To ask the Minister of Justice whether the Tackling Paramilitarism, Criminality and Organised Crime programme will continue on current funding levels beyond the end of March 2025.

At its meeting on 5 September, the Executive approved the extension of its Programme on Paramilitarism and Organised Crime to 31 March 2027, with a continued investment of £8m per year for the final two years of the Programme. In the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s budget on 31 October, the UK Government (UKG) also confirmed funding of £8m for the Programme for the financial year 2025-26; UKG funding for 2026-27 – the final year of the Programme - will be considered as part of its Spending Review planned for 2025. The operating assumption is, therefore, that there will be an overall Programme budget of £16m for 2025-26. Executive funding of £8m is earmarked for 2026-27.