Sinn Fein minister 'asleep at the wheel' as department unaware of £81m UK support as energy costs soar - DUP
The DUP has accused Stormont’s economy minister of being “asleep at the wheel” after it emerged that her department’s top official was not aware of £81m available for support for energy costs from the UK government.
The chair of the economy committee Phillip Brett raised the issue with officials, including initial assertions from the Sinn Fein-run Department of Finance that the funding wasn’t transferrable to Northern Ireland.
The DUP MLA questioned the department’s permanent secretary on the funding, and it emerged that he wasn’t aware of the cash.
Speaking to the BBC’s Nolan Show, Mr Brett said the minister was challenging the “big bad Brits” to provide support, Sinn Fein “didn’t even know the money exists”.
The North Belfast MLA said: “This saga has raised significant questions about the Minister and her colleagues handing of valuable support for households in Northern Ireland. It is right therefore that the Committee puts a priority on this issue which has been lacking from the Minister, and we get to the bottom of exactly what has been going on.
“I have been asking questions of the Department for months, yet it is only when publicly embarrassed at Tuesday’s committee that we see a scramble to cover the ignorance and inaction which seems to define the Department’s approach.
“First it was a rushed press statement talking about the Minister’s ‘active engagement’ and then it was back of an envelope calculations given to some journalists about what payments might be”.
DUP Treasury spokesperson Sammy Wilson – speaking after discussions with Treasury Minister Lord Livermore – said Northern Ireland consumers are being left without clarity while energy costs continue to bite.
Mr Wilson said because energy support is devolved the Economy Minister must first bring forward a scheme to apply it. “That could simply mirror the approach taken in England and apply the discount directly to electricity bills, yet months later people are still waiting while the Minister has failed to act”.
He said further support is on the horizon through the UK Government’s Crisis and Resilience Fund in England, which will generate Barnett consequentials for Northern Ireland to help those facing rising heating oil costs.
The department has been approached for comment.