Leaked Northern Ireland Office briefing note outlines public sector savings and staff cuts

The Secretary of State chose a speech to mark the anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement to try to pull unionist heart strings.

Opening day two of the conference at in the Whitla Hall at Queen's University Belfast, Chris Heaton-Harris told the conference power sharing "is the surest way by which Northern Ireland's place in the Union can be secured".

He received a bigger round of applause though when he said: "I make no apologies for being proud of Northern Ireland's place in the Union and for wanting it to continue.

"Others who share that view should put the Union first, restore the devolved institutions and get on with the job of delivering for the people of Northern Ireland."

His words delivered in front of party leaders, just not the DUP leader... although party members were in the hall.

Downing Street has denied the Secretary of State's words are part of a toughening stance on the DUP's ongoing decision not to return to Stormont in the wake of the Windsor Framework.

However, UTV has seen a Northern Ireland Office briefing note on the Stormont budget which indicates the potential for the government to take a tough financial stance in the months ahead.

The document states the Executive is "losing over £700million a year by failing to introduce revenue raising measures".

It details where Stormont could claw back significant cash every year including:

• £30m if there was no free bus/train travel for over 60s

•  £20m if free prescriptions were scrapped

• £141m if university tuition fees were at the same level as in England and Wales

• £345m if water charges were introduced as in other parts of the UK.

There is a specific table comparing the decisions the NI Executive has made on such issues, with those made in Scotland, England and Wales.

It highlights how people in England and Wales pay more for tuition fees, and that every other part of the UK has domestic water charges.

Sinn Féin's former finance minister Conor Murphy said the idea that money can be raised is a 'red herring' because some of the measures would take time to introduce.

He said: "The DUP decision to pull down the Executive has left us exposed fully to undiluted Tory policy.

"And if they had the opportunity in the time ahead then that's exactly what they would do, so we do need an Executive back in place, we need to be taking our own decisions which deal with the people who elected us here and protect public services, and protect those who can least afford to pay for them."

The NIO document also says officials should 'consider staff savings within the NI civil service'.

Combined with the SoS speech this morning, it is hard to read the government budget briefing note as anything other than a renewed hardening of stance on the lack of a functioning Stormont Executive, even a threat.  

In response to Chris Heaton-Harris' words on the Union this morning, Downing Street has insisted it does not mark a hardening of tone towards the DUP.

Responding to the budget briefing note, DUP MLA Emma Little-Pengelly has said the UK Government "should not be making significant controversial decisions like that".

She was also in the audience for the Secretary of State's speech. She said: "The DUP is not going to be bullied, we will always do what is right for the people of Northern Ireland and that means we must get stable foundations for the restoration of government. There is a pathway to do that, but the government knows what needs to be done."

Revenue raising measures were first mentioned by the Secretary of State last Autumn.

Chris Heaton-Harris also threatened an election then too.

The question is if anyone will listen to his political message this morning, or believe the financial message his officials seem to be working on in the background.

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know.