Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn has defended proposed Government reforms to the welfare system – stating it “has to be done”.
Political parties in the region were highly critical of cuts to welfare in Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ spring statement this week.
Speaking in Londonderry, Mr Benn said the current welfare system is “unsustainable”.
He added: “It doesn’t work to help people who can get back into work. That should be an objective that all of us share.
“The Government has been very clear that those who can’t work at the moment and will never be able to work will be protected.”
Mr Benn said: “We have got one in eight of our young people not in education, work or training, one in eight. That is the future potential of the nation.
“We can’t sit here and shrug our shoulders and say that is the way it is, we have got to do something about it.
“The package said we are going to redirect some of those resources into helping people who can get back into work to make it easier.
“People will debate it but it is something that has to be done because most people I have spoken to recognise the current system doesn’t work and is simply unsustainable.”
Sinn Fein ministers had accused the Government of prioritising “weapons over welfare” after it also announced increases in defence spending.
Mr Benn said: “The first priority, the first responsibility of any government is to protect the nation.
“You all know we are living in a more dangerous and uncertain world.
“In those circumstances it is right and proper for the government to increase defence expenditure.
“That is what we have done, we have taken the difficult decision over how to fund that.
“It is the right thing to do to protect the nation.
“Some of that investment, in respect of Ukraine, has come to Thales in Belfast, it is going to create an additional 200 jobs.
“That is part of our commitment to support Ukraine in the face of the Russian aggression.
“At the same time we are passionate about economic growth, because in the end that is how we are going to see the lives of all of us improve and the Government having more money to spend on the things that we want.”
Earlier this month, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced that the Thales factory in east Belfast is to supply 5,000 air defence missiles to Ukraine in a deal worth up to £1.6 billion.
