Other News In Brief

Man Convicted Of Benefit Fraud

A man has been convicted for claiming benefits he was not entitled to at Belfast Magistrates' Court.

Stuart Kinkade claimed Jobseeker's Allowance and Housing Benefit totalling £4,314 while failing to declare employment. He was given a 240 hours Community Service.

He is also required to repay any outstanding money wrongfully obtained to the Department for Communities.

Plans To Cap Social Housing Benefit At Same Rate As LHA Scrapped

Plans to cap social housing benefit at the same rate as the Local Housing allowance (LHA) have been scrapped.

Prime Minister Theresa May confirmed the government has reversed its decision.

Sinn Féin MLA Carál Ní Chuilín welcomed the announcement.

She said: "The Tory threat to impose a cap based on LHA rates within the social and supported housing sector has been abandoned in the face of overwhelming criticism.

"The Federation of Housing Associations here had warned it would undermine the feasibility of supported and social housing schemes with a particularly bad impact in rural areas. They also warned that many social housing tenants would not to be able to afford their rents if the cap was imposed.

"Therefore many social housing tenants will be greatly relieved at this latest u-turn from Theresa May's government which has been pursuing a relentless and ideologically driven onslaught against the most vulnerable in our society."

Inter-Departmental Working Group Recommends Changes In Abortion Law

Alliance MLA Paula Bradshaw MLA has welcomed confirmation an inter-Departmental working group has recommended changes in abortion law in NI.

Ms Bradshaw was speaking after the Senior Crown Counsel for the Department of Justice told the Supreme Court a working group set up to examine the law before the election in May 2016 had recommended legislative change in cases of fatal foetal abnormality.

The report, which was also leaked to media over a year ago, has never been released publicly by either the Departments of Justice or Health. The admission was made during a hearing on abortion law at the Supreme Court.

"When David Ford was Justice Minister, he consulted into this matter and the findings recommended a change in the law, which was subsequently blocked by the DUP. The working group's recommendation was leaked to the media almost a year ago and it is welcome we now have further clarity from the Department, which should now be followed," she said.

"It is disappointing neither the former Justice or Health Ministers Claire Sugden and Michelle O'Neill released the report's recommendation publicly but this sets out clearly it should be followed. It is now evident the Department of Justice should now be looking for ways to implement it on human rights grounds."

(CD/LM)