Asked by: Viscount Waverley (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how planning reform will be progressed in the absence of ministers in the Northern Ireland Executive.
Answered by Lord Caine - Shadow Minister (Northern Ireland)
In the absence of Northern Ireland Executive ministers, the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc.) Act will provide Northern Ireland civil servants with the clarity they require to take the limited but necessary decisions to maintain delivery of public services and operate in the public interest. The Act does not give the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland direction powers on specific policies, other than in relation to pressing public appointments and the requirement to set the regional rate.
The accompanying guidance to this legislation, published in draft on 29 November 2022, will help NI civil servants take into account whether taking a decision is in the public interest and recognises that there will be some decisions that should rightly wait for a Minister to be in place.
Asked by: Viscount Waverley (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the findings of the report by the Northern Ireland Audit Office Planning in Northern Ireland, published on 1 February; in particular in relation to their ambition to deliver a growing and rebalanced economy.
Answered by Lord Caine - Shadow Minister (Northern Ireland)
Planning policy is a transferred matter in Northern Ireland and the Department for Infrastructure has responsibility for regional planning policy and legislation.
We note the concerns raised about the performance of the planning system in Northern Ireland in the Northern Ireland Audit Office report. Northern Ireland is governed best when governed locally and the concerns raised in the report highlight the need for functioning devolved institutions, delivering on key issues like ensuring Northern Ireland has an effective planning system that meets the needs of businesses and the public.
The UK Government is committed to growing and levelling up the Northern Ireland economy, which is why more than £3.5bn has been provided in recent years, in addition to the block grant, through the New Deal for Northern Ireland, City and Growth Deals, PEACE PLUS and the New Decade, New Approach financial package.