Debate contribution: Independent Reconfiguration Committee

Debate contribution by Dr Steve Aiken OBE on 7 September 2026.

MLA: Dr Steve Aiken OBE
Party at the time: Ulster Unionist Party
Date: 7 September 2026
Type: Debate contribution
Business: Question for Urgent Oral Answer
Heading: Independent Reconfiguration Committee
Assembly identifier: Official Report component 5670175

Text

First, Mr Speaker, I apologise for not being in my place for my question to the Agriculture Minister. I was with the Secretary of State, trying to get us more money. We will see, and, hopefully, we will be more successful at that. I welcome my good friend and political colleague Robbie Butler to the most important ministerial position in the Northern Ireland Executive: Health Minister. Minister, thank you for your helpful update, which tackled much of the misinformation that was circulated at the end of last week.
There is a perception among some that, when clinicians speak, they do so with one voice, but, in reality, as the Minister said, they do not always agree on the way forward. Does the Minister therefore agree that the panel will provide important overarching and final independent scrutiny of all the competing viewpoints?

141 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

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