To ask the Minister of Education to detail the amount of capital funding allocated to the nine capital bids his Department made as part of the Department of Finance information gathering exercise to inform the Executive’s consideration of Budget 2024-25.

The recently agreed Executive Budget provides my Department with a Capital Budget of £254m in 2024-25.

Whilst I very much welcome this opening allocation, which reflects an increase of over ££80m on the 2023/24 opening position, my Department faces significant capital pressures particularly in regard to SEN placements.

My officials are currently finalising the capital budget strategy for 2024-25 and I hope to be in a position to make a detailed announcement in coming weeks.