To ask the Minister for the Economy whether she will seek to introduce Restart Grants to support businesses to resume trading following the easing of COVID-19 restrictions.

Any decision on such a scheme would require collective agreement by the Executive. With the Chancellor’s budget announcements now revealed, I have met with Executive colleagues to consider how this impacts on our own situation in Northern Ireland, as we work towards a pathway of sustained recovery. As detailed in the Economic Recovery Action Plan, my Department will launch the High Street Stimulus Scheme, which will provide individuals throughout Northern Ireland with a personalised prepaid card to be spent at ‘bricks and mortar’ businesses including retail, hospitality and close contact services. When it is safe to do so, the launch of this scheme will help to kick-start our economic recovery, and provide a welcome boost to those businesses impacted by the necessary restrictions. As we look forward, my Department’s focus is on a speedy and un-interrupted re-opening of the NI economy as soon as possible, in line with the Executive’s published roadmap ‘Moving Forward: The Executive's Pathway Out of Restrictions’ and the associated health regulations. It will be for the Executive collectively to determine how any Covid-related funding is allocated as we progress through the roadmap and the lifting of restrictions.