Member

The important point is that the UK Government have made it clear that we would fund a comparable policy in Northern Ireland, if it is taken forward by the Executive. It does not have to be exactly the same, but it has to be funded on the basis of being a comparable policy. The Northern Ireland Executive then had to think through several steps, and we have endeavoured to support that. As I said, we laid the regulations a fortnight after receiving a formal request from Minister Archibald, and I understand that the Northern Ireland Executive undertook work at speed after that. For example, a business case has recently been submitted to the Treasury, which the Treasury intends to consider promptly.