framework on behalf of the Executive on 21 May. That agreement marks substantial progress compared with the position in the financial package. Importantly, it includes a firm commitment to review the Executive's funding before we reach the cliff edge in 2026-27. It also provides us with a platform to build upon the establishment of the Joint Exchequer Committee, which formalises arrangements for the negotiation of a more comprehensive fiscal framework. I have repeatedly made the case for further investment in public services, and I am committed to continuing to do so at every opportunity. As well as raising it with the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, I raised it with the shadow Secretary of State —.”
“Work is at an advanced stage. My officials briefed the Finance Committee on the marriage and civil partnership Bill a number of weeks ago. Finance Committee members were supportive of the changes. I circulated a paper to Executive colleagues on 21 May and asked for it to be tabled at our Executive meeting on 13 June. Once Executive approval has been secured, my officials are ready to engage with the Office of the Legislative Counsel. I would have liked to have been in the position of having secured that approval before the summer recess, but I am hopeful that the legislation can be introduced next year and the law can be amended before the end of the current mandate.”
“I previously indicated to Members my intention to introduce in 2025 a Bill to amend the current law on marriage and civil partnership. I propose to put non-religious belief marriage — for example, humanist marriage ceremonies — on an equal footing with religious marriage and to raise the minimum age for marriage and civil partnership from 16 to 18. There was almost unanimous support for increasing the minimum age to 18 in the consultation responses. I have requested the support of Executive colleagues for those important proposals. Work is at an advanced stage, and, once Executive approval is secured, my officials are ready to engage with the Office of the Legislative Counsel to draft the relevant amendments. I hope that agreement to proceed with the drafting of the Bill will be secured at the earliest opportunity.”
“We will continue to consider how we can build on the robust independent evidence that we already have from the Fiscal Council regarding our relative need.”
“The work of the Fiscal Council so far has been really helpful and useful in providing evidence. Recently, I established a new team in my Department to take forward the work to develop and agree the final fiscal framework. That team is already considering what further evidence on our level of need can be provided, whether further analysis is needed and who might be best placed to undertake that. It has engaged, and will continue to engage, with the Fiscal Council, given the significant evidence base that it has already provided, and with counterparts in other Departments and other experts in the field to understand whether there is additional evidence that we can use to make the case for being funded to a higher level of need.”
“Its work with various stakeholders, including its evidence to the Finance Committee, also assisted in increasing the understanding of public finances, and it provided a valuable opportunity for discussions on need, sustainability and future planning.”
“The Fiscal Council has had a significant impact during its short time. Its assessments are insightful and highly valued. It makes a difference by improving the transparency, scrutiny and understanding of the Budget and the monitoring process. It has produced a range of impactful reports, including assessments on our Budgets, sustainability reports, technical reports and a comprehensive guide to public finances here. Its independent evidence helped to support our case to the British Government about our level of relative need. It also signalled the cliff edge that would have materialised for public finances in the very near term as a result of the Executive restoration package settlement. That independent scrutiny was valuable for elements included in the recent signing of the interim fiscal framework.”
“Significant preparatory work had already been undertaken in developing the Bill, and the Executive also agreed that the Office of the Legislative Counsel will complete the drafting. It is therefore welcome that the Bill has been included in the Executive’s legislative programme for this year.”
“The Fiscal Council has made a significant impact in improving the transparency, scrutiny and understanding of our public finances since it was established in March 2021, publishing 18 reports to date. In particular, it was instrumental in providing the independent evidence base that enabled me to successfully negotiate and agree the 124% needs-based factor in our interim fiscal framework. <BR /> <BR />As the council was first established as a non-statutory body, I am taking forward legislation that will underpin its work on a statutory basis. I secured Executive agreement last month to the policy for a Fiscal Council Bill, which will safeguard its independence and ensure its continued access to information.”
“I thank the Member for that question. He will be aware that I recently established a new budget sustainability team in my Department that will look at opportunities to identify the ways in which we can make the best use of our funds. We will be open to looking at all options in how we can leverage funding to support public investment.”