AQW 3860/10

Mrs Naomi Long
Alliance Party
East Belfast

Tabled Date: 13/01/2010
Answered On Date: 22/01/2010
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the First Minister and deputy First Minister for their assessment of the creation of a fixed-term development plan to underpin the Investment Strategy, including firm project commitments and key project milestones and timelines that would invigorate the delivery of the Strategy, facilitate accountability and create confidence with private sector partners.

Answer:

Capital spending of nearly £1.7 billion in 2008-09 marks the highest level of expenditure ever on infrastructure, and we anticipate a comparable high level of spend in 2009-10. Since the beginning of the current Investment Strategy, departments have been fully utilising the resources for new capital investment. The majority of the major schemes listed in the ISNI document itself are underway or will be commenced in the near term.

This outcome has been assisted by the production of individual Investment Delivery Plans by departments (IDPs) detailing the projects for which they are responsible. These plans provide information to facilitate effective delivery monitoring and capacity building in the public sector. The IDPs are available through the websites of individual departments and the Strategic Investment Board (www.sibni.org).

In addition, the Investment Strategy Delivery Tracking System (DTS) was rolled out to all departments and related public bodies in 2009. Over 500 projects are currently logged on the DTS. Information taken for the DTS is publicly available through the Investment Strategy Web Portal. (www.isni.gov.uk) .

The availability of the Web Portal is assisting the construction industry with its business planning by allowing contractors to remain fully informed on opportunities arising from current and future infrastructure projects as they progress into procurement and delivery.