To ask the Minister of Finance what actions he is taking to ensure that £500 million of centrally-held funding, and any further Barnett consequentials, are spent effectively in this financial year.

Mr Murphy

Yesterday, 23 November, the Executive agreed allocations of £338·1 million of the £500 million that was held centrally. There is also £150 million that has been set aside for the consideration of longer-term rates support. A further £26·6 million is being held in reserve in case there are further requirements later in the financial year.

Mr Murphy

There is and has been a clear understanding among Ministers and Departments that, when they are asked to submit bids — that is how the process works — this is COVID-related money, so it is to be spent in this financial year and directed towards the three broad pillars of the Executive response to COVID: supporting vulnerable people, supporting the health service and supporting business. Bids must meet one of those criteria. We require Departments to demonstrate the area in which they want to spend the money and that they fully understand the requirement to have it spent out by the end of the financial year. We will continue to monitor that. Of course, the Member will know that the January monitoring of the general departmental spend will be coming through as well, and we may well receive further Barnett consequentials early in the new year. It has been a challenge to manage all of that additional money and deal with the stripped-down resource available to the Civil Service because of the pandemic. Nonetheless, it is incumbent on us to make sure that it is spent wisely in the right areas and spent out before the end of the financial year.

Ms Dolan

Minister, have the British Government responded to your request and the request of the Scottish and Welsh Finance Ministers for greater flexibility to ensure that the funding is spent fully and effectively this financial year?

Mr Murphy

There have been discussions with Treasury right up to recent days, and I intend to speak to the Chief Secretary to the Treasury tomorrow. As the Member may know, we expect an announcement on the comprehensive spending review tomorrow that might give an indication of the finances that will be available for next year's Budget. We have pressed consistently for flexibility. In particular, if we are to receive further Barnett consequentials early in the new year, that will add to our case that this kind of drip feed of money, with no long-term planning attached to it, is difficult for any devolved Administration to manage. It reinforces the general point that we have been making about the need for flexibility in the management of public finances.

Mr O'Toole

I will be brief. Following the results of the spending review, which we expect tomorrow, will the Minister give the Assembly an update on exactly where we are with unallocated new Barnett consequentials, so that we are better able to scrutinise where the finances are at this critical time?

Mr Murphy

We hope to receive that tomorrow. That is the date that we have been given, and I have a call scheduled with the Chief Secretary to the Treasury tomorrow. I anticipate knowing that, and I am happy to come back to the House when we get a handle on it. There have been a series of Budget discussions with other Ministers. A couple are still outstanding because other business has overtaken them, and we need to have those discussions and understand what the budgetary requirements of the Departments are for next year. However, it will depend on the amount available to us. I am happy to update the Assembly and the Member's Committee when we get some answers on all that.