'Fair assumption' Mike Nesbitt will be the next Health Minister, says Ulster Unionist Party leader Doug Beattie

Current minister Robin Swann has said he will be stepping down from the position when the general election campaign begins.

His party leader Mr Beattie said he could not confirm who would be his successor until the party decides selects a Westminster candidate for Strangford - the constituency Mr Nesbitt represents at Stormont.

North Antrim MLA Mr Swann returned to the job of earlier this year following the return of powersharing at Stormont.

He previously held the portfolio during the Covid-19 pandemic.

However, the UUP had previously announced that Mr Swann would be switching constituencies to run as a candidate in South Antrim in the general election, expected later this year.

Elected representatives are not allowed to hold seats at Stormont and Westminster at the same time.

During an appearance on the BBC Talkback programme, Mr Beattie defended appointing Mr Swann as health minister despite plans for him to stand in the general election.

He said: "All the parties had the ability to take health. They didn't, we did.

"I took it with short notice. So in 24 hours I had to choose to go into government and also I had to then decide on health and who to go in there.

"Now, I made it clear I wanted to hit the ground running, if I put somebody in who didn't know the brief they would have to learn the brief, I didn't think we had time, so I put Robin Swann in.

"I then went straight into working through how I transition.

"Robin Swann can go in, Robin Swann can get the thing up and running, hit the ground running, be there for the programme for government negotiations, be there for the budget negotiations, train up a replacement, and when I feel the time is right it can be a seamless transition to somebody else."

Mr Nesbitt has been widely tipped to be Mr Swann's replacement.

But Mr Beattie said he could not confirm this ahead of the Strangford Westminster selection process.

But he added: "To say it is Mike Nesbitt is a pretty fair assumption."