RHI scandal: Botched heat scheme investigation planned

Image caption Michelle O"Neill said no investigation could go ahead without Mrs Foster stepping aside Sinn Fein has published its proposed terms of reference for an independent investigation into a botched heating scheme that is some £490m over budget.
The party wants First Minister Arlene Foster to step aside while the debacle is investigated.
Mrs Foster set up the Renewable Heating Incentive scheme in 2012 when she was enterprise minister.
It was an attempt by the NI Executive to increase consumption of heat from renewable sources.
But businesses received more in subsidies than they paid for fuel, and the scheme became heavily oversubscribed.
Earlier, Justice Minister Claire Sugden said she did “not have the power” to initiate a public inquiry into the scheme.
Q&A: What is the RHI scheme? Timeline: Botched heating scheme scandal RHI: Public inquiry or independent investigation? BBC News NI reports on the RHI scheme The DUP has consistently rejected calls for Mrs Foster to st..

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Help to Buy loan guarantee scheme comes to an end

Image copyright Thinkstock One of the government"s flagship home ownership programmes ends on Saturday, amidst both praise and criticism.
The Help-to-Buy Mortgage Guarantee scheme is likely to have helped more than 100,000 individuals or couples buy a home.
The Council of Mortgage Lenders said it had worked “exceptionally well”, making mortgages more available when it started in October 2013.
However Shelter has argued that the scheme helped to push up house prices.
Under the programme, borrowers were able to get a mortgage with just a 5% deposit. If those borrowers were unable to make payments, the government promised to compensate the lender.
But around 30 banks or building societies now offer similar high loan-to-value loans, so the Bank of England declared in September that the scheme is no longer necessary.
The Help-to-Buy Equity Loan scheme – which is only available on new-build homes – will remain on offer until 2020.
Final costSo far the Mortgage Guarantee scheme has c..

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Prevent scheme "fundamental" to fighting terrorism

Image caption Chief Constable Simon Cole said criticism of Prevent was unfair A senior police officer has called the government"s Prevent anti-extremism programme “absolutely fundamental” in tackling terrorism in the UK.
The programme has been criticised by MPs, the National Union of Teachers and the Muslim Council of Britain.
But Leicestershire Chief Constable Simon Cole said it was sometimes wrongly presented in “hysterical” terms as a spying operation.
A Muslim group and a government advisor are calling for an independent review.
The Prevent duty was introduced last year, requiring schools and local authorities to “have due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism”.
About 7,500 referrals were made to the scheme in 2015-16 – the equivalent of 20 a day.
Of the people referred to the scheme, set up in 2005 in the wake of the 7/7 London bombings, one in 10 were deemed to be vulnerable to terrorism and were referred to Prevent"s Channel programm..

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Electoral fraud: Pilot scheme for ID before voting defended

Image copyright PA Image caption The pilot will be rolled out for the local elections in 2018 Plans to demand proof of identity before voting in a bid to combat electoral fraud have been defended by ministers, amid criticism the move is a “sledgehammer to crack a nut”.
Councils in England, including Bradford and Birmingham, will trial the pilot scheme at local elections in 2018.
The government said it would “ensure the integrity” of the electoral system.
But campaigners said levels of fraud did not justify the move and one Labour MP said it would hit poorer voters.
"Blind eye turned" to electoral fraud Voters "should have ID at elections" A full list of the participating councils has not yet been drawn up, but 18 council areas in England identified by the Electoral Commission as being most susceptible to voter fraud will be invited to take part in the pilot.
The 18 also include Luton, Slough, Woking, Coventry and Bristol.
Different local authorities will trial dif..

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Prevent scheme "fundamental" to stop terrorism

Image caption Chief Constable Simon Cole said criticism of Prevent was unfair A senior police officer has called the government"s Prevent anti-extremism programme “absolutely fundamental” in countering terrorism in the UK.
The programme has been criticised by MPs, the National Union of Teachers and the Muslim Council of Britain.
But Leicestershire Chief Constable Simon Cole said it was sometimes wrongly presented in “hysterical” terms as a spying operation.
It was for those needing help and support, he told the Press Association.
Around 7,500 referrals were made to the Prevent scheme last year to try to tackle home-grown extremism – the equivalent of 20 each day.
The period included the introduction of a new counter-extremism duty, requiring public bodies to stop people being drawn into terrorism, which took effect in July last year.
Of the people referred to the scheme, set up in the wake of the 7/7 bombings in London, 10% were deemed to have a vulnerability to terrorism and ..

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Electoral fraud: Voters will have to show ID in pilot scheme

Image copyright PA Image caption The pilot will be rolled out for the local elections in 2018 Voters will have to show proof of identity before being allowed to vote in a government pilot scheme to reduce electoral fraud.
A number of councils in England, including Birmingham and Bradford, will trial the scheme at local elections in 2018.
Constitution minister Chris Skidmore said the pilot would “ensure the integrity of our electoral system.”
The move has also received support from the Labour party.
"Blind eye turned" to electoral fraud Voters "should have ID at elections" A full list of the participating councils has not been released, but the government wants to use the pilot scheme to see if it should be rolled out across the whole country.
Mr Skidmore said: “The government"s view is that electoral fraud is unacceptable on any level. I want to protect the right of everyone to have their say and participate in our democracy.
“That is why the new measures ..

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