Stormont parties seek £1bn to restore assembly - but DUP says its focus is still on fixing Windsor Framework

​However, the DUP has insisted that its focus remains on amending the Windsor Framework and not new money.

The four largest parties met the head of the NI Civil Service, Jayne Brady, in Belfast yesterday, after which it emerged that all four appear set to ask the Treasury for £1.1bn to restore the Assembly.

Secretary of State Chris Heaton-Harris said he did not know how realistic the figure was – but that he wants to see “the executive up and running and ... a proper plan for government” before discussing it.

After the meeting with Ms Brady, DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said his party's focus remained “very firmly” on securing resolutions to their objections to the Windsor Framework.

Leading DUP figures yesterday also rubbished speculation that it is turning away from outright opposition to the framework, so long as more funding can be obtained for NI.

Ben Habib, the former Brexit Party MEP who was central to the court challenge to the NI Protocol, yesterday welcomed a News Letter editorial condemning unionist calls for money.

He said: “Now is not the time for political unionism to be asking for cash. If their only use for the Union is as a source of cash, Northern Ireland will never succeed.”

It is understood parties may also seek a reform of the Barnett formula used to calculate NI’s annual block grant from London.

Yesterday afternoon, Mr Heaton-Harris was asked whether it was realistic of parties to ask for £1.1 billion.

“I’m not the chancellor of the exchequer, I’m the secretary of state for Northern Ireland, and I will do everything I can to get the executive back up and running – but let’s take it step by step,” he said.

He added: “I also want to be a bit of a cheerleader for Northern Ireland when the executive is up and running, but it does need a plan for government.

“Previous iterations of UK government have given big chunks of money to Northern Ireland politicians to spend on reform and transformation of public services in the past and it just hasn’t materialised.

“So, the fact that they are coming together to look at a (plan), not just saying the words ‘this is a plan for government’, but actually coming together and building that plan, I take that as being really positive. And I look forward to working with them on it.”

Asked if the Treasury would provide extra funding in exchange for fresh commitments to reform public service delivery in the province, he said: “I mean there’s no extra money available at the moment. But I think it would be a different situation if the executive is up and running and if there was a proper plan for government.”

Mr Heaton Harris said he was “confident” the UK government could give legislative assurances to the DUP over the Windsor Framework, but added that he had yet to receive any specific “asks” from the party.