Dodds warns of Conservatives' threat to spending

The North would have to slash its spending if the Ulster Unionists’ new electoral partners were in power, it was warned today.

Greater efficiency cuts could be required and spending would have been cut by April had the Conservatives been in power, the finance minister added.

Nigel Dodds (DUP, North Belfast) claimed Assembly divisions could strengthen the current Treasury team’s hand in trimming costs.

“We need to adopt a united approach to this in the Assembly and all parties need to be united in its approach to these issues,” he said.

“Perhaps it is unfortunate one of the parties (UUP) agreed to press ahead with greater efficiency cuts.”

The UUP and Conservatives plan to field joint candidates in the European and Westminster elections in the North.

Mr Dodds said the financial position was outlined by shadow chancellor George Osborne.

“They would actually want to see these so-called efficiencies at a greater level and introduced in April 2009,” he added.

“That’s not what the people of Northern Ireland want, it’s not what the Assembly, it’s not what the Executive believes is the position and we need to make that very, very clear to the Prime Minister and the chancellor but unfortunately he may use that against us in our negotiations.”

He is pressing for savings to be funnelled back into the Northern Ireland administration.

“It is important to point out that it was agreed at the time of the financial settlement of the Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR) that all efficiencies made in Northern Ireland would be retained in Northern Ireland,” he added.

“That is absolutely a commitment that we intend to hold the government to.”

The Conservative Party will seek to renegotiate the power-sharing agreement which returned devolution to the North if it wins the next general election, the party’s spokesman for the North has said.

Owen Paterson added the system which required representation from all parties dependent on their size, was a useful first step but he would prefer to move towards a voluntary coalition.

Mr Dodds said over £126m (€140m) was to be redistributed this year around Northern Ireland.

He is funding over £51m (€57m) of capital works, including an additional £20m (€22m) to Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) for the farm nutrient management scheme, providing another avenue of work for local construction firms, and £20m (€22m) to Department of Social Development (DSD) to address the shortfall in housing receipts.

He allocated almost £75m (€84m) in additional current expenditure which has provided the Department of Health with an additional £20m (€22m) and the Department of Education with £5m (€5.5m) more for extended schools activities.

The minister also announced money would be made available to extend the fuel poverty payment to a further 50,000 low income households, allowing 150,000 households to benefit.