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PA Media
Stormont’s finance minister has joined his Welsh and Scottish counterparts in repeating a name for elevated spending powers for the devolved nations.
Conor Murphy informed the meeting “extra fiscal flexibility” was wanted to handle the affect of Covid-19.
The minister expressed considerations concerning the autumn price range being cancelled and lack of readability for an upcoming UK Spending Evaluation.
Mr Murphy stated it was “making it inconceivable” for Stormont to plan.
He and the Welsh and Scottish finance ministers have collectively requested the British authorities for “pressing readability” concerning the timing and scope of the following Spending Evaluation.
“They’re experiencing precisely the identical downside in giving price range certainty to their very own establishments,” stated Mr Murphy.
This isn’t the primary time that the three ministers have collectively referred to as for extra flexibility with spending powers.
Mr Murphy stated if the chief needed to reply successfully to the continuing coronavirus pandemic on this 12 months and future years, it could must have “flexibility to switch Capital funding into Useful resource budgets”.
He additionally referred to as for the Treasury to “loosen restrictions round transferring funding from one 12 months to the following”.
The minister stated restrictions on underspends didn’t “encourage good monetary administration and dangers year-end surges of spend as departments search to make sure budgets are maximised”.
Mr Murphy additionally raised considerations concerning the affect of Brexit on the Stormont price range, with the transition interval attributable to finish on 31 December.
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“We would not have the readability we’d like on key points reminiscent of implementing the Irish Protocol and changing EU funding,” he informed the meeting.
“I’ve written to the Treasury outlining the prices of implementing the protocol and have but to obtain affirmation that these prices can be met by the British Authorities, as they promised to do.”
The minister stated he and his Welsh and Scottish counterparts have been “collectively asking for assurances the British Authorities will present full alternative funding of EU programmes with out detriment to devolution”.
Mr Murphy additionally stated {that a} dedication within the Stormont New Decade, New Strategy deal, to arrange an unbiased fiscal council, had not but been delivered.
“Issues have slipped due to Covid and the need for all departments to deal with the problem of it, however I hope to deliver a proposition to the chief very quickly,” he stated.
On Monday, Mr Murphy requested Chancellor Rishi Sunak for an “pressing” assembly regarding further Covid-19 funding for NI.
The manager has not made any additional selections on imposing extra restrictions, however Mr Murphy stated ministers will meet once more on Thursday.
He stated his “first precedence” was to make sure the well being service can deal with tackling the virus.