East Belfast Ulster Unionist MLA Andy Allen MBE has called on the Economy Minister, Gordon Lyons MLA, to provide an update on the Department’s work to provide remedy options for those who encountered problems with the scheme.

Mr Allen said:

“A press release issued by the Department for the Economy on 22nd December 2021 included the following.

“The Department appreciates that there may be wider issues affecting applications or the use of cards. Now the scheme has closed, the Department will take stock of the various issues people have faced and consider options for remedy.”

“The Department formally closed the spend local scheme for the majority of people from the 19th December. However, I continue to be contacted by individuals who were informed their applications had been verified and their details had been passed to the card provider, and yet they have still not received a card.

“I am therefore calling on the Minister, on behalf of those people who applied in good faith and encountered problems, to detail what options for remedy he is going to put in place to ensure they receive the cards they were promised.”