1 April 2011 Last updated at 16:51

NI election issues guide: Economy

Westminster is responsible for the wider economy, but Stormont agrees a separate Budget for Northern Ireland to cover all devolved policy areas.

Tax-raising powers are not devolved to Stormont. Of all the regions in the UK, Northern Ireland depends most on state spending - about a third of its workforce is employed by the public sector.

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Election issues 2011
Economy
DUP	Sinn Fein	UUP	SDLP	Alliance	Green	TUV
Support the creation of 20,000 new jobs Make Northern Ireland the best place in the UK to do business Work to reduce corporation tax Build Northern Ireland's reputation internationally as a centre for creative industries Work towards ensuring affordable daytime childcare across Northern Ireland	Oppose British government cuts Work to raise additional revenue at the executive to help offset the impact of cuts Develop all-Ireland economic recovery plan Reshape how government, the private and the public sectors have traditionally operated Fiscal powers must be devolved to Stormont Need to implement strategies to end inequality Ensure the government fulfils its commitment to deliver an investment strategy worth £18bn over 10 years	Take a measured approach towards Northern Ireland's role in eliminating the UK's structural deficit, recognising the public sector's importance to the local economy Aim to secure the devolution of powers to the assembly to enable it to set the rate of corporation tax Lower the corporation tax rate progressively over several years Maximise the opportunity of turning Northern Ireland into an enterprise zone with a long-term strategy to rebalance the economy and boost the private sector Seek a cross-departmental enterprise strategy which encourages research, redevelopment and innovation Aim to deliver an increased proportion of assembly research and procurement contracts to small and medium sized enterprises	Restructure the assembly budget to rebalance the economy, protect the most vulnerable and outline a serious job creation plan Cut corporation tax in Northern Ireland to bring it into line with rates in the Irish Republic; Make progress on North-South development and save money through new economies of scale, reduced duplication and increased specialisation Implement proposals to redirect extra finances to build schools and roads, bringing unemployed construction workers back to work Invest properly in Green New Deal, the agri-food industry and tourism to create tens of thousands of jobs in the next three years	Address the £1bn annual cost of division and reinvest the resources in modernising public services and economic drivers Drive a skills strategy to meet training and employment needs Implement a Green New Deal to create jobs while protecting the environment Tackle red tape for business and improve access to finance Ensure that public investment encourages business growth through reformed planning, better procurement and support for key industries Rebalance the economy towards a larger private sector, higher productivity and greater exports, with a lower rate of corporation tax a key element	Protect the public sector Oppose reducing the top rate of corporation tax which would mean up to £300m being slashed from public services Reduce the small profits rates to boost the small business sector Oppose budget cuts at both Westminster and Assembly levels Suspend new road building projects to raise money Oppose the privatisation of water	Prioritise job creation through an employment strategy that maximises private sector potential, while rebalancing public/private structure Oppose tax-raising powers for Stormont to protect vulnerable public sector and SMEs Reject aligning Northern Ireland economy with the Irish Republic, focusing instead on realising the full potential of east-west links and global export markets Encourage entrepreneurial culture by removing burden of bureaucracy Reject the plans contained in the Stormont budget