The Ulster Unionist Party is calling on First Minister Peter Robinson MLA to deliver on his promise of sharing the papers from the so-called Belfast City Airport agreement on welfare reform. Mr Robinson responded positively to a request from the Ulster Unionist Party at Tuesday’s Stormont House Review meeting to providing copies of the papers to the other three Executive Parties. Since then, however, matters have taken another turn.
Ulster Unionist Party Leader, Mike Nesbitt MLA, said:
"Since Mr Robinson told the other Executive Parties and the British Government he had no issue with the papers being shared, we have experienced difficulties more fitting to Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking Glass, George Orwell’s 1984, or A Brave New World by Aldous Huxley.
“First we are told the papers need to be signed off by a civil servant who is not at his desk. Then we are told there are no papers. Then we are told there are papers, but it would be better if we can go to a seminar so we can all be taught what the papers mean!
“I have always thought that the First Minister was in charge and if he said release the papers, the papers were released. Apparently, that is far too simple for our dysfunctional form of government.
“Peter Robinson told Tuesday’s meeting there are four ways forward: return to the position we agreed on welfare on the 23rd December last; the UK Government takes back control over welfare from Stormont; we have an Assembly Election; the Finance Minister brings forward a phantom Budget.
“We see a fifth way. That is to share the papers informing us whatever the DUP and Sinn Féin agreed at their meeting at Belfast City Airport on the 18th of March. Peter Robinson says that agreement failed on three grounds, but we believe if there is a will, a way can be found to overcome the blockages.
“He says one ground is legal. That can be overcome by making any future mitigation payments truly discretionary, but setting parameters for top-up payments rather than setting rigidly fixed rates.
“The second ground is administrative, but this appears to be based on the numbers leaving the Department of Social Development under the Voluntary Exit Scheme diminishing DSD’s capacity to process claims. Surely the simply answer is not to permit staff out under the VES!
“The final hurdle is financial, but none of the other parties can comment until we see the papers. The refusal to share not only undermines the authority of the First Minister who gave a commitment in front of his Executive colleagues and a sovereign government, it further erodes public confidence in local politicians.
“It is our duty and responsibility to make difficult decisions. The Ulster Unionist Party is ready. We need the information we were promised.”