Debate contribution: Boiler Replacement Scheme: Update
Debate contribution by Mr Gordon Lyons on .
- MLA
- Mr Gordon Lyons
- Party at the time
- Democratic Unionist Party
- Date
- 26 November 2024
- Type
- Debate contribution (made as a minister)
- Business
- Oral Answers to Questions
- Heading
- Boiler Replacement Scheme: Update
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 4677549
Read the official Assembly record
Text
On 21 September 2023, owing to budgetary constraints, my Department announced the closure of the boiler replacement scheme. Prior to that decision, the scheme had seen a significant decrease in the number of enquiries and application forms received in the previous two financial years. It was therefore decided to consolidate resources in the affordable warmth scheme. That scheme is open for applications, and the business case covers it to run until March 2026. The scheme includes providing grants for boilers and central heating systems. I have allocated an opening budget of £7·175 million for the scheme to cover £5·2 million of approvals carried forward and £1·975 million for new approvals in this financial year. My Department is undertaking an equality impact assessment on its budget, and the Department of Finance has confirmed the outcome of the October monitoring round. My officials are working through the process to determine allocations.
149 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Assessment
Jev’s structured answers met the documented threshold for “not flagged”.
- Overall probability that the activity is being used to promote, exploit or escalate an identity-based controversy: 0.02 (flagging needs at least 0.70; at or below 0.30 is not flagged).
- None of the five culture-war criteria was met (each was below 0.60).
- Assessed as legitimate policy scrutiny (0.62).
- No identity-based framing was identified (1.00).
- The overall probability was at or below the not-flagging threshold.
This is an AI-generated assessment of the text, made against published criteria. It is not a finding of fact about the MLA or their intentions. The Assembly record itself is the fact.
Jev’s structured answers
| Question | Probability | Met? |
|---|---|---|
| Identity framing | 0.02 | No |
| Sectarian or communal antagonism | 0.01 | No |
| Cultural grievance politics | 0.01 | No |
| Dog-whistle messaging | 0.02 | No |
| Controversy escalation | 0.02 | No |
| Legitimate policy scrutiny | 0.62 | Yes |
| Overall judgement | 0.02 | At or below not-flagging threshold |
| Option | Probability |
|---|---|
| No identity-based framing (chosen) | 1.00 |
| Reports or questions it | 0.00 |
| Criticises or condemns it | 0.00 |
| Adopts it | 0.00 |
| Subject | Probability |
|---|---|
| No identity-related subject | 0.87 |
| Sexism, misogyny, ageism and other equality groups | 0.11 |
| Gender, sexuality, abortion and related social issues | 0.01 |
| Disability (including neurodivergence and mental health), disabled people and disability or sickness benefits | 0.01 |
| Flags, emblems, symbols, names and memorials | 0.00 |
Assessed 21 October 2026 at 11:36 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.
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