FIRE(D) AND BRIMSTONE: DUP MINISTER’S ADVISOR FACES PROBE OVER HOUSING EXECUTIVE VOTE ROW

Former Minister Nelson McCausland's special advisor Stephen Brimstone facing probe over Housing Executive voting row

Former Minister Nelson McCausland’s special advisor Stephen Brimstone facing probe over Housing Executive voting row

IT is reported this morning that a secret civil service report into the behaviour of DUP special adviser (SPAD) Stephen Brimstone has recommended he faces a disiciplinary inquiry.

The report was carried out in 2013, but has never been published, says BBC NI.

It was commissioned following a BBC Spotlight show which alleged political interference in the Housing Executive.

It claimed Mr Brimstone, who was then special advisor to Housing Minister Nelson McCausland, pressured DUP councillor Jenny Palmer to change her vote at a board meeting.

He later denied the claims but Ms Palmer later won the support of First Minister Peter Robinson

MLAs on the assembly’s Department for Social Development (DSD) committee have been investigating the allegations raised by the programme.

They have been seeking the civil service report for months.

On Wednesday evening, the Social Development Minister Mervyn Storey finally released the report – only after he was given a week to hand it over or face legal action in the courts.

However, BBC NI says that sections of the 42-page document have been blanked out.

One recommendation that has not been blanked out says that Mr Brimstone’s conduct warrants a formal disciplinary investigation

The DSD committee will meet to discuss the report later on Thursday.

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