UK government will not allow deterioration of Northern Ireland public services, Heaton-Harris says
The UK Government will not allow public services to decline further in Northern Ireland while Stormont remains suspended, Chris Heaton-Harris has said.
The Secretary of State said he is working towards a budget to support the civil service in stabilising Northern Ireland's finances if the powersharing impasse is not resolved.
Although he stressed that the Government is limited in how far it can go.
Talks between Heaton-Harris and Northern Ireland's political leaders concluded at Hillsborough Castle earlier in December without any agreement to restore the Executive and Assembly.
Discussions included the offer of a £3.3 billion financial package from the UK government.
Mr Heaton-Harris also said that negotiations with the DUP around their concerns over post-Brexit trading arrangements and Northern Ireland's economic position within the union had concluded.
However, DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson maintained that the talks will continue in the New Year.
Northern Ireland's devolved government has been suspended for almost two years as the unionist party seeks further legislative assurances from the Government.
Under current rules Mr Heaton-Harris is expected to call new Assembly elections on January 18 if the powersharing has not been restored.
Public worker's, including teachers, have announced that they will strike on that date as a result of ongoing wage disputes.
Writing in the Belfast Telegraph, the Northern Ireland Secretary said he would not be treating the January date as a deadline.
He said: “I am considering all options carefully, however, I want Stormont to return as soon as possible so I am not treating this date as a target and will be relentlessly working with all parties to find a way forward.
“January 18 is also the date when thousands of public sector workers will go on strike over pay. A returned Executive could stop these strikes and the disruption it brings to people.
“By getting back to work they will unlock the £584 million made available by the UK Government to address public sector pay.
“People in Northern Ireland expect and deserve devolved government back as soon as possible, to make use of the financial package we have put on the table.”
He added: “In its absence, however, the UK Government cannot and will not just stand by and allow public services and finances to decline further.
“Which is why, just like last year, we are preparing a pragmatic and reasonable approach to support the Northern Ireland Civil Service in stabilising public finances and services via a sustainable budget, should the Executive not be back in place to do so itself.
“But we are clear that there must be a limit to how far the UK Government can go without an Executive in place.
“That is because the financial package we have offered requires decisions on how to improve and modernise the public services and these must be taken by locally-elected politicians with the mandate to do so.
“It should not just be for local politicians to dispense funding from the UK Government.
“They should take active and sometimes difficult decisions about where priorities lie, because they know the place and the needs of their constituents better than anyone else.”
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