Posted on 23/11/2015

by Colum Eastwood MP

SDLP Leader Colum Eastwood MLA has said that the party’s MPs will today submit a suite of amendments to the Welfare Reform Bill which will curtail the power handed back to the British Government by Sinn Féin, the DUP and the Alliance Party last week.

The amendments are designed to protect the hard-won devolution powers by requiring Assembly consent on any changes and forcing the Secretary of State to lay any future Orders in Council before the Assembly at least 7 days in advance. The amendments will also restrict the Secretary of State’s power to create a benefit cap in Northern Ireland or introduce draconian sanction regimes similar to Britain.

Mr Eastwood said:

“Last week Sinn Féin and the DUP rushed to hand the power to legislate for welfare back to a Tory British Government. We had the incredible situation where the DUP voted to support legislation that they voted against at Westminster and Sinn Féin voted to transfer power to a place where they refuse to take their seats. The SDLP opposed the move in the strongest possible terms at Stormont.

“This week as the legislation begins to make its way through Westminster, the SDLP will be there to safeguard people in the North. Responsibility now falls to us to stand up for people here. We will take the fight to the Tories. We will not cow down to a Conservative government or to the Sinn Féin/DUP axis.

“We have tabled amendments that will return primacy to the Assembly, requiring the Secretary of State to seek Stormont approval for any changes. But more than that, the amendments will curtail the broad power surrendered to the British Government, restricting their ability to introduce a real terms benefit reduction for Northern Ireland or to introduce a punitive sanctions regime that has created social chaos in Britain.

“The SDLP will continue to stand up for hard-pressed households in the North and will stand for the primacy of the devolved institutions.”

SDLP Foyle MP Mark Durkan added:

“This sort of microwaved, fast-tracked procedure we are told is only to be used in emergency situations or when there is a compelling exigency.

“What is the compelling emergency in this situation, other than part of the overdose of political febreze to accompany the step-down by the First Minister (Peter Robinson) and the climb-down by Sinn Fein in relation to welfare reform?”