9 8 4 ▁applications ▁were ▁received ▁from ▁September ▁ 2 0 1 5 ▁to ▁November ▁ 2 0 1 5 , ▁which ▁was ▁before ▁the ▁changes ▁announced ▁were ▁due ▁to ▁take ▁place . ▁The ▁scheme ▁was ▁closed ▁in ▁February ▁ 2 0 1 6 ▁by ▁Jonathan ▁Bell , ▁successor ▁to ▁F oster ▁as ▁Minister ▁of ▁D ET I . ▁He ▁said ▁that ▁it ▁was ▁closed ▁" in ▁view ▁of ▁the ▁significant ▁financial ▁risk ▁to ▁the ▁Northern ▁Ireland ▁block ▁grant ▁for ▁the ▁next ▁ 2 0 ▁years ". ▁ ▁Fra ud ▁ ▁Conc ern s ▁of ▁fra ud ▁were ▁raised ▁initially ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 3 ▁and ▁again ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁when ▁a ▁wh ist leb lower ▁contact ed ▁F oster ▁to ▁raise ▁concerns ▁about ▁the ▁scheme . ▁The ▁wh ist leb lower ▁stated ▁that ▁the ▁scheme ▁was ▁" f la wed " ▁and ▁the ▁concerns ▁of ▁civil ▁servants ▁" w ere ▁ignored " ▁after ▁she ▁reported ▁ab use ▁of ▁the ▁scheme , ▁as ▁property ▁own ers ▁were ▁taking ▁advantage ▁of ▁the ▁scheme ▁by ▁he ating ▁properties ▁that ▁were ▁previously ▁un he ated . ▁It ▁is ▁claimed ▁that ▁the ▁team , ▁which ▁compr ised ▁ten ▁officials , ▁investig ated ▁the ▁wh ist leb lower ' s ▁claims ▁and ▁" did ▁not ▁believe ▁the ▁inform ant " ▁and ▁did ▁not ▁report ▁back ▁to ▁F oster . ▁ ▁Another ▁wh ist leb lower ▁wrote ▁a ▁letter ▁in ▁January ▁ 2 0 1 6 ▁to ▁tell ▁F oster , ▁who ▁had ▁by