Northern Ireland City Deals

In the House of Commons debate on Northern Ireland city deals, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Hilary Benn, outlined the government's position. He explained that due to the £22 billion black hole in public finances inherited from the previous government, the Treasury is having to consider a range of measures, including pausing the UK government's contributions to the Mid South West and Causeway Coast and Glens city deals. However, he stated that the Belfast region city deal and the Derry/Londonderry and Strabane city deal are unaffected and proceeding as planned. The shadow Secretary of State responded by criticizing the government's handling of the announcement, which he said had united all the political parties in Northern Ireland in opposition. He called for an apology and urged the Secretary of State to be the lead advocate for un-pausing the paused city deals in the upcoming budget negotiations. The debate that followed saw members from across the political spectrum express concerns about the impact of the paused deals, particularly on areas that have not seen the same levels of investment in recent years. There were calls for the Secretary of State to provide reassurances that rural and poorer regions would not be forgotten, and to mitigate the regional economic imbalances that could result. The Secretary of State acknowledged the uncertainty and practical difficulties created by the decision, but maintained that it was necessary due to the fiscal inheritance left by the previous government. He reiterated his commitment to arguing the case for the paused deals with the Treasury. Members from the Democratic Unionist Party and the Social Democratic and Labour Party were particularly vocal in their support for the city deals, highlighting their importance for economic growth, job creation, and regeneration in Northern Ireland. The Secretary of State assured the House that he would continue to be a champion for the deals and seek to provide clarity on their future as soon as possible.