Asked by: Andy McDonald (Labour - Middlesbrough and Thornaby East)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what recent discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on the legislative steps necessary to establish financial mitigation for the effects of the under-occupancy penalty in Northern Ireland.
Answered by James Brokenshire
I engage regularly with the Northern Ireland Executive to discuss matters of mutual interest, including the implementation of the Fresh Start Agreement.
Part of that Agreement is the implementation of welfare reform to Northern Ireland, where it is clear that it is for the Northern Ireland Executive to provide for any welfare top up schemes such as that alluded to in the question.