DUP ministers’ silence over law changes criticised

ROBIN Swann has criticised two DUP ministers for failing to field Assembly questions on amendments to coronavirus regulations.

The Health Minister said Education Minister Peter Weir and Economy Minister Diane Dodds had rejected his request to table the law changes to the chamber.

During the pandemic, MLAS have been asked to give retrospective approval for Covid-19 restrictions.

It involves a minister presenting the various regulations to the Assembly and fielding questions in a subsequent debate.

Mr Swann took the lead on those procedures yesterday on three amendments on the tourism and hospitality sectors, and the wearing of face coverings on school buses.

“I feel that I must place on record my disappointment that neither the minister for the economy nor the minister of education agreed to my request for either or both of them to lead on the Assembly scrutiny of these changes,” he said.

“Changes, I may add, Mr Speaker, that were primarily only made following direct requests from those ministers on very specific and detailed amendments.”

Mr Swann said if he had not tabled the regulations yesterday, the laws would have lapsed.

“Yet despite them not being my department’s amendments, I suspect members will have agreed that it was important such an outcome should be avoided,” the Ulster Unionist minister said.

“Whilst in their virtually identical responses to me both felt that they were not accountable for these regulations. I have already expressed my belief that, during an unprecedented global public health crisis, there should be no space for ministers, or the executive departments, working within silos.”

Mr Swann said First Minister Arlene Foster and deputy First Minister Michelle O’neill had previously committed that regulations would be tabled by the relevant minister.

He said junior ministers Declan Kearney and Gordon Lyons, Justice Minister Naomi Long and Communities Minister Caral Ni Chuilin had demonstrated a willingness to fulfil this commitment.

“Although this very regrettably was not the case today, I would wish to thank the other ministers that have shown, or are shortly about to show, generosity of their time and support,” Mr Swann added.

‘I wish to thank other ministers for their support’