Responding to a statement on the January Monitoring Round from the Finance Minister, UUP Leader Steve Aiken OBE MLA said:
“Today the Finance Minister briefed the Assembly that £435million remains unspent from this financial year. That this underspend has happened during a pandemic - when £3billion has been provided from the UK Government to help with the fight against COVID-19, and with many of our businesses still crying out for support - is quite frankly unacceptable.
“The lack of clarity from the Department of the Economy is particularly concerning. That money is available but has been sent back to the centre, when so many are in need of support, is nothing short of scandalous.
“The lack of clarity around the budget does not reflect well on the Department of Finance’s ability to manage its responsibilities; a Fiscal Council was a key ask of the NDNA, and despite being told every week that it’s just about to be set up, we still wait. Perhaps giving fiscal oversight to an expert panel, might help solve today’s, and future, problems”