AQW 16889/17-22 Written question to the Minister of Finance
To ask the Minister of Finance, pursuant to AQW 16399/17-22, to detail the cost to date for each of the approved schemes.
Asked by Andrew Muir MLA on 25 March 2021
- Answered
- Written
- After due date
- Tabled
- 25 March 2021
- Answer due by
- 13 April 2021
- Answered
- 14 May 202150 days after tabling
- Department
- Department of Finance
- Priority question
- No
Answer
A list of the cost to date for each of the approved COVID-19 Schemes is attached at Annex A. Some of the schemes listed are closed but others remain open and costs continue to accrue. Therefore, the costs listed are provisional and subject to verification as part of the departments’ 2020-21 accounts preparation.
I am reissuing the response as the DfE costs on the Covid Disruption Payment for HE students has now been provided.
Annex A
List of COVID-19 Schemes approved to date under Ministerial Direction for 2019-20 and 2020-21.
| Department | Subject | Cost to date | Note |
| The Executive Office | Support for Travel Agents | £0 | 1 |
| Department for Infrastructure | City of Derry Airport | £0.817m | |
| Department of Finance | Covid Temporary time limited financial support for Belfast International Airport and Belfast City Airport | £3.76m | |
| Department of Finance | Extension of the financial support Agreed for Derry City and Strabane District to all areas (Localised Restrictions Support Scheme) | £305.46m | |
| Department of Finance | £50,000 grant for large businesses unable to access grant funding during the first lockdown | £0 | 2 |
| Department of Finance | £25,000 payment to manufacturing businesses unable to access grant funding during the first lockdown | £20.7m | |
| Department of Finance | Top-up payments of £5,000 and £10,000 for businesses which received grants during the first lockdown but are not eligible for one of the current Executive support schemes | £0 | 3 |
| Department for the Economy | Covid-19 £10k Business Support Grant Scheme | £243m | |
| Department for the Economy | Covid-19 £25k Business Support Scheme for Retail, hospitality, Tourism and Leisure | £74m | |
| Department for the Economy | Covid Microbusiness Hardship Scheme | £23m | |
| Department for the Economy | Covid Restrictions Business Support Scheme including extensions and Evidence Threshold | £67.4m | |
| Department for the Economy | Wet Pubs Business Support Scheme | £3.9m | |
| Department for the Economy | Newly Self-employed Scheme | £8.6m | |
| Department for the Economy | Limited Company Director Scheme | £3.7m | |
| Department for the Economy | Bed & Breakfast, Guest House and Guest Accommodation Providers Support Scheme | £2.01m | |
| Department for the Economy | Large Tourism and Hospitality Scheme | £35.7m | |
| Department for the Economy | Covid Disruption Payment for HE students | £22.2m | |
| Department of Health | £500 Bonus Scheme for health and social care staff | £78.9m | |
| Department of Health | Special Recognition Payment to healthcare students | £8.8m | |
| Department of Health | Additional Financial Support to DoH core grant-funded organisations in 2020/21 | £0.9m | |
| Department of Health | Air Ambulance NI | £1m | |
| Department of Health | Grant Scheme to Support Carers | £4.4m | |
| Department of Health | Grant Scheme to Support Cancer Services | £10.7m | |
| Department of Health | Grant Scheme to Support Mental Health Services | £10.7m | |
| Department of Health | Payment of £1.3m to Hospices | £1.3m | |
| Department of Health | One-Off Award to HSC Charitable Trust Funds | £15m | |
| Department of Education | Free School Meals in Special Schools – direct payments for all entitled pupils in addition to provision for those in school during period of partial closures and low attendance (25 Jan to 12 Feb 2021) | £0.140m | |
| Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs | Scheme to compensate Lough Neagh fishermen who have been adversely affected by COVID-19 | £0 | 4 |
| Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs | COVID-19 Disruption payment of £60 to CAFRE students to address digital poverty | £0 | 5 |
| Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs | COVID-19 support scheme for wool producers | £0 | 6 |
| Department for Communities | £500 Recognition payment for Supporting People and Homelessness Sector Workers | £0 | 7 |
Notes:-
The Travel Agents Financial Assistance was open for applications from 19th – 26th March 2021. 186 applications are currently being processed. Final costs will be known once all applications have been processed.
Applications opened on the 21 April 21 for the £50,000 Large NAV Business Grant. No payments have been made to date, and it is anticipated payments will be issued from the end of May 2021.
No payments have been made to date for the Business Support Grant Top-Up Scheme. It is anticipated automatic payments will begin to issue from the end of May 2021.
No payments will be made until applications are assessed and Letters of Offer are issued to successful applicants. The intention is to have all payments made by 31 July 2021.
The scheme will open in summer 2021. No payments will be made until then.
Payments will be made over the next two months.
To date Department for Communities has not made any payments in connection with a £500 recognition payment to Supporting People and homelessness staff.