▁Tim othy ▁John ston ▁and ▁John ▁Robinson , ▁two ▁D UP ▁special ▁advis ers , ▁had ▁extensive ▁interests ▁in ▁the ▁p oul try ▁industry ▁which ▁is ▁why ▁he ▁could ▁not ▁reduce ▁the ▁R HI ▁tar iff . ▁ ▁Following ▁Bell ' s ▁alleg ations , ▁the ▁D UP ▁released ▁a ▁statement ▁and ▁denied ▁his ▁claims . ▁Robinson ▁said ▁he ▁had ▁" no ▁personal ▁interest " ▁in ▁the ▁p oul try ▁industry , ▁although ▁two ▁of ▁his ▁brothers ▁are ▁p oul try ▁far mers ▁but ▁were ▁not ▁involved ▁in ▁R HI . ▁John ston ▁said ▁he ▁had ▁" no ▁family ▁connection ▁to ▁the ▁p oul try ▁industry ", ▁although ▁he ▁had ▁two ▁brothers ▁in ▁law ▁in ▁the ▁p oul try ▁industry , ▁with ▁neither ▁having ▁a ▁connection ▁to ▁the ▁R HI ▁scheme . ▁ ▁On ▁ 1 7 ▁January ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁Robinson ▁told ▁the ▁Press ▁Association ▁that ▁his ▁father - in - law ▁applied ▁to ▁the ▁scheme ▁in ▁August ▁ 2 0 1 5 , ▁one ▁day ▁after ▁he ▁denied ▁having ▁any ▁family ▁connections . ▁His ▁father - in - law ▁runs ▁two ▁bo ilers ▁under ▁the ▁scheme . ▁He ▁den ies ▁having ▁been ▁involved ▁with ▁the ▁R HI ▁scheme ▁prior ▁to ▁his ▁appointment ▁as ▁special ▁advis er ▁to ▁Minister ▁for ▁the ▁Econom y ▁Simon ▁Hamilton . ▁He ▁also ▁said ▁that ▁" at ▁no ▁point " ▁had ▁he ▁" ever ▁ad vised ▁anyone ▁to ▁join ▁the ▁scheme ▁or ▁sought ▁to ▁benefit ▁in ▁any ▁way ▁from ▁it ". ▁ ▁Bell ▁also