The Democratic Unionist Party has said it is costing taxpayers more than £2,000 a month to provide a car and driver for the Minister of Health, Ms Bairbre de Brun (Sinn Fein). Mr Ian Paisley jnr described the expense as "disgraceful".
In a written answer to his question on Ms de Brun's transport expenses, it was disclosed that it cost £950 a month to rent the Minister's car and that her drivers were paid £5.68 an hour. "It adds up to over £2,000 a month," Mr Paisley said.
"It is an appalling indictment of David Trimble's policies that such a huge sum of money is going towards chauffeuring a Sinn Fein politician."
Ms de Brun has called for savings in the National Health Service to be allocated to her budget instead of returned to the Treasury. During a debate on community nursing, she said £190 million had been made in "efficiency savings" over the past decade.
"While bed numbers were reduced by more than a third, 23 per cent more in-patients and 166 per cent more day-patients have been treated. Similar pressures are also apparent in the community and we need to remind ourselves that £190 million in efficiency savings were taken out of our services in the last decade.
"I certainly have no quarrel with setting the services such targets and I have no quarrel with ensuring savings are made and the services operate efficiently.
"However, I think it is a pity that those substantial funds were not reinvested rather than being reaped by the Treasury. I want to see future arrangements ploughing savings back into the service."
The Minister of Agriculture, Ms Brid Rodgers (SDLP) was under pressure yesterday to draw up an alternative to her beef export plan if it is held up in Brussels. Mr Paisley, a member of the agriculture committee, expressed concern at her admission yesterday that beef exports may not get moving until next spring.
Ms Rodgers said that while she was "very hopeful" her BSE-free export status plan would be submitted and approved by Brussels, the process could be lengthy.
Mr Paisley said he feared export restrictions on the North's beef might not be lifted until 2002. "If that is the case, there must now be an alternative plan put in place by her department because she is failing the farming constituents."
The Assembly yesterday urged the British Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr Gordon Brown, to increase the state pension by £5. Members unanimously supported a motion which also called for the restoration of the link between pensions and earnings.
Mr Kieran McCarthy (Alliance) condemned as "derisory" the British government's announcement last week of a 75p increase. However, the Minister of Social Development , Mr Maurice Morrow (DUP), warned that breaking parity on pensions with Britain would cost £40 million.
He said he understood the concerns of the Assembly on pensions but restoring the link with earnings would not target resources to the most needy. "While I appreciate the depth of members' feelings on this issue, there are those who would say it is easy to call for increased pensions if you don't have to pick up the bill."
Mr McCarthy said: "The criminally low pension rate insults our elderly and keeps them deprived of comfort and dignity."