Select Committee · Northern Ireland Affairs Committee

The funding and delivery of public services in Northern Ireland

Status: Closed Opened: 14 Feb 2023 Closed: 28 May 2024 12 recommendations 3 conclusions 1 report

The Northern Ireland Affairs Committee is launching an inquiry into the funding of public services in Northern Ireland. The inquiry will look at the financial situation facing Northern Ireland’s public services, including health, education and the police, and how the lack of a functioning Executive has impacted on budgetary management. The Committee will also take … Show more

Clear

Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Third Report - The funding and delivery of public services … HC 46 26 Mar 2024 15 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

1 item
13 Recommendation Third Report - The funding and delivery… Accepted in Part

Include review of needs-based Barnett factor calculation in Fiscal Framework negotiations terms of reference.

We endorse calls for a review of the fiscal framework for Northern Ireland and welcome the willingness of the Government to open negotiations with the Executive in this regard. However it is deeply regrettable, because of the failure to baseline the new needs-based Barnett factor as if it had been … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government commits to taking forward discussions towards a full fiscal framework and will consider a review of the relative needs-based factor if multiple independent and credible sources provide evidence that the current assessment is different. This falls short of including the review as an …
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Northern Ireland Executive Northern Ireland Office

Oral evidence sessions

5 sessions
Date Witnesses
8 Nov 2023 Emma Morgan · SEN Reform NI, Paul Johnson CBE · Independent Fiscal Commission for Northern Ireland, Paul Kavanagh · SEN Reform NI, Professor Gerald Holtham · Independent Commission on Funding and Finance for Wales View ↗
4 Jul 2023 Celine McStravick · Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action (NICVA), David Babington · Action Mental Health, Dr Lisa Wilson · Nevin Economic Research Institute, Michele Janes · Barnardo's Northern Ireland, Sir Robert Chote · Northern Ireland Fiscal Council View ↗
21 Jun 2023 Dorinnia Carville · Northern Ireland Audit Office, Geraldine Hanna, Victims of Crime Commissioner Designate for Northern Ireland, Margaret Kelly, NI Public Services Ombudsman, Mark McNaughten · The Police Service of Northern Ireland, Pamela McCreedy · Police Service of Northern Ireland, Rodney Allen · Northern Ireland Audit Office, Sean Martin, NI Public Services Deputy Ombudsman View ↗
24 May 2023 Dolores McCormick · Royal College of Nursing, Dr Tom Black · British Medical Association (BMA), Liam McGuckin · National Association of Headteachers (Northern Ireland), Mark Baker · Controlled Schools’ Support Council, Professor Mark Taylor · Royal College of Surgeons, Sara Long · Education Authority View ↗
3 May 2023 Jayne Brady · Northern Ireland Civil Service, Joanne McBurney · NI Department of Finance, Neil Gibson · NI Department of Finance View ↗

Who gave evidence

25 witnesses
WitnessOrganisationSessions
Celine McStravick · Chief Executive Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action (NICVA) 1
David Babington · Chief Executive Action Mental Health 1
Dolores McCormick · Associate Director, Employment Relations and Memb… Royal College of Nursing 1
Dorinnia Carville · Comptroller and Auditor General Northern Ireland Audit Office 1
Dr Lisa Wilson · Senior Economist Nevin Economic Research Institute 1
Dr Tom Black · Northern Ireland Council Chair British Medical Association (BMA) 1
Emma Morgan · Committee Member SEN Reform NI 1
Geraldine Hanna, Victims of Crime Commissioner Designate for Northern Ireland 1
Jayne Brady · Head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service Northern Ireland Civil Service 1
Joanne McBurney · Budget Director NI Department of Finance 1
Liam McGuckin · President National Association of Headteachers (Northern Ireland) 1
Margaret Kelly, NI Public Services Ombudsman 1
Mark Baker · Chief Executive Controlled Schools’ Support Council 1
Mark McNaughten · Assistant Chief Officer for Corporate Services The Police Service of Northern Ireland 1
Michele Janes · Director for Northern Ireland Barnardo's Northern Ireland 1
Neil Gibson · Permanent Secretary NI Department of Finance 1
Pamela McCreedy · Chief Operating Officer Police Service of Northern Ireland 1
Paul Johnson CBE · Former Chair Independent Fiscal Commission for Northern Ireland 1
Paul Kavanagh · Committee Member SEN Reform NI 1
Professor Gerald Holtham · Former Chair Independent Commission on Funding and Finance for Wales 1
Professor Mark Taylor · Northern Ireland Director Royal College of Surgeons 1
Rodney Allen · Chief Operating Officer Northern Ireland Audit Office 1
Sara Long · Chief Executive Education Authority 1
Sean Martin, NI Public Services Deputy Ombudsman 1
Sir Robert Chote · Chair Northern Ireland Fiscal Council 1

Correspondence

8 letters
DateDirectionTitle
15 Nov 2023 Correspondence to Permanent Secretary, Northern Ireland Department of Health, r…
15 Nov 2023 Correspondence from Permanent Secretary, Northern Ireland Department of Health,…
6 Sep 2023 Correspondence from the Secretary of State, relating to the transformation prio…
6 Sep 2023 Correspondence to the Secretary of State, relating to the transformation priori…
21 Jun 2023 Correspondence from Medical General Council, relating to the funding and delive…
7 Jun 2023 Correspondence from the Head of the Civil Service, Northern Ireland, relating t…
7 Jun 2023 Correspondence from the Comptroller and Auditor General, Northern Ireland Audit…
24 May 2023 Correspondence from the Controlled Schools’ Support Council, relating to the fu…