Proposal for primary legislation to resolve issues in regard to the department’s financial powers

Consultation description

Financial Provisions Bills are brought forward from time to time in relation to routine financial matters and technical and non-controversial issues that would not routinely require primary legislation. This legislation is expected to be included as Department for the Economy (DfE) provisions within possible future legislation to be led by the Department of Finance (DoF).  The detail of the wording of the legislation, and timing, remains to be finalised and approved by the NI Executive.

DfE has identified the following financial issues that it proposes to resolve via primary legislation:

1. DfE’s power to provide financial assistance where it is likely to be in the interest of the economy;
2. DfE’s power to exempt or remit certain fees in exceptional circumstances for Tourism Northern Ireland (TNI), for TNI to have the flexibility to introduce new fees where appropriate, and to extend TNI’s existing ability to grade or classify certified tourist establishments to also include tourist amenities
3. DfE’s power to form companies
4. Updating of section 1 of the Employment and Training Act (Northern Ireland) 1950, as amended by The Employment and Training (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Order 1988
5. the handling of smaller departmental accounts (i.e. possible absorption within the main departmental accounts).

These issues in many cases flow from recommendations of the Northern Ireland Audit Office.

DfE is consulting at present as a preparatory step on the measures that are within our remit. We have outlined the issues and how they might be resolved in the document on the next page, and we welcome your views.

This is an eight week consultation. A virtual information session will be held on 25 June from 10:00am to 11:00am and will include an opportunity for you to ask questions.

The deadline for responses is 5.00pm on 1 August 2024. If you have any questions about this consultation, please contact us directly at financialprovisions@economy-ni.gov.uk

Ways to respond

We encourage respondents to make use of the online questionnaire to respond to this consultation wherever possible, as this is the department’s preferred method of receiving responses. To access this response questionnaire see "Respond online" link below