AQW 22870/22-27

Mrs Michelle Guy
Alliance Party
Lagan Valley

Tabled Date: 18/02/2025
Answered On Date: 25/02/2025
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Finance, pursuant to AQW 20966/22-27, whether the £1.8 million returned to the Department of Finance which had been ring-fenced for Early Learning and Childcare Funding will still be available to support childcare measures.

Answer:

As required for underspends in earmarked funding, the Department of Education returned the £1.8 million, and this formed part of the funding that was made available in the January monitoring round for allocation across departments.

The Executive’s Draft Budget 2025-26 sets aside £50 million for early learning and childcare support measures.