AQW 16486/17-22

Mr Andrew Muir
Alliance Party
North Down

Tabled Date: 16/03/2021
Answered On Date: 25/03/2021
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Finance whether all applications and payments for the COVID-19 support schemes announced on the 15 March 2021 will have to be paid and processed prior to the end of the month in order to utilise funds at risk of surrender to HM Treasury if not spent during 2020/21.

Answer:

The legislation for the new schemes, which will be in place before the end of this financial year, will be drafted to reflect that the entitlement of the payments are in respect of the 2020/21 year.

This will allow the payments to be accrued in the current financial year and ensure that the funding does not have to be surrendered to the British Treasury.