Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of reversing the decision to reprofile Fresh Start Funding.

The UK Government is providing the Northern Ireland Executive with a comprehensive £3.3 billion spending settlement.

Within this package, the Government is providing the Northern Ireland Executive with £708 million RDEL to support public services over five years from 2024-25 to 2028-29. This is comprised of £85 million new funding and un-ringfencing £623 million of existing Northern Ireland funding streams.

Within the £708 million, £235 million is ringfenced for transformation and its release is subject to the establishment of a Public Service Transformation Board. The remaining £473 million is un-ringfenced. This means the Executive can choose how to use the funding for its priorities, including continuing projects.