Government denies East-West Council is 'talking shop' and pledges funding for Northern Ireland

The council was established as a result of extensive negotiations between the DUP leadership and the UK Government, which led to the unionist party ending its two-year boycott of Stormont's powersharing institutions.

The party had chosen not to engage with devolved government at Stormont due to concerns over post-Brexit trading arrangements between Northern Ireland and the mainland UK.

The council's first meeting at Dover House in London was attended by Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove, Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris, First Minister Michelle O'Neill and deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly.

Mr Gove said Government and Executive ministers had a "fruitful discussion", while Mr Heaton-Harris said they "tackled many priorities".

The Northern Ireland Secretary denied assertions that the East-West Council did not have substance, saying: "I don't think this is another talking shop in the slightest, I don't think the other bodies are talking shops either.

"They all have their own very important part and some of those other bodies - that are definitely not talking shops - are vital parts of international agreements that have helped (bring) peace to Northern Ireland over the course of the last 25 years. This was needed."

Mr Heaton-Harris said the relationship between the UK and Northern Ireland had not been neglected but "certainly needed more work".

"We were told by the unionist community in no uncertain terms and their fiscal representatives that things were not right in this relationship, and maybe following us leaving the European Union we needed to make sure we understood better what the asks and demands of the unionist community were," he said.

"I'd like to think this is what we showed in the Strengthening the Union command paper was a demonstration of that, this is an outflowing of that.

"And as you know, I always look to the future and I'm a glass half full man, and from the meeting we've just had, my glass nearly overfloweth because the prospects look really, really good."

The council endorsed the new Enhanced Investment Zone in Northern Ireland that will make available £150 million for Northern Ireland to be used flexibly across spending and tax levers.

Further measures included an award of £5.9 million from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to improve adult numeracy in Northern Ireland and an award of £11.2 million from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to Invest Northern Ireland.

Mr Gove said the purpose of the body was to discuss these funding streams to Northern Ireland.

He said: "It's important that we work with the Northern Ireland Executive, now that it's reconstituted, for delivery on the ground.

"And the real function of the East-West Council is to ensure that the Community Ownership Fund, which is a vital way of channelling resources to community organisations, below the level of local authorities, who are renovating buildings, transforming opportunities for young people, that we hear direct from them and we make sure that that fund is delivering."

Mr Gove added: "Officials in my department working with the Northern Ireland Office and the Executive will outline a proposal which will see at least £150 million of extra investment coming to Northern Ireland, these are all tangible gains as a result of the East-West Council."

Pressed as to why the first meeting of the long-negotiated council concluded earlier than expected, Mr Heaton-Harris said: "I'd like to think it's because we were agreeing quite a lot."

He added: "In fact, I don't think there was an item where there was any disagreement."

Mr Gove said: "When you've got someone like Chris who's a dedicated and focused expediter of business, things get done. But actually, even though we've finished earlier, the most important 90 minutes today is Scotland versus Northern Ireland later."