Northern Ireland – in the House of Commons at on 2 April 2025.
Jenny Riddell-Carpenter
Labour, Suffolk Coastal
What discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on best practice for public sector reform.
Fleur Anderson
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Northern Ireland Office)
Public sector reform is a priority for this Government, and I regularly meet with Northern Ireland Executive Ministers, unions and public service providers. Most recently, the Government and Executive agreed £129 million of funding for public service transformation for health, special educational needs, justice and waste water.
Jenny Riddell-Carpenter
Labour, Suffolk Coastal
I welcome what the Minister said about public service reform being a shared challenge. Does she agree that it is in the interests of patients and people in Northern Ireland and England for the Executive and the Government to share knowledge and best practice?
Fleur Anderson
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Northern Ireland Office)
I absolutely agree. Public service transformation is not just about funding; it is about how to spend the money that the Northern Ireland Executive has with the record £18.2 billion settlement. Health is devolved, but we work together to share best practice and expertise, as well as recently agreeing £61 million of funding for multidisciplinary teams in GP surgeries. We will work together to create an NHS fit for the future, and I will be meeting the Health Minister again in Northern Ireland this week.
Gregory Campbell
DUP, East Londonderry
Will the Minister ensure that any future discussions with Northern Ireland Ministers about public sector reform include the need for employment practices and procedures in many parts of the public sector to result in workforces that are more broadly representative of the working-age population? The Unionist community has been under-represented in many sectors, including for many years in the public sector.
Fleur Anderson
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Northern Ireland Office)
Workforce challenges are a huge part of public service transformation. Workers across Northern Ireland do fantastic work in health, education and justice, and they need to be supported to do that and to be representative of the community. Workforce issues are devolved, but they are important, and supporting our workforce, and working with unions to do so, is an important part of our working together in an active partnership with the Executive.
