Northern Ireland welcomes budget £28m
British Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown’s allocation of an extra £28m to Northern Ireland is good news, the leaders of the Stormont power sharing government declared tonight.
Unionist First Minister David Trimble and nationalist Deputy First Minister Mark Durkan welcomed the additional money announced Mr Brown in his pre-Budget statement and said it would help to "improve public services" beyond what the Executive had already agreed at their cabinet meeting yesterday.
"The detailed implications will be announced when the Executive has decided how best to use this additional amount," they said.
The Ulster Unionist and SDLP leaders also "welcomed warmly" additional commitments to help pensioners through an increase of £3 per week for single pensioners and £4.80 for couples in April 2002.
They were also pleased that there was a commitment for further increases in future years.
"Pensioners are among the most needy section of our community and we welcome this additional assistance," Mr Durkan and Mr Trimble said.
"We are also pleased the Chancellor has gone some way to recognise our concerns about the implementation of the Aggregates Levy in Northern Ireland and is now proposing a phased introduction of the use of aggregates in manufactured products.
"We also welcome the extension of the Research and Development tax credit proposed by the Chancellor and other measures to support business and disadvantaged areas.
"These were among the issues that the Northern Ireland Executive pressed with the Treasury earlier this year."
