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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“The Member is absolutely right to raise the issue, because we see time and again that disability is a huge factor that impacts on poverty. That is why we have 58 commitments in the strategy, many of which will directly impact on that and some of which will have an impact in other ways. There are a number of ways in which we can make a difference. One of the first key actions will be the collection and increased availability of data. A problem that we have had in the past is this: if we do not have the data, it is hard to put the policies in place to make a difference. <BR /> <BR />A number of other things that we are doing will also tackle poverty. It is often related to isolation, so, for example, there are ways in which we can make sure that people in urban and rural settings have access to transport.”
“It is important to highlight that that is why we will have the regional disability forum: to make sure that the strategy that we have and the actions that we put into the action plan are necessary and deliverable and that we are held to account on them. I am more than happy for us to subject ourselves to that scrutiny, because I do not want this to be a wasted opportunity; I want to do something that actually makes a difference, is tangible and has the right outcome. That is why I am committed to doing that and why the forum has such a key role. As I have said, I do not want that to be a tick-box exercise. I genuinely want to get that feedback, input and monitoring and to be held to account by that group.”
“We should not see it as money that we have to put into something; we should see how it can generate a return for us. I made this point in the House yesterday: taking the disability employment rate from 40% to 50%, as it is in the rest of the UK, for example, has the potential to generate savings of around £750 million a year. Helping deaf and disabled people can actually bring an economic return as well, so we should not see the strategy just as money that we spend but rather as an investment.”
“Of course, it is hard for us to put a price tag on that because we are just going out to consultation. We will hear people's views, and that is when we will decide the specific actions to implement as an Executive. Ministers will be aware that the strategy is coming forward. They will not necessarily be aware of all the actions that they may be required to take, but sufficient budgetary processes are there, and they should be thinking ahead about what needs to be done. If necessary, the Executive should allocate additional funding for that purpose. It is a little bit hard for us to be final on it until we know what will be in the final strategy and the action plans that will follow. However, we absolutely should be prepared to allocate money to it, where possible. <BR /> <BR />We should see the strategy as an investment.”
“Although it will take some time to progress the strategy, it is important that we do it right and that we deliver for deaf and disabled people in the meantime, and I will certainly do that.”
“<BR /> <BR />We do not have definitive timescales, but it is important to note that, even in the absence of the strategy, we have not been found wanting in getting on and delivering for deaf and disabled people in Northern Ireland, whether that is through the disability and work strategy; the Sign Language Bill that is progressing through the House; the JobStart programmes that we have been able to put in place; what we are doing in housing, in particular with the disabled adaptations and grants that we make available; lobbying the Government on some of the disgraceful changes that they announced on support for disabled people; or the many other issues.”
“The time frames will depend on the responses that we get to the public consultation. I will go back to Executive colleagues so that they can look at the recommendations that come through during the consultation process. The Executive will then consider what can be put into the final strategy and the action plans that can come from that. That will take some time.”
“I expect them to be very forthright in holding Ministers and the Department for Communities to account. I want them to do that, and I know that they will. We will certainly look at how it is structured to make sure that we can do that effectively. Ultimately, we should all want to deliver, and we need to be held to account on that.”
“I had a meeting last week with some people representing the disability sector. The points that I made to them will answer the Member's question. First of all, it will be for Ministers to bring forward actions, and they need to be held to account on those actions. I hope that the Assembly and its scrutiny Committees will do that for individual Ministers. During my time in office, I will certainly make sure that I hold other Ministers to account, and that we put proper priority on delivering things that will be of benefit to deaf and disabled people. <BR /> <BR />Last week, I made it clear to the group that the forum is not simply a tick-box exercise for me. I have not simply put a few deaf and disabled people on the group as a token; the group will comprise deaf and disabled people entirely.”
“We are going to start that work now. Some people think that we in Northern Ireland should replicate the Equality Act 2010, but, as I said, key stakeholders in the disability sector do not believe that it is fit for purpose. One of the reasons that it is important that we put the disability forum in place is that we will hear views from people before that legislation is drafted. I want that forum to be set up and for it to feed into the process. The legislation can then be brought forward. If any legislative changes can be made during the rest of the mandate, we will certainly do that, but the Member will be aware of how long it takes legislation to progress. If that is not possible, I want to make sure that we are well placed to introduce fit-for-purpose legislation at the start of a new mandate.”
“Naturally, all documents will be available in a range of accessible formats to make it as easy as possible for everyone to contribute to the consultation. I encourage as many people as possible to take part in the consultation. I place on record my sincere thanks to everyone who has taken the time to share their experiences and suggestions. <BR /> <BR />Taken in conjunction with the recent launch of my Department's disability and work strategy, today's announcement signifies my commitment to the deaf and disabled community and a step change from the Northern Ireland Executive in delivering for deaf and disabled people, their families and their carers. <BR /> <BR />I commend the statement to the House.”
“We have worked closely across Departments to commit to the actions in the strategy, and the Executive have given it their endorsement. We must continue to work together to ensure that, collectively, we achieve better outcomes for deaf and disabled people. I will be launching a minimum 12-week public consultation on the disability strategy. That wide-ranging conversation with society provides an opportunity for everyone to contribute their views and highlight any areas that can be strengthened further. In addition to being able to engage in the consultation online, we will be hosting a series of roadshow events across Northern Ireland, at which people who attend can engage with officials.”
“A formal midpoint review will allow for the strategy to be assessed, taking account of the annual reports on the action plan. That review will provide an opportunity for the strategy's commitments to be reviewed, amended, removed or added to if necessary. The strategy's impact will be measured through the delivery of actions in the action plan and progress against agreed indicators and outcomes.”
“<BR /> <BR />Once it is approved in final form by the Executive, the disability strategy will run for a 10-year period from 2025 to 2035. It will be underpinned by an action plan that will contain a range of time-bound, measurable actions targeted at progressing the strategy outcomes and commitments. The action plan will be monitored, reviewed and updated annually, with published progress reports that will be agreed by the Executive.”
“Those outcomes will ensure that deaf and disabled people can effectively exercise their rights and fundamental freedoms and participate in society on an equal basis, free from discrimination; that they can access our built environment, facilities and transport on an equal basis; that, across our public services, government information and communications will be provided on an equal basis; that they can access and participate in culture, leisure activities and sport on an equal basis; that they can live independently in the community with choice and control, with a sufficient and sustainable standard of living; that they can have access to quality health and social care on an equal basis and without discrimination; that they can access, sustain and progress in quality employment in an inclusive labour market; and that deaf and disabled children and young people can exercise their rights and reach their full educational, social and developmental potential.”
“The Disability Discrimination Act is 30 years old. There is a clear gap between the legislative protections available to disabled people here and those in, for example, Great Britain, where the Equality Act 2010 is in force. I can also announce today that scoping work is under way in my Department with a view to the full incorporation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) into domestic law. That, of course, will require additional funding across Departments, but I am sure that we can all agree that it is the right thing to do. <BR /> <BR />The strategy is constructed around eight outcomes. During the lifetime of the strategy, there will be continuous monitoring of its delivery.”
“The forum will also link in with the Department of Health's existing regional disabled people's health and social care forum as appropriate and will be able to engage with all Departments on their responsibilities in the strategy. I have also taken steps to ensure that forum membership will be fully representative of our community. For example, places will be reserved for young people who have not yet had the life opportunities or lived experience to be able to demonstrate the academic credentials or experience that normally indicates suitability for a place on such a body. <BR /> <BR />We were also told of the desire to see reform of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, which, stakeholders believe, is no longer fit for purpose. I, too, believe that there is a clear case for the review and potential reform of disability law here.”
“<BR /> <BR />From an early stage of the engagement, it was apparent that a number of key asks were coming from across the sector about what it wished to see in a new disability strategy. I wish to cover some of those asks briefly and how we intend to deal with them through the new strategy. <BR /> <BR />First, there was a universal desire to establish a Northern Ireland disability forum wholly comprised of deaf and disabled people and having a role in supporting the monitoring and reporting processes involved with any new disability strategy. I can announce today that the strategy commits my Department to establishing a Northern Ireland disability forum to monitor the actions included in the strategy. The forum's membership will be made up entirely of deaf and disabled people, with my officials providing secretarial support.”
“<BR /> <BR />We have a wealth of experience in our voluntary and community sector, and we know that its insight and value cannot be overstated. In developing the disability strategy, we have carried out many engagement events with individuals and organisations that represent the deaf and disabled community. Those events were delivered online and in person. Special efforts were made to engage with those who can often be the hardest to reach in Northern Ireland, including minority ethnic communities and the Travelling community. Those marginalised yet often inspirational people freely contributed their lived experience and ideas to my officials. I want to tell them this: your views were valued greatly. You were not only heard but, more important, listened to.”
“The disability strategy vision, outcomes, principles and terminology and language used are all a product of that extensive engagement process, and the strategy commitments are broadly reflective of the wishes of the sector. <BR /> <BR />The strategy represents further delivery against our Programme for Government (PFG) commitments. It also intersects with a range of strategic agendas such as the anti-poverty strategy, the autism and mental health strategies, my Department’s disability and work strategy and the review of special educational needs (SEN) provision. In co-producing the disability strategy, we have placed people with lived experience of disability at the centre, involving them at every stage to ensure that we have identified and shaped the change needed to achieve better outcomes.”
“Around one in four people in Northern Ireland experience some form of disability, and it is fair to say that we are all impacted to some extent. Everyone’s experience of living with disability is unique, and so any new strategy needs to be able to flex to accommodate the often complex and unique interventions that are to be managed. Through the sharing of lived experience by deaf and disabled people and by our commissioning of bespoke research, the disability strategy demonstrates that we have taken account of the issues raised by deaf and disabled people, the expert advisory panel, the co-design group, the cross-departmental working group and many other stakeholders during significant engagement processes.”
“I wish to make a statement to the Assembly regarding my plans to bring forward a new Executive disability strategy for Northern Ireland.”
“My goodness, how shameful would it be if we were unable to recoup money from criminals and fraudsters but continued to pay them and be fined by Westminster for that? It is a black and white issue. It is straightforward, and it is time to get on with it. Let us target those who are stealing from the rest of us and do everything we can so that we are not fined.”
“The Bill is going through Westminster, and, if we cannot get the Executive's agreement on the matter, we will not have the same enhanced measures to detect, prevent and deter fraud and to recover money that has been overpaid or stolen. It means that the Treasury may consider penalising the Northern Ireland block grant, so there is a reputational risk.”
“I have two papers with the Executive on fraud and error. I cannot comprehend why the party opposite is not allowing them on to the agenda. The Treasury has committed to a business case that would see Northern Ireland recover some of the money that is lost to fraud. When we have Ministers going around saying how tight budgets are, I would have thought that they would welcome the fact that I am bringing forward something that would take money off criminals — those who are deliberately misrepresenting their circumstances to take money that is not theirs. That does not involve a few hundred pounds, but £30,000, £40,000 and, in some cases, £65,000. Therefore, we need to deal with the issue.”
“Absolutely. We have another expansion of the JobStart scheme to ensure that we can get more people into work and give them the support that they need. Certainly, I will make a bid for that, because it is a programme that has had a high success rate.”
“I am not sure how much will come from that or how much will be a Barnett consequential that we will be able to avail ourselves of. However, none of it will come ring-fenced; it will be for the Executive to decide how to spend it.”
“A number of supports are available through the Department, including discretionary support for those who find themselves in difficulty. If the Member would like a full list of the supports that we give, I would be happy to provide it to her directly in writing. I understand what a difficult time that can be, and we want to be in a position to help. We have a number of schemes that will help those who are in need.”
“Those discussions have taken place. There has also been correspondence, but, to date, there has been no positive response from the relevant Ministers.”
“It was left by members of his party to get us to this stage. I am the one who is driving it forward. It would be preferential if it had been done long before now.”
“I would like to see all clubs going through and all needs being met. Perhaps if the money had not been held to ransom over the past 14 years by members of his party, we might have been able to see more people get through. He shakes his head, but that is the case. There is no reason why that money could not have been released earlier. There is no reason why we could not have made progress. It was left —.”
“We are not currently undertaking reviews of the football fund, because we are progressing through to the next stage and doing the due diligence that we said would be done. That continues, and I look forward to its being completed so that we can move on to the next stage.”
“I would need to do a little bit more work on that to see exactly what would be involved and what additional responsibilities it would place on the Department, but I will happily come back to the Member on that.”
“I absolutely agree with the Member: the voices of young people need to be heard. Their voices are heard in different ways. We have public consultation processes in which young people can share their views. I have had a number of engagements with the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People. Engagements have also happened through different arm's-length bodies to ensure that we meet the needs of young people and hear their views. If the Member thinks that we should take any further actions, I would be happy to hear about them.”
“I hope to bring that to the Executive very soon. Before doing so, I wanted to engage with the Department of Finance — that is what I have been doing — and Land and Property Services on some of the issues. Unfortunately, we are still going back and forth on them. I hope to bring that policy to the Executive very soon, however, because I want us to use every single tool in our arsenal to get into a position to build more homes. I will continue to work on that.”
“I am grateful to the Member for raising the matter. I raise it all the time in the House, and I have to say that I am starting to get really fed up with how we are going round and round in circles on it. I am quite happy to update the House today. The Treasury asks for more information, we provide that information and it then asks for more. We need the Government to recognise how urgent it is, and we need them to get on with it. This is not complex; it is about a slight clarification of what the Northern Ireland Housing Executive is. We need to get on with that, and we need the Government to step up. I will continue to make that case.”
“We need to make sure that we become more productive overall. We also need to tackle not only the benefits bill but fraud and error in the system. The cost of that is £350 million a year. Our constituents go out every day to work hard, but there are those who deliberately misrepresent their circumstances. People ask, "Why do you always go on about this? Why do you always go on about welfare fraud and welfare error?". I do so because that comes at a cost to the people whom I represent and impacts on those who are in need. I am unashamed in standing up for and alongside those who go out and do a decent day's work. The question is this: why will Sinn Féin not join me in that? Why will it not let my paper go on the Executive agenda so that we can put a plan in place to deal with welfare fraud and error? I am on the side of working people.”
“Yes, absolutely. I will give the Member some figures. Ten years ago, working-age benefits across the UK cost £57 billion. Today, the cost is more than £127 billion. In Northern Ireland, five years ago, the estimated working-age welfare bill was £3·2 billion. In just five years, that has risen to £4·7 billion. That is an increase of almost 50% in five years. Let me ask this: do we feel 50% better off? Have we dealt with poverty through that? No, we have not, so we cannot keep going down that route. We need the economy to be more productive and to get more people into work, because that is unsustainable. We cannot continue to find ourselves in a position where, perversely, it is more economically advantageous to be on benefits than in work. <BR /> <BR />It is about how we will create a functioning, better society.”
“We have a problem in this country with economic inactivity. In the UK as a whole, economic inactivity is at 21%; in Northern Ireland, it is at almost 27%. That is why I am investing over £12 million in a new JobStart programme that helps those who find it hardest to access employment. We need to get more people into work, and that is what we are doing through that scheme.”
“That requirement adds thousands of pounds to the cost of every house, and removing it would more than outweigh the reduction in the grant that is available. I am more than happy to say that I will not stick to the status quo and will always look for innovative ways in which we can do our job and meet our targets. I will work with the housing associations on that, and we will use every lever that we can. It is important, however, that we get as much out of our grant as possible so that we can build as many homes as possible.”
“We have done extensive work and research to make sure that we are putting the grant where it can make the most impact and deliver the most homes. I need to stretch it as far as possible. Quite frankly, Mr Durkan, the status quo is not good enough. I can do only what I can with the money that I have. I need to make it go further. That is why I need the housing associations to work with me and to look at, yes, additional private finance but also making the moves that we can make, and that they have asked me to make, to make the building of homes more cost-effective. <BR /> <BR />There are issues around the design guide that I have said that I will look at urgently. The housing associations have asked me whether every single home needs to have the extra structure in place so that they can be adapted for disabilities.”
“Yes, the reduction in the grant, if that is the only thing that happens, will have an impact, but it needs to be matched by other actions, looking at efficiencies, the design guide and private investment.”
“The Department and the sector face many challenges, particularly in relation to budget. Those challenges create opportunities for us to be creative. We need to do more with less. We need to work together to address the barriers to finance and social housing supply. I have not seen the research that is quoted in the media today. I have no doubt that it will continue to be a challenging environment for housing associations if they continue to do everything in the way that they have always done. That is why I have said that I will work with them urgently on the design guide and other regulations to find efficiencies and make it as cheap as possible, within current standards, to build more homes.”
“There are rules around the release of information — some of it may need to be caveated or redacted — but I am more than happy to do everything that we can within the law to be as open and transparent as possible.”
“I am happy to confirm that it will all be done in a completely fair and transparent manner. That is set out in all the guidance notes and documentation. I encourage Members, and members of the public who have applied, to read that guidance, where they will see the processes that will be put in place and what we will be doing to help the projects to progress.”
“As I have said, we need to make sure that projects are shovel-ready so that the money can be spent in the next financial year. We did not want to be in a position where we were taking a risk on applicants being able to get planning permission, because that would put the ability to spend that money in-year under pressure. That is why that rule was put in place.”
“I am pleased to report that there has been positive engagement with the AERA Minister. As the Member will be aware, over 50% of applications were from rural communities. I hope that we can make progress and announce the detail of that very soon. It is an important fund, which will make significant changes to communities, rural and urban, and I look forward to its being progressed. I understand the Member's concerns with regard to the high costs involved with building control applications. I will be meeting officials after Question Time to discuss that, and I am happy to provide the Member with an update in due course. It is important that projects are shovel-ready to ensure that all spending is incurred within the financial year, but I hear what is being said, and I will do my best on that.”
“Mr Speaker, with your permission, I will answer questions 8 and 14 together. <BR /> <BR />I can advise that 744 of the 835 applicants who submitted expressions of interest have been invited to complete a stage 2 application. The stage 2 application process opened on Thursday 4 December, and it will close on Monday 23 January 2026. <BR /> <BR />Stage 1 — the expression of interest — was deliberately light touch to make it accessible for all groups. However, stage 2 will be a more in-depth application form, which will be assessed by Co-operation Ireland. Applications will be scored against evidence of need, impact and sustainability, capacity and readiness and value for money. It is intended that applicants will be notified of the final outcome by the end of March 2026.”
“Under my leadership, that is the policy of the Department. That is what we are pursuing, and we believe that people should be free to choose. There has been ongoing work on that since I came into office, and I have made very clear what I expect of officials. Work is being done, some of it at an international level, and some of it at a UK-wide level as sports councils meet to set policy. The Member can be assured that that is the policy of the Department under my leadership.”
“I am grateful to the Member for his question and for his support of the project. Both he and Diane Forsythe have raised it with me separately, and I understand its importance, not just for South Down but for Northern Ireland more widely. The Member will be aware that a review is taking place. I cannot say anything more on that at the moment, but I promise to keep him and other interested Members updated.”