The funding and delivery of public services in Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland Affairs Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 14 Feb 2023 Closed: 28 May 2024 Parliament page
The Northern Ireland Affairs Committee is launching an inquiry into the funding of public services in Northern Ireland. The inquiry will look at the financial situation facing Northern Ireland’s public services, including health, education and the police, and how the lack of a functioning Executive has impacted on budgetary management. … Read more
12 Recommendations
3 Conclusions
1 Report
5 Oral sessions
8 Letters
5 Events
Activity timeline 20 events
14 Nov
2024
Report published
26 Mar
2024
Report published
15 Nov
2023
Correspondence
15 Nov
2023
Correspondence
8 Nov
2023
Oral evidence
8 Nov
2023
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 6, Palace of Westminster
6 Sep
2023
Correspondence
6 Sep
2023
Correspondence
4 Jul
2023
Oral evidence
4 Jul
2023
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 5, Palace of Westminster
21 Jun
2023
Oral evidence
21 Jun
2023
Correspondence
Oral evidence sessions 5 sessions
8 Nov 2023
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Emma Morgan · SEN Reform NI Paul Johnson CBE · Independent Fiscal Commission for Northern Ireland Paul Kavanagh · SEN Reform NI Professor Gerald Holtham · Independent Commission on Funding and Finance for Wales
4 Jul 2023
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Celine McStravick · Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action (NICVA) David Babington · Action Mental Health Dr Lisa Wilson · Nevin Economic Research Institute Michele Janes · Barnardo's Northern Ireland Sir Robert Chote · Northern Ireland Fiscal Council
21 Jun 2023
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Dorinnia Carville · Northern Ireland Audit Office Geraldine Hanna, Victims of Crime Commissioner Designate for Northern Ireland Margaret Kelly, NI Public Services Ombudsman Mark McNaughten · The Police Service of Northern Ireland Pamela McCreedy · Police Service of Northern Ireland Rodney Allen · Northern Ireland Audit Office Sean Martin, NI Public Services Deputy Ombudsman
24 May 2023
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Dolores McCormick · Royal College of Nursing Dr Tom Black · British Medical Association (BMA) Liam McGuckin · National Association of Headteachers (Northern Ireland) Mark Baker · Controlled Schools’ Support Council Professor Mark Taylor · Royal College of Surgeons Sara Long · Education Authority
3 May 2023
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Jayne Brady · Northern Ireland Civil Service Joanne McBurney · NI Department of Finance Neil Gibson · NI Department of Finance
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Third Report - The funding and delivery of public services in No… HC 46 26 Mar 2024 15 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
6 results
Clear
1 Recommendation Deferred
Third Report - The funding and del…
Introduce statutory duty for NI Department of Health to publish workforce projections.
We are concerned about staff recruitment and retention in the health service, with thousands of empty posts and a reliance on costly agency staff. The equivalent of 26.3% of the Northern Ireland population are on waiting lists, with some going … Read more
Government Response
The government details substantial past and future financial packages for the NI Executive and states that discussions on the next phase of the fiscal framework are commencing. Regarding a statutory duty on the Department of Health to publish workforce projections, the government states this is a devolved matter for which the Department of Health is responsible.
Northern Ireland Office
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2 Recommendation Deferred
Third Report - The funding and del…
Require Northern Ireland Executive to prioritise SEN pupil numbers in education funding allocation.
After years of under-investment, the education sector has been struggling to fulfil its statutory duties. Spending per pupil has been consistently lower in Northern Ireland than in England. We are particularly concerned about the future of provision for children and … Read more
Government Response
The UK Government's response did not address the recommendation for the Northern Ireland Executive to account for increasing SEN pupil numbers in education funding, instead quoting a different recommendation without providing a specific reply.
Northern Ireland Office
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3 Recommendation Deferred
Third Report - The funding and del…
Mandate Treasury, NIO, and NI Executive to review PSNI's financial framework.
Cuts in police officer numbers due to recent budgetary pressures will impact on the PSNI’s visibility and ability to respond to increased demand. Officer numbers have dropped some way below the 7,500 committed to under the New Decade, New Approach … Read more
Government Response
The government recognises the PSNI's difficult financial position but states that policing is a devolved matter for the Northern Ireland Justice Minister to determine funding allocation. While detailing significant financial packages to the NI Executive and specific additional security funding, it states the Justice Minister and PSNI can raise concerns regarding funding with HM Treasury during Spending Review discussions, but does not commit to a specific rethink of the PSNI’s financial framework.
Northern Ireland Office
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4 Recommendation Deferred
Third Report - The funding and del…
Require Northern Ireland Executive to consider VCSE sector's contribution in future budgetary decisions.
The voluntary, community and social enterprise sector has struggled in the recent funding environment, and this is likely to have piled further pressure onto stretched public services. When making future budgetary decisions the Northern Ireland Executive must take account of … Read more
Government Response
The government recognises the significant contribution of the voluntary, community, and social enterprise sector, but states that budgetary decisions regarding the sector are a devolved matter for the Northern Ireland Executive.
Northern Ireland Office
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9 Conclusion Deferred
Third Report - The funding and del…
Mandate NI Executive to establish Public Services Transformation Board and detail reform plans.
The transformation agenda is critical to getting Northern Ireland’s finances onto a sustainable footing and cannot be delayed any further. The underfunding of local public services by the Treasury and the lack of an Executive for five out of the … Read more
Government Response
The UK Government's response did not address the recommendation for the Northern Ireland Executive to set out public service transformation plans and establish the Transformation Board, instead quoting a different recommendation without providing a specific reply.
Northern Ireland Office
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15 Recommendation Deferred
Third Report - The funding and del…
Include reference to further fiscal devolution in upcoming Fiscal Framework negotiations by mid-2024.
We welcome the work of the Independent Fiscal Commission for Northern Ireland on further fiscal devolution. The devolution of such powers will not address the difficult situation in which public services currently find themselves but could help strengthen the economy … Read more
Government Response
The government's response does not address the recommendation for fiscal devolution negotiations to start in the first half of 2024, instead stating that the Northern Ireland Executive must consider a sector's contribution when making future budgetary decisions.
Northern Ireland Office
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Government Response AI assessment · 15 of 12 classified
Accepted 3
Accepted in Part 1
Acknowledged 3
Deferred 6
Not Addressed 2
Total 12 recs + 3 conclusions
Correspondence 8 letters
15 Nov 2023 Correspondence to Permanent Secretary, Northern Ireland Department of Health, relating to suspension of emergency surgery in county Fermanagh, 3 November 2023
Parliament page
15 Nov 2023 Correspondence from Permanent Secretary, Northern Ireland Department of Health, relating to suspension of emergency surgery in county Fermanagh, 13 November 2023
Parliament page
6 Sep 2023 Correspondence to the Secretary of State, relating to the transformation priorities for the Northern Ireland health service, 20 July 2023
Parliament page
6 Sep 2023 Correspondence from the Secretary of State, relating to the transformation priorities for the Northern Ireland health service, 4 September 2023
Parliament page
21 Jun 2023 Correspondence from Medical General Council, relating to the funding and delivery of public services in Northern Ireland, 16 June 2023
Parliament page
7 Jun 2023 Correspondence from the Head of the Civil Service, Northern Ireland, relating to the funding and delivery of public services in Northern Ireland inquiry, 31 May 2023
Parliament page
7 Jun 2023 Correspondence from the Comptroller and Auditor General, Northern Ireland Audit Office, relating to allocation of budget to the Northern Ireland Audit Office 2023-24, 26 May 2023
Parliament page
24 May 2023 Correspondence from the Controlled Schools’ Support Council, relating to the funding and delivery of public services in Northern Ireland inquiry, 11 May 2023
Parliament page