Sammy Wilson MP MLA

“Another battle won in war against Stormont Paper Mountain”

Sammy Wilson MP MLA has welcomed the news that the Northern Ireland Assembly has decided to allow assembly members to opt out of receiving daily and monthly copies of Hansard.

In January the East Antrim MP had raised the matter of paper wastage in the Assembly chamber, saying that huge amounts of information had been printed off, not at a small cost, and sent to all MLA’s.

Speaking from Stormont on Monday, Mr Wilson said:

“I was very pleased to receive an email this morning from the editor of Hansard at the Assembly who said that MLA’s now have the option to opt out of receiving the daily and monthly copies of Hansard. This material can quickly add up to hundreds and hundreds of pages which are more likely than not put in the bin rather than read.

It really is the most ridiculous waste – to send all MLA’s copies of Hansard – sometimes 2 or 3 copies, when it is all available on any computer connected to the internet. Not only is it a waste of paper, but printing off reams and reams of this information is an additional and unnecessary cost to the taxpayer.

When I raised the matter in the Assembly in January, I had a pile of paper 1ft 8inches high, collected over a 2 week period. Much of this was copies of Hansard and I welcome attempts to reduce it.

It would of course have been better if Assembly members had to opt in to receive the information rather than opt out but nevertheless this is good news in the war against waste and another battle won in the war against the Stormont Paper Mountain.

I believe that as Assembly members we have a responsibility to be guardians of the public purse, and I will continue to rally against any casual or blasé use of public money and this applies first and foremost in the Assembly.”

ENDS

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