Northern Ireland (Interim Arrangements) Bill

There is concern about the nature of the current civil service guidance. The Government believe that the civil service has the capacity to take decisions; civil servants do not believe that they have the vires to take decisions, particularly in relation to statutory functions. Does the Minister recognise that we are at somewhat of an impasse in the current status quo, and that there is a danger that we end up either with difficult decisions being deferred, which makes them more painful, or with a managed overspend, which is another very undesirable situation?