Source · Select Committees · Northern Ireland Affairs Committee
Recommendation 6
6
Accepted
We urge the Government to publish up to date information on the delivery of the...
Recommendation
We urge the Government to publish up to date information on the delivery of the New Deal for Northern Ireland funding package. We also encourage the Government to ensure that this funding is ringfenced, so it can be used to fulfil its intended aims, and that any underspend should be able to be rolled over to the next financial year. (Paragraph 36) Brexit, the Protocol and the Northern Ireland economy
Government Response Summary
The government confirms that New Deal funding provided to Northern Ireland Executive Departments and UK Government Departments will be ringfenced. They note that nearly half of the £400 million has been allocated, including £23 million for the Department for the Economy, and they will make further decisions on the remainder of the funding.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
The £400 million New Deal for Northern Ireland funding package is additional to Northern Ireland’s Barnett consequentials and the allocation of the New Deal funding, like other similar non-Barnett funds in the past, is decided by the Secretary of State in order to achieve the UK Government’s objectives. Non-Barnett additions to the block grant are usually ringfenced, and the Government can confirm that New Deal funding provided to Northern Ireland Executive Departments will be ringfenced. New Deal funding made available to UK Government Departments to deliver in Northern Ireland will also be ringfenced. Nearly half of the £400 million New Deal funding has now been allocated, including £23 million being made available to the Department for the Economy. This funding has provided £15 million over three years to enable Skill Up, which is delivering 20,000 fully funded places, in key growth areas in Northern Ireland’s Further Education colleges and universities; and £8 million to promote trade and investment in Northern Ireland to overseas markets. The other allocations made so far will develop systems that will support the movement of agri-food products between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland Office officials are working with a number of stakeholders, including Northern Ireland Executive and UK Government Departments to identify interventions that will support growth and prosperity in Northern Ireland and the Secretary of State will make further decisions in due course on how the remainder of the funding will be used.