Source · Select Committees · Northern Ireland Affairs Committee
Recommendation 11
11
Acknowledged
Northern Ireland public services face chronic underfunding and insufficient block grant uplift from Treasury.
Conclusion
Many of the structural, resource and funding issues facing Northern Ireland have been a long time in the making, but the lack of ministerial direction and accountability in recent times has not helped the plight of public services in Northern Ireland. Core reforms required across public services have not been taken forward and the absence of the Executive between February 2022 and February 2024 delayed the introduction of new legislation and undermined the effective scrutiny of decision- making. However, by far the greatest threat remains chronic underfunding, below need, of NI public services by the Treasury. This includes the operation of the current fiscal floor proposed by the Government, which by design, fails to provide a recurring uplift to the block grant commensurate to the level NI was funded below need between April 2022 and the present day. (Paragraph 64) The block grant and the Barnett Formula
Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges the severe funding situation for the PSNI and expresses an urge for a rethink by the Treasury, Northern Ireland Office, and the Northern Ireland Executive regarding the PSNI’s financial framework.
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
12. “Given the severe funding situation which the PSNI faces, we urge a rethink by the Treasury, Northern Ireland Office and new Northern Ireland Executive of the PSNI’s financial framework. This would ensure that the PSNI has a greater variety of options in dealing with any financial difficulty in future, which is critical given the importance of the Police Service’s role in Northern Ireland’s post-conflict society.” UK Government response: