AQW 7572/17-22

Mr Andrew Muir
Alliance Party
North Down

Tabled Date: 24/09/2020
Answered On Date: 29/09/2020
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Finance whether the UK Government’s commitment to providing up to £27.3 million per week under COVID-19 Bus Service Support Grant Restart scheme until it is no longer needed has been reflected in Barnett consequentials thus far.

Answer:

The Guarantee announced on 24 July 2020 provided a minimum of £2.2 billion for the Executive’s COVID-19 response. This has meant that Barnett has not been applied in the usual way and therefore it has not been possible to determine whether individual English measures attract a Barnett consequential.

Work is ongoing with Treasury, to determine how funding under the Guarantee compares with what would have been provided via Barnett consequentials, however that work has not yet concluded.

It is important to note that Barnett consequentials are unhypothecated, meaning it is for the Executive to decide how to allocate the funding in line with local needs and priorities.