DUP and Sinn Fein agree to fewer Spads

THE DUP and Sinn Fein are planning to voluntarily cut the number of special advisers in the Executive Office. Under the proposal, Arlene Foster and Michelle O’Neill and their junior ministers will employ six Spads rather than the eight they are entitled to. One is former MP Emma Little-Pengelly (above), who will work for Mrs Foster.

THE DUP has backed a move from Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey to stop naming people convicted of benefit fraud.

The Irish News revealed the Sinn Fein minister has decided to stop sending out press releases following convictions and publishing the names of those convicted on the Department for Communities (DfC) website.

However, convictions can still be reported on if journalists are in court when the sentence is passed. Ms Hargey (below) said that the department “is not required to publish information relating to individual benefit convictions through the courts, which is already in the public domain”.

“I have therefore decided it is not necessary for my department to also publish this information,” she said.

In 2018/19, some £56.2m was spent on false benefit claims. DUP Commun ities Committee chair Paula Bradley backed the move. She said she thought it was “fair enough” and would stop vulnerable people being punished a second time. “There are often circumstances that we don’t know about that can lead to people being convicted of benefit fraud,” the North Belfast MLA said.

“It can happen to anyone, single parents, families in crisis, they don’t deserve to be prosecuted twice.

“Who are we to judge?” she added.