Speeches by Aldridge.

“Like many colleagues across the House, I am in no doubt that immigration and border security are a top concern for many of the people I represent in Weston-super-Mare. They tell me on the doorstep, by email and on social media that this is not a conversation that we can shy away from, although any conversation on immig…”

“I will ask about the Public Sector Transformation Board, but you spoke earlier about the potential for a—you used the word—tragic divergence, where the rest of the UK, or at least England, follows a route of digital transformation, partnered with the public sector transformation. What steps are you taking to make sure …”

“That is very helpful. Thank you.”

“Is there anywhere we can look at what that looks like? Is there a document that explains a bit more about what that course of work looks like, so we can get a sense of what magnitude that is? I am really interested in what that looks like, from a transparency perspective, rather than anything else.”

“Just for my clarity, I think I am aware of the work the Executive have done. It is more about the link between what the Executive have done and the UK Government. What steps are there? Is there anything we can help with?”

“We have covered quite a lot of this question. I would like to ask about what steps the Executive are taking with UK Government to ensure there is no cliff edge in funding from 2026 to 2027.”

“What else could we do if it is not really enough money? I get that there are fiscal challenges everywhere. What else can we do, and can this Committee contribute to that?”

“I think it should be on record that I was not the first person to raise AI. There is a hell of a lot of pressure on the whole UK regarding public sector transformation, but really the pressure is on Northern Ireland to deliver. I suppose that this is to the three of you. Do you think that the money allocated to transfo…”

“I will ask about the Public Sector Transformation Board, but you spoke earlier about the potential for a—you used the word—tragic divergence, where the rest of the UK, or at least England, follows a route of digital transformation, partnered with the public sector transformation. What steps are you taking to make sure …”

“Thank you, everybody. We inherited a tragic financial situation and a crisis in public services across the United Kingdom, and really acutely in Northern Ireland, so I understand, and I think we all understand, the operating context within which all of you are having to take these decisions. I do not envy it at all. It…”

“That is very helpful. Thank you.”

“Is there anywhere we can look at what that looks like? Is there a document that explains a bit more about what that course of work looks like, so we can get a sense of what magnitude that is? I am really interested in what that looks like, from a transparency perspective, rather than anything else.”

“Just for my clarity, I think I am aware of the work the Executive have done. It is more about the link between what the Executive have done and the UK Government. What steps are there? Is there anything we can help with?”

“We have covered quite a lot of this question. I would like to ask about what steps the Executive are taking with UK Government to ensure there is no cliff edge in funding from 2026 to 2027.”

“What else could we do if it is not really enough money? I get that there are fiscal challenges everywhere. What else can we do, and can this Committee contribute to that?”

“I think it should be on record that I was not the first person to raise AI. There is a hell of a lot of pressure on the whole UK regarding public sector transformation, but really the pressure is on Northern Ireland to deliver. I suppose that this is to the three of you. Do you think that the money allocated to transfo…”

“Thank you, everybody. We inherited a tragic financial situation and a crisis in public services across the United Kingdom, and really acutely in Northern Ireland, so I understand, and I think we all understand, the operating context within which all of you are having to take these decisions. I do not envy it at all. It…”

“There is a serious point about regulatory capture, which we should talk about cross-industry, cross-sector. There is something that we could do constructively across the House on regulatory capture. We talk a lot at the moment about artificial intelligence and the growth of the tech industry, and we need to implement s…”

“There are many dynamic tech and digital companies at the vanguard of the mission for economic growth in Northern Ireland. Does the Secretary of State agree that these industries are critical to Northern Ireland’s economic future? What steps are the Government taking to support these industries in growing to their full …”

“10. What steps his Department is taking to help grow the economy in Northern Ireland.”