One of the biggest change processes taking place across the UK and in Northern Ireland is in welfare reform.
But South Down MP Margaret Ritchie has said she is extremely disappointed to learn that the First, deputy First and Social Development Ministers have never met the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to discuss Welfare Reform.
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South Down MP Margaret Ritchie is concerned that key government ministers are not meeting to discuss changes to welfare reform.[/caption]
Speaking after receiving the response to a written Question to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Ms Ritchie said: “I was extremely disappointed to read the response of the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to my question asking how often he, or his officials, had met with the First Minister, deputy First Minister or Social Development Minister within the last two years. It appears that despite the claims of Peter Robinson, Martin McGuinness and Nelson McCausland that they were fighting for the best deal on welfare reform, that they were fighting the wrong people because they haven’t met key Ministers in over 2 years.
“The response shows that the OFMdFM and DSD Ministers haven’t had a single meeting with the Work and Pensions secretary, who has overall responsibility for welfare, or the Minister for Employment in the last two years. They haven’t had a single meeting with the Minister with specific responsibility for welfare reform since March 2013.
“It’s clear now that rather than fighting for the best deal on welfare reform they’ve been too busy fighting among themselves. The SDLP has said for months that the only way to secure a resolution is for all parties to sit around the table with the British Treasury and the Welfare Reform Minister and renegotiate the current settlement.
“It’s time to put the petty squabbling aside and put people first. As the All Party talks are set to begin, I’m glad that welfare reform will be one of the key items on the early agenda. I welcome that other parties are now moving on the SDLP call for talks on this issue rather than politicking and positioning ahead of an election.
“The SDLP will approach these talks with a spirit of good faith and our goal will be honourable compromise. That must be the approach of other parties if we are to deliver the radical change needed to make power sharing work again.”
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