Ford Sitting on £392,000 from Part - Time Reserve Gratuity Scheme
22 November 2012
Statement by TUV leader Jim Allister:
“One of the stated reasons some months ago for resisting the acceptance of late applications to the Part-Time Reserve Gratuity Scheme was that the fixed pot of money had been divided between the number of applicants, and, thus, the fund was exhausted.
“However, I have now received confirmation from Justice Minister David Ford that in fact £392,000 remains of the £20 million funding provided by HM Treasury for the scheme. But in spite of this DOJ was totally inflexible about the deadline for applications. This resulted in many deserving former members of the Part-Time Reserve missing out on money to which they are entitled.
“I am dismayed that Minister Ford now refuses to distribute the surplus money to the limited number of people who were deemed to be late in their applications, yet he cannot say where the money will go.
“Mr Ford informs me that “no decisions have yet been taken on how the residue can and should be used”. There should be no question about how this money should be “used”. It should go to those who missed the deadline.
“This is not David Ford’s money to decided to do with as he pleases. It is the Part-Time Reservsists' money and it shouldn’t be going anywhere else! In particular it must not be syphoned off into regular government spending.”
