Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Northern Ireland Planning Appeals Commission Annual Review 2021/22, published on 26 August, and the impact its findings are having on the Levelling Up agenda.

Planning policy is a transferred matter in Northern Ireland and the Department for Infrastructure has responsibility for regional planning policy and legislation.

We note the findings in the Northern Ireland Planning Appeals Commission Annual Review 2021/22. This highlights the need for functioning devolved institutions as envisaged and enabled by the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement, with local decision-makers taking the action needed to ensure Northern Ireland has a planning appeals process that meets the needs of businesses and the public.

The UK Government is committed to growing and levelling up the Northern Ireland economy, which is why more than £3.5bn has been provided in recent years, in addition to the Northern Ireland Executive’s block grant, through the New Deal for Northern Ireland, City and Growth Deals, PEACE PLUS and the New Decade, New Approach financial package.

Furthermore, following the 2021 Spending Review the Government is providing the largest funding settlement to the Northern Ireland Executive since devolution in 1998, totalling £15 billion on average per year, for the next 3 years.