East Belfast Ulster Unionist MLA Andy Allen MBE has called on the First and deputy First Ministers to ensure that welfare mitigation legislation submitted by the Communities Minister in March, is tabled at this week’s Executive meeting, and introduced to the Assembly in advance of the summer recess.

Mr Allen said:

“I have continuously raised this matter at meetings of the Communities Committee for the last three months and also on the floor of the Assembly. Just last week I challenged the Minister directly and saw her frustration that this legislation has not been brought forward. It would appear that there is a blockage somewhere within the office of the First and deputy First Ministers that is preventing the legislation from being discussed at the Executive and therefore its introduction to the Assembly. This inaction is preventing the Department from being able to close the loopholes within the current mitigations resulting in many being adversely impacted by social sector size criteria (bedroom tax) and the benefit cap. The Annual Report on Welfare Supplementary Payments for 2019/20 shows that the impact of this policy was an average reduction of £520 per person during the 2019/20 financial year.

“There is absolutely no reason for this legislation to be withheld, and quite understandably there are many both inside and outside Stormont asking just who is delaying this legislation and more importantly, why?

“I am therefore calling on the First and Deputy First Ministers to ensure this legislation is tabled at this Thursday’s Executive meeting and that a commitment is given at that meeting that this legislation will be introduced to the Assembly before the summer recess.”