AQW 5378/17-22

Mr Stewart Dickson
Alliance Party
East Antrim

Tabled Date: 01/07/2020
Answered On Date: 10/07/2020
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister for the Economy to outline (i) what communication is taking place; and (ii) data is being shared, with local government in respect of forward planning for potential redundancies.

Answer:

This AWQ has been transferred to the Department for Communities to respond to.

My Department regularly partners with other government departments and local government to provide a tailored redundancy service for employers and their employees. While there is no formal data sharing arrangements in place with local government, analysis about those sectors most impacted by Covid-19 and furlough data has been shared to inform joint plans going forward. My Department is also represented on local government Local Works Forums. In terms of planning ahead, my Department is exploring new ways of working such as virtual delivery of redundancy support via webinars to supplement our face to face socially distanced capacity to deliver redundancy support. We have already partnered with Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon Council and the Department deliver our first virtual redundancy clinic for Thompson Aero Seating Ltd.