Debate contribution: Victims’ Payments Board: Oversight
Debate contribution by Mrs Emma Little-Pengelly on .
- MLA
- Mrs Emma Little-Pengelly
- Party at the time
- Democratic Unionist Party
- Date
- 5 October 2026
- Type
- Debate contribution (made as a minister)
- Business
- Oral Answers to Questions
- Heading
- Victims’ Payments Board: Oversight
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5774164
Read the official Assembly record
Text
I thank the Member for her question, which is an important one. The scheme has attracted significantly more applicants than the number that was first envisaged back at the beginning of the scheme, when it was suggested that around 500 severely physically injured victims and survivors would come forward. We now have over 16,000 applicants. The estimated overall cost of the scheme is around £1 billion. We know that the criteria were changed significantly by Westminster. We want to be as generous as we can be, and we understand fully that many of the people coming forward deserve that help and support, but, undoubtedly, it has put huge financial pressure on Northern Ireland's block grant. It is absolutely right that the UK Government step up and recognise that some of the decisions that they have taken have significantly increased the cost of the scheme — by not just tens of millions but hundreds of millions of pounds. Therefore, it is completely reasonable for us to ask the UK Government to make a contribution and help to alleviate some of the pressure on a Budget that we want to prioritise for the day-to-day running of public services in Northern Ireland.
199 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
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