Select committee: Northern Ireland Affairs Committee
Conclusion 9
4th Report – Economic growth in Northern Ireland: new and emerging sectors
Published 23 Mar 2026
Addressed to Northern Ireland Executive; Northern Ireland Office
Northern Ireland Affairs Committee Economic growth in Northern Ireland: new and emerging sectors All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Conclusion (the committee's words)
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 a complementary skills element is not in place to ensure that this investment is sustainable. Northern Ireland’s productivity and skills challenges are long-standing and well known, as are its problems with infrastructure, energy and planning. We have ongoing concerns about the Executive’s effective use of the Skills Barometer 2023–2033 and the ability to maximise the opportunities to deliver policies. Given the UK Government’s economic growth mission and the responsibilities of NIO Ministers for supporting economic growth, they cannot be ignored by Whitehall. Without the facilitating infrastructure and connectivity in place, growth will be slower and concentrated in fewer places. (Conclusion, Paragraph 58) 30
From: Northern Ireland Affairs Committee, 4th Report – Economic growth in Northern Ireland: new and emerging sectors (HC 1193), 23 March 2026
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 25 June 2026 (deadline 23 May 2026).
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The Government 'welcomes the Committee's report' and sets out its initial response to each recommendation, agreeing on closer working with the Northern Ireland Executive while not accepting some proposals, including the economic vision forecasts and a change to the Local Growth Fund split.
- On the NIO economic vision, the Government 'shares the Committee’s view' on close collaboration with the Executive. It has 'noted' the suggestion of forecasts for additional growth, employment and productivity but 'does not believe this is realistic'.
- On a Northern Ireland seat on the Industrial Strategy Advisory Council, the Government is 'currently considering' how Northern Ireland voices can be more clearly heard in national policy structures. It does not state a decision.
- On the one stop shop for SMEs, the Government says it is 'fully committed' to the service, with a £16.6 million budget. It states it expects the service to go live 'within this financial year, as scheduled'.
- On the Local Growth Fund capital-revenue split, the Government states 'the split will not change'. It points to £11.8 million of resource funding in 2026/27 and PEACEPLUS options for the sector.