The Finance Minister has called on the British Government to give the Executive greater control of its finances. Responding to the British Secretary of State’s call for the Executive to “take greater responsibility for its finances” Conor Murphy said:
“The British Government recently abandoned its commitment to a three year budget which would have aided the Executive’s financial planning, and is yet to accept my joint call, alongside the Scottish and Welsh Finance Ministers, for greater financial flexibility.
“Earlier in the year the British Government agreed to provide the funding necessary to deliver New Decade, New Approach but its funding package was woefully inadequate. And having taken us out of the EU it is refusing to guarantee that the Executive will control any money that replaces EU funding.
“With responsibility for a range of economic levers resting with the British Government the Executive is heavily dependent on economic policy and spending decisions made in London.
“If the British Government want the Executive to take greater financial responsibility they need to give the Executive greater financial control.”
