Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask Her Majesty's Government how much money has been returned to HM Treasury from Northern Ireland in each of the last three financial years.

Under the Budget Exchange system, the devolved administrations can carry forward unallocated DEL budget from one financial year to the next, within previously agreed limits and with the consent of HM Treasury Ministers.

As set out in the Statement of Funding Policy, a limit of 0.6% applies to Resource DEL underspends and 1.5% to Capital DEL underspends in any year. Any underspends in excess of these limits will be forfeited.

Over the last three financial years, all underspends in non-ringfenced Resource DEL and Capital DEL (excluding Financial Transaction Capital) have been accessed under the Budget Exchange system in the following year, rather than being surrendered to HM Treasury.

Any underspend not accessed under the Budget Exchange Scheme and returned to HM Treasury is either non-cash Resource or Financial Transactions Capital.