Statement by TUV Leader Jim Allister:-
“If Peter Robinson accepts what the Prime Minister has offered, then, he will have buckled within 24 hours of playing the hard man.
“Having attacked the evolution, secrecy and operation of the OTR scheme and demanded to know who they were and who knew, what the First Minister demanded was “a full judicial inquiry into all of these matters.” What he has got is a mere judge-led review to “determine whether any other letters were sent in error”. There will be no public inquiry, no taking of evidence in public, no witnesses called, rather an administrative review of the paperwork, dressed up for the gullible as something more. As for rescinding of the letters, which Arlene Foster stressed was a resigning issue, it isn’t even mentioned!
“The public inquiry that is required on this issue is one which shines the searchlight of truth on how, why and with whom the nefarious OTR scheme was devised and who knew what and when, with evidence taken under oath, in public and full powers to require witnesses and papers, as under The Inquiries Act, 2005.
“The DUP motion for debate in the Assembly is equally a disappointment. I propose to table an amendment to give it some teeth by adding to the end of the motion what Mr Robinson actually demanded. My amendment will add the words after ‘a judge led inquiry’, the words “into the evolution, development, extent, secrecy and operation of the ‘administrative scheme’ established to assist OTRs (on the runs) and by rescinding all letters to OTRs issued under the scheme.”
