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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
8 Conclusion 4th Report – Economic growth in Norther… Deferred

We have received no evidence to date that the Executive has a thought through or...

We have received no evidence to date that the Executive has a thought through or deliverable plan to address and reform the deficits in planning policy and processes. (Conclusion, Paragraph 55)

Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges planning delays in Northern Ireland but states it is a devolved matter for the Executive to address. It highlights its provision of £3m funding for the Department for Infrastructure's 'Transforming Planning project', which is on track to appoint inspectors by Q2 2026/27.
Read full response →
Northern Ireland Executive Northern Ireland Office
11 Recommendation 4th Report – Economic growth in Norther… Deferred

The ‘economic vision’ that the NIO is developing, including time-bound objectives as we recommend earlier...

The ‘economic vision’ that the NIO is developing, including time-bound objectives as we recommend earlier in this report, should clearly set out how the Government will address the structural weaknesses associated with the largely devolved but unignorable policy areas of skills, energy, planning and infrastructure. It should align with the … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government states that policy areas like skills, energy, planning, and infrastructure are devolved to the Northern Ireland Executive. While the NIO coordinates with the Executive and supports them with funding, the response does not detail how the economic vision itself will address these structural …
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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…