Rishi Sunak set out how the UK Government will provide billions of pounds to fight coronavirus, deliver the peoples’ priorities and drive the UK’s recovery. Northern Ireland will also benefit from more than £100bn of capital investment across the UK in 2021/22 – creating jobs and growing the economy.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak today unveiled a Spending Review for the whole of the UK as he laid out plans to help Northern Ireland fight coronavirus and build back better.
The Chancellor announced that Northern Ireland will receive £900m of funding from the UK Government in 2021/22 through the Barnett formula for devolved areas such as health and social care, education and housing. This is more than double the £400m new funding provided for 2020/21 at the 2019 Spending Round.
It is in addition to the £2.8bn additional funding guaranteed to the Northern Ireland Executive in 2020/21, above the funding allocated at the Spring Budget earlier this year, in the face of the coronavirus and its impact on the economy.
Northern Ireland will also receive a significant boost from more than £100bn of capital investment across the UK in 2021/22, improving connectivity and productivity for the whole of the UK.
Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak said:
The commitments we have made at this Spending Review will help people across Northern Ireland to bounce back from the economic impact of coronavirus.
We will provide billions of pounds in the fight against coronavirus, deliver the peoples’ priorities and drive the UK’s recovery.
The Treasury is, has been, and will always be the Treasury for the whole of the United Kingdom. And this is a Spending Review for the whole of the United Kingdom.
Commenting on the Chancellor’s statement earlier today, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Brandon Lewis said:
Today’s announcement by the Chancellor of over £900m additional funding for Northern Ireland is brilliant news. This is in addition to the £2.8bn guaranteed by the UK Government in 2020/21, and above the £216m allocated at the Spring Budget.
This additional funding can be used to support devolved areas such as health and social care, education and housing.
Northern Ireland will also benefit from a share of more than £100bn capital investment across the UK. This investment will help improve connectivity and productivity across the United Kingdom, including in Northern Ireland.
As we continue to battle the economic upheaval of the COVID pandemic on our society, today’s announcement has once again shown that this Government’s number one priority is to ensure that health, jobs and livelihoods are protected. Everyone deserves to have a secure financial future, and provide their families with hope and stability as we move forward into 2021.
Projects announced today include the Gigabit and Shared Rural Network programmes for better mobile coverage.
The Gigabit programme subsidises the rollout of gigabit-capable broadband in the most difficult to reach 20% of the UK, while the Shared Rural Network programme is a partnership with industry that will deliver high-quality 4G mobile coverage across 95% of the UK by 2025.
Investment in new green industries will support green growth clusters, offshore wind capacity, port infrastructure, Carbon Capture and Storage and low carbon hydrogen.
Separately, institutions and companies in Northern Ireland will be able to access a £14.6bn UK-wide research and development fund.
Investment from EU Structural Funds is increasing in each of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in 21-22 compared to this financial year.
The Spending Review provides additional UK funding to help local areas prepare over 2021-22 for the introduction of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. Further details will be published in the New Year.
The UK Government has also delivered on its manifesto commitment to maintain funding by providing £315m to support farmers, land managers and the rural economy, and £3.1m to support fisheries in Northern Ireland.
The Government committed to boosting local economies through at least one freeport in each of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, with locations to be decided in consultation with the devolved administrations.
And on the cultural front, the Government announced £29.1m for Festival UK with projects expected across Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
At this Spending Review Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will benefit from UK-wide coronavirus support in health, including £15bn for Test and Trace with Barnett funding provided for England-only elements of the programme.
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