Price of power: Theresa May spends £100m each on 10 votes to prop up minority Tory government

The Government has spent £1bn on securing votes from the DUP, figures from the deal reveal.

Signing an agreement with the Conservatives to support Theresa May’s minority government, the DUP agreed to receive the equivalent of £100m for each of the party’s 10 MPs in return for their support on majority policy issues.

This works out at £537 per Northern Irish resident, by The Independent’s calculations.

In a statement, Ms May said the deal reached with the DUP was a “confidence and supply agreement”, under which the Northern Irish party undertakes to support the Conservative Government on votes on the Queen's Speech, the Budget, and legislation relating to Brexit and national security.

“The agreement makes clear that we remain steadfast to our commitments as set out in the Belfast Agreement and its successors, and in governing in the interests of all parts of the community in Northern Ireland,” the Prime Minister said.

“I welcome this agreement, which will enable us to work together in the interests of the whole United Kingdom, give us the certainty we require as we embark on our departure from the European Union, and help us build a stronger and fairer society at home.”

The agreement breaks down as follows:

• £400m for infrastructure projects (£200m per year for two years)

• £200m for improvement of health service (£100m per year for two years)

• £150m for ultra-fast broadband (£75m per year for two years)

• £100m for tackling deprivation (£20m per year for five years)

• £100m to address immediate pressures in health and education (£50m per year for two years)

• £50m for mental health services (£10m per year for five years)

The deal has been met with fierce cross-party criticism, including from the Prime Minister's own members.

Former Conservative Party chairman Grant Shapps suggested the Tories could have won an outright election majority if they had offered some of the measures in the DUP agreement.

Mr Shapps tweeted: “Hmm. No change to Winter Fuel Payments, Triple-Lock Pensions and Long-Term care. With this manifesto, we could have had a stonking majority.”

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “Any sense of fairness sacrificed on the altar of grubby DUP deal to let PM cling to power, and Scots Tories influence in No 10 shown to be zero.”

Under the terms of the deal, the Government has agreed to guarantee that cash support for Northern Irish farming will continue at the same level until the end of the Parliament in 2022, as the UK goes through Brexit.

Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale said: “If the price of propping up this miserable Tory government is hundreds of millions of pounds for Northern Ireland, it is vital that all nations and regions of the UK also get extra funding to end austerity.

”If Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson has any influence in Downing Street at all, she will be demanding extra cash to reverse the spending cuts her government has inflicted on Scotland - aided and abetted by the SNP, which has simply turned Holyrood into a conveyor belt for Tory cuts.“

The document signed by Mr Williamson and Sir Jeffrey says that the DUP's support in votes which are not covered by the supply and confidence agreement will be agreed “on a case-by-case basis”.

The agreement will “remain in place for the length of the Parliament and can be reviewed by the mutual consent of both parties”, the document says.

After each parliamentary session, the Conservatives and DUP will review the aims, principles and implementation of the agreement.

A co-ordination committee, chaired by a Government minister, is to be set up to oversee working arrangements between the two parties.

Turning to the situation in Northern Ireland, the Prime Minister added: “Time is running short for the parties to come together and reach agreement to re-establish a powersharing Executive by June 29.

”I hope the parties will look beyond their differences and come together with a shared sense of common purpose to serve all communities in the best interests of Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland needs a functioning devolved government at this important time.

“Her Majesty's Government will continue to do everything we can to work with the parties in Northern Ireland, alongside the Irish Government, to bring back a strong voice at Stormont for a positive future for everyone in Northern Ireland.”