Ulster Unionist leader, Steve Aiken OBE MLA, has said that Sinn Fein and the Alliance party need to explain why they opposed Jim Allister’s bill, aimed at promoting openness and transparency at Stormont, and limiting the powers of Special Advisers.
Mr Aiken said:
“On Tuesday the Assembly spent a great deal of time debating Jim Allister’s bill, the Functioning of Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill, which is intended to reduce the number of Special Advisers and put codes of behaviour into statute.
“I welcome the fact that the DUP has seen the light and now recognises the need to bring legislation forward as a legacy of RHI, and on Tuesday night joined forces with the Ulster Unionists, SDLP and Greens to jointly support the bill and its progress.
“Sinn Fein never hid their opposition to the bill and placed themselves in the contradictory position of refusing to follow their own example in the Republic of Ireland where they have called for legislation to promote open government and transparency.
“The most surprising aspect in all this is that Alliance followed the Sinn Fein line.
“The Executive has had eleven months to move to put things right but regrettably has dragged its feet at every opportunity. Its inability to take the necessary action to promote a culture of genuine openness and transparency has left us with the obvious conclusion that nothing will change. As a result, those of us who do value openness and transparency have no option but to support Jim Allister’s bill. It is for Sinn Fein and Alliance to explain why they do not.”