In the absence of a functioning Executive, it is for NI civil servants to allocate cash under s59 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998. This situation has led to understandable concern and uncertainty among businesses and those relying on public services alike. Since April the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has therefore worked closely with the Head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service (NICS), in conjunction with the NICS Board, to keep under review how to provide ongoing assurance around the Budget in the absence of an Executive.<\/p>
<\/p>
As a result the Secretary of State has made two Written Statements on NI finances, on 24 April and 19 July. These have set out indicative Budget positions and departmental allocations. These seek to enable Permanent Secretaries to plan and prepare to take more detailed decisions on cash allocations. These allocations do not reflect input or decisions from the UK Government nor do they constrain the future ability of an incoming Executive to adjust its priorities.<\/p>
<\/p>
These statements did not replace the ultimate need for a formal Budget for Northern Ireland. The exercise of s59 powers cannot be sustained indefinitely. Accordingly, the Secretary of State\u2019s statement on 19 July reaffirmed that the UK Government remains prepared to take forward legislation at Westminster to give authority for the expenditure of Northern Ireland departments should an Executive not be restored in the autumn.<\/p>
<\/p>
It should be for a new Executive to make swift decisions on its Budget to make use of the spending power available to it, and it remains our overriding priority to see a new Executive in place as soon as possible.<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4282", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2017-07-25", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2017-07-25T11:12:09.01Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "21"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Northern Ireland"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Northern Ireland"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2017-07-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Public Expenditure: Northern Ireland"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "Her Majesty's Government what powers they have to direct Northern Ireland departments on the allocation of funds, in the absence of a functioning Northern Ireland Executive.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4216", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Empey"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Empey"} ], "uin" : "HL1132"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/755191", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Defence"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/755191/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Naval Service utilises a wide range of mechanisms to aid the recruitment and retention of personnel. For recruitment these include targeted marketing, specific recruitment events and staged remunerative awards to attract recruits in specialist areas. A number of initiatives have also been developed in order to retain experienced personnel, such as the use of targeted retention incentives and career extensions.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/2000", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Earl Howe"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Earl Howe"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2017-07-25", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2017-07-25T13:39:16.347Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "11"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Defence"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Defence"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2017-07-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Navy: Recruitment"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "Her Majesty's Government what strategy is in place to meet recruitment and retention challenges faced by the Royal Navy.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/542", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Touhig"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Touhig"} ], "uin" : "HL1199"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/753924", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for International Development"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/753924/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The latest estimate from the UN is that there are 1.1 million acutely malnourished children in South Sudan. There are 586,600 children under 18 who have fled to Uganda and many of these will have been malnourished when they arrived. The UK is leading the international response to the crisis in South Sudan, and this year will feed 500,000 people and, with other donors, provide lifesaving nutritional support for 100,000 children and mothers, and over 1.8 million health consultations to children under five.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1091", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Bates"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Bates"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2017-07-25", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2017-07-25T15:01:12.897Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "20"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2017-07-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "South Sudan: Children"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "Her Majesty's Government what is their estimate of the number of (1) children in South Sudan who are malnourished, and (2) South Sudanese children who are crossing into Uganda; and what steps have been taken to address the plight of children in South Sudan affected by the ongoing armed conflict.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3895", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead"} ], "uin" : "HL1070"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/753265", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/753265/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Independent Advisor on Poverty and Inequality was appointed in 2015 to offer advice to the Scottish Government on the action it could take to tackle poverty in Scotland.<\/p>
<\/p>
Nevertheless, the UK Government has taken note of the Advisor\u2019s two publications: Shifting the Curve<\/em> (and its most recent progress report) and The Life Chances of Young People<\/em>.<\/p> <\/p> The UK Government remains committed to tackling the root causes of child poverty and disadvantage, and has set out a framework for continued action in Improving Lives: Helping Workless Families<\/em>, published on 4 April.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3349", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Buscombe"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Baroness Buscombe"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2017-07-25", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2017-07-25T10:30:43.807Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2017-07-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the lessons to be learned from the reports of the Scottish Government's Independent Advisor on Poverty and Inequality in the light of persistent poverty levels in the United Kingdom.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4564", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Bird"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Bird"}
], "uin" : "HL953"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/753367", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "HM Treasury"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/753367/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Since 2010 those living in the Inner and Outer Hebrides, the Northern Isles, the islands in the Clyde and the Isles of Scilly have benefitted from a 5 pence per litre fuel price cut. In 2015 this scheme was extended to benefit those people living across seventeen of mainland UK\u2019s most rural communities.<\/p> <\/p> However, the Government recognises that fuel costs remain a significant part of business and household costs. This is why, at Autumn Statement 2016, the Government announced the main rate of fuel duty would remain frozen for the seventh successive year, saving the average driver £130 a year.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3996", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Andrew Jones"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Harrogate and Knaresborough"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Andrew Jones"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2017-07-25", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2017-07-25T14:11:42.497Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "14"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "CaTreasury"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2017-07-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Fuels: Rural Areas"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has to make fuel more affordable for people in rural areas.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1442", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Alistair Carmichael"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Orkney and Shetland"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Alistair Carmichael"}
], "uin" : "5864"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/753381", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/753381/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " In response to these questions:<\/p> <\/p> (a) The number of women who commenced their Maternity Allowance claim in 2014-15 was 82,500.<\/p> (b) The number of women who commenced their Maternity Allowance claim in 2015-16 was 86,300.<\/p> (c) The total number of commencements for 2016-17 is not yet available.<\/p> <\/p> Data are published quarterly on the number of commencements to Maternity Allowance on a rolling basis up to November 2016 at:<\/p>