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 Housing Executive and my officials have brought forward recommendations from independent research for my consideration. I am giving the matter consideration as a matter of urgency because the intimidation points scheme needs review and reform. I am determined to reform it.”
“The Member is absolutely right to raise that issue. It has been a source of frustration to me, as a representative in her constituency, for many years, so I am happy to tell her that changes to the housing selection scheme are under way, including an exploration of options for the future of intimidation points. The award of intimidation points is subject to very specific criteria. Under the current scheme, someone who leaves their home as a result of domestic abuse can be allocated points for homelessness and primary social need points for violence or the threat of violence. However, they are not eligible for intimidation points. <BR /> <BR />I am keen to ensure recognition within the selection scheme for all victims of violence and those who are at risk or under threat of violence, including victims of domestic abuse.”
“To the best of my memory, that is not been brought to my attention. I am aware that the UK Government's policy on the processing of asylum seekers has moved a considerable number of people who were under the care and responsibility of Mears and the Home Office to being the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive. I will be happy to furnish the Member with those figures.”
“I do not have any evidence to indicate the impact of the removal of the £350 payment that the Member asked about.”
“The Member will be aware that the Department for Communities previously had responsibility for the Homes for Ukraine refugee resettlement scheme. That included funding for a community and voluntary sector consortium that provided support to people who arrived under the Homes for Ukraine scheme. From 1 April 2024, management of the scheme, along with the Afghan and Syrian schemes, has been undertaken by TEO in order to consolidate the work on asylum seekers and refugees. The Executive Office is the strategic lead for refugee resettlement and asylum seekers in Northern Ireland. The transfer of the work to a single Department was undertaken to facilitate a more cohesive approach to the vital work of resettling and integrating refugees into Northern Ireland society.”
“There was also the Mellon family from Omagh, on whose land the UIster American Folk Park is built. Thomas Mellon, whose son became United States Secretary to the Treasury and United States ambassador to the UK, was born in Omagh. There are many local connections that we seek to promote. Hopefully, that will increase the number of visits to and tourism and interest in West Tyrone and Northern Ireland as a whole.”
“Yes, of course. I saw that recently at the Ulster Transport Museum, and I encourage others to do the same. I always look forward to seeing how we can promote events and anniversaries, such as the one that the Member mentioned. He rightly highlights West Tyrone and people from there. He may well be aware of John Dunlap, who printed the first copies of the Declaration of Independence and was from Strabane. He may be the most famous person to come from Strabane other than Mr McCrossan.”
“The working group continues to develop a programme, working with US partners, to promote events in Northern Ireland and North America leading up to the 250th anniversary commemorations. My officials recently met Library of Congress staff to discuss practical ways to cooperate on links between people, places and collections as part of the America 250 commemorations. I look forward to making a number of announcements around that important work with the US in the coming weeks and months.”
“The Member will be aware of the consultation processes that are in place. I agree with him that hearing and involving the voices of young people is very important. I look forward to doing just that next week with the youth participation group.”
“I point to Your School Your Club, on which I have worked closely with Paul Givan in the Department of Education to improve access to facilities. You can look at the Northern Ireland Football Fund and how that is being progressed and at the work that we are doing through Sport NI to help with the provision of facilities. There is collaboration with councils and other public-sector agencies to improve access to facilities. Good work has begun, but I am aware that there is much more to do. I look forward to delivering on that issue as well.”
“Our Olympic and Paralympic heroes were celebrated. Debt advice funding was increased. Intermediate rent was launched. The anti-poverty strategy is being progressed. A sign language Bill will soon be introduced. We have established the US/NI cultural working group. Charity regulation is being made easier. We have more money for the arts, homeless prevention, Supporting People and the Job Start scheme. That is real and tangible delivery for people right across Northern Ireland.”
“They are the moves that I am making to improve access to housing and housing supply in Northern Ireland. <BR /> <BR />I am pleased that it is not just housing that I have been able to deliver on. The Member's leader in this place said that we have had only warm words, waffle and lack of delivery from the Executive. I am more than happy to point once more to the achievements of my Department. The Defective Premises Act (Northern Ireland) 2024 was passed. The social capital loan scheme was introduced. The voluntary and community sector budget was increased. Protection for private tenancies was implemented. The £100 emergency fuel payment was secured. One thousand jobs delivering services for DWP were created. The housing selection scheme points review was delivered. The housing supply strategy was published.”
“We have one. It is called the housing supply strategy. We have a very clear plan, and we can see already the difference that is being made. I look forward to sharing with the Member some of the latest statistics on housing in Northern Ireland. He will see how we, in my Department, have been able to deliver not just on this issue but on a number of issues. The measures that we have put in place for housing are significant. They include intermediate rent; loans to acquire move-on accommodation; the housing supply strategy, which gets all the Departments to work together; greater use of financial transactions capital (FTC); and movement on the revitalisation of the housing supply strategy. Those are all measures that I have taken; they were not implemented by other Ministers in the past.”
“The Member will be aware that I published the housing supply strategy. Part of that will deal with the issue of empty homes. I raised the issue very early on in my tenure in this place. We obviously need to build new homes, but there are other homes out there that are not being used. We will explore all options to see how we can bring those back into use. It is not just current homes but other buildings that could potentially be transformed into housing.”
“The managed migration of claimants to universal credit through Move to UC has, as expected, led to an increase in claims. However, from what we see so far, that has increased in line with forecast demand.”
“The figures that the Member has given are stark. We are keeping an eye on the matter.”
“Plans to change the universal credit contingency fund name are being taken forward by officials in my Department.”
“I saw those figures recently. I do not have them with me but I can certainly provide them to the Member. I have to say that it is a significant amount. Do not get me wrong: I am a fan of Belfast, but I want to see other areas getting money as well. That is why I am looking for additional resource in that area. I am happy to provide that information to the Member. Hopefully, he will be glad of the extra investment that I made in the South Down area. On his comment about taking up the guitar, if the comments that were made by Members who are sitting behind me are anything to go by, I do not think that he would have universal support in the House for that. Certainly, though, if he would like to make an application to the Arts Council, that process is open to him as well.”
“Yes, that is absolutely the case. Again, I am happy to tell the Member that part of the extra allocation that we made through the musical instruments for bands scheme went to her constituency. In the Newry, Mourne and Down District Council area, we were able to allocate over £110,000 of funding to bands, professional and non-professional groups and individuals. I often feel that rural areas have missed out on arts funding in the past. It is a key priority for me, given that I come from a rural area. I have asked officials to begin work to identify programmes and activities that can ensure that we support rural areas such as South Down.”
“Regional balance is very important when it comes to the arts. That is why I have been so keen on the musical instruments for bands scheme: that funding has gone to communities across Northern Ireland; it has not been limited to particular geographical areas. I look forward to working with the Arts Council to ensure that the funding gets to where it is needed and where it will make the most difference.”
“That is why I have been able to bid for and receive money in monitoring rounds where I have allocated additional capital funding as well. I have also been exploring philanthropic avenues for investment. My recent visit to the US opened a few doors there, which I look forward to exploring. I was pleased to attend the arts round-table event, where we were able to set out some of the issues and the challenges in how we approach those. Certainly, I am committed to continuing to fund the arts and to highlighting to Executive colleagues the benefits of doing so properly.”
“I have used the monitoring process over my time in office to make sure that additional funding is made available to the Arts Council. I did that for resource and capital this year, and we can see the results of that. I am always keen to ask for more in the monitoring rounds and to make sure that we have the resources that we need. However, we need more in the arts than just that funding. We also need a clear policy framework. That is what I am bringing forward under the new arts policy. <BR /> <BR />I have protected the budget allocation that we had last year. We are in an environment in which I have had to find savings of £119 million, but the Arts Council budget was maintained. Compared with other regions, that is still a small amount.”
“We are also exploring options for private and philanthropic investment opportunities. <BR /> <BR />In short, I do not believe that the arts get the level of funding that they deserve or require, but I am working on that to increase the level of funding, because I know the impact that the arts have right across Northern Ireland and how they help other Departments in how they deliver public services. Funding the arts is an investment in people and our services across Northern Ireland.”
“As the principal funding and development body for the arts in Northern Ireland, the Arts Council is tasked with distributing funding on behalf of my Department. It is also a distributing body for National Lottery moneys. It is my assessment that, despite the constrained position in the current financial year, the Arts Council continues to make a positive difference across a range of areas such as social inclusion, health, education, regeneration, justice, place-shaping and tourism. I am also going to continue to make the case to Executive colleagues that they should recognise the benefits that the arts provide to them in delivering on their responsibilities. It is my assessment, however, that government cannot wholly support the arts sector by itself and that a range of funding sources are needed to complement government funding.”
“I want to make sure that as many people as possible are involved and take part in the arts and have the financial support to do so. I think that groups such as the one that the Member mentioned will have been eligible under the professional or non-professional group element. If that is not the case, I will certainly confirm that with her. I am more than happy to work alongside the Arts Council to make sure that we are getting more funding into those sorts of programmes, which make a difference and, importantly, allow more people to take part. That is what we should all want to see.”
“I am grateful to the Member for his comments. I want to make sure that we can continue with the funding of the programme for the simple reason that I want to ensure that more people in Northern Ireland get involved and stay involved in the arts and benefit from them. That is because the arts can provide a huge benefit for our people, especially the younger people. I also want to make sure that we get arts funding across Northern Ireland and do not limit it to the places that regularly get it. To that end, I am pleased to tell the Member that, in Mid Ulster, 13 bands and two professional and non-professional performing groups received funding. That was over £100,000 of funding for the Member's constituency.”
“The range of recipients this year, from marching bands and school groups to traditional musicians and musical societies, is impressive, and I hope that the grants will support and inspire the next generation of musical talent across the genres.”
“The musical instruments programme is a capital investment programme delivered by the Arts Council on behalf of my Department. It is designed to increase the quality of music making in Northern Ireland by helping musicians to replace older, worn-out instruments and purchase new and additional ones. The programme has three strands for individuals, bands, and professional and non-professional performing groups. <BR /> <BR />In December, I was pleased to be able to allocate an additional £323,000 to support the programme. With that additional investment, all eligible applicants were able to be supported. That was 119 grants to 75 bands, 13 professional and non-professional performing groups and 31 professional musicians. That involves over 4,500 people in total.”
“It is certainly something that we are happy to raise directly with the Department for Work and Pensions. The Member will be aware that any way in which we deviate from the rules that currently exist comes with administrative and other costs for the Department that can be very hard for us to bear. Certainly, we will continue to raise the issue with DWP and see what additional support it may be able to provide or what adjustments it can make to help in those situations. When it comes to such a large and complicated welfare and benefits system, we should always do what we can to try to make the process as simple and straightforward as possible for people. I am happy to work with the Member on that.”
“Help is available from my Department. I have already raised the issue of the adviser discretion fund and the money that is available there to help those who are unemployed or self-employed. I am happy to share the details directly with the Member. Again, we are largely constrained by the rules that have been set down and put in place by DWP, but where we can give additional support, assistance, guidance and, sometimes, just advice, we will of course do that.”
“I thank the Member for raising that issue with me as well. She will be aware of the cross-nation approach that is taken with regard to benefits and welfare. However, I want to make sure that we are as helpful as possible, and senior officials have met representatives from the Ulster Farmers' Union and Rural Support to offer them any additional help or support that they can. They certainly remain willing to engage and meet again, if that would be helpful. I am more than happy to link my officials up with the Member and her constituents in any way that might be beneficial as well. I am also happy to work with the Member so that we can increase awareness of the support that is available to claimants.”
“I am aware of the issue because I have had correspondence from the Member, and from Mrs Erskine as well. I assume that there are many people in Fermanagh and South Tyrone who have been affected. The Member will be aware that this is a result of policy change in the Department for Work and Pensions. In many ways, our hands are tied. I will continue to express concern about this to the Department for Work and Pensions and stand ready to help in whatever way I can. However, we need to recognise that these rules apply across the United Kingdom.”
“The support provided includes information on work allowances, taper rate, the childcare element and my Department’s adviser discretion fund (ADF), which provides a non-repayable grant of up to £1,500 to help unemployed and self-employed people overcome the financial barriers to starting or returning to work.”
“Universal credit (UC) can support claimants in self-employment when that is their best route to financial independence. The minimum income floor is broadly a notional amount of earned income that is used to calculate a person’s UC award. It applies to those in gainful self-employment whose business has been running for more than 12 months. It does not apply in all cases; for example, it does not apply to claimants who are in the 12-month start-up period, to those who are not gainfully self-employed or during the first 12 months of moving to UC from legacy benefits. <BR /> <BR />Universal credit work coaches and case managers provide support to those who are self-employed to make and maintain their claims.”
“I do not agree with the Member that the issue of poverty is not found in the draft Programme for Government. You need only look at a number of the actions that the Executive have put forward, which will have a real and meaningful impact on tackling poverty, whether that is creating more jobs, improving our education system or improving access to healthcare, which is a huge drag on people getting into work and thereby combating poverty. However, we have listened to what people have said. I understand the need that many have expressed to have the strategy in lights and up front in the Programme for Government. We look forward to finalising the Programme for Government to show the Executive's commitment to tackling such issues.”
“The co-design group had a very important role to play as the strategy was developed and, certainly, before I came into office. I look forward to consulting it throughout the process. However, for me, what is important is making sure that we finalise the draft strategy, get it to the Executive, get it out for consultation to ensure that people can have their say, and then, importantly, implement it, get on with it and deliver for people in Northern Ireland.”
“It is not only that: the policies are also targeting the voluntary and community sector, the organisations that do so much to stop people falling into poverty by giving them the skills and abilities that they need to get out of poverty. <BR /> <BR />I will do what I can to make sure that we have growth and prosperity in Northern Ireland, but the Government should seriously rethink the policies that they are putting in place, which are so damaging to the economy and therefore to people not just in Northern Ireland but across the United Kingdom.”
“Absolutely. I agree, and you have only to look at the policies of the Labour Government to realise that they will do nothing to help with poverty. We have policies that damage growth, and that means less money for public services. We have policies that are driving up inflation and costs, which will make it more likely that people fall into poverty, and we are damaging business. It is through business that we have job creation, and that will be so important and so central to the anti-poverty strategy because the ability to get into work is the greatest tool that we have to combat poverty in Northern Ireland. Unfortunately, the actions of the Government have meant that it is more difficult to create jobs and wealth.”
“It is my hope to get the strategy out as soon as possible, and that is what I am trying to do. For me, however, the most important thing is that we can get buy-in and that we have all Departments signed up to it, with actions that we can progress. I want to have it passed by the Executive and out for consultation by the end of the financial year: the sooner, the better, certainly.”
“My officials and I have been working with other Departments in the past months to make sure that we do not fall into that situation again. That is why we have taken our time to make sure that we get the strategy right, that we have deliverable actions and, most important, that those actions make a real difference to the lives of all the people whom we represent. I am pleased that I have gone further than any past Minister in progressing an anti-poverty strategy. The promise was made in 1998, and it is one that I look forward to delivering on and bringing through the Executive so that we can make a difference.”
“<BR /> <BR />Of course, in addition, my Department plays a vital and ongoing role in providing social security and housing support as well as supporting people through our work with the voluntary, community, culture, heritage, language, arts and sports sectors.”
“My officials are continuing their work on the development of the Executive's anti-poverty strategy, which will aim to minimise the risks and impact of poverty, including child poverty. My Department is engaging with officials from all Departments to discuss the development of the strategy, and I am encouraged by the reports of progress to date. Discussions have focused on the delivery of a range of key actions that will help mitigate impacts, reduce the risk of falling into poverty and support all those impacted, including children and their families, to exit poverty. <BR /> <BR />I will bring a draft strategy to the Executive in early 2025 for their consideration. Following Executive agreement of the paper, the strategy will be subject to public consultation prior to its final publication.”
“I have said on a number of occasions that an agreement was made in 2011.That agreement was made on the basis of fairness and of all the sports that had identified their needs getting a share of the money. Windsor Park has received the money that it was promised, as has Ravenhill. I look forward to distributing the money from the football fund, and, as I have said, the commitment for Casement Park remains. When we allocate resources, it is important that we do so fairly and equitably. That is what I will do during my time in office.”
“I do not have the exact figures for Casement Park, but I am happy to provide the Member with that information. Very little has been spent on the football fund, although we have been able to give some financial support to clubs that are developing business cases. I have no issue with giving the Member that information, but I do not have it in front of me.”
“I have already outlined whom I have met, the meeting that took place in October and the correspondence that I have had with the Secretary of State. We need some realism here: the issue is the funding gap. That is the problem. Either an additional contribution of funds or a more modest proposal is needed, or else we need to look at both options. I am happy to have those discussions, but, as I have said repeatedly, the commitment that was made in 2011 stands.”
“Yes. The Northern Ireland Football Fund was another key element of that Executive agreement. I am pleased to tell the House that we will open applications to that very soon. That will be a key milestone in that programme. I want to see that happen, and I believe that we will be able to open applications by the end of the month. I hope that that sends a message to all clubs that we recognise the need that exists and that the fund is just the beginning.”
“I understand the frustrations that many people feel about the project. However, the fact remains that there is a funding gap between what is on the table and the money that has been pledged. Our commitment from 2011 remains. I remain willing and open to meet and work with those who want to see the project progressed.”
“That report said that problems had been exacerbated by the fact that relationships between key stakeholders were broken. It was not me who said:”
“Let me make it clear that, when it comes to Casement Park, I have fulfilled my requirements. I have certainly met the groups that are involved in the project. The pledge that the Executive made in 2011 remains. <BR /> <BR />It is worth remembering that it has been a long process. Some in the Chamber have tried repeatedly to lay the blame for the lack of progress at the feet of unionist Ministers. I remind the House once more that I was not the one who took a judicial review in order to get the planning permission quashed. My actions were not the ones that resulted in a Committee inquiry into safety certificates for Casement Park, and my actions were not the ones that led to a 2015 Cabinet Office report that revealed the chaos behind the stadium project.”
“I have not met the UK Government, but I have written to the Secretary of State to ask for an update on the Government's view of the project.”