To ask the Minister of Finance to detail any criteria used to determine funding priorities across competing pressures.

As part of Budget Information Gathering exercises and in‑year monitoring rounds, departments are required to submit returns to my Department setting out the justification for any requests for additional funding. This information is used to inform the recommendations I present to the Executive for approval.

Decisions on all funding allocations are taken collectively by the Executive, taking account of a range of factors including the level of funding available, competing pressures and the alignment of individual bids with our Programme for Government priorities.