NEWS

Oil tanker Finance Minister John O’Dowd  has criticised a new funding package aimed at helping households with rising heating oil costs, warning the support could amount to just £35 per home in Northern Ireland. The Minister said the £17.2 million allocated for heating oil support in 2026/27 is “disappointing and falls far short of what is needed” , given the region’s heavy reliance on oil for home heating. His comments follow confirmation from the UK Government that funding

Families across Northern Ireland are set to receive a share of a new £50 million support package aimed at helping households struggling with soaring heating oil prices. The UK Government has confirmed that £17 million will be allocated to Northern Ireland, where reliance on heating oil is significantly higher than in other parts of the UK, leaving many families exposed to sudden price spikes. The announcement comes as kerosene — the fuel used in most home heating oil systems

Inset: Northern Ireland Economy Minister Caoimhe Archibald Households facing a sudden surge in energy costs must receive urgent and meaningful support, Economy Minister Caoimhe Archibald has said following discussions with the British Government. Speaking after a meeting on Saturday evening, 14 March, with Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, Martin McCluskey MP, the Minister said intervention must be “meaningful, targete

(L-R) Dr Steve Aiken OBE MLA, John Stewart MLA, Jon Burrows MLA, Prime Minister KeirStarmer, Secretary of State Hillary Benn MP and Chief Executive Jayne Murray. Ulster Unionist Party leaders have pressed Prime Minister Keir Starmer to deliver targeted support for households reliant on heating oil and increase defence investment in Northern Ireland during what they described as a “frank and constructive” meeting in Belfast. Party leader Jon Burrows MLA met the Prime Minister

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer Families across Northern Ireland who rely on heating oil to warm their homes could see stronger protections against price hikes, as the Prime Minister visits Belfast today, Thursday 12 March, to warn companies against profiteering. Prime Minister Keir Starmer is using the visit on Thursday to send what Downing Street describes as a “strong message” to heating oil suppliers that prices must be fair, transparent and justifiable — and not inflate

Inset: Northern Ireland’s Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald Northern Ireland’s Economy Minister has moved to clarify what she describes as “misleading” claims about an £81 million support package aimed at helping households with electricity bills. Dr Caoimhe Archibald said inaccurate assertions about the funding risk confusing the public at a time when many families are already worried about rising energy costs. The funding, announced in the British Chancellor’s Autumn 20

South Antrim MP Robin Swann outside Parliament A looming funding crisis threatening vital community services across Northern Ireland has prompted South Antrim MP Robin Swann to challenge the Prime Minister to intervene directly. In a letter sent to 10 Downing Street, Mr Swann warned that thousands of vulnerable people could lose critical support unless changes are made to the UK Government’s new Local Growth Fund, which will replace the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. The MP said

Businesses across Northern Ireland are being urged to prepare for sweeping changes to the way food, animals and plants move between Great Britain, Northern Ireland and the European Union, as negotiations continue on a new UK-EU trade agreement designed to cut red tape and speed up trade. The UK Government says the proposed Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) agreement could make agrifood trade “easier, cheaper and quicker”, potentially transforming supply chains for farmers, r

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer The Government has announced urgent action to strengthen the Online Safety Act and close legal loopholes that ministers say are putting children at risk, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer  pledging that “no platform gets a free pass” when it comes to online safety. Speaking to parents and young people on Monday 16 February, the Prime Minister will set out new powers designed to ensure the law keeps pace with fast-moving technologies, including

The cost of a UK TV licence will increase to £180 a year from 1 April 2026, the Government has confirmed, in line with inflation and the terms of the existing BBC funding settlement. The £5.50 rise – equivalent to an extra 46p a month – follows the methodology set out in the 2022 Licence Fee Settlement, which links annual increases to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) until the end of the current BBC Charter period in 2027. Ministers said the increase is intended to provide the

Robin Swann MP and John Stewart MLA have led a cross-sector delegation to Westminster to warn that proposed changes to UK funding arrangements could place Northern Ireland’s community and voluntary organisations at serious risk. The delegation travelled to London to challenge the planned replacement of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) with the new Local Growth Fund, raising concerns that the transition could result in a damaging gap in support for frontline services reli

North Antrim MP Jim Allister North Antrim MP Jim Allister has accused the UK Government of presiding over a “great deception” on the Irish Sea border, telling the House of Commons that promises made two years ago have unravelled into what he described as growing EU control over Northern Ireland. Speaking at Prime Minister’s Questions on Tuesday (28 January), the Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) leader marked the second anniversary of assurances from the previous Conservativ

North Antrim MP Jim Allister speaking in the House of Commons, and Wrightbus Ballymena-built Electroliners in service for Translink in Northern Ireland North Antrim MP Jim Allister has called on the UK Government to take decisive action to support the British bus manufacturing industry, warning that current procurement practices risk undermining one of the country’s most strategically important advanced manufacturing sectors. Speaking during a Westminster Hall debate on Tuesd

Concerns have been raised at Stormont that no public authority is currently responsible for toy safety in Northern Ireland, leaving a critical gap in oversight for products designed for children. MLAs on the Assembly’s Windsor Framework Committee have warned that they were unable to scrutinise proposed EU toy safety rules after no evidence was provided by the UK Government, Northern Ireland departments or local councils — because none of them hold formal responsibility for th

The Ulster Unionist Party has warned that Northern Ireland’s hospitality sector faces a critical threat following the publication of draft Reval 2026 valuations, with concerns mounting that sharp increases in rateable values could lead to job losses, reduced investment and business closures. Figures released by Land & Property Services (LPS) provide businesses with their first sight of new Net Annual Values (NAVs), which will be used to calculate non-domestic rates from 2026

Robin Swann MP speaking in the House of Commons South Antrim MP Robin Swann has warned that thousands of vulnerable people in Northern Ireland could lose vital support as a result of a looming “funding cliff-edge” linked to changes in Government funding streams. Mr Swann raised the issue during Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, pressing the Government on the potential impact of the transition away from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), which he said would result

The UK medicines regulator has approved a higher maximum dose of the weight-loss drug Wegovy (semaglutide), allowing some patients with obesity to receive up to 7.2mg per week under medical supervision. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) confirmed on 6 January 2026 that the increased dose is authorised only for adult patients with obesity, defined as a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30kg/m² or higher, and must be used alongside a reduced-calorie diet an

RAF Aldergrove, and (inset) South Antrim MP Robin Swann speaking in the House of Commons Robin Swann MP has urged the Government to act with urgency to ensure the “full utilisation” of Aldergrove’s world-class military facilities, following the withdrawal of RAF Puma helicopters and the end of a long chapter in the site’s aviation history. Speaking in the House of Commons, the South Antrim MP questioned the Ministry of Defence on how it intends to address a growing capacit

Ulster Unionist MP for South Antrim, Robin Swann Ulster Unionist MP for South Antrim, Robin Swann, has secured a seat on the Northern Ireland Affairs Select Committee, strengthening Northern Ireland’s representation on one of Westminster’s most significant scrutiny bodies. Mr Swann has taken up one of the Government positions on the committee, a move which reflects his cross-party approach at Westminster and the working relationships he has developed with MPs across the House

Tray bakes – a staple of local bakeries across Northern Ireland – have become the latest focus of criticism over the continued application of EU law in the region, according to North Antrim MP Jim Allister. In a statement issued this week, the Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) leader said that a bakery in his constituency has been forced to relabel its tray bakes to comply with EU allergen requirements that go beyond those required under UK law. Mr Allister said the situation