DUP trio replaced as committee chairs
THREE DUP MPs have been replaced in their roles as Stormont committee chairs as the party continues to take action on double jobbing.
Strangford representative Iris Robinson, wife of First Minister Peter Robinson, will leave her position as chair of the Health Committee. She will be replaced by South Down MLA Jim Wells.
William McCrea (South Antrim) and David Simpson (Upper Bann) are also stepping down from their positions at the head of the Agriculture and Social Development committees respectively.
North Antrim’s Ian Paisley Junior will take the reins at agriculture, while up-and-coming Strangford member Simon Hamilton will assume the top seat at the DSD committee.
The changes come in the same week that Mr Robinson reshuffled his ministerial team, with North Belfast MP Nigel Dodds leaving his job at Finance and East Londonderry MP Gregory Campbell relinquishing the Culture, Arts and Leisure portfolio.
