Health Minister Jim Wells Jim Wels quit over remarks he made about child abuse to children in gay relationships

DUP leader Peter Robinson will later today unveil the new health minister to succeed Jim Wells who quit over a gay couple child abuse remark.

The hot favourites are junior minister Jonathan Bell and the current Finance Minister Simon Hamilton.

Mr Hamilton has been running the department in a caretaker role after Mr Wells resigned over his remarks during a public meeting during the south Down Westminster hustings campaign.

One suggestion is that the health department maybe split in two.

A DUP MLA could run the department of health to implement proposed cuts to the number of hospitals in the province.

A junior minister could be appointed to look after social services to take this workload off the health minister.

The DUP and Sinn Fein are expected to hold high level talks today over plans for welfare reform.

Sinn Fein withdrew its support for the Stormont House Agreement claiming welfare reforms would hurt the worst off in society.