AQW 19754/22-27

Ms Kellie Armstrong
Alliance Party
Strangford

Tabled Date: 11/12/2024
Answered On Date: 20/12/2024
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister for the Economy to detail the proactive measures his Department will take to develop and deliver a sustainable supply chain of construction materials with industry partners to support the Executive's agreed Housing Supply Strategy.

Answer:

Invest NI provides a range of specialist supply chain advisory and financial support to companies across the north. This includes the construction materials supply chain. The support helps businesses build resilience and capability into their supply chain and develop their supply-chain function to enhance value, reduce risk, improve their competitive advantage and support development of a wider supply chain ecosystem in the north.

The Supply Chain Resilience and Development Service (SCRDS) helps companies identify supply chain risks, opportunities and capability development. Depending on business circumstances, financial assistance is also available towards the salary costs of an employee dedicated to supply chain development.

Operational Excellence (OPEX) provides support to embed principles, tools and techniques to address areas such as waste identification and elimination, practical problem solving, daily continuous improvement, and workflow improvements.

Additional support is available to assist companies to upskill and reskill existing staff; facilitate collaboration with partners to develop new business models, address challenges and exploit new opportunities; and enhance leadership capability.