Marie-Louise Connolly
BBC News NI health correspondent

The fact that the Department of Health is not receiving any increase in this year’s budget will have a devastating effect on service provision.

But it is the only Stormont department which is not receiving any reduction in funding.

A major drive is already taking place to see how health trusts can make savings - that can only happen by cutting services including the likes of domiciliary care packages.

By suggesting that any extra money that might be earmarked for Stormont later in the year will automatically be used to repay last year's £300m overspend, Chris Heaton-Harris appears to have made it more difficult for Northern Ireland to settle the health workers' pay dispute.

One source says Heaton-Harris he has "scuppered" the chance to resolve that long-running row with the unions.

Political reaction to the budget is coming in to us.

The Alliance Party's finance spokesman Andrew Muir describes it as "absolutely brutal" and says Northern Ireland is facing "a lot of pain on the road ahead".

Image source, PA Media

"[It] will bring significant damage to our public services and our ability to develop our economy," he says.

"While most departments may roughly be similar to last year in cash terms, this does not account for inflationary and pay pressures or other inescapable requirements."

He adds that it's a matter of "when", not if, the DUP decides to return to Stormont but the public should not have to wait potentially many more months for that to happen.

Northern Ireland's biggest trade union describes the budget as "disgraceful".

Carmel Gates from the Nipsa union says it is a "political sanction for the stalemate at Stormont" and an "economic sanction on every single citizen here".

Image source, Pacemaker

"This won't damage the political parties here, it won't damage their support - the only people who are going to be damaged are ordinary working people," she says.

Nipsa represents public sector workers and thousands of its members have been involved in several strikes as part of disputes about pay over recent months.

John Campbell
BBC News NI economics and business editor

Image source, Getty Images

Chris Heaton-Harris is not putting forward any new revenue-raising policies, such as water charges.

But he repeats his view that "lower levels of revenue generation but higher public service provision in Northern Ireland compared to the rest of the UK is unsustainable".

He has introduced new legislation that he says will allow the UK government to explore, with the Northern Ireland Civil Service, "options for increasing budget sustainability including further revenue raising".

Northern Ireland has been without a power-sharing government for over a year, meaning spending decisions can't be taken by ministers.

When Stormont is functioning, responsibility for setting departmental budgets falls to the ruling executive, and in particular the finance minister - a post most recently held by Sinn Féin.

But no ministers are in office as a result of the Democratic Unionist Party's (DUP) decision to boycott Stormont last year in protest against post-Brexit trade rules for Northern Ireland.

Image source, Getty Images

Therefore the task of allocating budgets falls to Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris. He has determined what each department, such as health and education, will have to spend this year.

But it will be up to civil servants to determine where the money goes and, controversially, which services face cuts.

Jayne Brady, the head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service, has expressed "profound concern" to Heaton-Harris about unelected officials being forced to make big budget decisions.

John Campbell
BBC News NI economics and business editor

Stormont's Department of Health, the largest department, is receiving an allocation of £7.3bn for day-to-day spending.

That is similar to the amount it got last year.

This "flat cash" funding will probably be viewed as a difficult settlement for the department given the high rate of inflation and outstanding pay demands.

Image source, PA Media

An initial comparison with last year’s budget figures suggests that among the major spending departments the amount of money going the departments of education, justice and economy has been cut slightly in cash terms.

Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton Harris says the almost-£300m overspend will be cleared by using any additional in-year funding from the Treasury.

Should that not cover the full amount the outstanding balance will be paid in 2024-25 by reallocating money from previously-announced Northern Ireland funding packages.

Jayne McCormack
BBC News NI political correspondent

The decision from London to allow the £300m budget overspend to be paid back over a longer period time will provide a small cushion to Stormont departments.

Initially they had been told it needed to be returned within this financial year.

But what the government is giving with one hand it may take with the other. This plan comes with strings attached.

The Northern Ireland Office said any in-year Barnett consequentials for Northern Ireland - that is funding that comes automatically as a result of higher spending decisions in England - will be used for the repayment.

It is not clear how that will work.

So while Stormont officials might breathe a sigh of relief that immediate pain has been eased a little they will worry about what other financial conundrums might be attached to this budget.

Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris announced the spending plan for Stormont by way of a written statement to the House of Commons.

You can read it in full on the Parliament website, external.

John Campbell
BBC News NI economics and business editor

Stormont can repay a £300m budget overspend across two years rather than one, says the Northern Ireland secretary.

Chris Heaton-Harris made the announcement as he published a Northern Ireland budget for 2023-24.

Repaying the 2022-23 overspend over a longer period will "provide some protection to frontline public services", he says.

But he adds that departments still face difficult decisions "in order to live within the funding available".

After months of suggestions about major budgets cuts for Stormont departments, Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris is revealing the details.

Image source, PA Media

In the past few moments he has given a written statement to the House of Commons in which he sets out the funding allocations for each Stormont department for this financial year.

On this live page we'll give you all of the information you need about the spending plan and explain what it could mean for you and your family.