Peter Weir
Strangford · Ulster Unionist Party · Northern Ireland
“Funding was secured for that scheme, and we have been able to take further steps on it. As highlighted by my colleague Diane Dodds, we have seen my successor, the current Minister, be able to implement it at the beginning of September 2021 and funding be made available for it.”
“One of the great fears — I saw it particularly, as Education Minister, from the point of view of children and the domestic setting between partners — was what was going to happen in families when the doors closed and the locks went on. What was happening behind closed doors?”
“There is another significant element of the Bill. I have spoken about it in the Chamber on a couple of occasions. There is always a slight danger that we, as legislators, see legislation as being the end of a process and think that we can pack it away, put it on the shelf and forget about the problem because it has been solved.”
“I welcome the passage of the Bill's Final Stage and commend all the campaigners who have pressed so hard for it and the Bill sponsor. For Pat Catney, hearing some of the tributes must be like hearing eulogies at your funeral, without having to go through the indignity of dying, which is always a double advantage.”
“As highlighted by a number of Members, the impact of period poverty, though not confined to it, has been particularly acute in young women's education. We know that the impact can lead to the missing of education and constraints within education, and that it does so in a disproportionate way.”
“I support the Bill's Final Stage, and I commend the Bill's sponsor for introducing it. I thank the Minister and the Department for the positive attitude that they have taken towards it.”
The complete record
Every one of 3,831 lines we hold for Peter Weir, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 48 of 77.
“I received the report shortly before Christmas. The report was a little bit late in arriving, but I looked over it. It is not just a question of publishing but a question of seeking the public's views on it, so my intention had been to find a date in January to do that. I understand from discussions that the protocol is such that you should not really be publishing during an election campaign, and I think that there is good sense in that. In part, that is because that is what the advice is on protocols for all consultation, but also this is a very serious report. It needs to be given a proper viewing. My original intention, then, was to give instructions to publish just after the election campaign to avoid that.”
“I am tempted to say that the very short answer is yes.”
“The conclusion initially is to be arrived at by the Education Authority. To that extent, I am urging it to take a look at the options. Decisions are likely to be taken outside the time frame of my ministerial responsibility, but it is important that, whether they be taken at an Education Authority level, and I think that that is where the resolution needs to happen, or by another Minister, every avenue be explored and we provide the best possible solutions for our young people on the issue.”
“It has simply been sent today, so it will not have been received as yet, but that letter is going to every member of the Education Authority.”
“It needs to look at what alternative proposals have been put forward and what other options there are — I think that there can be other options — for a better financial regime that would allow alternative ways of moving forward. I also specifically urge the Education Authority not simply to look at those alternative proposals but to engage directly with those who are putting them forward to ensure that the proposals have the fullest opportunity. The driver should be what is in the best interests of our young people, although I appreciate that there are also financial constraints to be considered. It is therefore important that every option be explored very thoroughly and that viable alternatives be given the maximum opportunity. That letter has gone out today, so it may be news to the Education Authority.”
“There is a consultation ongoing, and I am not in a position to interfere with it directly. I appreciate that we had a very vigorous debate on outdoor activity centres in the Chamber — in fact, we had a debate two weeks in a row. It is clear that there are widespread concerns out there. Today, I have written to the chair of the Education Authority. That letter will go to all members of the board, urging a precautionary approach be taken. As I said, I cannot interfere directly in the ongoing consultation. Before any conclusions are reached, the authority needs to have a very thorough examination of all the consultation responses.”
“The idea is to give greater autonomy to schools by providing them with the ability to make decisions. In a previous existence, which will show my age, I might have described those decisions as being taken at the chalkface, but now I suppose that I should say interactive whiteboard. Indeed, saying that may even be out of date. This is about allowing that opportunity for those sensible decisions to be taken at the level of school principals, boards of governors and teachers, all of whom know what is in the best interests of their children, rather than an attempt to dictate downwards from the Department of Education. That is an important step. For whoever succeeds me in taking those decisions, that is something that needs to carry on.”
“That is particularly the case with some minority subjects, on which you get two or three schools in the same town collaborating. I know that that happens in Bangor in my constituency among three of the schools. They are collaborating to provide that maximum level of opportunity. Generally speaking, I think that the announcement has been welcomed by school principals.”
“This is a practical decision that was taken. We were getting messages, particularly from school principals and schools, that the scale of what was there was placing an onerous burden on them. Nobody doubts that we need to ensure that young people have the fullest opportunity, and we had that before the decision was taken. Subsequently, I have had feedback from a number of school principals who see this as a practical solution that has eased the burden on them in what are tight financial situations. <BR /> <BR />I know that a lot of schools are doing this already, but I take the opportunity to say that, particularly for its delivery and the delivery of subjects, the entitlement framework is a great vehicle for greater levels of cooperation, collaboration and sharing between schools.”
“In the case of Priory, for instance, the first step is to ensure that it has a proper site. I think that a lot of us would have a fair guess at the answer to that. In that case, and probably for Bangor Central, the answer was fairly obvious, but that procedure needs to be gone through. The money is 100% secure and will not be impacted by wider budgetary positions. That is a bit of good news for the Member.”
“I have been to a number of schools for meetings. I have been to Priory Integrated College and Bangor Central Integrated Primary School in relation to this issue. Their money is part of the Fresh Start money, which was £500 million allocated across a 10-year period, with a tranche of a maximum of £50 million a year. Those schools were announced as part of the first tranche of investments. As I said, the actions being taken are progressing along those lines, and the money is therefore secured, irrespective of what happens to the Northern Ireland block grant. Irrespective of what happens to any Northern Ireland Executive Budget, that is separate money that has been allocated by central government. It is secure money, they are announced projects and they are moving ahead.”
“Also tied up with that was the examination of what could be done through the school enhancement programme, and it is likely that there will be an announcement fairly imminently on that. That is because we need to get moving with the school enhancement programme to ensure a proper flow of capital. I am acutely aware of the issues. No matter how things move ahead, capital will be available in the future. We have not yet been in the position to make a major capital call, but I think that there will be one very imminently on the school enhancement programme.”
“There are a number of issues there. I suppose that all politics is local, so the Member cannot be blamed for posing that question. Priory Integrated College and Bangor Central Integrated Primary School were part of the Fresh Start announcements. The project boards are moving ahead with those, that money is secure and the programmes will happen, irrespective of what the particular political landscape will be. <BR /> <BR />I have asked government whether some of the terms of the broader funding can be widened for St Columbanus' College. Its intake makes it what is sometimes referred to as a "super-mixed school", and it should be in a position to benefit from that. As yet, central government has probably been a little bit distracted with other issues, so I have not been able to secure a widening of the terms of reference.”
“I think that there is a tremendous benefit, which is why the funding has consistently been put on a separate footing. Indeed, the EA has always sought to deliver that. This is targeted, especially in sometimes difficult areas, particularly at youth work with young people who are sometimes very hard to reach and whom other services are not really getting to. In society as a whole, youth work is key in preventing any potential problems that might arise and in preventing individual young people going in the wrong direction. The youth work provided is extremely valuable, and I commend those who are involved in it.”
“The Education Authority has confirmed that there are a total of 41 youth workers across the statutory provision in the three areas named. The figure is made up of 15 workers in the Rathcoole youth centre, including seven assistant youth support workers, five youth support workers, two support workers in charge and one area youth worker. There are a further 10 at Millgreen youth centre in Bawnmore and 16 youth workers in Glengormley youth centre. I can give the Member the breakdown of those if he so desires.”
“As I said, there is an indication that, as part of this, we need to get a holistic view of the area plan. That is what we need to move ahead with; it will identify the needs, particularly for Belfast and East Belfast. One criticism that has been rightly made about area planning is that different sectors were moving at different speeds. The fact is that the controlled schools sector, CCMS, the integrated sector and the Irish-medium sector are all sitting around the same table trying to develop these proposals. Hopefully, that will produce a plan that is fit for purpose. If there are particular pressures on the integrated sector in East Belfast, those will be taken into account as part of an overall plan. It is important that we get the full jigsaw.”
“If there is any revision, changes will be subject to consultation.”
“Preschool education providers set admissions criteria. Research has shown that children in socially disadvantaged circumstances tend to experience more difficulty at school than other children, so the Department requires priority to be given to those children in the preschool setting as part of a wider effort. The aim is to ensure — to be fair, it is pretty close to being achieved — that there is at least a place for every child. Sometimes, there is still a disjoint from an area planning point of view; in certain parts of the country, you will have a high level of pressure on places and, in other areas, there will be a gap. It is important that the definition of children from socially disadvantaged circumstances in the required priority criteria is fit for purpose. It is probably timely that those are revised.”
“The Department is not the initiator of a development proposal; it is for the Education Authority or another managing authority to initiate that. As I said, as has happened in a number of schools, there is an opportunity to ensure that that can be dealt with, which would at least provide for a temporary removal of constraints.”
“It is important that children get what is best suited to them. That does not always mean something entirely on their doorstep. The idea of area planning is to provide something strategic, and we will see a draft area plan that could lend itself to development proposals. While everybody's thinking on development proposals will always concern a new school, a school closure or a merger, they can also — this has happened on a number of occasions — relate to adjustments to enrolment. Development proposals can take a certain length of time. There is a provision — this has happened on a number of occasions — to allow temporary variations, which a school applies for. If there is a particular pressure, that can be met in that way. <BR /> <BR />The Department and, more specifically, the Minister sign off on a specific development proposal.”
“Preschool settings collectively received 1,068 applications, of which 937 pupils — about 90% — achieved places at their first preference setting. There were 1,207 places available in the primary sector. There were 1,094 primary applications, of which 1,021 applicants received places at their first preference. That equates to 93·3%. <BR /> <BR />Post-primary figures are as follows: 1,028 places were available and 1,025 post-primary applications were received, with 807 applicants receiving places at their first preference school. I emphasise again that these figures do not relate to children placed at one of the schools of their choice but at their first preference school.”
“I thank the Member for his question. I should explain that, while parents are able to nominate their preference for the preschool settings or schools they wish their child to attend, approved enrolment numbers mean that a child cannot in every case be guaranteed a place in a particular setting or school. Nevertheless, the figures for September 2016 admission, which have been provided by the Education Authority and are based on the position at the close of each admissions process, show that the vast majority of children in East Belfast were successful in gaining admission to their first preference. <BR /> <BR />I will drill down into the statistics. There were 1,106 available preschool places throughout East Belfast for this year.”
“I will write to the Member with the exact figures. We always want to get the best practice that is there. Obviously, any opportunity to roll out new initiatives, for example, is extremely limited, given the short time I have left in office. However, it is something that needs to be considered, if not by me, by my successors in title. The Member has put forward a reasonable suggestion.”
“We are working with childcare providers to get the biggest bang for our buck. Given limited resources, we always want to ensure the maximum provision with what we have. Our childcare strategy was ready to go to the Executive, but the Department will work with local childcare providers to provide help and support, as has happened until now.”
“I will have an opportunity to talk with the Committee as regards the wider situation. It appears likely that the budget will simply roll forward in the absence of a budget, which means that money will be spent in more or less the same way as before. This was a precautionary move that had to be taken and is in line with what happened in previous years. I want to give that reassurance because I understand that there is a lot of concern out there at present.”
“I think that would be the case. That was coming up under question 6. I thank the Member for raising the issue before we reach the 2.30 pm cut-off point. <BR /> <BR />There has been concern because a letter was put out by an EA official that is essentially protective notice. That is standard practice and happened, for example, two years ago when the budget was at issue because of the welfare situation. It is standard procedure when no budget has been set. Unfortunately, inferences have been drawn from that and, indeed, some have deliberately misinterpreted it. Let me be absolutely clear: first, there have been no cuts whatsoever to that budget; secondly, there has been no decision to make any cuts to it; and thirdly, there is no proposal or intention to make any such cut. That money is currently being allocated.”
“It is about getting the cocktail of measures that will work in an area and the community buy-in.”
“Also, in the near future, I will be speaking at a conference on the issue of educational underachievement in Bangor that has been organised by a north Down group. That has been in track for a period of time. <BR /> <BR />It is about building a range of interventions. If a single intervention could sort out a lot of the problems, I think that it would have been done by now.”
“There has been much discussion about that. I welcome some of the improvements that have happened, but a lot more needs to be done to build on it. I produced a paper a short time ago, and we are looking at what we can do to implement that. In tough economic times, I have ensured that the money to fund things like targeting social need has been allocated directly to schools. <BR /> <BR />We need to take a more imaginative approach. We need to, for instance, focus on how we can imaginatively use the likes of social media. I would like to see a situation in the relatively near future, particularly in encouraging reading, in which we make use of local role models — that has happened at lower levels with the use of sports stars, who have tried to provide a degree of additional aspiration.”
“I also fund the West Belfast Partnership Board, the Greater Shankill Partnership and, indeed, Sure Start. All those can play an important role in the community in helping to tackle that key problem of educational underachievement.”
“I thank the Member for his question. I believe that community-based initiatives are one of a number of factors that can help improve educational outcomes for pupils, particularly those from socially disadvantaged backgrounds. In my experience, irrespective of what community it is, getting a level of community buy-in is very helpful and significant. <BR /> <BR />The Every School a Good School policy highlights that a good school is one that is connected to its local community. I have met a number of community representatives and recognise the influence that they can exercise and achieve. I have encouraged the West Belfast Partnership Board and the other partnership boards, including the EastSide Partnership, to assist them to share the model of good practice.”
“Sometimes, it depends on which union is creating the industrial action and its level of strength within a particular school. Many schools have been able to carry on without particular impact, others have had to close the school for a day or a half day and others have had different regimes. There is slightly more of a spectrum of impact, rather than necessarily a full impact, on schools on any one occasion.”
“Obviously, guidance has been issued by employers — for instance, the Education Authority or CCMS — to boards of governors and school principals to assist schools in the face of escalated industrial action. It particularly advises school principals to consider contingency plans and to ascertain what the impact of the industrial action will be in the school to ensure that appropriate levels of supervision and support can be provided, to ensure accurate recording of attendance for pupils and staff and to consider the provision of home-to-school transport and school meals. <BR /> <BR />I would also indicate that, sometimes, when you drill down into figures of the impact of particular days of action, whilst some of them are geographically specific, it is not necessarily a universal position.”
“It may well come up in other questions on it. In terms of reviews, consultations etc, anything that is coming back into the Education Authority is not in and of itself suspended, but the protocol is that you do not really perform consultations during an election period. He mentioned, for instance, the SEN review, and there are other reviews as well. Those are very important issues, and it is important that we get a proper focus on them so that there is no distraction. I am happy to come along to the Committee to answer questions, effectively on my own, on those issues. I will try to be as helpful as possible within the constraints of the level of knowledge that I have.”
“Yes, I am happy to attend that. There may be a limited amount that I can directly say on a range of those issues. The broader budgetary situation will be the same for each Department, according to the way the rules work, assuming that we are not immediately seeing a resolution to all those issues. I will be happy to tackle in detail some of the questions that the Member has raised. In some cases, there has been talk of particular proposals when, in fact, no proposals have necessarily been made. I tried to comment today on an issue that had come up where, again, there was a degree of misunderstanding and, indeed, some — not in this House — make a level of political exploitation of that without knowing the facts on that basis on it, but it is important that we shed as much light as possible on that.”
“There may be certain things that are beyond my control as well in relation to that. It is unfortunate that a particular approach has been taken towards the inspectorate because that can be damaging to the school and to the reputation of the school. Let us remember that the inspectorate is not doing its work because it gets some sort of perverse kick out of this; it is doing it to try to ensure that we have proper standards in our schools. In certain regards, ETI is always a bit of an easy target on that basis on it. That non-cooperation is damaging, as I said, to our schools and to our children, and I urge all the unions and all teachers to fully cooperate with ETI. We need to see a degree of solution on this as well.”
“The opportunities for that will potentially be in looking forward to 2017. The reality is that, whether it is me or somebody else in post, the issues ultimately remain the same, and a belief that some change of personalities will suddenly make resolution very easy in many ways misunderstands the nature of the problem.”
“I am not sure that "abandon" is quite the correct word on that side of things on it. Clearly, we have had issues around the broader perspective. The fact that the Executive have been collapsed by one party and that, in particular, it has been done ahead of any Budget settlement is not helpful to the overall situation. The opportunity for a greater level of resolution is that people look forward to 2017. It is not realistic to think that there is some big pot of money out there to cover the situation between 2015 and now or, indeed, to backdate that. It is also not simply a question of finding a one-off pot. If you make changes to the pay and conditions, that has a long-term impact on the school budgets and creates a level of pressure because it baselines within that. That must also be borne in mind.”
“<BR /> <BR />As regards the broader financial situation, it is important that there is a focus on where we move on from 2017, because there is not a big pot of money sitting somewhere that is ready to be paid to make up for what has happened to date. I should also indicate that previous settlements included increments, which are no longer automatic in England. It is about trying to get a situation — tomorrow will hopefully be the first step in this — where people are looking forward rather than trying to resolve issues, some of which date back many years. Maybe that is a wider lesson for society in Northern Ireland.”
“There are a number of things in relation to that. Workload is a key issue that a lot of teachers have raised with me. That is why we sought suggestions from schools — and we are ending the collation of those responses — not simply on where there could be additional responsibility or opportunities for a greater level of flexibility for schools but about easing burdens. Particularly in a very tight financial situation, looking to where we can ease burdens on schools and teachers is vital. I am a little bit disappointed that, even among those unions that have taken the view of non-strike action, there is an impact in terms of non-cooperation with the inspectorate, because that can impact on pupils' learning.”
“Management side meets the Teaching Council regularly as part of its work on TNC and is committed to moving forward in a constructive fashion. Management side met the teaching unions 10 days ago, on 12 January, in relation to industrial action. I welcome the fact that that meeting was described by those involved as constructive. I understand that there was agreement to an exchange of discussion papers, with a further meeting scheduled for tomorrow. If we are looking for positives, it is at least a positive step that there is at least that engagement. I urge the teaching unions, which have taken, to be fair, slightly different attitudes to industrial action, to continue to get round to management side to focus on the issues for 2017 and beyond.”
“Madam Principal Deputy Speaker, with your permission, I will answer questions 2 and 3 together because they relate to the same subject. <BR /> <BR />I am disappointed that the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT) is engaged in ongoing industrial action. The recognised negotiating forum for teachers’ terms and conditions is the Teachers' Negotiating Committee (TNC), at which the Department is represented. The TNC is made up of representatives from the Northern Ireland Teaching Council (NITC), which comprises the five teaching unions, and management side, which comprises representatives from the Education Authority, the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools (CCMS), sectoral interests and the Department.”
“So there is an overarching bit to try to ensure that there is that cooperation, because this is not an issue that relates just to Education. There are also key implications, particularly, for Health and Justice. It is only by that level of key cooperation that we will start to tackle these problems.”
“Obviously, on the issue of bullying, direct anti-bullying legislation was put through the House last year. The Sexual Offences (Northern Ireland) Order 2008 also incorporated significant changes to the law on sexual offences to provide better protection for younger people from sexual abuse and exploitation. Finally, there is a requirement in the Children's Services Co-operation Act, which was passed through the House in 2015. It is:”
“There is a broad range of international and domestic child protection legislation relating to welfare. The principal domestic legislation is the Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995. It is the overarching piece of legislation, which sets out the requirements for professional practice in relation to children and young people and identifies the welfare of children as being of paramount importance, which is correct. It sets prevention and protection as two of the key principles.The Education and Libraries (Northern Ireland) Order 2003, which now covers the Education Authority as well, places a statutory duty on boards of governors to safeguard and promote the welfare of children, to have a written child protection policy and to specifically address the prevention of bullying in schools.”
“I agree with the Member if the implication of his question is that the sentence, which in that particular case will outrage people, is too lenient. I have always supported mandatory sentences in these matters and I suspect that he will have a similar view. However, we also need to ensure that the judiciary takes these things seriously. There will always be some flexibility in that. It is important that the most vulnerable in our society, and schoolchildren in particular, are properly protected, especially when we are talking about abuse issues and abuse in schools, where there is a duty of protection in place. I share the Member's desire to see much tougher sentences arising out of this and it is something that needs to be progressed.”
“The overarching policy framework and relative responsibilities across Departments and agencies for safeguarding children and young people is outlined in the Department of Health publication 'Co-Operating to Safeguard Children and Young People in Northern Ireland'.”
“Child protection protocols in schools should include the following: first, that school governors should ensure that their school has a child protection policy and procedures based on the guidance provided by DE and the education authorities; secondly, that, as part of these procedures, each school should have a designated teacher to whom all allegations or suspicions of child abuse should be referred for notification to social services; and thirdly, that all staff should be trained to be alert to the signs of possible abuse and know the action to take if they have concerns. <BR /> <BR />Schools do not have an investigatory role in relation to child protection concerns. There are protocols in place to refer concerns to the relevant agencies, most pertinently social services and the PSNI.”
“I thank the Member for his question. Under articles 17 and 18 of the Education and Libraries (Northern Ireland) Order 2003, responsibility for child protection in schools falls to schools’ boards of governors. Schools, however, must have regard to guidance issued by the Department. The key document in this respect is 'Pastoral Care in Schools: Child Protection', issued under the DE circular 1999/10. <BR /> <BR />As that document explains, teachers and others working in the education services have a significant contribution to make to the safeguarding of children. All schools and colleges should create and maintain a safe environment for children and young people.”
“Further to that point of order, that was not actually the issue that I raised. Mr McCann questioned the integrity of the decision made by the Chair — that it might be personally motivated. I seek clarification of whether it is appropriate for a Member to challenge the integrity of the Chair's motivation in making a decision.”