Oral Answers to Questions — Finance – in the Northern Ireland Assembly am 3:00 pm ar 14 Hydref 2024.
7. Mrs Erskine asked the Minister of Finance for an update on discussions with Treasury regarding the pause in funding for the Mid South West and Causeway Coast and Glens growth deals. (AQO 965/22-27)
12. Mrs Dodds asked the Minister of Finance for an update on her negotiations with the UK Government on the Mid South West and Causeway Coast and Glens growth deals. (AQO 970/22-27)
With your permission, Mr Speaker, I will answer questions 7 and 12 together.
I am continuing to push for the reversal of the British Government's pause on growth deal funding. My officials are working closely with the two growth deal teams to provide the necessary evidence for Treasury to consider as part of the spending review. During the Finance: Interministerial Standing Committee meeting on 3 October, I raised with the Chief Secretary to the Treasury the importance of the growth deals to our economic development and reiterated the need for funding to be reinstated for the Causeway Coast and Glens and Mid South West growth deals.
I am pleased to advise that, at their meeting on 2 October, the Executive agreed to recommendations that I brought forward, asking them to reaffirm their funding commitments to the two growth deals and the £100 million complementary fund. While we continue to collectively press the Treasury to reverse its decision to pause the £162 million British Government funding contribution to the growth deals, the Executive's agreement to reaffirm their funding commitment should help to provide clarity amidst the confusion that has been caused by Treasury, especially — I know that the Member will be pleased about this — on the A4 Enniskillen bypass, which is currently out to tender.
I thank the Minister and the Executive for what they have been doing on the Mid South West growth deal and, indeed, the Causeway Coast and Glens growth deal. They are an economic game changer and catalyst. I appreciate that the Minister will have some vested interest in the issue for her area. What is her assessment of the NIO's willingness and ability to lobby effectively on the issue to ensure that the money is drawn down and the pause is lifted? It is vital for the two affected council areas. We have a situation in which two council areas are missing out. What is her assessment of the NIO's —
Thank you. Minister.
— ability to do that?
The strong collective message that we have been able to send, as an Executive and as parties across the board, on the need to unpause the funding commitment to the growth deals has been a real strength. The deal partners have been engaging directly with the NIO — I think that they met the British Secretary of State last week — and have been reassured by that engagement. That is some of the feedback that I have received. Other Members may have had similar feedback.
There is still work to do. Certainly, I have been encouraging the deal partners. Later this week, I will meet the Mid South West growth deal partners again. We will continue to put that pressure on and use whatever avenue we have. I have continued to press the issue with Treasury, in particular, to ensure that the commitment is reinstated.
Thank you, Minister. We appreciate the work that has gone into trying to get the deals back on track. The Mid South West deal was due to be signed with heads of agreement on Wednesday. That shows how far we were along the line with that.
Will you accompany the councils to London next weekend to lobby parliamentarians on the issues around the deal? What other suggestions have you for keeping the deal alive so that the Government know precisely how important it is?
Minister, you have about 10 seconds in which to answer.
I have not been invited to go to London next week, but I would be happy to attend with them. As I said to Deborah, I will meet the Mid South West growth deal partners again this week. We all have avenues that we can use for lobbying, and I will use my relationship with Treasury.
We move to topical questions.