{"primaryDescription":"<h2>NI Executive finances: Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn and NI Fiscal Council to face questions from MPs</h2>\r\n<p>MPs will question Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn and members of the NI Fiscal Council on the finances of the NI Executive.</p>\r\n<p>With a budget still not having been agreed three months into the new financial year, the session will examine the ongoing impact of the situation on public services and the UK Government&rsquo;s role in trying to find a resolution.</p>\r\n<p>The first part of the hearing will feature Chair Sir Robert Chote and other representatives from the NI Fiscal Council, the independent body set up to assess and scrutinise the finances of the NI Executive.</p>","secondaryDescription":"<p>There are likely to be questions on the implications of departments relying on limited contingency funding and the financial support being provided by the Treasury to cover NI Executive overspends.</p>\r\n<p>The panel could also be asked about their assessment of the Finance Minister&rsquo;s draft budget, the benefits of moving to a multi-year budget and whether NI is receiving sufficient funding compared with Scotland and Wales.</p>\r\n<p>The Secretary of State will then likely face questions on the discussions he is having with NI Executive Ministers, the possibility of the UK government stepping in to set a budget and the latest on agreeing a final Fiscal Framework for Northern Ireland.</p>","parliamentTvUrl":"https://parliamentlive.tv/event/index/2c304335-8382-481a-a8e5-4e4ef625e2bb","id":27772,"name":null,"startDate":"2026-07-15T09:00:00","endDate":"2026-07-15T12:00:00","cancelledDate":null,"locationId":5,"location":"The Boothroyd Room, Portcullis House","eventType":{"id":6,"name":"Formal meeting (oral evidence session)","isVisit":false,"description":"Formal meetings may be held in private (for example to consider a draft report) or in public (for example to hear oral evidence), and require a minimum number of members to be present."},"eventSource":"CIS","committees":[{"contact":{"email":"northircom@parliament.uk","phone":null,"address":"Northern Ireland Affairs Committee, House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA","contactDisclaimer":"We receive a significant number of emails each day. All requests and invitations are considered but we do not respond directly to everyone.\r\nPlease be aware, the committee does not look at individual cases or specific complaints."},"id":120,"name":"Northern Ireland Affairs Committee","parentCommittee":null,"subCommittees":[],"house":"Commons","leadHouse":null,"category":{"id":1,"name":"Select"},"committeeTypes":[{"id":1,"name":"(HC) Public Standing Orders - Departmental","committeeCategory":{"id":1,"name":"Select"}}],"showOnWebsite":true,"websiteLegacyUrl":"https://old.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/northern-ireland-affairs-committee/","websiteLegacyRedirectEnabled":false,"startDate":"1994-11-16T00:00:00","endDate":null,"dateCommonsAppointed":"2024-10-21T00:00:00","dateLordsAppointed":null,"scrutinisingDepartments":[],"isLeadCommittee":true,"nameHistory":[{"id":118,"committeeId":120,"name":"Northern Ireland Affairs Committee","startDate":"1994-11-16T00:00:00","endDate":null}]}],"committeeBusinesses":[{"id":9848,"title":"Northern Ireland Executive Finances","type":{"id":2,"name":"Non-inquiry session","isInquiry":false,"description":"Non-inquiry sessions are brief packages of work that will not necessarily result in a report. They may be used to revisit previous inquiry topics or take evidence on a topical matter."},"openDate":"2026-06-16T00:00:00","closeDate":null,"latestReport":null,"openSubmissionPeriods":[],"closedSubmissionPeriods":[],"nextOralEvidenceSession":null,"contact":{"email":"northircom@parliament.uk","phone":null,"address":null,"contactDisclaimer":null}}],"childEvents":[],"nextActivity":null,"activities":[{"committeeBusinesses":[{"id":9848,"title":"Northern Ireland Executive Finances","type":{"id":2,"name":"Non-inquiry session","isInquiry":false,"description":"Non-inquiry sessions are brief packages of work that will not necessarily result in a report. They may be used to revisit previous inquiry topics or take evidence on a topical matter."},"openDate":"2026-06-16T00:00:00","closeDate":null,"latestReport":null,"openSubmissionPeriods":[],"closedSubmissionPeriods":[],"nextOralEvidenceSession":null,"contact":{"email":"northircom@parliament.uk","phone":null,"address":null,"contactDisclaimer":null}}],"oralEvidences":[],"id":38208,"name":null,"startDate":"2026-07-15T09:30:00","endDate":"2026-07-15T10:20:00","eventId":27772,"isPrivate":false,"activityType":"Oral evidence","attendees":[{"displayOrder":1,"organisations":[{"name":"Northern Ireland Fiscal Council","role":"Chair","idmsId":null,"cisId":97768}],"submitterType":0,"additionalContext":null,"id":36414,"personId":53454,"name":"Sir Robert Chote","photoUrl":null,"memberInfo":null},{"displayOrder":2,"organisations":[{"name":"Northern Ireland Fiscal Council","role":"Chief of Staff","idmsId":null,"cisId":97768}],"submitterType":0,"additionalContext":null,"id":36415,"personId":69436,"name":"Jonathan McAdams","photoUrl":null,"memberInfo":null},{"displayOrder":3,"organisations":[{"name":"Northern Ireland Fiscal Council","role":"Member","idmsId":null,"cisId":97768}],"submitterType":0,"additionalContext":null,"id":36416,"personId":123246,"name":"Maureen O'Reilly","photoUrl":null,"memberInfo":null}]},{"committeeBusinesses":[{"id":9848,"title":"Northern Ireland Executive Finances","type":{"id":2,"name":"Non-inquiry session","isInquiry":false,"description":"Non-inquiry sessions are brief packages of work that will not necessarily result in a report. They may be used to revisit previous inquiry topics or take evidence on a topical matter."},"openDate":"2026-06-16T00:00:00","closeDate":null,"latestReport":null,"openSubmissionPeriods":[],"closedSubmissionPeriods":[],"nextOralEvidenceSession":null,"contact":{"email":"northircom@parliament.uk","phone":null,"address":null,"contactDisclaimer":null}}],"oralEvidences":[],"id":38309,"name":null,"startDate":"2026-07-15T10:20:00","endDate":"2026-07-15T12:00:00","eventId":27772,"isPrivate":false,"activityType":"Oral evidence","attendees":[{"displayOrder":1,"organisations":[{"name":"Northern Ireland Office","role":"Secretary of State","idmsId":"https://id.parliament.uk/CXMESbpR","cisId":61582}],"submitterType":0,"additionalContext":null,"id":36417,"personId":89872,"name":"The Rt Hon Hilary Benn MP","photoUrl":null,"memberInfo":null},{"displayOrder":2,"organisations":[{"name":"Northern Ireland Office","role":"Permanent Secretary","idmsId":"https://id.parliament.uk/CXMESbpR","cisId":61582}],"submitterType":0,"additionalContext":null,"id":36566,"personId":79096,"name":"Julie Harrison","photoUrl":null,"memberInfo":null}]}]}