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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“I have greater ambition for our people than to see an ever-growing welfare bill and ever more people being dependent on welfare. I believe that that is the ambition of many people in Northern Ireland — I see it all the time. People have come to me and told me about how they want support to enable them to get into work. I have had disabled people in my office who have told me just that, saying, "Give me help. Make sure that we have a welfare system that helps and incentivises me to get into work". There are opportunities for reform and ways in which we can reduce the welfare bill. Those include looking at fraud and error and, importantly, making sure that we put in place measures that help people who want to be in work to get into work. <BR /> <BR />I have had numerous engagements over the past 14 months.”
“I would be laughed out of the Chamber, but that is exactly what has happened at Westminster. We have a Government that do not know the impacts that this will have. We do not know what impacts it will have in Northern Ireland. We have not done the calculations and sums to understand, for example, what impact the new PIP criteria will have, how many people will be affected or how many people might score differently. It is ill-thought-out and wrong. I have made my opposition clear. It is clear that there is consensus across the Chamber that it is the wrong decision, although people will have different views on the matter. <BR /> <BR />I place on record, as I have done before, that I have no objection whatsoever to reform of our welfare system. In fact, I would welcome reforms to our welfare system that could reduce the welfare bill.”
“<BR /> <BR />We have heard a number of comments about the impacts that the changes will have, but what has been missed in the wider public commentary around that, although it was mentioned once or twice in the debate, is the fact that PIP and universal credit often go to people who are in work. They often go to people who otherwise might not be able to stay in work. Again, we have more perverse consequences of that decision. <BR /> <BR />The other thing that frustrates me is that the Government do not really have any idea how much this will cost or how much it will save. Can you imagine if I were to come to the Chamber one week and say that I was going to bring forward proposals that would save £5 billion, and then to come back the following week and say, "No, that was wrong. It will actually be only £3·4 billion"?”
“The Government put that in place thinking that it would save them money when, in fact, it may end up actually costing them more money because it will push more people towards applying for pension credit — I welcome that — which becomes a passport to other benefits. Perversely, there may be a greater cost to the Government when they are actually trying to save money. In other ways, it will cost because additional people will suffer and, perhaps, even require hospital admission because of the decisions that the Government have made on the winter fuel payment. I believe that there will be the same impact from the changes that are being made here.”
“Thank you very much, Madam Principal Deputy Speaker. I thank the proposer of the motion and all those who have contributed to the debate. I do not intend to go into the detail of everything that has already been said. I do not intend to go into all the consequences that those decisions will have. They are well known, and I have already placed my views on record in the Chamber, in the media and directly with the Government. <BR />I believe that the changes are wrong, are ill-thought-out and will have longer-term consequences beyond the pounds and pence that we are talking about today. Another example of that is found in the Labour Government's decision to reduce the winter fuel payment and the number of people who are eligible for it.”
“I appreciate the Member's giving way. He will be aware of the budgetary constraints that we are under and the decisions that need to be made. He made the point well that the Government can save money and help people at the same time by ensuring that there is investment. Investment in the job programmes that he mentioned is a way in which we could help people and save money at the same time. That is the route that any Government should go down, especially a Labour Government.”
“Therefore, I will give a commitment to engage with the Department for Work and Pensions on behalf of those diagnosed with a terminal illness in order to encourage the introduction of additional measures, such as those outlined today, to ensure that we have financial security and dignity for people in their final months. Finally, I assure Members that I will continue to advocate greater support and a system that truly meets the needs of those who are most vulnerable.”
“It is important to highlight the role that the Make the Call service can play when supporting anyone who is in need of financial assistance. Through that service, which is available only in Northern Ireland, assessors from my Department will carry out a needs assessment that is based on individual personal circumstances, look at which benefits, supports and services may be available and signpost how to claim. Last year, Make the Call helped almost 11,000 people to get an additional £50 million in benefits and supports, with an average additional £88 a week. <BR /> <BR />Whilst I take pride in standing here today to champion the work that the Department undertakes to support those most in need, I recognise that it is important that we continue to explore what more can be done for the most vulnerable individuals.”
“Entitlements to those benefits can, in turn, lead to further support, some of which includes assistance with housing costs or mortgage interest, access to discretionary support, help with healthcare and travel costs, cold weather support and access to the blue badge parking and mobility schemes. <BR /> <BR />I am also aware that there can be a financial impact on family members and carers when there has been a terminal illness diagnosis. Therefore, I remind Members of the additional support available to assist those who provide the much-needed care for their loved ones. Carer's allowance, ESA care premium, UC care credit, carer's credit and, if the time comes when they are needed, bereavement support payments and funeral expense payments are there to assist with the financial burdens incurred by family members.”
“<BR /> <BR />The special rules for end of life apply to three key working-age benefits that support people with health conditions or disabilities: personal independence payment, universal credit (UC) and employment and support allowance (ESA) The special rules apply to people who have been diagnosed as having 12 months or less to live. That approach ensures that clinicians have discretion but are supported by a realistic and straightforward definition that is consistent with current NHS practice. The 12-month eligibility criteria broaden access to benefits, and, under the special rules, all eligible benefit claims are paid as fast as possible.”
“<BR /> <BR />I assure Members that I recognise the challenges faced by individuals who have been diagnosed with a terminal illness and the increased need for financial security at that time. Therefore, I take the opportunity to highlight to Members some of the mechanisms that are in place in my Department so that we can do what we can to help provide financial support to those who need it most. My Department supports people nearing the end of life through special benefit rules. Those enable people to get faster, easier access to certain benefits without needing to attend a medical assessment or serve waiting periods, and, it most cases, it enables them to receive the highest rate of benefit.”
“Thank you very much, Mr Deputy Speaker. I welcome the opportunity to respond to today's motion. I have listened intently as colleagues have set out the key issues and challenges faced by those who have been diagnosed with a terminal illness. I am sure that we are all familiar with those challenges. I thank everyone who contributed for the tone of the debate. It is an issue that touches so many lives. Like my colleagues here today, I am committed to standing with those facing a terminal illness. A terminal illness diagnosis should not be compounded by financial hardship, and we must ensure that those facing their most difficult moments receive the dignity and support that they deserve.”
“No direction has been given, but it will have to meet value-for-money conditions as well. I have every confidence that the Housing Executive will ensure that that is the case. <BR /> <BR />I am sorry; the Member had another question at the start. No? Hopefully, I have answered the Member's question, but, if I have missed anything, I can get back to her.”
“They will primarily be identified on the basis of need, because we spend far too much money on non-standard temporary accommodation: £12 million in the last financial year compared with just £600,000 a few years before that. This will save money overall. It is a good use of resources; it is an investment; and it will save us up to £75 million over seven years. We want to maximise that saving, which is why the purchases will primarily be targeted in the areas of greatest need.”
“Nothing has been on my desk that makes me think that the changes to which the Member refers are a matter of concern. I want to make sure that the outstanding issues are dealt with as soon as possible so that we can start construction. As I said, the good people of Bangor have been waiting for too long.”
“The Member will be aware that there are still a few issues with that project that need to be ironed out. It has been delayed, which is a source of frustration to many of those involved. We have waited decades for the project to progress. I am determined to make sure that it will progress, and the Member will be aware of some of the discussions with stakeholders that are taking place. I am certainly doing everything that I can to make sure that the project progresses.”
“Because there is additional work to do on that strategy, including taking it through a cross-departmental working group that will be established. I have limited resources and a small team. I have prioritised the anti-poverty strategy — rightly, I believe — because it has taken so long, and I look forward to that work being taken forward soon.”
“The Member will be aware that I am taking forward the anti-poverty strategy first because that has been a requirement on us since 1998, and there has not been the required level of work or publication. That is being taken forward. Work on the disability strategy is progressing, and further work will be carried out in due course on the additional strategies.”
“Yes, they have. The work carried out by the group has been essential to the framing of the strategy and some of its policies. I am asking for a little more patience so that I can get the strategy to the Executive and, hopefully, get their agreement. I will speak to the group before the strategy goes out for public consultation. I certainly do not agree that their time has been wasted. It is appreciated, but there is a process that we are going through.”
“I can speak only for myself. I certainly do not feel that those relationships are damaged. They were given a task; they have carried out that task; and they have done it well. As was communicated to those groups by the previous Minister, that portion of their work has been completed. We now need to take the anti-poverty strategy to the Executive, and I look forward to hearing their response. I will then engage with those additional groups before we head out for public consultation.”
“We want to hear all perspectives, and I have no doubt that the America250 Commission will ensure that all stories are told. My focus, however, is on making sure that the story of people from here is told. That is a good-news story. The spirit of those who left here and all that they took with them contributed to what the United States is today, and that is something to be celebrated.”
“My focus is on promoting Northern Ireland and doing everything that we can to tell the stories of those who came from here, but I am happy to make sure that we tell the story of slavery, in particular how slavery ended in the British Empire and how the UK Parliament was one of the first to take action to make sure that it was ended.”
“I stick by my commitment, which was the funding envelope of £62·5 million. I have asked for a meeting with Jarlath Burns, the president of the GAA, to update him and to find out the GAA's latest position. I believe that that meeting will take place in the next couple of weeks.”
“I met the Secretary of State recently, and I asked him about the contribution that the UK Government might make. He said that any contribution, if there is to be any at all, is not known at this time and that it will be June before he will be in a position to confirm whether any additional funding is available.”
“I undertook a recent visit that was to do with the need for such spaces in order for the arts to thrive, so, yes, it is certainly on my agenda.”
“It is something that is of concern to me. On Saturday evening a week ago, I had the opportunity to attend the Young Farmers' Clubs of Ulster arts gala, which was a fantastic example of what local arts organisations that operate outside Belfast, outside the other big cities and outside areas where there is infrastructure support can achieve. I have met the Arts Council, and I am looking at ways in which we can help grassroots arts projects, so I hope to make an announcement soon.”
“It is something that I am happy to look at. The Member is not the first to raise the issue with me, and there are places in my constituency that fall into that category as well. The Member has been consistent and persistent on the issue, and I will keep it in mind.”
“I think that that is the third topical question that the Member has asked and the third time that he has raised the issue, so I should have been prepared for that one. I do not have an update at this time, but I will furnish him with one as soon as I have it.”
“We were already operating in a difficult environment. Although we were not aware of some of the specific changes that were coming, the strategy has been drafted in such a way that means that we are dealing with the root causes of poverty and are not just looking at the benefit and welfare system, as important as that is. The strategy will tackle the root causes of poverty. We will adapt and change it through those action plans. It is about setting a framework; it will not be set in stone.”
“The anti-poverty strategy will certainly deal with that. As I said, we will also bring forward a disability strategy and disability work strategy. I believe that there is a joined-up approach from the Executive on that matter, and I hope that it continues.”
“It is important that the strategy be flexible. Although different action plans will come out of it and can be refreshed, first and foremost, the strategy provides a framework for the way forward. It is right that we have that, but we need to be agile and make sure that we actually put measures in place that will make a difference.”
“I can confirm that I will send the draft anti-poverty strategy to Executive colleagues today. I hope to see its impact as soon as possible, but, ultimately, that will depend on its getting Executive approval.”
“Absolutely. You have to show up and be in the room. I took some criticism for going there in October, but the fact that I was able to go at that time, make those initial connections and build on them over the past six months led to what we now have in place. That is important. It will produce dividends for Northern Ireland. In practical terms, we already have solid achievements that have come out of the engagements that we have had. That does not mean that you agree with everything that the current Administration might do. I visited Washington in the past, when Joe Biden was in office. I have visited now, when Donald Trump is in office. Regardless of who the occupant of the White House is, we turn up, show up and speak up for Northern Ireland. In doing that over the past year, we have achieved tangible delivery for Northern Ireland.”
“That is all-important because it allows us to tell people about Northern Ireland, and in telling people about Northern Ireland, we get more interest, and in getting more interest, more people will visit here and, we hope, study here and invest here. That is a very worthwhile piece of work.”
“The memorandum of understanding is going to be important because it will set the framework for how the story of this place is told. I am pleased that there was a genuinely open door from the America250 commission, which was excited about the stories that we had to tell, and the possibilities that that created for Northern Ireland and the United States. <BR /> <BR />I see a number of benefits coming from that. First and foremost, it puts Northern Ireland on the map and up the agenda with regard to the celebrations next year. We now have a direct link to the commission. We will have an understanding with it about what we can provide, and how the story of people from here can be told.”
“That will be underpinned by a memorandum of understanding. <BR /> <BR />I announced a first-time partnership with the Library of Congress, National Archives and other institutions in Washington to host an archive research placement from the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) to develop a collection of archive documents to help to uncover and tell the stories of our shared past. <BR /> <BR />I spoke at an event at the Smithsonian Institution entitled "Divided Communities: Difficult Histories", where I was able to tell a little bit more of that story, showcase the work of National Museums NI and announce funding for the Ulster American Folk Park.”
“I had a busy programme, planned to enhance existing relationships and to establish long-term collaborations with a key partner for Northern Ireland. I was able to promote Northern Ireland at the very highest levels through a series of important engagements. <BR /> <BR />The semiquincentennial of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 2026 is an event of global significance, and I want to ensure that Northern Ireland is ready to mark the occasion, and that our contribution, past and future, is recognised. The semiquincentennial commemorations formed a key aspect of my discussions with the America250 commission. I secured special status for Northern Ireland, recognising the deep historical and cultural ties shared with the United States for the major international event and celebration being held in June 2026.”
“However, this should be a longer piece of work, where we are starting, through that celebration, to tell people about Northern Ireland and what this place is like, but we need to keep that going so that we can maximise the benefits that come with tourism, genealogy and sport tourism as well as wider investment — and, hopefully, more people seeing this as a place not just to visit but to study.”
“Absolutely. Most people in the States and elsewhere will be aware of the Famine and post-Famine emigration to the US, and the impact that some of those emigrants had, especially in New England and the north-east. If you were to go back 100 years previously, however, it was people from Ulster who really made the biggest impact with the signing of the Declaration of Independence and getting elected to Congress and the White House, and that is worth celebrating. <BR /> <BR />There is a responsibility on us to keep this going. We will have a memorandum of understanding for the semiquincentennial celebrations with the America250 commission.”
“Yes, absolutely. I encourage all our councils to get involved. I think that a number of them are doing that. Mid and East Antrim Borough Council obviously has links to Chester Arthur and Andrew Jackson. Clearly, the links that we have in Fermanagh and Omagh are told at the Ulster American Folk Park, about which I was delighted to make an announcement. I think that we should do that. The Administration officials and the commission officials in the States whom I spoke to were intrigued and interested by the fact that we want to commemorate that and to tell the stories of those who left Ulster to go to the States. Councils should be encouraged to do that as well. It should be not only a sense of pride for us in those who left here and did so well but an opportunity to continue to highlight those connections with the US.”
“Absolutely; those presidents were Chester Arthur and William McKinley. I am keen to support celebrations that help to promote those links that exist between what is now Northern Ireland and the United States. I am keen to see those celebrations take place, because we should be very proud of the connections that we have and the fact that the spirit of those who left to go to the United States remains here today, and that is worth celebrating. I want to make sure that we continue to put that on the agenda of decision makers in the US, because it will have benefits for tourism and our economy. Those are the types of celebrations that I want to see. They can really stand out and show the US how the connections that we have can be beneficial on both sides of the Atlantic.”
“The Department provides funding on an annual basis to all local councils for community festivals through the community festivals fund. Community groups that wish to mark the occasion may be eligible to apply for support through their local council. I am continuing to explore other opportunities through my Department to support organisations that are participating in the semiquincentennial commemorations, and I will make further announcements in the near future.”
“Absolutely. I am more than happy to put on record my thanks to the Member for his many decades of service to football in Northern Ireland. I am aware of the importance of grassroots football, especially for young people, and the extent of it right across Northern Ireland. I am very keen to make sure that we move forward with the Northern Ireland football fund. I am pleased to be able to progress the grassroots element, because that is where so much of the work goes on and where so much of our talent is nurtured. I hope to be in a position soon to release details of when that grassroots call will go out. The Member will be aware that performance was the priority, but I want to make progress on all elements and look forward to doing that.”
“The Irish FA is developing capital funding to modernise grassroots facilities on behalf of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) through the IFA DCMS grassroots facilities investment fund 2023-25. I welcome the recent announcement of a UK-wide £100 million funding package to upgrade grassroots sports facilities and pitches, of which £3 million is being made available to support projects in Northern Ireland and will be distributed in partnership with the IFA for 2025-26. However, I am aware that that fund will not meet the demand at that level of the game. My Department is working with the IFA to fully understand the need at grassroots level.”
“I am sorry. I was trying to find the translation of that, so I do not think that I heard all of it. If there was an invite, I would be more than happy to take up that invitation and use it as an opportunity to highlight Belfast and Northern Ireland on the world stage.”
“Yes, absolutely; in fact, the marching band tradition in Northern Ireland was mentioned, and its richness and significance was highlighted. Belfast attained UNESCO City of Music status in November 2021. That was because of the wide range of music and cultural traditions that we have. The marching bands are an important part of that.”
“That is exactly what we discussed during last week's meeting. We want to ensure that all traditions and types of music are represented. We want to ensure that, on that stage, we get an opportunity to showcase not just Belfast but Northern Ireland and our rich cultural and musical heritage.”
“I met representatives from Belfast City Council and Comhaltas last week. The delivery of that large-scale event requires commitment from many partnership organisations. I am pleased that the Arts Council — an arm's-length body of my Department — is available and more than willing to assist with advice and input as the plans develop.”
“The Member will be aware that the Executive brought in welfare mitigations that helped to deal with some of the most egregious of those welfare reforms and the impact that they had on people in Northern Ireland. Mitigations were brought in for the bedroom tax, for example, because we simply did not have the capacity to do anything else. Those mitigations, and their extension, have helped many people in Northern Ireland who otherwise would have found themselves in difficult situations. I am pleased that we have been able to continue with those supports, and to have extended them just last week.”
“A statutory report on the operation of welfare reform, as provided for in the Welfare Reform (Northern Ireland) Order 2015, was laid before the Assembly in December 2018. My Department also published an evaluation of welfare reforms, as detailed in the welfare reform composite evaluation framework.”