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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“<BR /> <BR />Mr Allister mentioned the timing of the SSEs and asked why the documents could not have been produced earlier. He will be very well aware that the SSEs cannot be produced until the Executive have decided on their Budget and expenditure plans, to which the SSEs are written. That work could not be carried out until we had an Executive. Given the size of the documents and the detail that is required to be set out, Members will appreciate that they take some time to produce and publish. <BR /> <BR />There are a lot of issues that we could continue to debate all day, but I will draw my remarks to a close. I have tried to respond to issues raised by Members and, as always, the debate has been wide and varied, and significant points have been made. I thank Members for their contributions and attention.”
“It was as a result of the timing of the restoration of the Executive, which came at such a late stage in the financial year. I can assure the Assembly that I will be doing everything that I can to ensure that the Budget-setting timetable for future years will follow a more normal timetable and that the Assembly will have the time that it needs to consider its Budget allocations. Kellie also asked me to confirm that no Budget would be brought to the Assembly in advance of a Programme for Government for the rest of the mandate. I fully agree that the Budget and the Programme for Government should go hand in hand. Although it will certainly be my intention not to have another Budget in advance of a Programme of Government, that is not entirely in my gift. I can, however, make the commitment that it is my intention that it will not happen.”
“That is one of the reasons that I continue to press the case for the Executive's resources to be put on more of a long-term sustainable footing. <BR /> <BR />Mr McGrath also mentioned GP indemnity. I know and understand that the arrangements for clinical negligence indemnity are a matter of concern for GPs locally. It is my understanding that the Health Minister is considering a number of options to deal with those concerns. We can consider proposals when the Health Minister brings them forward. <BR /> <BR />Kellie Armstrong made some comments about the Vote on Account and the Programme for Government and asked me to confirm that I would not bring a 65% Vote on Account to the Assembly again. Earlier, I explained why I took the exceptional decision to set the Vote on Account at 65%.”
“The Member felt that applying the 65% Vote on Account across all Departments is not necessarily appropriate. I agree that waiting lists are unacceptably high. In February of this year, however, in responding to some of the latest waiting list statistics, the Health Minister indicated that some small gains had been made on the number of people waiting for inpatient and day-case admission. That is to be welcomed, and we all hope that that improvement continues. A small amount of money — £34 million — is available from the financial package for 2024-25 to tackle waiting lists, but it is clear that much more significant investment is needed if we are to achieve the transformation in the delivery of health services that is required.”
“There is still much to be done, and I, along with Executive colleagues, am working on the Justice budget for 2024-25. <BR /> <BR />The financial pressures that we face, however, far outstrip the funding that the British Government have provided. I continue to have robust conversations with counterparts in Treasury. As Members will appreciate, difficult decisions on the Budget will have to be made in the coming weeks. Mr Tennyson also raised the issue of revenue raising. That is an issue that all Departments are considering, but some have more ability than others to raise revenue in their area, and the Department of Justice is not one that has activities that lend themselves to revenue raising. <BR /> <BR />Mr McGrath raised the issue of health service waiting lists.”
“The Member will appreciate that the specific issue with those projects falls to the Education Minister. A proposal was put to the Executive to earmark £150 million for the Strule campus. That is profiled over a number of years and is not a case of its receiving £150 million in one year. The Education Minister will have to prioritise the programmes that he takes forward as part of his capital budget programme. <BR /> <BR />Mr Tennyson, Joanne Bunting and Stewart Dickson raised issues with the Department of Justice budget and expressed concerns about the level of funding for that Department. Allocations agreed by the Executive for 2023-24 provided the Justice Minister with £75·3 million. That included some additional funding to address pay and other financial pressures in areas such as policing.”
“As I mentioned during Question Time, that funding has been provided to the Executive as resource, not capital. The Member will be aware that the Education Minister and I recently announced the Executive's commitment of £150 million to take forward the Strule Shared Education Campus. The Education Minister has also committed to taking forward the further 10 shared and integrated education projects through his Department's capital budget programme.”
“As an Executive, we will ensure that we develop an enhanced investment zone that will deliver for people and businesses here. <BR /> <BR />Funding for shared and integrated schools was raised by some Members during the debate, including Eóin Tennyson and Nick Mathison. The Members quite rightly stated that, although ring-fencing on some of the former Fresh Start funding has been removed, the funding itself has not been removed but is available to the Executive to prioritise.”
“The financial package that accompanied the restoration of the Executive included £150 million for the enhanced investment zone. That now combines the free ports and investment zone programmes into one enhanced investment zone. Treasury has indicated that that funding will be open to flexible use between spend and a range of tax levers. The policy prospectus was published on 26 March, and work is now being led on the enhanced investment zone by the Department for the Economy. I will work closely with the Economy Minister, and I look forward to further collaboration between our respective Departments as the policy and programme develops and given my lead role in liaising with Treasury on taxation and spending matters.”
“<BR /> <BR />Mr Brett asked about the EA non-teaching staff pay and grading review. I am pleased to confirm that, on 3 April, my officials provided expenditure approval for the proposed implementation of the non-teaching staff pay and grading review. It is now for the Department of Education to consider its affordability to ensure that neither the Department nor the Executive as a whole are at risk of overspending against the Budget. I understand that initial implementation costs are expected to be approximately £180 million, with recurrent costs in future years ultimately expected to be in the region of £93 million. That will form part of the consideration of the Budget for 2024-25. <BR /> <BR />Phillip also asked about the enhanced investment zone.”
“Obviously, that is something that I would like to see as well. It is largely outside the Executive's control. Section 64 of the 1998 Act, which has been referred to during the debate, requires me, at least 14 days before laying a draft Budget, to lay a statement before the Assembly specifying the amount of funding for that year notified by the Secretary of State. I laid that statement on 26 March. It only covers the 2024-25 year, as that is the last year of the current spending review. Therefore, the Secretary of State could not tell me how much funding will be provided in the following two years, and, without that confirmation, I could not lay a Budget for those years. I can only budget according to the funding that has been notified to me, so it is not possible, at this point, to have a multi-year Budget.”
“Matthew O'Toole, the leader of the Opposition, asked about the timescale for the outcome of the Executive's Budget. Obviously, he is quite correct that, in normal circumstances, that work should have been completed before the start of the financial year. As I have said on a number of occasions, we are not in normal circumstances. I have engaged with my ministerial colleagues over recent weeks to discuss the budget pressures facing all Departments. I will bring recommendations to the Executive shortly, and, subject to the Executive's agreement, it will be my intention to bring the Budget for 2024-25 to the Assembly before the end of the month. <BR /> <BR />The leader of the Opposition also criticised the absence of a multi-year Budget, and a number of Members referred to the desire for multi-year Budgets.”
“I will delight Members by telling them that I do not intend to take that amount of time. <BR /> <BR />I thank Members, Chairs and Deputy Chairs, and all those who have contributed to today's debate. It is always helpful to me, as Finance Minister, to hear the views of respective Committees and Members on these important financial and economic issues that face all of us. I have noted the issues raised by Members, and, as I close the debate, I will endeavour to respond to the comments that have been made. Throughout the debate, a number of Members referred to this being a less than ideal process. I recognise that and have been very clear that it does not set a precedent for us going forward. <BR /> <BR />I will address some of the specific comments made by individuals.”
“Thank you, a Phríomh-LeasCheann Comhairle.”
“Since December, the steering committees have taken decisions to award approximately £207 million of PEACE PLUS funding to successful project applications across several investment areas. That will include — the Member will have seen the announcement on this today — the £143·5 million to upgrade the Belfast-Dublin Enterprise service; £40 million for youth programmes; £11·3 million for local community action plans; and £11·3 million for shared education programmes.”
“It officially opened for funding calls on 15 June 2023. A total of 19 funding calls opened for applications, and 13 subsequently closed. Work on opening calls, assessing projects and taking funding decisions will continue apace throughout the rest of the year.”
“As the Member will know, PEACE PLUS is worth approximately £1 billion. It will build on the work of the previous Peace programmes and INTERREG programmes, promoting economic and social inclusion and peace and prosperity across the North and the border counties.”
“It is good that the institutions of the Good Friday Agreement are back in place and that we have the North/South Ministerial Council back up and working. It provides an important forum for all-island cooperation and collaboration across a number of areas. I have specific responsibility for the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB). Some really important work is being rolled out. SEUPB did a really good job, while the institutions were down, of continuing to implement its work programme.”
“That is not something that I will be putting in the Fiscal Council Bill. The Fiscal Council will have the ability to set its own work programme and do work within the scope of the broad remit that it will be given in the legislation.”
“It continues to provide advice and assistance on the policy development.”
“That is a piece of work that the Department was working on while the institutions were down. We are looking to bring it forward and progress it in the near future. Although specific timings need to be firmed up, I am seeking to put it in the Assembly's legislative programme as soon as possible. An Executive paper is being prepared for that purpose to seek agreement to proceed. As I said, significant preparatory work has been undertaken. The former Finance Minister circulated a draft document to ministerial colleagues and the NIO to seek initial views. Officials continue to engage with the Office of the Legislative Counsel, which agreed to begin work on the Fiscal Council Bill while the institutions were down and at risk to develop the legislation, given that it was a New Decade, New Approach commitment.”
“All Departments have obligations under the new climate legislation. We have been working closely with the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in respect of our climate responsibilities and those of the Executive more broadly. It will be a significant piece of work for all Departments in the coming months and years.”
“We are going through the Budget process, so Departments will be making their various bids as part of that. The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs is also working through the climate action plan process and consultations. I am sure that Departments will make various bids in that regard.”
“I am aware that the Health Minister is also looking into the issue and is engaging with officials in the Department of Health and Social Care in England on the baby loss certificate scheme that they have put in place. I will reach out to the Health Minister to look at where we can work together to bring forward appropriate measures to do the same here. I have asked my officials to look at the issue in respect of the responsibilities that my Department has, but, clearly, we have to look across Departments as well.”
“Sorry, I have lost my answer, but this is obviously a very sensitive issue, and I have asked officials to look at it. We want to give recognition to parents. We want to consider the issue fully.”
“I have a response on baby loss certificates. Just give me a second to find it.”
“Some of that will fall to me, in my remit, and some of it will fall to other Ministers, including the Communities Minister and the Economy Minister, through their responsibilities and their priorities for their Departments. I will consider any proposals that other Ministers bring forward on that.”
“One of the initiatives that we have taken is the back in business scheme, which aims to bring empty properties that were previously for retail use back into use for businesses, and to give rate relief to businesses of 50% for up to two years. That initiative had been in place previously, and, through the high street task force work in the previous mandate, it was recommended that we should bring it back. <BR /> <BR />There is an important piece of work to do on how we get businesses into our towns and villages to use those spaces, and on how to have different uses for those spaces, such as for housing in town centres and recreation spaces. In respect of my Department and the rating system, there are some measures that could be looked at as part of a broader strategic look at the reform of rates.”
“The Member is talking about the management of those properties. Some initial scoping work has been undertaken to introduce legislation to give freeholders of private and mixed-tenure estates equivalent rights to those of leaseholders. No further work has been progressed in the interim, due to budgetary constraints faced by my Department. <BR /> <BR />The regulation of property management companies is a policy area of interest to a number of Departments. In the coming weeks, I will engage with officials to assess how the issue can be addressed in the context of the competing priorities and available resources.”
“If the Member agrees, I will write to her on that question.”
“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 deal with the circumstances that we are in. We will be working at pace to bring forward a Budget in the coming weeks.”
“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 the Secretary of State of the funding for the incoming financial year, and I did that prior to Easter.”
“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 for the Strule campus. The unring-fenced funding in financial capital has made been available to the Executive as resource, not capital, money, so it is all there in the package. We have considerable challenges and pressures facing our resource budget, so it will be for the Executive to decide how to allocate funding as part of the Budget process.”
“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 Education Minister on the correspondence to which he is referring. As I have said previously, the decision on unring-fencing any moneys was taken by the Treasury, not the Executive. We are therefore left to deal with the consequences of that.”
“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 been given assurances by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury that Treasury will work at pace with us over the coming weeks to agree the underlying methodology for the application of the formula. My officials have already begun engagement with Treasury officials on that.”
“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 received assurances from the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on that. I am also keen to see negotiations begin on the wider fiscal framework. That must include ensuring that the Executive receive an appropriate level of funding based on need.”
“The work on the social inclusion strategy is being led by the Department for Communities and is an Executive priority.”
“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 consider how gender budgeting requirements can be better reflected. To that end, I will meet a number of the organisations that have expertise in respect of gender budgeting and that have carried out extensive research in that area. <BR /> <BR />The development of the Executive's social inclusion strategy, including the gender equality strategy, is another important step in improving consideration of gender in budgets. It will allow Departments to table Budget proposals in line with the priorities in those strategies.”
“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 assessment information requested from Departments as part of the Budget process and provided to the Executive to inform their decisions. However, I have asked my officials to consider what more can be done in relation to gender budgeting.”
“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 was incomplete. I am sure that the Member will agree that decisions involving significant expenditure cannot be made on the basis of incorrect or inadequate information. Approval was provided as soon as the information was confirmed as being accurate and robust.”
“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 process still to go through. I assure the Member that all Departments face significant pressures and challenges and we will have some difficult decisions to make in the weeks ahead in respect of the Budget.”
“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 affordable.”
“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 to ensure the affordability of the measures before implementation.”
“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 Executive position around the types of powers that we would be seeking. It is something that we will progress in the next short while.”
“We will continue to make the case to the British Treasury and the British Government to be properly funded and to have a properly baselined funding framework on the basis of need. It has been recognised that we have been underfunded over the past number of years. Going forward, we need to be properly funded to deliver the high-quality public services that people deserve.”
“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 finances for the North, we asked whether there were other revenue measures that could be considered. That is something that we will consider in the responses received. <BR /> <BR />Obviously, we do not want to be in a situation in which we put more regressive charges on the backs of workers and families who are already struggling with the cost of living. Our budgetary situation is a significant challenge.”
“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 rate. The Executive recommended a 4% increase in the regional rate for 2024-25, which the Assembly passed on 12 March 2024 during the rates debate. That should be seen as a clear demonstration that the Executive recognise the need to deliver high-quality public services and ensure that our finances are on a more sustainable footing.”
“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.”
“My understanding of the current situation in relation to Fujitsu is that there will not be contracts with new customers. Where it already has contracts with an organisation or is involved in a bidding process, that will continue. As I said, there are no grounds, at this stage, to exclude it from that process.”
“I am considering the report and will bring my recommendations on the Procurement Board and a review of procurement governance to the Executive for consideration before summer recess.”