Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what criteria the Government is using to ensure that New Deal funding will be used to support growth and prosperity in Northern Ireland.

The objectives of New Deal for Northern Ireland funding are helping to boost economic growth, increasing Northern Ireland’s competitiveness overseas, and investing in infrastructure. Fostering economic growth is key to building a stable and prosperous future for Northern Ireland, and the £400m New Deal funding is enabling Northern Irish businesses and its people to innovate and invest.

Specific objectives include promoting Northern Ireland’s potential as a leader in innovative technology and to invest in the skills of the people of Northern Ireland in key growth areas such as cybersecurity and green technology.

Further New Deal funded projects in development will also be directly targeted at supporting growth and prosperity. Additionally, any projects will have to pass a robust approvals process with HM Treasury, to ensure they offer value for money and are focused on the core objectives of the New Deal for Northern Ireland.