Philip Smith MLA, Ulster Unionist Finance spokesperson, has asked when the Executive plan to finally publish the Programme for Government.

Philip Smith MLA said:

“Over the last number of weeks the DUP and Sinn Fein’s time seems to have been occupied with crying about the Opposition rather than providing leadership to the people of Northern Ireland.  I’m not sure whether their apparent desire to hide their grand plan away in Stormont Castle safe from scrutiny points to extreme arrogance or a lack of confidence in what they are trying to sell.

“We are already in a situation where even if the Programme for Government were to be published today, by the time the public consultation has ended the Assembly will already be in recess.  This means if the Executive is to agree the PfG before the end of the year the Assembly will be the last place to get their say.

“Since the work on the Programme for Government disappeared from view following the publishing of its framework, the landscape has dramatically changed.  The United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union, meaning previous certainties no longer exist.  We know there are many outstanding questions that will affect all Executive Departments as the UK negotiates its exit from the EU.  Does the Programme for Government take this into account?  The framework didn’t.  And we know that Executive Departments weren’t preparing for this outcome.

“Secondly, the Bengoa Report is due to be published tomorrow.  It is expected that Professor Bengoa has made recommendations of fundamental change to how our health service operates.  Does the Programme for Government take this into account?  Or will this be another outcome the Executive failed to plan for? 

“We cannot continue to operate in a vacuum.  The DUP and Sinn Fein Executive have rattled on about what a great job they are going to do over the next five years.  It’s about time they told us how they intend to do it.”