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Monthly Archives: November 2015
Beggs Welcomes Larne Awards for All Funding
East Antrim Ulster Unionist MLA Roy Beggs jr has welcomed news that £8,390 of Awards for All funding has been secured by the Towns Parks Residents Association in Larne. Mr Beggs said “It is great news that the residents association has been awarded the funds to continue its work to support and provide facilities for people in the Town Parks area. They are using the grant for a range of activities including recreational and physical activities, alternative therapies and wellbeing sessions, educational and heritage trips and a Christmas party for older members of the community.” The main aim of our Awards for All programme is to bring real improvements to communities and to the lives of people most in need by funding projects which involve people in their communities, bringing them together to enjoy a wide range of charitable, community, educational, environmental and health-related activities. Groups can apply for a … Continue reading
Stormont Assembly approves welfare reforms
The motion’s passage will enable long-delayed legislative changes to Northern Ireland’s benefits system to be enacted at Westminster. The step is part of Tuesday’s ‘Fresh Start’ political deal struck by the DUP, Sinn Fein and the British and Irish governments. The agreement resolved the vexed wrangle over the Assembly’s non-implementation of the Government’s welfare reforms, and a number of other disputes that had pushed the coalition Executive to the verge of collapse, including the fall-out from a murder linked to the Provisional IRA. The accord has been fiercely criticised by victims’ campaigners for failing to secure consensus on new mechanisms to address the painful legacy of the Troubles. The welfare impasse, caused by Sinn Fein’s refusal to sign up to the proposals, has been overcome by the Executive committing to spend £585 million, over the next four years, to provide top-up payments to those losing out under changes to the … Continue reading
MLAs vote to implement welfare reforms
The Legislative Consent Motion tabled by Social Development Minister Mervyn Storey was passed by 70 votes to 22, with the backing of the DUP and Sinn Féin. An extended debate on whether to roll out the reforms had been taking place throughout Wednesday afternoon. MLAs vote overwhelmingly to back the welfare reform consent motion. 70 for to 22 against. — Tracey Magee (@Tracey_utv) November 18, 2015 It came after a motion to delay it failed. A specially-convened sitting took place at Stormont, following the completion of the new agreement on Tuesday. Social Development Minister Meryn Storey brought forward a motion to allow Westminster Parliament to legislate on welfare reform. However the TUV leader, Jim Allister, proposed delaying the debate because he said some MLAs have not seen the bill. The suggestion was supported by the SDLP, Alliance and UUP – while Mr Storey argued it must go ahead to allow … Continue reading
Roy Beggs’ Scrap Metal PMB moves to the Next Stage at Stormont
Roy Beggs MLA, Ulster Unionist MLA for East Antrim has gained wide support in the NI Assembly to progress his Scrap Metal Dealers, Private Members Bill through to the Assembly’s Committee scrutiny stage. The bill follows the principles of the GB legislation which creates an audit trail of those selling scrap metal to dealers and was credited with reducing metal theft by one third in England and Wales. Mr Beggs MLA, while addressing the Assembly, talked about the local impact of metal theft and the need for such legislation; “I live near Gleno in a rural community between Larne and Carrickfergus, and there have been a number of incidents in my local community that have shown me from experience that this has been a major problem. First, in Gleno, a new set of street lights was installed by Roads Service to link the village to the local bus stop at … Continue reading
Stormont approves welfare reforms
Simon Hamilton, Peter Robinson and Mervyn Storey from the Democratic Unionist Party Stormont Assembly members have voted to allow the Government to finally roll out its welfare reforms in Northern Ireland. The Legislative Consent Motion tabled by Social Development Minister Mervyn Storey was passed by 70 votes to 22 with the backing of the powersharing administration’s two largest parties, the Democratic Unionists and Sinn Fein, after a long debate in Parliament Buildings, Belfast. Ulster Unionist and SDLP members were among those MLAs who voiced strong opposition to the move. The motion’s passage will enable long-delayed legislative changes to Northern Ireland’s benefits system to be enacted at Westminster. The step is part of Tuesday’s ‘Fresh Start’ political deal struck by the DUP, Sinn Fein and the British and Irish governments. The agreement resolved the vexed wrangle over the Assembly’s non-implementation of the Government’s welfare reforms, and a number of other disputes … Continue reading
