T8. Ms Armstrong asked the Minister of Finance to confirm when legislation will be introduced in the Assembly to put the Northern Ireland Fiscal Council on a statutory footing. (AQT 158/22-27)

That is a piece of work that the Department was working on while the institutions were down. We are looking to bring it forward and progress it in the near future. Although specific timings need to be firmed up, I am seeking to put it in the Assembly's legislative programme as soon as possible. An Executive paper is being prepared for that purpose to seek agreement to proceed. As I said, significant preparatory work has been undertaken. The former Finance Minister circulated a draft document to ministerial colleagues and the NIO to seek initial views. Officials continue to engage with the Office of the Legislative Counsel, which agreed to begin work on the Fiscal Council Bill while the institutions were down and at risk to develop the legislation, given that it was a New Decade, New Approach commitment. It continues to provide advice and assistance on the policy development.

Related to that, Minister, will you consider including within the statutory remit of the Fiscal Council an assessment of the cost of division in Northern Ireland and the effect that that has on public services, following yesterday's successful motion?

That is not something that I will be putting in the Fiscal Council Bill. The Fiscal Council will have the ability to set its own work programme and do work within the scope of the broad remit that it will be given in the legislation.