Backbench Business Committee

16 June 2026

Backbench Business Committee Actual start House of Commons

49:25 - 50:14
Speaker 1
Welcome to the meeting of the Backbench Business Committee where we'll be considering three types of application.  One mainly from select committees for bids for estimates day debates for Monday the 29th and Tuesday the 30th of June.  And then debates, requests for debates in the chamber or Westminster Hall in normal backbench business time. 

As colleagues who are here can see, we've got a very long agenda and with the threat of votes coming.  So if you can keep your remarks pertinent and to the point, that will help the committee and possibly help your case as well.  First up is a request for an estimates day debate by Tony Atkinson on the spending of the Northern Ireland Office.  Tanya, please present. 
50:14 - 51:04
Speaker 2
Thank you, Chair, and thank you, members of the committee.  I think it's very important that Northern Ireland Office spending is looked at with an estimates day debate. 

The financial situation in Northern Ireland is very precarious and has serious implications not just for Northern Ireland, but also for the Northern Ireland Office and the Treasury, which we believe will be of concern to members from across the House.  Two and a half months into the new financial year, the Northern Ireland Executive has been unable to agree a budget, with departments now reliant on contingency funding, leaving the nearly two million people of Northern Ireland uncertain about the future of their public services.  The vast majority of Northern Ireland's funding envelope comes from the funding provided by the UK government through the block grant and additional non-Barnett allocations. 

The rest of the transcript is for Pro customers

Unlock the full transcript, chat, and every analysis feature with Polyfact Pro.

The video itself stays free to watch, in full, no account needed.

Ask anything about this video — I analyse its transcript to answer.