AQW 6949/22-27

Mr Nick Mathison
Alliance Party
Strangford

Tabled Date: 20/02/2024
Answered On Date: 23/02/2024
Priority Written: Yes

Question:
To ask the Minister of Education to detail (i) the schools that are in contract for capital works funded by Fresh Start; (ii) the schools that are in procurement for capital works funded by Fresh Start; and (iii) whether any of these projects will not proceed as a result of Fresh Start monies being reprofiled for the UK government's financial package.

Answer:

The Fresh Start projects in contract for capital works are:

Ulidia Integrated College;

New-Bridge Integrated College;

Shimna Integrated College;

Phoenix Integrated Primary School;

Mill Strand Integrated Primary School;

Parkhall Integrated College;

Rowandale Integrated Primary School;

Ballycastle Shared Education Campus; and

Strangford Integrated College.

Fresh Start funding remaining available from HM Treasury is now only sufficient for those schemes already in construction contract.

Funding is in place for all Fresh Start projects in construction contract to be completed.

I have submitted proposals to ask the Executive to recommit £150 million of funding to support the construction of the flagship Strule Shared Education Campus, which is currently in procurement. Without this additional funding, the project cannot proceed.

In light of my statutory duties to integrated and shared education, I have also placed the 10 remaining former Fresh Start projects that are not yet in contract into my Department’s conventional major works programme to continue to advance in planning. I have also written to the Secretary of State to set out the strategic importance of these projects and to seek the additional capital funding necessary to progress their construction given previous commitments made by the Government. I have particularly highlighted the position of Millennium Integrated Primary School, which is in procurement.