Party website focused on rolling news updates
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This week the Party website was re-launched with a focus on COVID-19 news updates. It will provide a 'rolling' news service including updates from DUP representatives plus useful advice and guidance from both the Northern Ireland Executive and HM Government.
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First Minister leading Executive's response to COVID-19
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Party Leader and First Minister Arlene Foster has been leading the Executive's response to the COVID-19 outbreak alongside the deputy First Minister.
Alongside a daily Ministerial meeting, there have been full meetings of the Executive this week and a daily press briefing.
The press briefing is now streamed live on the Party website each day and you can watch the First Minister's address to the briefings this week below:
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General Advice:
- Wash your hands regularly. Catch coughs & sneezes - bin it, catch it, kill it.
- Stay at home unless absolutely necessary. Exceptions for this include shopping for essential food/medicine, work (unless you can work from home), one walk/cycle per day for exercise.
- Social distancing is vital. More information here
- Guidance on social distancing applies in all workplaces still operating. This has been re-iterated by the First Minister and Economy Minister
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Education
- Schools continue to provide childcare for key workers who can access no other alternative provision. This is being kept under coninual review, with between 989 and 1,486 children accomodated in around 500 schools each day this week.
- Education Minister Peter Weir has woked alongside the Department for Communities to secure progress for families in receipt of Free School Meals.
£2.70 will be paid per child for each day schools are closed. This will be paid fortnightly and payments will be processed in the same way as uniform grants.
More information can be found here.
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Economy
- Economy Minister Diane Dodds has launched the online portal for the £10,000 Small Business Grants Scheme.
- Grants of £25,000 will be provided to companies in the retail, tourism and hospitality sectors with a rateable value between £15,001 and £51,000. Further details will be published as soon as possible.
- Business rates have been frozen for three months, excluding public sector and utilities. No rates will be charged for April, May & June 2020.
- Further guidance was issued by HMRC today on the Job Retention Scheme which can pay 80% of employees salaries who would otherwise be laid-off during this crisis.
- Details were announced yesterday of the Government's assistance for self-employed workers.
Lagan Valley MP Jeffrey Donaldson welcomed the Chancellor's support for self-employed people:
"Whilst this scheme is not perfect, it’s a significant step in the right direction. We will continue to work with the Chancellor and business groups to improve and expand the coverage of the scheme and to get it launched as soon as possible."
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Agri-Food
- DAERA Minister Edwin Poots has halted all routine on-farm inspections until April 30th.
- A newly extended telephone service to avoid delays in the movement of cattle and help keep the food supply chain moving smoothly, has been set up.
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Government lacking respect for devolution - Lockhart
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Upper Bann MP Carla Lockhart has described the decision by the Government to lay regulations concerning abortion law for Northern Ireland before Parliament this week as contemptable, saying it ignores the devolution settlement and the overwhelming viewpoint of the Northern Ireland people.
Read her full statement here.
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Whilst offices are closed, DUP representatives are still available to help. Contact details for all MPs and MLAs can be found here
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