“and in light of the other budgetary pressures facing the Executive”

The BBC report that Finance Minister Peter Robinson has criticised members of the NI Executive who voted in favour of the Alliance party’s amendment yesterday, and he says those that did broke the ministerial code as the executive had unanimously agreed not to vote for high-spending measures unless all ministers supported them. However, as observer correctly pointed out in the comments zone here last night, the Assembly actually passed the UUP amendment to the motion, after voting on the Alliance amendment.. and it gives the Executive much more room for manoeuvre on the issue.. to the extent that they have not given an absolute commitment to provide that free personal care for the elderly at all.. nor a time-frame.Here’s the motion as agreed by the Assembly, after the UUP amendment was accepted

That this Assembly accepts the recommendations of the Royal Commission on the Long-Term Care of the Elderly; supports in principle the introduction of free personal care; calls on the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to report on the fiscal, workforce and administrative preparations required to implement the policy; and asks the Executive to consider the costs and method of delivery in the context of the Comprehensive Spending Review and in light of the other budgetary pressures facing the Executive.

And those Executive Ministers criticised by Peter Robinson?

From the AYES [scroll down], to the Alliance party’s amendment, that would be

Mr M McGuinness, Mr Murphy, Ms Ritchie, Ms Ruane

Adds UTV report

Pete Baker