David Ford MLA said: “There has been a lot of talk about protecting the most vulnerable through the welfare system, but the reality is that we also protect the vulnerable through the delivery of public services such as health, justice and training.
“At the Stormont House and Castle talks, we reached a reasonable agreement which balanced the protection of welfare payments with the continued delivery of public services. Alliance is committed to ensure we get the welfare legislation through the Assembly next week.
“If welfare powers are handed back to Westminster, we would be left with the full GB version of welfare reform without the protections and flexibilities that we have agreed upon for Northern Ireland.
“If this issue is not resolved next week then there will be a real threat to the institutions themselves.”
ENDS