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Although he got his chosen candidate selected as UUP leader, this hasn't been the best week for Michael McGimpsey. Yesterday (as mentioned earlier) he got a rough ride from the Health and Justice Committees over Donagh and Doctors B and C. He is due to make a statement about his Donagh mix up to the Assembly next week.

Now, on top of all that, the Newtownards Chronicle has run a story about the Minister holding directorships in two companies which rent properties to the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust in Newtownards. On my reading there doesn't seem any issue about non- decaration of interests, as in Mr McGimpsey declares his directorships.

However it's a tad embarrassing that staff working in one of the buildings, a Health and Care Centre at 39 Regent Street, Newtownards, are quoted as complaining about inadequate standards and a lack of heating - in a building rented out by a company of which the relevant minister is a director (that said, the register of interests describes this as an "unremunerated" post).

The Chronicle goes on to quote the minister's brother, Chris McGimpsey, who is also a director of the landlords North Down Hotels, as saying the firm was only made aware of a heating problem last week and should have the boiler reinstated in time for "the heating season".

"The heating season". That's a new one on me. It sounds a bit like "the marching season". Now if only the politicians could transfer some of the hot and heavy atmosphere from recent Stormont committee sessions to the chilly quarters in Newtownards everyone might feel a lot more comfortable.

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