Brown to announce innovation fund for the North

British chancellor Gordon Brown has confirmed that a new innovation fund for the North's industry would be made to available to a new Stormont Executive if it was formed.

The chancellor told MPs during is annual Budget announcement: “When the Northern Ireland Secretary and I meet all the Northern Ireland parties tomorrow morning, we will announce details of a new Northern Ireland innovation fund, a new fund for industry and jobs to be available for a restored Executive – the restored Executive we all want to see.”