It comes following revelations that a recent trip to the US and Canada taken by the Minster for Communities Gordon Lyons and his staff team supposedly costed over £40,000.

The North Antrim MLA has said: “Openness, transparency, and value for money must be at the heart of the decision-making process at every level of government. Not least for ministers at the head of Executive departments facing such enormous financial pressures.

“£40,000 of the taxpayer’s money being spent on a nine-day trip is simply egregious, as well as being a reckless and unjustifiable mismanagement of public funds at a time when many are feeling such personal hardship.

“Politicians will inevitably travel as part of their roles and the duties involved for a whole variety of legitimate reasons. However, there must always be a mindfulness in terms of ensuring value for money with travel expenses.

“£40,000 is the equivalent of what support 400 pensioners will get this winter. With that in mind, and given that the Communities Committee raised concerns about the lack of detail regarding this trip, it is very difficult to understand whether value for money was appropriately prioritised here.”