Swann gets ‘Employment and Learning’ top post

Assemblyman Swann, who is also North Antrim UUP Chairman and Party Chief Whip, was appointed DEL Chairman by Party leader Mike Nesbitt MLA.

Mr Nesbitt said: “Since joining our Assembly team in 2011, Robin has established himself as one of the UUP’s most progressive thinkers and operators.

“He has especially excelled himself on both the Stormont Agriculture and Culture Committees, so he is well suited to this prestigious post of DEL Chairman and I have full confidence in Robin that he will do his usual professional and excellent job.”

Mr Swann added: “I feel very honoured the leader has appointed me to the chairmanship of this important committee and I know I am ready for the task of rebuilding our economy and helping to put Northern Ireland once again on the road to recovery.

“It is vitally important, too, that the Stormont Executive implements a strategy that will see both inward investment attracted to Northern Ireland, but at the same time boost existing local firms.

“We also want to see an end to the so-called ‘brain drain’ whereby many of our talented young people who leave for higher education in Britain do not return to Northern Ireland with their new-found knowledge and skills.

“We want to boost the number of higher education places in our universities and colleges of further and higher education so that people of all ages can study and achieve their qualifications in Northern Ireland,” said Assemblyman Swann.

With his appointment as DEL Chairman, Mr Swann is carrying on a North Antrim UUP tradition with DEL. Mr Swann’s predecessor as North Antrim MLA, the Rev Dr Robert Coulter MBE, was also a member of the DEL Committee and was for a time DEL spokesman for the party.