At-a-glance: What is in the deal between the Conservatives and DUP?
3 min read
Who gets what out of the DUP's deal with the Conservative government?
WHAT THE DUP GETS
£1bn in additional financial support for Northern Ireland over the next two years, comprising £400m on infrastructure, £150m for ultra-fast broadband, £100m to ease “immediate pressures” on health and education, £200m for “health service transformation”, £50m over five years for mental health services, £100m over five years to tackle severe deprivation.
There are “new flexibilities” to roll over remaining funding from previous allocations of investment in Northern Ireland on education and housing, which Arlene Foster said was worth another £500m.
Pensioner winter fuel payments will remain universal across the UK for the duration of the parliament. The Conservative manifesto committed to means-testing the benefits.
The pensions triple lock will remain in place across the UK through to 2022. The Conservative manifesto wanted to replace it with a potentially less generous double lock system.
The Government has guaranteed “the same cash total” for Northern Irish farms until 2022 as they would otherwise get from the European Union.
The Government has said it will use the Foreign Office to “promote Northern Ireland as a location” for foreign investment; it will “work towards” setting up so-called “city deals” in the region; and it will also “work towards a limited number” of enterprise zones.
The deal does not commit to cutting Air Passenger Duty rates, as had been speculated, but will commission a “detailed consultative report” into VAT and APD; options will be developed for devolution of corporation tax by the Budget this autumn.
As set out in the Conservative manifesto, the Government will continue to meet the Nato target of spending 2% of national income on defence.
WHAT THE GOVERNMENT GETS
The DUP has committed to support the Government on: “all motions of confidence; and on the Queen’s Speech; the Budget; finance bills; money bills, supply and appropriation legislation and Estimates”.
The DUP will also back the Government on “legislation pertaining to the United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union; and legislation pertaining to national security”.
NORTHERN IRELAND ASSEMBLY
The Government stressed that it would “continue to govern in the interests of all parts of the community in Northern Ireland”, and the deal underlines:
“The DUP will have no involvement in the UK Government’s role in political talks in Northern Ireland.”
Read our story on the deal HERE;
Arlene Foster's statement outside No 10 can be read in full HERE;
The Government announcement on the confidence-and-supply deal is HERE;
And the annex setting out the details of financial support for Northern Ireland is HERE
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