AQW 8628/08

Mrs Naomi Long
Alliance Party
East Belfast

Tabled Date: 25/06/2008
Answered On Date: 07/07/2008
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister for Regional Development what assessment he has made of the impact of the increase in (i) fuel costs; and (ii) fuel duty on the departmental budget and the realisation of efficiency targets; and what action he has taken to mitigate against these increased costs.

Answer:

My department anticipated increased fuel costs and fuel duty when preparing spending proposals for Budget 2008-2011. An element of these increased costs has already been reflected in the departmental budget.

DRD is currently assessing the impact of the latest fuel costs and fuel duty on the departmental budget and the need to submit bids in the September 2008 Monitoring Round.

At this stage it is not expected that the increase in fuel costs will affect my department's ability to meet its efficiency targets.