Mr Patsy McGlone (Mid Ulster): To ask the Minister for Communities to provide clarity on the future of Personal Independence Payment.
Minister for Communities: I do not know the full impact of the welfare changes announced on 18 March. My officials are continuing to work closely with the Department for Work and Pensions to understand the full implications for Northern Ireland. Calculations on the UK wide impact of the Green Paper were published along with the Chancellor’s Spring Statement on 26 March. It will take time to understand the Northern Ireland impacts thereafter. I want to ensure that Northern Ireland has a welfare system that is fair for claimants and taxpayers and protects the most vulnerable. I will continue to engage with the UK Government to ensure that this happens, and also with Executive colleagues as Northern Ireland does not have the resources to mitigate against these changes.
ENDS
Your MLA 