To ask the Minister of Finance whether the absence of an Executive will have an impact on being able to carry forward resource and capital funding from 2021-22 to 2022-23.

The Executive can carry forward limited amounts each year through the Budget Exchange Scheme. Our current estimated limits for carry forward are £104.3 million Resource DEL, £25.3 million Capital DEL and £1.4 million Financial Transactions Capital.

Any unallocated resources will automatically be carried forward into 2022-23 up to these limits, with any amounts over this being lost to Treasury with the exception of specific expenditure items that have separate carry-forward already agreed.

The resignation of the First Minister means that the Executive cannot meet to agree allocations and increases the risk that any unallocated funding could be lost to Treasury should the amount available exceed these limits.

I am committed to ensuring that we utilise the funding available to us and I am currently exploring what options are available.