Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what funding was (a) announced for and (b) allocated to Northern Ireland businesses by the British Business Bank in each of the last three years.

At Spending Review 2021, the government announced a £1.6 billion commitment to the nations and regions including £70m to provide a new Investment Fund for Northern Ireland. Other British Business Bank programmes are demand-led, without any geographical allocation.

It has not been possible, in the time available, to analyse these UK-wide programmes and determine the finance supported for Northern Ireland businesses in each case. I will write to the Hon. Member as soon as this analysis is complete and will place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.