To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make an estimate of the total amount of multiply funding that has been allocated for Northern Ireland; how that funding has been distributed; and how that funding compares to that previously provided by the European...

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make an estimate of the total amount of multiply funding that has been allocated for Northern Ireland; how that funding has been distributed; and how that funding compares to that previously provided by the European...

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people entered employment through the people and skills strand of the European Social Fund in each year since its inception until its end.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people entered employment through the people and skills strand of the European Social Fund in each year since its inception until its end.

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that disability groups in Northern Ireland that are currently receiving funding from the European Social Fund will now receive funding from the Shared Prosperity Fund, and that such arrangements are handled in a timely manner to ensure there is...

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that disability groups in Northern Ireland that are currently receiving funding from the European Social Fund will now receive funding from the Shared Prosperity Fund, and that such arrangements are handled in a timely manner to ensure there is...

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how much funding has been allocated to organisations in Northern Ireland by the European Social Fund in the 2022-23 financial year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how much funding has been allocated to organisations in Northern Ireland by the European Social Fund in the 2022-23 financial year.

I beg to move,

That this House has considered replacement of funding from EU programmes in Northern Ireland.

I am grateful to have the opportunity to discuss this issue and, I hope, get clarity for a number of third sector partners and other groups in Northern Ireland and, potentially, areas of opportunity...

I beg to move,

That this House has considered replacement of funding from EU programmes in Northern Ireland.

I am grateful to have the opportunity to discuss this issue and, I hope, get clarity for a number of third sector partners and other groups in Northern Ireland and, potentially, areas of opportunity...

I thank the hon. Lady for bringing the debate forward. I work with the East Belfast Mission regularly in my office, so I understand its work and its success rate from the people it helps in my constituency. The mission tells me, as I told the hon. Lady, that without...

I thank the hon. Lady for bringing the debate forward. I work with the East Belfast Mission regularly in my office, so I understand its work and its success rate from the people it helps in my constituency. The mission tells me, as I told the hon. Lady, that without...

The mission itself captured that. It talks about its staff being based in local communities with lived experience that helps them understand the specific difficulties people face. It says:

“Many of the people we work with have faced societal and generational barriers to employment, through illness, trauma or other issues. Our...

The mission itself captured that. It talks about its staff being based in local communities with lived experience that helps them understand the specific difficulties people face. It says:

“Many of the people we work with have faced societal and generational barriers to employment, through illness, trauma or other issues. Our...

The hon. Lady is absolutely right. In my constituency of Strangford, an application was put in for the Whitespots park, an environmental scheme at Conlig. It is shovel ready—the boys could start it tomorrow —but we have missed out on two occasions. She is expressing her concerns over what is...

The hon. Lady is absolutely right. In my constituency of Strangford, an application was put in for the Whitespots park, an environmental scheme at Conlig. It is shovel ready—the boys could start it tomorrow —but we have missed out on two occasions. She is expressing her concerns over what is...

That again illustrates the confusion that people have about what was selected. Will the Minister confirm whether any criteria additional to those specified were applied? Were they applied consistently to all projects? Will the transparent list that she will publish include any changes in ranking that occurred as a result...

That again illustrates the confusion that people have about what was selected. Will the Minister confirm whether any criteria additional to those specified were applied? Were they applied consistently to all projects? Will the transparent list that she will publish include any changes in ranking that occurred as a result...

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship today, Mr Robertson. I sincerely thank the hon. Member for Belfast South (Claire Hanna) for securing this important debate, and for the constructive way in which she has engaged with the Department and I on the UK shared prosperity fund. I...

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship today, Mr Robertson. I sincerely thank the hon. Member for Belfast South (Claire Hanna) for securing this important debate, and for the constructive way in which she has engaged with the Department and I on the UK shared prosperity fund. I...

Does the Minister know why that has not proven possible? It is because under section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, which is essentially the constitution of Northern Ireland, the Department is not equality-screened—unlike the Northern Ireland Office and His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs. It is not able to...

Does the Minister know why that has not proven possible? It is because under section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, which is essentially the constitution of Northern Ireland, the Department is not equality-screened—unlike the Northern Ireland Office and His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs. It is not able to...

I will follow up in writing on that point. Having spoken to Sue Gray, one of our super officials, who has been outstanding in her engagement, I know how closely officials have been working with the Northern Ireland Finance, Economy and Communities Departments, maintaining regular contact as our plan has...

I will follow up in writing on that point. Having spoken to Sue Gray, one of our super officials, who has been outstanding in her engagement, I know how closely officials have been working with the Northern Ireland Finance, Economy and Communities Departments, maintaining regular contact as our plan has...

The Minister mentioned £400 million. I do not expect an answer today—it might not be possible—but how much of the new deal money has been used or set aside?

The Minister mentioned £400 million. I do not expect an answer today—it might not be possible—but how much of the new deal money has been used or set aside?

I do not have an answer to hand, but I will commit to follow that up and provide that information.

I will touch on the levelling-up fund, because we do not have much time left. Questions were raised about the shortlist, rankings and considerations. Much of the information around the considerations...

I do not have an answer to hand, but I will commit to follow that up and provide that information.

I will touch on the levelling-up fund, because we do not have much time left. Questions were raised about the shortlist, rankings and considerations. Much of the information around the considerations...

I have been kept right on the Standing Orders, but I thought I would get back in. I appreciate the Minister’s approach and her enthusiasm. As I said, I do not doubt that the projects and other things that are being funded are laudable, but they are not additional to...

I have been kept right on the Standing Orders, but I thought I would get back in. I appreciate the Minister’s approach and her enthusiasm. As I said, I do not doubt that the projects and other things that are being funded are laudable, but they are not additional to...

I am grateful to the hon. Lady for her intervention. I should have said that, as part of my package on the levelling-up fund, full written feedback will be provided to all applicants, which I hope will provide some guidance on where bids perhaps fell short. There is also the...

I am grateful to the hon. Lady for her intervention. I should have said that, as part of my package on the levelling-up fund, full written feedback will be provided to all applicants, which I hope will provide some guidance on where bids perhaps fell short. There is also the...

Motion that this House has considered replacement of funding from EU programmes in Northern Ireland. Agreed to on question.

Motion that this House has considered replacement of funding from EU programmes in Northern Ireland. Agreed to on question.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of allocating any remaining New Deal for Northern Ireland funding to organisations that currently rely on European Social Fund funding.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of allocating any remaining New Deal for Northern Ireland funding to organisations that currently rely on European Social Fund funding.

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he is taking steps to enable projects currently in receipt of European Social Fund support to bid for Shared Prosperity Fund support ahead of April 2023.

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he is taking steps to enable projects currently in receipt of European Social Fund support to bid for Shared Prosperity Fund support ahead of April 2023.

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he will publish an impact assessment of the end of the European Social Fund in Northern Ireland.

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he will publish an impact assessment of the end of the European Social Fund in Northern Ireland.