Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what mechanisms have been put in place to ensure that Northern Ireland Departments have sufficient funds available for its policies and programmes during the suspension of the Northern Ireland Assembly.
There is provision in place for the Permanent Secretary of the Northern Ireland Department of Finance to allocate cash, under s59 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, to maintain public services. That system remains in place as it has done since April.
In April, I set out in a Written Ministerial Statement an indicative Budget position, based on advice from the Head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service (NICS) in conjunction with the NICS Board. This sought to give clarity to NI Departments as to the basis for departmental allocations in the absence of an Executive. I continue to monitor the financial situation, and will reflect on whether any further clarity is required for Northern Ireland Permanent Secretaries in the allocation of resources.