Finance department 'withholding' failed PPE order emails

The consignment of personal protective equipment (PPE) was ordered from China

A DUP MLA has accused the Department of Finance of withholding emails about a failed Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) order from China.

Paul Frew said the finance committee had requested all emails about the order, but only some of the correspondence was released.

He said emails covering 30 and 31 March were not provided.

The finance minister said he was happy to "consider any request for appropriate information".

But Conor Murphy also asked Mr Frew if he brought the same "righteous indignation" into his own party meetings when such issues as the renewable heat incentive (RHI) are discussed, and said he doubted this was the case.

The botched green energy project contributed to the collapse of the Northern Ireland Executive in 2017.

'A grave place'

Mr Frew, who is the deputy chairman of the finance committee, accused the department of denying the committee access to the emails and claimed a BBC freedom of information request to access the same emails was also rejected by the department.

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"We are in a grave place if we are denied access to these emails, " Mr Frew said.

"Any department that stops information going to a scrutiny committee is unjust and diabolical"

The Ulster Unionist MLA Mike Nesbitt, who also sits on the finance committee, said he shared Mr Frew's concern about being denied access to the emails.

The Department of Finance said it recognises the important role of the Finance Committee.

"We will continue to work with them and respond to their requests," a spokesperson said in a statement.