Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they plan to have, and with whom, about the release of £36.2 million of funding to develop regional football grounds in Northern Ireland which was previously approved by the Northern Ireland Executive.

The Northern Ireland (Executive Formation and Exercise of Functions) Act provides for the increased clarity and assurance to enable Northern Ireland departments to continue to exercise their functions to take decisions where these are in the public interest.

The funding to develop regional football grounds in Northern Ireland is a devolved matter, and Northern Ireland Office officials have engaged with their counterparts in the Northern Ireland Department for Communities. The department remains committed to delivering this programme and will seek decisions from incoming Ministers.

These decisions should be taken by a fully functioning devolved government in Northern Ireland, and it remains the Government’s priority to work towards achieving that.