Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on the likelihood of it setting a Budget before Christmas 2026.

The Secretary of State has met regularly with the NI Executive to discuss the budget and find agreement. The Government has offered a significant and final funding package of over £1.5bn across three years to the Northern Ireland Executive. This funding is on top of the record £19.3bn per year on average provided to the Executive over the Spending Review.

This is funding that will help the Executive manage their pressures, stabilise their finances and move to a more sustainable footing.

The Secretary of State has urged the Executive to accept this offer and agree a multi-year budget, to provide public services with the clarity and certainty they need.