To ask the Minister of Health (i) to outline what measures his Department is taking to replace European Social Funding and protect vital services; and (ii) for his assessment of the impact that the loss of this funding will have on health service provision.

It is not within the remit of the Department of Health or Trusts to commission services that solely pursue employment or training outcomes. Therefore, the Department does not have the power to replace funding lost from the cessation of the European Social Fund.

Health and Social Trusts do commission Day Opportunities for people with disabilities, which may include educational and employability activities to pursue health outcomes. The Department fully recognises the importance of employment and meaningful day opportunities to improve health and wellbeing outcomes, both in reducing poverty and providing the opportunity for people to reach their full potential.

I am aware that the European Social Fund (ESF) concludes in March 2023 with several projects receiving match funding from Health & Social Care Trusts. While details of the Shared Prosperity Fund are yet to be shared with NI Executive Departments, there is likely to be a significant shortfall in funding, which may impact the level of provision and sustainability of projects.

My officials are liaising with Health and Social Care Trusts to fully assess the potential impact on health service provision. Further engagement with HSC Trusts is required to identify vulnerable service users and develop individual contingency plans if ESF funded projects become unsustainable.

The outputs of this exercise will form part of an Impact Assessment, to be shared with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) to influence the scope of the Shared Prosperity Fund and future commissioning. Departmental officials engaged in a cross-departmental meeting with DLUHC on 14 October 2022, to raise the profile of ESF projects in Northern Ireland and to re-iterate concerns on the Shared Prosperity Fund.

Officials continue to liaise with the Departments for Economy, Finance and Communities to identify potential solutions, cognisant that government is operating in a challenging financial context and in the absence of an Executive. In addition, my officials engage directly with independent sector provides to explore sustainability challenges and provide updates on departmental actions.

I can assure you that Ministers across departments are committed to ensuring that work continues at an official level to maximise the benefit of the Shared Prosperity Fund.