To ask the Minister of Finance for his assessment of the Cost of Doing Business Impact Report by Ulster University’s Economic Policy Centre.

Mr O'Dowd

The independent report by the Ulster University Economic Policy Centre published by my Department on 6 May provides an important evidence base to highlight the detrimental impact that decisions that are taken in Westminster are having on our business, community and voluntary sectors, as well as our public finances. The report sets out that there are many factors that make up the cost of doing business, including the costs of labour, energy, property and transport. However, one of the main areas of concern highlighted by employers across sectors has been the impact of the changes in employers' National Insurance contributions that came into effect in April. I have shared a copy of the report with the Chief Secretary to the Treasury and, when we met on 24 April, impressed on him the need for support or mitigations to be put in place to ease the strains of the impacts of the National Insurance contribution changes. I also highlighted the disparity in VAT and the negative implications for businesses, especially hospitality businesses, that operate near the border. I want to see a reduction in VAT to enable our hospitality sector to compete on a level playing field in the all-island economy. I have urged the Chief Secretary to take urgent action to address those issues in the June spending review.

Mr O'Dowd

The report is important academic research to show to the Treasury, because it shows the differences between here and the other regions that the Treasury has responsibility for and highlights once again the fact that, when they make decisions in Whitehall about this place, they need either to take into account the implications for this place or to allow us to make those decisions. That is first and foremost. To the suggestion that, as the only action, "All they have done is post it off to the Chief Secretary to the Treasury", I say that the decisions were made in Whitehall, so the implications are required to be highlighted there. I have shared the report with my Executive colleagues so that, in any engagement or other direct dealings that they have with businesses in their policy areas, they can understand the challenges that those businesses face. It is worth noting that, through our rate relief schemes, we already offer business a quarter of a million pounds in rate relief annually. The Executive are playing their part in this regard.

Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Blair)

Before I call the next Member to ask a supplementary question, I remind Members that they must not walk or stand between a Member asking a question and the Minister who is answering it. That includes mid-question private conversations on the Opposition Front Bench.

Mr Brett

Minister, when you were at the Committee a few weeks ago, I raised how the report highlights the impact of the Windsor framework and the continual displacement of Northern Ireland within the UK internal market and the economic impact of that. Will the Minister ensure that the Executive make a collective appeal to the UK Government to fully restore Northern Ireland's place in the internal UK market?

Mr O'Dowd

Those who thought that Brexit was a good idea eight years ago — nine years ago now — should have had long enough to reflect that it was not such a good idea. I have not seen the detail of the agreement between the British Government and the EU this morning, but perhaps in it is further easement of the barriers that were put in place by the decision of eight years ago. I do not want to see barriers and borders for business; I want to see a free flow of business across this island, across these islands and beyond. That is a good way of doing business. Let us see the implications of this morning's deal between the British Government and the EU and what our next move should be.