To ask the Minister for Employment and Learning, pursuant to AQW 41980/11-15, to detail (i) what communication his Department has had with Ulster University, Coleraine Campus, with regard to preparing a business case; (ii) what items have been submitted to his Department by Ulster University, to date; and (iii) whether funding is available following submission of a complete business case.

Ulster University submitted a draft of the first five sections of a business case for the establishment of a school of veterinary science at its Coleraine campus in December 2013. Officials provided feedback to the University in January 2014. The University responded in April 2014 and officials provided further feedback in May 2014. A meeting between officials and University representatives then took place on 17 June 2014. The University has not submitted anything further on the business case since then.

In the present financial climate when funding to the universities has been reduced in the current year, it is very unlikely that funding will be available for veterinary science at the Coleraine campus should a full business case be submitted. Undergraduate places at both universities will be lost in the 2015-16 academic year and my priority is to protect the places that we currently fund.