Mr Patsy McGlone (Mid Ulster): To ask the Minister for the Economy to detail any recent discussions she has had with employers on barriers to apprenticeship recruitment. Minister for the Economy: My officials engage regularly with employers and employer representative bodies across a range of fora to discuss skills needs, workforce development and wider labour … Continue reading AQW 48991/22-27 – Barriers to apprenticeship recruitment
Mr Patsy McGlone (Mid Ulster): To ask the Minister for the Economy to detail any assessment she has made of the energy requirements, associated with the expansion of (i) Artificial Intelligence; and (ii) data centre infrastructure, over the next five years. Minister for the Economy: My department recognises that the expansion of artificial intelligence and … Continue reading AQW 48871/22-27 – Energy requirements of expansion of Artificial Intelligence
Mr Patsy McGlone (Mid Ulster): To ask the Minister for the Economy whether her Department has a designated lead or responsible officer on her Department's use of Artificial Intelligence. Minister for the Economy: My Department has established governance arrangements for the use of Artificial Intelligence. The Senior Information Risk Owner is responsible for approving the … Continue reading AQW 48664/22-27 – Department for the Economy designated lead on AI
Mr Patsy McGlone (Mid Ulster): To ask the Minister for the Economy to detail any support available to small businesses seeking to access new markets overseas. Minister for the Economy: Small businesses seeking to access new overseas markets can draw on a comprehensive range of support delivered on a cross-sectoral basis by Invest NI, local … Continue reading AQW 48001/22-27 – Accessing new markets overseas
Mr Patsy McGlone (Mid Ulster): To ask the Minister for the Economy to detail any steps she is taking to support women working in the (i) hospitality; and (ii) night-time economy. Minister for the Economy: My Department along with Tourism NI and industry stakeholders have been developing a Tourism and Hospitality skills plan. This plan … Continue reading AQW 47759/22-27 – Women working in hospitality
Mr Patsy McGlone (Mid Ulster): To ask the Minister for the Economy (i) for an update on tourism performance; and (ii) to detail any measures she is taking to support growth in the sector. Minister for the Economy: (i) The NISRA statistics published on 21 May 2026 reveal an overall tourism expenditure from overnight visitors … Continue reading AQW 47758/22-27 – Tourism performance
Mr Patsy McGlone (Mid Ulster): To ask the Minister for the Economy to detail any support that is available to the food and drink sector to transition to low-carbon refrigeration. Minister for the Economy: Financial and technical advice is made available through the Energy and Resource Efficiency Programme, helping businesses in the North to decarbonise. … Continue reading AQW 47405/22-27 – Low-carbon refrigeration
Mr Patsy McGlone (Mid Ulster): To ask the Minister for the Economy to detail any recent discussions she has had with the UK Treasury on the benefits of a reduction in the level of VAT for the hospitality sector in the North. Minister for the Economy: Our hospitality businesses are vital not only to our … Continue reading AQW 47870/22-27 – Reduction in level of VAT for hospitality sector
