Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Chris Evans and Theresa Villiers

Wednesday 25th November 2015 Commons Chamber

[Chris Evans (Islwyn) (Lab/Co-op)]

9. What steps she is taking to ensure that the Northern Ireland Executive’s financial position is sustainable.

[The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Mrs Theresa Villiers)]

It is for the Executive to deliver a balanced budget and sustainable finances. The Stormont House agreement and last week’s fresh start agreement set out a range of measures to help them deliver that. These include implementation of welfare reform, measures to improve efficiency in the public sector and a new independent fiscal council for Northern Ireland.

[Mrs Villiers]

I am confident about those matters. Earlier this week, the House passed the welfare reform proposals needed to apply welfare reform in Northern Ireland, which will make a huge difference to financial sustainability, and which also made progress in the House of Lords yesterday.

[Chris Evans]

Given that the Conservative party has come late in the day to the merits of devolution, what assessment has the Secretary of State made of devolving income tax to the Northern Ireland Executive as a means of putting them on a sure financial footing?

[Mrs Villiers]

The Conservative party is a strong supporter of devolution. Previous agreements with the Northern Ireland Executive make it clear that we are open to considering the devolution of further tax powers, but the Executive’s highest priority is the devolution of corporation tax, which we hope to press ahead with as soon as the Stormont House agreement conditions on financial sustainability are met.