SDLP Adamant The Budget Is A New Chapter For Funding

The Autumn Budget must 'mark a new chapter' in regards to stabilising devolved funding, according to SDLP Leader Claire Hanna.

Yesterday's Budget saw several announcements including the resumption of two City Deals for the Causeway Coast and Glens and Mid South West regions after funding was paused earlier this month, as well as confirmation of £1.5 billion in funding to the NI Executive for 2025-26.

However, Hanna has said the SDLP will be seeking urgent clarity on other areas, such as on additional in-year 2024-25 funding for the devolved Executive and whether additional resources committed to areas in England such as special educational needs and rates support for retailers would be ringfenced by Executive ministers.

Hanna also said the SDLP, both at Westminster and in Opposition at Stormont, would be pressing for more progress on the NI fiscal framework and for the Finance Minister Caoimhe Archibald to bring forward more ambitious proposals for local fiscal devolution. Claire Hanna MP said: "There are significant things to welcome in this Budget, which marks a departure from Tory approach to fiscal policy.

"Raises to the minimum wage and carer’s allowance will make a real difference to people's lives, but we must also make sure that our small and medium sized businesses get the support they need.

"There has to be a clear turning of the page on the last decade and a half which has wrought such harm to local public services. The combination of Tory austerity, Brexit and Sinn Féin/DUP collapses of devolution left our politics in disrepute and public services on their knees.

"The unpausing of city deals and clarity on next year's Budget are positive, but they need to be followed up by long term certainty for the Executive from the Treasury to finally allow multi-year budget setting and also concluding a fair funding settlement for the Executive based on an adequate calculation of need.

"If these can be delivered, then local ministers will have fewer excuses for lack of delivery and the public might finally see meaningful progress on rescuing our public services."