AQW 16399/17-22


Mr Andrew Muir
Alliance Party
North Down


Tabled Date: 15/03/2021
Answered On Date: 07/05/2021
Priority Written: No


Question:
To ask the Minister of Finance to detail the COVID-19 schemes approved under Ministerial Direction during 2019/20 and 2020/21.


Revised Answer:
I responded to your written Assembly Question AQW 16399/17-22 on the 24th March where I provided a list of Covid Schemes which had been taken forward under Ministerial Direction. Unfortunately my response contained two errors and I am now seeking to correct this and provide an update on the Ministerial Directions issued for Covid schemes since the original response.
The updated list of all COVID-19 Schemes for 2019-20 and 2020-21 approved to date under Ministerial Direction is attached at Annex A. This annex replaces the response issued previously.
A revised response has been necessary to remove Department for Economy’s City of Derry Airport Public Service Obligation (CoDA PSO) 2021-23. Although funding was provided for the PSO in 2020-21 due to the impact of COVID-19, the payment from DFE to CODA did not require a Ministerial Direction. However, a Ministerial Direction was issued in 2020-21 to fund expenditure for the CODA PSO in 2021-22 and 2022-23 but this expenditure is not COVID funding.
I had also included the Reimbursement of Strike Pay to healthcare workers for the period November 2019 to January 2020 in the previous response. Although this was taken forward under Ministerial Direction, it is not part of a COVID-19 Scheme. I have now excluded it from the revised list as it relates to the reimbursement of lost pay for strike action undertaken in November 2019 – January 2020 that predated the outbreak of COVID here. Therefore it has now been removed from the Annex.
When the list was compiled in March, it included all COVID-19 Schemes delivered under Ministerial Directions at that time. However, further Ministerial Directions have issued for COVID-19 schemes since the Assembly Question was initially answered. The list in Annex A has therefore been updated to include these additional Ministerial Directions.
As I advised previously, my department is currently working on enhanced guidance to clarify the process to be followed in respect of Ministerial Directions. Guidance on the publishing of Ministerial Directions issued on 2 April under the cover of DAO 02/21.
Please accept my apology for the errors in the earlier response and I hope you will find this updated position helpful. I note you have issued a further question on the costs to date of these schemes. We have asked departments to provide this and I will forward the response once it is completed.
Annex A
List of COVID-19 Schemes approved to date under Ministerial Direction for 2019-20 and 2020-21.
Department
COVID-19 Scheme
The Executive Office
Support for Travel Agents
Department for Infrastructure
City of Derry Airport
Department of Finance
COVID Temporary time limited financial support for Belfast International Airport and Belfast City Airport
Department of Finance
Extension of the financial support Agreed for Derry City and Strabane District to all areas (Localised Restrictions Support Scheme)
Department of Finance
£50,000 grant for large businesses unable to access grant funding during the first lockdown
Department of Finance
£25,000 payment to manufacturing businesses unable to access grant funding during the first lockdown
Department of Finance
Top-up payments of £5,000 and £10,000 for businesses which received grants during the first lockdown but are not eligible for one of the current Executive support schemes
Department for the Economy
COVID-19 £10k Business Support Grant Scheme
Department for the Economy
COVID-19 £25k Business Support Scheme for Retail, Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure
Department for the Economy
COVID Microbusiness Hardship Scheme
Department for the Economy
COVID Restrictions Business Support Scheme including Extensions and Evidence Threshold
Department for the Economy
Wet Pubs Business Support Scheme
Department for the Economy
Newly Self-employed Scheme
Department for the Economy
Limited Company Director Scheme
Department for the Economy
Bed & Breakfast, Guest House and Guest Accommodation Providers Support Scheme
Department for the Economy
Large Tourism and Hospitality Scheme including extension
Department for the Economy
Student Disruption Payment
Department of Health
£500 Bonus Scheme for health and social care staff
Department of Health
Special Recognition Payment to healthcare students
Department of Health
Additional Financial Support to DoH core grant-funded organisations in 2020/21
Department of Health
Air Ambulance NI
Department of Health
Grant Scheme to Support Carers
Department of Health
Grant Scheme to Support Cancer Services
Department of Health
Grant Scheme to Support Mental Health Services
Department of Health
Payment of £1.3m to Hospices
Department of Health
One-Off Award to HSC Charitable Trust Funds
Department of Education
Free School Meals in Special Schools – direct payments for all entitled pupils in addition to provision for those in school during period of partial closures and low attendance (25 Jan to 12 Feb 2021)
Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs
Scheme to compensate Lough Neagh fishermen who have been adversely affected by COVID-19
Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs
COVID-19 Disruption payment of £60 to CAFRE students to address digital poverty
Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs
COVID-19 support scheme for wool producers
Department for Communities
£500 Recognition payment for Supporting People and Homelessness Sector Workers