Mr. Mickey Brady MP:

I thank the witnesses for their presentations. I am looking at the practicalities. The issue of reparation in terms of financial help and the Stormont House agreement has been referred to in respect of the welfare cuts. In the eight years that I was in Stormont, I was very much involved with the social development committee, so my background is in working with benefits. One of things I have not really heard from victims and survivors groups is opposition to the cuts. Whatever way people want to dress it up, the cuts will directly impact on victims and survivors.

One of the issues discussed in the Stormont House Agreement process was the fact that adults with long-term disabilities would have their benefits protected, as would children with disabilities and existing claimants. Certainly, as Mr. Donaldson suggested, one of the parties did renege on the welfare Bill, and that was the DUP. It was not prepared to protect those people and that will impact directly on those who have suffered horrendous injuries and who need care and attention. The changes will also affect carers, upon whom a lot of victims and survivors very much depend.

As someone with experience giving presentations on these topics, I did not really get the impression that the witnesses' groups were vociferous in opposing the changes. I would have thought it would impact directly on the people they deal with and represent on a daily basis. I still deal with benefits on a daily basis on a constituency and clinic level, from all sections of the community. I represent the Newry and Armagh constituency so I am au faitwith what Mr. Bothwell and Mr. Donaldson have been talking about. I have probably been around longer than both of them. At Crossmaglen I ran an advice centre for ten years in the eighties at the height of the conflict and was very much involved with all sides of the community. I have represented RUC personnel and UDR widows at tribunals, as they were not getting the pensions they were entitled to.

While the witnesses' presentations were very interesting, I do think they could have put forward more vociferous opposition to practical changes that are going to impact directly on the people they represent. It is important as it will affect not just victims and survivors but huge numbers of people, even more so the proposed changes in the working tax credit when we have approximately 90,000 working poor in the North. Some people are going to lose up to £2,000 per year. That will have a tremendous effect.

The changeover from disability living allowance to personal independence payments will impact directly on people the witnesses represent also.