Stormont Budget: NI Audit Office warns transparency 'critically important' as bill rushed through

Northern Ireland’s budget bill has been rushed through Stormont with much less time for scrutiny and debate than would normally be given.

Sinn Fein’s finance minister Caoimhe Archibald says it is necessary to stop government departments running out of cash and to allow pay negotiations with public sector unions to begin.

The NIAO has told the News Letter that Dorinnia Carville – who is responsible for releasing money from Northern Ireland’s funds to the Executive – expects transparency around the spending plans.

A spokesperson said: “As the Comptroller of the Northern Ireland Consolidated Fund, responsible for authorising the issue of cash drawdown from the Fund, the Comptroller and Auditor General is aware of the accelerated passage of legislation to ensure that the Northern Ireland public sector has relevant cash funds available for the immediate period ahead and through until the end of March 2024.

“However, the Auditor General considers it critically important for key financial legislation to be afforded appropriate transparency and scrutiny to underpin accountability, independence and the necessary authorisation for use of proper funds.

“In relation to the element of the Budget Bill that provides for public spending in the 2024-25 year the Comptroller and Auditor General advocates the importance of transparency and timely scrutiny of intended spending plans, alongside comparison with prior year performance and consideration of financial management and accountability of Departments”.

The budget bill passed this week doesn’t set the full budget for departments to spend next year – that is still to be decided by the Executive. But it authorises a level of departmental spend which means they don’t hit a cliff-edge at the end of this financial year.

Ministers will now have access to 65% of the previous year’s budget until next year’s is agreed.

Budgets have posed a problem for successive Executives as parties haven’t been able to agree spending priorities.

Earlier this week the TUV leader Jim Allister said: “one of the first acts of the Executive is to ask the Assembly to rush every fence in relation to a money bill and not just to have a day or two's pause”.

He said the speed was “unseemly and wholly disproportionate to the obligations on the House to properly scrutinise legislation, particularly when it comes to something as important as voting money”.