Alliance Health spokesperson Paula Bradshaw MLA has welcomed the Health Minister’s announcement he will use all available space in both health and social care (HSC) facilities and the independent sector to deliver surgery, in line with her proposal in media interviews this morning. In a written statement to the Assembly, Robin Swann announced any available […]
Alliance Education spokesperson Chris Lyttle MLA has called on the Education Minister and all parties to show leadership after a number of grammar schools confirmed they would not be using transfer tests this year. Further to an increasing number of schools announcing they would not use tests, Mr Lyttle, Chair of the Assembly Education Committee, said Alliance […]
The Economy Minister must outline her plans for the high street and tourism voucher schemes, given the new COVID restrictions, Alliance MLA Stewart Dickson has said. The party’s Economy spokesperson said the schemes, announced late last year, still had several questions outstanding. He has now written to Economy Minister Diane Dodds, seeking clarity. “The Finance […]
Repayments for loans taken out from the Department for Communities’ Social Fund to help people through the pandemic should be delayed for a further period to stop people falling further into poverty, Alliance Communities spokesperson Kellie Armstrong MLA has said. The Social Fund gives interest-free loans to those on low incomes to help with important […]
Alliance Health spokesperson Paula Bradshaw MLA has said she will meet the Belfast Trust tomorrow morning to discuss the major review into 752 contraceptive implants being incorrectly inserted. More than 750 women are being contacted over the implants, which have been inserted over the past three years. The review goes back to 2017 and at […]
Alliance Economy spokesperson Stewart Dickson MLA has welcomed an announcement a support scheme for so-called ‘wet pubs’ will commence next week but said the delay has been a “long and distressing process”. Economy Minister Diane Dodds announced the roll-out of the scheme would begin on January 11. It will see pubs only serving alcohol which […]
Children due to sit the post-primary transfer tests and their parents deserve urgent clarity on contingency plans now the tests will not proceed as planned, Alliance Education spokesperson Chris Lyttle MLA has said. Mr Lyttle was speaking after AQE and PPTC would not proceed in January, only days before the first was due to take […]
Alliance Health spokesperson Paula Bradshaw MLA has called on the Health Minister to make a clear statement on the risk involved with private tests taking place in school halls, as such arrangements seem contrary to current coronavirus regulations. The South Belfast MLA said any gathering in an indoor sitting, such as the first transfer test […]
The Education Minister has failed to take control of post primary transfer this year despite consistent calls for contingency planning throughout the pandemic, Alliance MLA Chris Lyttle has said. The Chair of Stormont’s Education Committee, Mr Lyttle said ‘the Minister, the Association of Quality Education, the Post Primary Transfer Consortium and selective schools have deemed […]
Alliance Health Spokesperson Paula Bradshaw has welcomed the Health Minister’s announcement of a change in vaccination strategy so that more people initially receive the first dose quickly. The South Belfast MLA stated: “The approval of the Oxford vaccine and further on-going indications of the significant benefit provided by a single dose mean that it is […]