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

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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

2 items
6 Recommendation Third Report - The funding and delivery… Not Addressed

Mandate Government to assess public service funding implications from 2026/27 cliff-edge.

Northern Ireland’s public services, especially in the health, education and justice sectors, are in a poor state after years of political instability, lack of funding and of reform. The additional £520 million per year promised by the Government in 2024/25 and 2025/26 will help to address pressures in the immediate … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government states that budgets for 2026-27 onwards are based on projections and confirms the Executive can plan on being funded at or above 124% of their relative need. It provides general information on the fiscal framework but does not explicitly set out an assessment …
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Northern Ireland Executive Northern Ireland Office
10 Recommendation Third Report - The funding and delivery… Not Addressed

Require Treasury to provide guidance on building investment cases for NI funding bids.

Northern Ireland would benefit from being more entrepreneurial in how it bids for funding for public service reform - for example, by linking its bids into wider Government agendas and aims including cross-Departmental working, partnership with the business community and third sector. We recommend that the Treasury work with the … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government provided £235 million for public service transformation and notes the NI Executive has established a Public Sector Transformation Board and published its Programme for Government. However, the response does not address the specific recommendation for the Treasury to provide guidance on building investment …
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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…