Dodds presses Prime Minister on financial issues

Finance Minister, Nigel Dodds, today met with the Prime Minister to press him on a number of issues.

During the meeting at Parliament Buildings, Mr Dodds highlighted the impact that rising energy costs would have on Northern Ireland householders.

Speaking following the meeting, the Minister said: “Today’s discussions provided me with the opportunity to outline the impact of recent energy price rises on many across Northern Ireland.

“The Northern Ireland Executive is committed to tackling this issue and working to ensure that Northern Ireland householders, and particularly the most vulnerable, are helped through these difficult times.

“In this context, and as the First Minister has already indicated, I feel strongly that now is not the time to introduce further burdens on households, in the form of additional water charges. Accordingly, I asked the Prime Minister to work with the Executive in determining a suitable way forward.

“I also pressed the legacy issue of Equal Pay for the lower administrative grades in the Civil Service. This pressure, which is not of our making, comes at a time when we can least afford it, and we need the UK Government to provide us some financial flexibility to allow us to deal with this.”

During the meeting, Mr Dodds also raised a number of further issues with the Prime Minister.  Among the points he discussed were:

• The possibility of a reduction in the VAT or Excise duty on petrol and diesel following recent price rises
• Potential access to the additional revenues raised through duty on fuel as energy costs rise
• The recent decision to temporarily raise the Stamp Duty threshold and whether this could be made permanent
• The level of winter fuel payments

The Minister said: “I also highlighted to the Prime Minister that there were many areas where he could move to make a real difference to householders here, and that would help the Executive achieve its Programme for Government aim of growing the local economy.

“The Executive is committed to working to benefit the people of Northern Ireland, and I hope the Prime Minister will give us the financial flexibility to enable us to make this happen.”

Notes to Editors:

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