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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| NI 'not exempt from spending cut' | NI 'not exempt from spending cut' |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The first minister has said the Northern Ireland block grant will not be exempt from the cuts which will have to be made by any future government. | The first minister has said the Northern Ireland block grant will not be exempt from the cuts which will have to be made by any future government. |
| Labour and the Conservatives have both said the next government will have to make cuts in public spending. | Labour and the Conservatives have both said the next government will have to make cuts in public spending. |
| Speaking at a conference in Belfast on Thursday Peter Robinson challenged other parties to view cuts as a chance to reduce layers of bureaucracy. | Speaking at a conference in Belfast on Thursday Peter Robinson challenged other parties to view cuts as a chance to reduce layers of bureaucracy. |
| He said he will announce a series of proposals later in the autumn. | He said he will announce a series of proposals later in the autumn. |
| Most public spending in Northern Ireland is funded from the block grant. It is allocated by the UK Treasury and the divided up between the Stormont departments. | Most public spending in Northern Ireland is funded from the block grant. It is allocated by the UK Treasury and the divided up between the Stormont departments. |
| Mr Robinson also said Finance Minister Sammy Wilson will publish a budget report "in the near future" which aims to set out the Executive's present financial situation and outline steps towards recovery. | Mr Robinson also said Finance Minister Sammy Wilson will publish a budget report "in the near future" which aims to set out the Executive's present financial situation and outline steps towards recovery. |
| Earlier this week the SDLP and Ulster Unionists published reports which pointed to a large hole in the public finances. | Earlier this week the SDLP and Ulster Unionists published reports which pointed to a large hole in the public finances. |
| Mr Robinson accused the parties of "economic illiteracy." | Mr Robinson accused the parties of "economic illiteracy." |
| He said: "There has been much ill-informed commentary on the issue of the Northern Ireland budget." | He said: "There has been much ill-informed commentary on the issue of the Northern Ireland budget." |
| The DUP has previously proposed cutting the number of executive departments to save money. | |
| Earlier this year, the party put down a Stormont motion proposing to cut the number from 11 to six or seven. | |
| However, despite support from the Alliance Party and Ulster Unionists, it was opposed by the SDLP and Sinn Fein and therefore failed to get the necessary cross-community backing. | |
| At the time, the SDLP accused the DUP of attempting to orchestrate a "power grab". |