Gordon Lyons
East Antrim · Democratic Unionist Party · Northern Ireland
“Implementing other recommendations will require further legislation that, I trust, will come in the next mandate, but I can confirm that 60 of the recommendations have already been separately addressed by either the Department or the commission. I hope that that answers his questions.”
“Yes, I do and am happy to share those. The issue has been raised in the Chamber and through Assembly questions. My position is that we want to make it simple and straightforward for people.”
“They also introduce greater flexibility in financial reporting, allowing requirements to be tailored more appropriately, reducing burdens on smaller organisations and ensuring that the system can adapt over time through secondary legislation.”
“If they want to constitute as a Northern Ireland-only charity, they are able to do that, if they believe that that will bring certain benefits.”
“That is similar to what we are trying to do with trustees. Even though you leave your position as a trustee or your position as someone who holds an office in a charity or who has employment in the office, the commissioner will still be able to make a determination that says, "Even though you have left, we are still making this order to t…”
“I do not believe that it was. That was maybe picked up wrong. We are happy to look at and explore that, but that is the information that I have on it. Again, we will have the Committee Stage of the legislation, so we can look into that then.”
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“Sport NI has appointed Fathom Consultancy Solutions, which is engaging with a range of stakeholders to take their views, including the national governing bodies of sport in the outdoor sector, partner organisations and commercial operators. The preferred options for a future operating model are expected to be presented to Sport NI for consideration before the end of March 2026. Following that, Sport NI will deliver a wider public consultation to ensure that local communities, stakeholders and centre users can share their views on the proposed options for the future of the centre. The consultation is planned to start in May and run for 12 weeks. I am not in a position to provide an update on the plans and associated timelines to deliver the future operating model, as those will not become apparent until a preferred option is selected.”
“I want to find a way to do that, and I will continue to find ways to make sure that we can get that agreement.”
“I thank the Member for his support. It is important that we have the capital to build homes, but that is not the only thing that we can do. We have to be inventive and look at innovative ways to deliver our targets. That is why I took decisions to help the housing associations grant go further and why I am making changes to the design guide to ensure that houses are built as efficiently as possible. It is also why I have brought a paper to the Executive to outline some of the ways that we can better utilise public land for housing. The paper is now with Executive colleagues, and I have received some feedback from other Ministers. There is more work for us to do to get the paper to a place where other Ministers can agree, but it is something that can be a substitute for capital. If I cannot get it in cash, I want to get it in land.”
“That work continues. When I came into post, I said that that should be a priority for us and that we should get it done. I was able to secure cross-party, cross-Executive agreement on the need for it to move forward. Progress has been made — we should acknowledge that — but we have got to the point where the Treasury recognises that it is an issue. We have provided all the information that it has asked for, sometimes two or three times. The work is progressing. There is a sound case to be made, and I will continue to make it and work with Executive colleagues to do so. However, I would appreciate the continued support of everybody in the House, because it is one thing that we can do in the mandate that can be a genuine game changer. Now is the time to get on with it.”
“We now have the Alliance and Sinn Féin members of the Committee on board as well. I hope that that can transfer to the Executive. <BR /> <BR />I am not asking for something new. I have not come up with a new proposal at the last minute that I expect the Executive to fund. However, if we make a promise and give a pledge, and if all agree that it should happen, the funding needs to follow that. I am fed up with people saying how much housing is a priority for them, but they are not prepared to follow that up with the funding. <BR /> <BR />My clear question is this: where do your priorities lie? I hope that Executive colleagues join me and the Committee in its unanimous view that the money for social housing should be earmarked. The public deserve clarity on that. It cannot just be us who advocate for social housing.”
“I do. I welcome the fact that the Committee has made that move and recognised the need for us to meet our target. To do that, we need to have the budget and make sure that it is properly earmarked for that. <BR /> <BR />We made a commitment as an Executive on this issue. I came forward and said that social housing should be a priority. I said, "Here is what, I believe, our target should be". The Executive agreed to that, signed up to it and reinforced it in the housing supply strategy. It is fairly straightforward that it should follow that the money comes. I have made that case to the Committee and to the Executive. In fairness to the Committee, we were back and forward a little bit on it, and I thank my colleagues and Andy Allen and Mark Durkan for being on board with it from the start.”
“<BR /> <BR />Others say that it is up to me to find the money from within my budget, but it is crystal clear that their priorities do not lie with housing. The draft Budget demonstrates just that.”
“The proposed funding for the SHDP is less than half of the total required. We are £128 million short. That means that, even if I devote all the capital proposed for my Department that is not earmarked, I cannot fund the Executive's commitment. In 2026-27, after I deal with my Department's inescapable commitments, I will have only £95 million of non-earmarked capital remaining. From that, I will have to determine how to meet £230 million of high-priority needs, including the £128 million still required for social housing. Therefore, even if I allocate no funding to any other project across my portfolio — urban regeneration, culture, heritage, sport or other housing priorities — I will still have a shortfall of £33 million.”
“<BR /> <BR />In some aspects, the support provided by some Executive colleagues has been found wanting, particularly with regard to funding allocated to my Department for social housebuilding. The funding allocations made over the first two years mean that we now have to start 2,600 homes next year. That will be extremely challenging and puts at clear risk the achievement of the Executive's Programme for Government target. That is why I have been pressing for a sufficient budget for social housebuilding to be earmarked in the Budget exercise.”
“With your permission, Mr Speaker, I will answer questions 2 and 3 together. <BR /> <BR />In their Programme for Government, the Executive committed to a target of starting 5,850 social homes by the end of the mandate. By the end of the financial year, we will, at best, have started 3,250. That leaves around 2,600 social homes required to be started next year to fulfil that commitment. The contribution from other Departments is vital to address whole-system barriers to supply. Examples of that include addressing waste water constraints. My officials are engaging closely with the Department for Infrastructure to unlock capacity for new social homes. I will circulate an action plan to the Executive shortly, and I trust that it will receive their full support.”
“The reforms are intended to improve the service overall to make it more robust and ensure that practices are more efficient at getting support to children through improved enforcement and collection. The reforms are intended to increase compliance and therefore reduce child poverty. There will be better support for victims of domestic abuse with the removal of the direct pay service. We will, of course, ensure that we maintain parity with GB so that there is no discrepancy in service.”
“That is absolutely why the reforms are taking place and the review is being put in place alongside a wider programme of reform to Child Maintenance Service operations. That includes compliance to ensure that children receive the maintenance to which they are entitled. That includes a focus on updating the child maintenance calculation system. That will ensure that any changes support parents and work effectively for CMS customers. If the Member has specific examples of where she believes that that is not working or, more generally, examples of where improvements need to be made, we are open to those because we need a Child Maintenance Service that is effective and does the job that it is meant to do — importantly, making sure that support gets to children.”
“My Department continues to work closely with DWP to progress reforms to the Child Maintenance Service (CMS), with a particular focus on strengthening compliance and improving enforcement. Following a consultation, secondary legislation will be brought forward to introduce administrative liability orders, reducing current enforcement timescales from around 22 weeks to an estimated six to eight weeks. The necessary legislation is expected to become operational in this calendar year.”
“All that feedback will be reviewed to ensure that the final model is able to provide an evidence-based, whole-school and child-centred model of delivery. This is the moment to take difficult decisions, be bold and transform. Above all, this is the moment to do what is right for our children and young people with special educational needs.”
“We need to make sure that we have clearer roles and responsibilities, structured professional development, high-quality specialised training and, importantly, appropriate pay and progression pathways that recognise the skill and importance of their work. That is what this Minister is committed to because that is what a modern, effective, child-centred SEN system looks like, and it is what our children, parents and schools deserve. <BR /> <BR />I emphasise that collaboration is important. A full public consultation will issue very soon to all stakeholders to ensure that parents, carers, children and young people, school leaders, teachers and classroom assistants will be able to have their say.”
“Where one-to-one support is appropriate, that will continue; where something better can be put in place, it will be. That is why we need to be brave on this. We need to collaborate with schools that are already implementing innovative approaches to providing support, but effective communication is key, and the EA will, along with the Department, engage extensively with parents and carers and classroom assistants as well as other major stakeholders. <BR /> <BR />We need to support classroom assistants better. They play an integral role. That needs to continue, but we need to invest in them.”
“The Minister is not focusing on this as a budget-saving exercise. Of course, it will be important to make sure that the system that is in place is sustainable. Most importantly, we need to make sure that this is right for children. That is what this is all about. Evidence has demonstrated that other models of support can be more effective in supporting children, so let us go for what actually works. From what I have heard in the Chamber today, some people believe that a one-size-fits-all model is the right thing. From what they have said in the Chamber today, some believe that the status quo is working. I do not believe that that is right, nor does the Education Minister, which is why he is moving to this enhanced support model.”
“I am tight for time, but I will if he is very brief.”
“For some children and young people with a statement of SEN, a one-to-one classroom assistant will continue to be the most appropriate approach to meeting their needs. Importantly, that will continue. It is important that we do not send out the wrong message, namely that that provision will be taken away. If it is right for the child, it will remain in place.”
“It is about ensuring that the support that we provide genuinely helps children to thrive. Our aim must always be to deliver the best possible outcomes for children and young people. Schools have told the Minister and the Department that they want a more flexible, child-centred model that respects their professional judgement and allows them to make the decisions that they know are right for their learners. They also want freedom within their schools budgets to allocate resources where they can have the greatest impact for our children and young people with SEN. That is why the enhanced support model is so important.”
“It is not about reducing support; it is about improving it.”
“We are saying that the system does not work. That is why change is required and why we need to have additional provision. In a second, I will come on to some of the comments that the Member and others made. International best practice reaffirms and reinforces that message. The strongest systems for learners with SEN all share key characteristics: early identification, multidisciplinary support, school-led decision-making and tailored interventions designed around the needs of each child. We need to move in that direction and shift away from what we have to a model that builds independence, empowers school leaders, utilises classroom assistants more effectively and delivers high-quality, consistent training and professional standards. <BR /> <BR />Let me be clear, because this has been raised during the debate.”
“It can unintentionally create dependency, it can reduce the amount of time that children spend learning with a qualified teacher and it often places classroom assistants in situations that go far beyond their training or remit. Crucially, that approach does not consistently deliver improved outcomes for children and young people with SEN. The evidence tells us that support in the classroom is most effective when classroom assistants are part of an integrated, whole-class approach that strengthens teacher leadership, encourages peer interaction and ensures that support is flexible, targeted and genuinely needs-led.”
“I take the opportunity to express the Education Minister's appreciation to the schools that have worked so diligently to make that happen. They have demonstrated a strong commitment to ensuring that every child in their community receives a school place that meets their needs, and we are grateful for that. <BR /> <BR />I turn to the focus of today and the cornerstone of SEN reform, which is the transformation of support for children with a statement of SEN. At present, our approach relies heavily on an almost universal model of one-to-one classroom assistant support for a child who has a statement, yet we now have a growing body of research and evidence showing that that approach, while well intentioned, does not consistently deliver the best outcomes. In some cases, it can even be counterproductive.”
“<BR /> <BR />The Minister recently wrote to all mainstream schools, urging them to engage constructively with the EA where they have been identified as suitable to facilitate a specialist provision. The letter emphasised that the EA had developed an enhanced package of support to ensure that schools were fully equipped and adequately supported throughout the process. That further emphasises the commitment to ensuring that all children with a statement of SEN have a school placement that is appropriate to meet their needs and in a school in their locality. In 2025, a total of 1,374 additional special education places were created across the education system. That included 29 new classes and special schools and 128 specialist provision classes in mainstream schools.”
“I am pleased to report that, in the first year, significant progress has been made. The statutory assessment process has been streamlined and digitised, providing a more timely and efficient service for families. The EA has also published its graduated response framework, established local impact teams and released operational plan 2, which prioritises area planning for special education provision. In addition, individual special schools' plans of action have been co-designed and published. Taken together, those actions represent substantial steps forward in improving the system's responsiveness, effectiveness and coherence in meeting each child's needs.”
“The current model is not working as well as it should, nor is it delivering outcomes that are comparable with those in other jurisdictions. We cannot and must not accept that. <BR /> <BR />In February 2025, the Minister published his SEN reform agenda and delivery plan, which was the most ambitious programme of SEN reform in a generation, setting a clear and determined vision for ensuring that children and young people with special educational needs can truly thrive in their education. Since then, he has continued to seek the commitment of ministerial colleagues to deliver the level of transformation that is required. <BR /> <BR />Following publication of the SEN reform agenda, work has focused on two key priorities: implementing the enabling actions that underpin system-wide reform; and progressing the delivery of the year 1 commitments.”
“Thank you, Madam Principal Deputy Speaker. As you said, I am responding today on behalf of the Minister of Education, who has repeatedly emphasised to the Executive that transforming our education system to meet the needs of our children and young people with special educational needs is, and will continue to be, one of his highest strategic priorities. <BR /> <BR />Transformation, in its very essence, requires us to be courageous. It requires us to question long-established practices, and it requires our unwavering commitment to building a system that is centred on what works best for our children and young people. For too long, our SEN system has struggled to deliver the outcomes that our children and young people deserve. The evidence is consistent and clear.”
“However, we can do more, and we must focus our efforts on the things that will get a return for the investment. I welcome Andy Allen's comments on the warm healthy homes fund, in particular. It is a no-brainer. It is one of the most important things that we can put money into. It is an investment not with a one-off benefit but with benefits that will recur each and every year. I am committed to doing what I can in that way. <BR /> <BR />Today is beneficial. It is good news that we are able to start the process of making these changes. There will be consequences for the Executive to consider as part of the budgetary process: the gap that will now exist because of the benefit cap will have to be filled. However, we commit to doing that today by bringing forward and supporting the LCM. I commend it to the House.”
“We need to make sure that we put all those different measures on the table, weigh them against one another, decide which will be most beneficial, and, then, prioritise them according to the difference that they can make in the lives of the people whom we are here to represent. <BR /> <BR />I am trying to push on with that work as quickly as I can with Executive colleagues. It is largely out of my hands. I encourage them, and I encourage you, as Members, to encourage those Ministers to come back with their feedback, so that we can have a proper discussion. There will be a dedicated conversation on that in the next few weeks, so that we can drill down into some of those areas. I agree that the measure that we are debating today is an important tool to help us tackle poverty.”
“Messaging will also advise claimants to ensure that their reported circumstances are up to date, and explain that the exact amount of UC received each month still depends on their individual circumstances. Thirdly, from April 2026, social media messages will be issued to raise awareness of the changes that are being developed. Finally, telephone support teams will be on hand to answer any queries arising from the changes. I hope that that will allay some of the fears that Members may have in relation to those issues. <BR /> <BR />This is not a debate on the anti-poverty strategy — I would welcome that very much — but Members have raised the issue. I completely agree that we need to have in place an anti-poverty strategy that will actually make a difference, will tackle the root causes of poverty and is affordable.”
“We have developed communications for affected UC claimants, not only to advise them but to support them to understand the changes that are coming into effect. That includes the Department's nidirect content being updated to explain the change and that subsequent reassessment of entitlement to UC will be automated. Alternative formats of communication are available on request, and all web content is considered to be in line with the accessibility regulations. <BR /> <BR />Secondly, as UC is a digital systems benefit, claimants will receive direct communication through their UC digital journal, advising of the removal of the two-child limit.”
“Our analysis shows that, as of November 2025, of the 1,580 households that are in receipt of transitional protection and that will be impacted on by the removal of the two-child limit, 1,050 of them will receive an increase in their UC award that is greater than their current transitional protection award. That will reduce their transitional protection award to zero, but their overall UC award will increase. The remaining 530 households will have their transitional element reduced, but their overall UC award will not change. I have asked questions about that and have been assured that nobody in Northern Ireland will be worse off as a result of the changes. <BR /> <BR />The other question that more than one Member asked concerned communication.”
“The intent behind it was to ensure not only that claimants who move to UC are not worse off at the point of transition from legacy benefits but that their award equalises over time with that of claimants who do not transition from legacy benefits. That is why the transitional element was put in place. Following the removal of the two-child limit, households that are currently affected by the two-child limit will see an increase in their underlying UC entitlement. That is expected to reduce any UC transitional element that may be in payment.”
“Thank you, Madam Principal Deputy Speaker. As I explained earlier, the removal of the two-child limit must be extended to Northern Ireland, and it is right that that is happening. Agreeing to the legislative consent motion will allow that important provision to be enacted across the UK. The abolition of the two-child limit will increase the amount of support available to families on universal credit with three or more children or qualifying young people. That is a significant change that will help our ambition to tackle child poverty. <BR /> <BR />I will highlight a few concerns that Members raised during the debate. The first relates to transitional protection.”
“<BR /> <BR />When it comes to the LCM, I am aware of the importance of the Assembly's role in considering legislation and of the scrutiny role of the Committee for Communities in particular. Whilst the use of the LCM process is not my preferred approach, by agreeing to the motion on the Bill, we can ensure that UC claimants in Northern Ireland receive the same welfare entitlements as their counterparts in Great Britain at the same time, and we will take an important step forward in helping to reduce child poverty in Northern Ireland. That is an outcome that we all, undoubtedly, wish to see.”
“My Department currently mitigates the benefit cap for families through welfare supplementary payments, which are paid automatically in order to offset the amount of benefit that is lost due to the cap. That means that the cost of providing the welfare mitigation scheme, which is funded through the Executive's departmental expenditure limit (DEL) budget, will increase. That is estimated to cost £9·4 million for 2026-27. The additional funding for the mitigation scheme will require Executive consideration as part of the 2026 to 2029-2030 multi-year Budget exercise. My officials are working on messaging and will communicate the changes to claimants through a range of well-established channels, including bespoke journal messages and nidirect.”
“<BR /> <BR />As of November 2025, 13,700 households in Northern Ireland were impacted on by the two-child policy. In those impacted households, there were 47,690 children, 17,450 of whom were not eligible for the child element of universal credit. With the removal of the two-child limit, those families can expect to see their UC entitlement increase by approximately £3,650 per year for each additional child. The removal of the restriction will lead to more children being eligible for the child element of universal credit, so there will be a consequential impact on Treasury-funded annually managed expenditure (AME), which is estimated at £59·6 million of additional expenditure in Northern Ireland for 2026-27. <BR /> <BR />The removal of the limit means that more families will be impacted on by the benefit cap.”
“It is a single-issue Bill, and I will briefly discuss the relevant provisions that it is proposed will extend to Northern Ireland. <BR /> <BR />Clause 2 does several things. First and foremost, it removes the two-child limit from article 15 of the Welfare Reform (Northern Ireland) Order 2015. Clause 2 also carries out a number of technical functions that stem from the removal of the limit. <BR /> <BR />Clause 3 sets out the territorial extent of the provisions and specifies a date for the Bill's coming into operation. It also provides a delegated power to the Department for Communities to make transitional or saving provisions in relation to clause 2, ensuring that the Department for Communities can provide for the smooth commencement of the new legislation and address any unforeseen issues in the implementation of the Bill's policy.”
“The Universal Credit (Removal of Two Child Limit) Bill was introduced in the House of Commons on 8 January. The Bill makes provision to remove that policy. The change will increase the amount of support available to families on universal credit (UC) with three or more children and aims to reduce the number of children living in poverty. It was a key ask in the draft anti-poverty strategy and was universally welcomed across the House. <BR /> <BR />The Bill is moving at pace through Parliament and is expected to complete its legislative stages on 12 March. Due to the compressed timescales to implement the reform from 6 April and to ensure that claimants here are not financially disadvantaged, I seek the Assembly's endorsement of a legislative consent motion (LCM) for provisions in the Bill to extend to Northern Ireland.”
“I am grateful to the Member for giving way. I am happy to confirm that work is ongoing. The consultation is out. Absolutely, we intend to incorporate the additional protections, such as time frames for investigating and beginning repairs and engaging with tenants. We have not waited for that to be put in law; we are doing it. That will make the changes when it comes through.”
“There is legislation in place here, and those landlords need to be held to account.”
“I appreciate the Member's giving way. This is important, because there is perhaps a bit of a misunderstanding on his part. If I have got that wrong, I am sorry. There is legislation in place that can deal with this, and there is a responsibility on councils to deal with it. In fact, councils can instruct properties and enforce required actions on:”
“It certainly takes up most of our time, because we know that having warm, healthy homes can make such a difference to our population. It is why today's debate is so important and why housing more generally is so important. I am committed to doing everything that I can to make sure that changes are put in place to enable us to make a real difference to the lives of people right across Northern Ireland. I look forward to having the House's support to do that.”
“I can take it, but I hope that, if they look at my record and see what has been achieved in the past two years, Members will agree that social housing has been a focus for me. That is why we have brought in, for the first time, the intermediate rent scheme, which I hope to develop. It is why we have made changes to the housing selection scheme, brought in additional protections for private tenancies, ring-fenced money for homelessness, introduced the housing supply strategy, made housing a Programme for Government commitment and, in what will make one of the biggest changes of all, introduced the warm healthy homes strategy. Housing is therefore not a secondary consideration for me. Rather, it is one of the most important priorities in the Department.”
“I can assure her that I am not blaming anyone else. I take full responsibility. That is why I am driving forward the social housing development programme and was so passionate when speaking about social housing at the Committee. I want to make sure that we get the programme done. I want there to be progress made on social housing. I need the support of others in the House in order to do that, but I am determined to do things that make a difference and bring about change. She said that I do not seem to be interested. After having heard me outline the steps that we have taken over the past number of months, I hope that she will perhaps change her mind. She also previously said in Committee that I do not "do housing". <BR /> <BR />People may disagree with me and with some of the actions that I have taken, and that is fine.”
“I appreciate that Members still want to support his amendment, but I can assure him that work is ongoing on what he is looking for. I appeal to him to let me know about any specific issues that he has as well. <BR /> <BR />I have addressed most of the other issues that were raised. I hope that Cathy Mason will not mind my coming back to a couple of the points that she made. I think that she accused me of trying to blame somebody else for this. I am certainly not blaming —.”
“I mean that sincerely. If there have been issues, I want to make sure that they are addressed, because I have been assured that those inspections are already in place at the point of a property becoming available. I understand what he is going to say: he is going to say that those need to continue through the time of a tenancy and not just between tenancies. That will already happen anyway because of the development of the temporary accommodation standards framework. That is commitment in the Housing Executive's strategic action plan for temporary accommodation. Work has already started on the development of that framework. The intention is that it will include physical standards, suitability standards and service standards for all types of temporary accommodation. That work is ongoing; it will happen anyway.”
“Of course, we are bringing in some of the other work as well for the private rented sector, specifically in relation to minimum energy efficiency standards. <BR /> <BR />To pick up on the amendment moved by Mr Durkan, I certainly support the amendment brought by my party colleagues, because our focus needs to be on getting the resources in place that can actually make a difference. However, I believe that there is support around the Chamber for Mr Durkan's amendment, which means that a decision will not be taken on Pam Cameron's amendment. That is fair enough. <BR /> <BR />I say to Mr Durkan that we are on the same page in wanting to make sure that those issues are addressed. I encourage him to come to my office with the specific queries. I want to check some of the issues that he has raised and why they have happened.”
“I will, however, still progress with the work that we are currently doing, especially around the Decent Homes Standard, because that will introduce the time frames that most people here are interested in. No one really went into the detail this afternoon of specifically what it is in Awaad's law that they want to see extended. I assume that it is those time frames. They will be coming in anyway. There are already avenues for redress, including legal avenues for redress. I believe that all those things are, largely, covered. If additional legislative protections are needed, that can be put in place. However, I want to make sure that we continue with this work, because that will make a difference in the shorter term; and, anyway, legislation will require those issues to be followed up on, and it will only be enabling legislation.”