To ask the Minister of Education to detail any measures his Department is putting in place to mitigate the impact of the upcoming increase in the Minimum Wage and employers' National Insurance contributions on his Department’s budget and operations.

I will consider the impact of the upcoming increase in the Minimum Wage and employers’ National Insurance contributions alongside all other pay pressures facing the Education sector, when agreeing my Department's 2025-26 resource budget strategy.

In relation to employers’ National Insurance contributions, the Chancellor to the Exchequer has stated that support will be provided for public sector employers. The actual quantum of funding provided through the Barnett formula will not be confirmed for the Executive, and thereby Northern Ireland departments, until the Westminster Main Estimates process concludes (i.e. usually around June). However, it is anticipated that this additional funding will fall short of the Executive’s pressures and work remains ongoing to seek funding from HM Treasury that meets Northern Ireland’s public sector pressures in full.