To ask the Minister of Finance what representations he has had from the Minister of Education in relation to funding for the Engage Programme.

On 22 June 2022, the Department of Education’s interim Accounting Officer at that time wrote to my Permanent Secretary to seek the Department of Finance’s approval for a Direction, given by the Education Minister, to incur expenditure in delivery of the Engage III programme (£10 million) for the period 1 September to 31 December 2022. Following an assurance which the Education Minister provided to me that this expenditure would be prioritised from the funding envelope ultimately allocated to her Department, I provided approval for the Ministerial Direction on 6 July 2022.

On 11 October 2022, the Department of Education’s Accounting Officer wrote to me seeking approval for a second Ministerial Direction which he has been given by the Education Minister, to continue the Engage III programme for the period 1 January to 31 March 2023 at a cost of £6.9 million. As departments are now collectively projecting a significant overspend against our Treasury control totals for 2022-23, and the Department of Education specifically is anticipating significant inescapable pressures beyond its baseline, I have responded to the Education Minister to explain that if I am to provide my approval for this further expenditure to be incurred, I would need a firm assurance that her department will be able to take action to ensure this additional expenditure can be funded without overspending against its final budget.