NORTHERN IRELAND

Rating: Delivery confidence for the Northern Ireland Programme is green as the Programme successfully closed on time and budget. The programme successfully delivered its objective to implement the Windsor Framework requirements. It delivered 15 projects, including three major schemes covering retail movement, plant health labelling and pet travel. The Programme facilitated the movement of goods and pets with reduced friction, delivered enabling infrastructure, including Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) facilities at ports and implemented digital solutions for compliance and risk-based checks. It has successfully transitioned all NI schemes to enduring Senior Service Ownership under Northern Ireland Strategy & Services.

Schedule: The programme implemented multi-disciplinary teams and accelerated delivery to compress timeframes and achieve deliverables. Closing projects in a timely way, paralleled with agile and effective programme management allowed the closure of the programme to be brought forward.

Cost: Forecasts were improved in accuracy throughout the delivery year but have now been replaced by known actual spend. This combined with the accelerated and efficient closure of the programme decreased digital costs and reduced the whole life cost of the programme.

Source: NISTA Major Projects Annual Report 2025-26 (data)

Rating: Compared to financial year 23/24-Q4, the Infrastructure Project Authority's Delivery Confidence Assessment rating at 24/25-Q4 remained at AMBER. This is primarily due to the following factors‚ Following the election and the Government's focus on full and faithful implementation of the Windsor Framework we rebaselined delivery plans. This enabled successful delivery and early closure of projects, alongside a refreshed programme business case. This shifted the programme from 'red' status to 'amber'. Challenges remain, including tight timescales (although key milestones are on track), limited contingency levels, and identification of resource to support delivery and movement to enduring business as usual. The prioritisation of stakeholder engagement to ensure all partners are involved, content and reassured requires a high level of focus and resource to drive progress. The complexities of this process contribute to the programme's amber status.

Schedule: Compared to financial year 23/24-Q4, the project's end-date at 24/25-Q4 increased from 01/06/2025 to 31/03/2026. This is primarily due to the following factors‚ The Programme refined the planned decommissioning of Sanitary/Phytosanitary facilities. This amended the schedule for this decommissioning and expanded the length of time required for completion. The programme is now targeted for closure on 31 March 2026, while defining milestone and legislative timelines through work with partners.

Cost: Compared to financial year 23/24-Q4, the project's departmentally agreed Whole Life Cost at 24/25-Q4 (measured in £m) increased from 467 to 544. This is primarily due to the following factors‚ As part of the spending review, costs were refined and extrapolated across the whole programme to better define the whole life cost. Digital costs increased, as did costs for the Movement Assistance Scheme (reimbursement for costs of certification). The costs of infrastructure for Sanitary/Phytosanitary costs increased, as did funding for operational delivery partners. In addition, the programme business as usual costs were extended to include delivery after programme closure through to FY 32/33.

Source: NISTA Annual Report 2024-25 (data)

Rating: The Senior Responsible Owner's Delivery Confidence Assessment rating at 23/24-Q4 is Amber. This is primarily due to the following factors. Whilst the programme successfully delivered Phase 1 deliverables on schedule enabling the 1st October launch of NI Retail Movement Scheme (NIRMS) and NI Plant Health Label scheme (NIPHL); our overall delivery confidence for the rest of the programme remains at AMBER. Current work to prepare and baseline plans for Phase 2 was completed on 22/02/2024, with the exception of Post & Parcels project (project 6), draft plan due to be validated in April. Pets will also need to review and baseline its plans.

Schedule: The project's end-date at 23/24-Q4 is 2025-06-01. This is primarily due to the following factors. Programme still on track to deliver as planned

Cost: The project's departmental-agree Whole Life Cost at 23/24-Q4 is 467m. This is primarily due to the following factors. The budgeted whole life cost for the Programme has increased as a result of inclusion of SPS Infrastructure (192.3m) and Labelling (40m).

Source: IPA Annual Report 2023-24 (data)