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Select Committee · Northern Ireland Affairs Committee

Economic growth in Northern Ireland: new and emerging sectors

Status: Open Opened: 10 Jul 2025 8 recommendations 5 conclusions 1 report

Kickstarting economic growth is the number one mission for this Government’s term in office. In this inquiry, the committee will examine plans to deliver economic growth in Northern Ireland, including the recent UK Industrial Strategy, with a particular reference to emerging sectors or ‘industries of the future’. Read our call for evidence here for more … Show more

Clear

Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
4th Report – Economic growth in Northern Ireland: new and e… HC 1193 23 Mar 2026 13 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

2 items
1 Conclusion 4th Report – Economic growth in Norther… Accepted

The UK Government’s Industrial Strategy identifies eight sectors that will drive growth, and these map...

The UK Government’s Industrial Strategy identifies eight sectors that will drive growth, and these map well on to Northern Ireland’s sectoral strengths, as well as the Northern Ireland Department for the Economy’s sectoral plans. There are, however, a multiplicity of central and devolved government missions and strategies, which fail to … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government addresses the lack of clarity by detailing ongoing engagement with UK and NI departments and highlights the establishment of the Northern Ireland Growth Coordination Group (NIGCG). The NIGCG, which meets regularly, is tasked with coordinating policies and strategies to promote economic growth and …
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Northern Ireland Executive Northern Ireland Office
9 Conclusion 4th Report – Economic growth in Norther… Accepted

City and Growth Deals have the potential to support not only sectoral growth, but growth...

City and Growth Deals have the potential to support not only sectoral growth, but growth and increased prosperity across the sub-regions of Northern Ireland. To that end, future deals might include local government to a greater extent. While current deals are focused on much-needed capital investment, there remain concerns that … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government notes the committee's conclusion, agreeing on the potential of City and Growth Deals for regional growth, and confirms current deals are progressing. It states that existing deals already focus on infrastructure and employability/skills, and reaffirms confidence in local partners to design deals based …
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Northern Ireland Executive Northern Ireland Office

Oral evidence sessions

5 sessions
Date Witnesses
29 Jun 2026 Blair McDougall MP · Department for Business and Trade, Matthew Patrick MP · Northern Ireland Office, Paul Flynn · Northern Ireland Office, Sally Jones · Department for Business and Trade View ↗
3 Jun 2026 Richard Williams · Northern Ireland Screen, Sam Turner · Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre, Queen's University Belfast, Shane Corcoran · RenewableNI, Shane Corcoran · RenewableNI, Simon Whittaker · NI Cyber, Steven Morrison · Agrifood and Bioscience Institute View ↗
4 Feb 2026 Colin McCabrey · InterTradeIreland, The Rt Hon. the Baroness Foster of Aghadrumsee DBE · Intertrade UK View ↗
7 Jan 2026 Alison McCullagh · Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, Councillor Tim McClelland - Northern Ireland Local Government Association (NILGA), Steven Norris · Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council View ↗
19 Nov 2025 David Quinn · Queen's University Belfast, Professor Paul Bartholomew · Ulster University, Robert Hill · Matrix Panel, Stuart Anderson · Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry View ↗

Who gave evidence

18 witnesses
WitnessOrganisationSessions
Shane Corcoran · Senior Policy Analyst, Grid, Grid Capacity & Mark… RenewableNI 2
Alison McCullagh · Chief Executive Fermanagh and Omagh District Council 1
Blair McDougall MP · Minister for Small Business and Economic Transfor… Department for Business and Trade 1
Colin McCabrey · Director of Trade InterTradeIreland 1
Councillor Tim McClelland - Northern Ireland Local Government Association (NILGA) — 1
David Quinn · Executive Director for the Belfast Region City De… Queen's University Belfast 1
Matthew Patrick MP · Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northe… Northern Ireland Office 1
Paul Flynn · Deputy Director for Windsor Framework Taskforce Northern Ireland Office 1
Professor Paul Bartholomew · Vice Chancellor Ulster University 1
Richard Williams · Chief Executive Northern Ireland Screen 1
Robert Hill · Chair Matrix Panel 1
Sally Jones · Deputy Director, Industrial Strategy Implementati… Department for Business and Trade 1
Sam Turner · Chief Executive Officer Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre, Queen's University Belfast 1
Simon Whittaker · Chair NI Cyber 1
Steven Morrison · Head of Sustainable Livestock Systems Agrifood and Bioscience Institute 1
Steven Norris · Deputy Director of Regeneration and Infrastructure Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council 1
Stuart Anderson · Director of Public Affairs & International Relati… Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry 1
The Rt Hon. the Baroness Foster of Aghadrumsee DBE · Chair Intertrade UK 1

Correspondence

2 letters
DateDirectionTitle
15 Jul 2026 — Correspondence from Department for Business and trade relating to Economic Grow…
4 Mar 2026 — Correspondence from the Secretary of State relating to the reserve claim of £40…