Stormont Assembly members have backed this year’s budget in a vote that saw the outgoing Health Minister and his UUP colleagues oppose the spending plan.
“In voting against this budget today, I’m very conscious that I am not complying with the Ministerial Code,” he said in speech from the back benches. “On my final day of office, can I just say that it has been an honour of my political life to twice serve as Minister of Health and I am absolutely certain Mike Nesbitt will serve with similar commitment and pride.”In advance of the debate, he warned fellow Executive ministers that no UUP minister would introduce the cost-saving measures he says are required to balance the department’s budget.
Ministerial deliberations on the budget last month focused on £1 billion of uncommitted funds. Mr Swann had bid for all that money but ultimately received just over £500 million. He added: “So we did have an alternative, which was to wait, see what the £200-plus million can do for the budget and then go from there.”
“I am aware that some believe that this budget should be delayed to allow these additional allocations to be included,” she said.“Not only is such an approach not permitted under Section 64 of the 1998 Act , it also carries real risks – risk of overspending, as departments would be delayed in taking decisions to live within allocations, and, worse still, perhaps leading to decisions being made later in the year and having harsher impact on citizens.
“If a balanced budget is not agreed, the write-off of £559 million provided in the financial package is potentially at risk,” she said. “The people of Northern Ireland deserve better. They deserve to have an Executive and ministers committed to doing their best to maximise delivery where they can. Our DUP ministers are doing that by delivering where they can.”“This is a hugely challenging budget owing to a prolonged period of Tory austerity and stop-start government. Every minister and department has been left facing difficult choices without the resources they need,” he said.
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