Health Minister warns department could face “tens of millions of pounds” in funding cuts

The Health Minister has warned the Department of Health could be facing cuts of many “tens of millions of pounds each and every year” to help fund the Troubles Pension scheme.

Robin Swann told the Assembly today (Monday) the prospect of “top slicing” the funding allocation to an already “stretched” health service was “deeply concerning.”

It comes after the Executive confirmed earlier this month that Stormont will provide the necessary funding for the Troubles Permanent Disablement Payment Scheme.

However, Ministers have vowed to continue pushing the UK Government for more money to fund the scheme.

Payments will be made to those physically or psychologically injured during the conflict and the scheme is estimated to cost up to £1.2 billion pounds over its lifetime.

The first year’s bill will come in at around £30 million pounds.

While politicians continue to press the UK Government to inject additional cash into the Executive to help cover the cost of the pension, Stormont has assured Lord Chief Justice Sir Declan Morgan and fellow Appeal court judges that it will be funded come what may.

The Finance Minister told the Assembly last week that top-slicing funding allocations from other departments was one way to find the money needed to cover the bill for the payments to those physically or psychologically injured in the conflict.

However, Conor Murphy said it would only be used as a “last resort''.

During Assembly questions on Monday, Mr Swann was asked by Ulster Unionist Alan Chambers what level of funding cuts the department could face as the Executive tries to cover the costs for the scheme.

Mr Chambers told the Minister he welcomed the pension payment, describing it as being “long overdue.''

However, he said that many people will be “deeply concerned that the finance minister is simply going to cut budgets for some of the most important services to pay for it''.

“A budget reduction of that magnitude would seriously undermine our ability to fund all of our most fundamental health and social care services. "

The minister said he was “deeply concerned'' that the Finance Minister had suggested that the costs could be covered by reducing department resource budgets on a pro-rata basis.

He said: “Whilst the payments no doubt need to be made I hope that all members will agree with me that top slicing a health service that has never been as stretched as it currently is would be deeply damaging and a detrimental step to take.''

Mr Swann added: “My department could be facing a cut of many tens of millions of pounds each and every year.

“A budget reduction of that magnitude would seriously undermine our ability to fund all of our most fundamental health and social care services.

“After a decade of under investment and a desperate need to rebuild after Covid the last thing our health service needs is such a deep cut to its annual budget.

“And I sincerely hope that the finance minister can find an alternative way forward in regard to the payment of the victim’s pension.''

The Government has suggested that £100 million of Treasury funding earmarked for issues related to Northern Ireland's “unique circumstances'' in the deal to restore Stormont could be used to part-fund the scheme.

But the Finance Minister has rejected this proposal, insisting it does not amount to an additional funding commitment.

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• covid-19 ni
• departmentofhealth
• funding
• stormont
• executive