Leslie Cree
North Down · Ulster Unionist Party · Northern Ireland
“I also thank the Minister for her very full paper this afternoon. I was going to ask about cost, but that has been covered. Obviously, from the point of view of using signing and having available an Irish version and a British version, there could be complications.”
“<BR /> <BR />The Budget also anticipates 30 projects being taken forward that will involve cross-cutting reform and provide overarching governance. Can the Minister elaborate on that work and advise what savings are expected in the Budget year against the cost of £4·5 million?”
“<BR /> <BR />I will illustrate some more points about the current Budget. We know that, under the Budget exchange scheme, there are limits to what can be carried forward from the current year. Is it still 0·6% for resource DEL and 1·5% for capital DEL?”
“Again, I ask the Minister whether he can confirm that that is correct. <BR /> <BR />Finally, we need to be more definite about which projects we fund in the Budget. They need to be clear and time-bound. Some of the strategies that the Executive decided upon in 2007 have not yet been finalised.”
“The fact that spend is usually lower than anticipated has meant that overcommitment has been a feature until this current year. That is not good enough and would not be countenanced by the private sector.”
“We often hear Members complaining that those who query a Budget should suggest where any additional moneys should come from to fund other activities. That approach is greatly flawed and is an oversimplification of the matter. The issue is much more basic: a different approach is required.”
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“Domiciliary care packages and the meals-on-wheels service are being cut back, and, in the latter's case, without any consultation. At the end of last year, the Bangor Community Hospital had its 20-bed step-down ward closed temporarily. We all know what "temporary" can mean. Indeed, it can mean a very long time. <BR /> <BR />Our amendment would allow for £5 million of resource DEL to be passed to the Health Department to assist trusts' budget difficulties, in addition to the new moneys in the draft Budget. The Department for Regional Development would benefit from an allocation of £3 million of resource DEL to help fund Northern Ireland Water to comply with the PC15 final determination.”
“<BR /> <BR />However, we are all aware of the pressures on several budgets and of the need to protect our front-line services, even if we do not have a definition of what that means. Not to spend a budget when there is urgent need is very difficult to defend. Therefore, the Ulster Unionist Party amendment seeks to remove £26 million of resource and capital DEL and to redistribute it to other areas in which it is urgently required. <BR /> <BR />The health service is constantly in the news, with problems in service delivery right across the Province, including in my constituency of North Down, where, only last week, the elderly and vulnerable were once again being targeted by the South Eastern Trust's budget cuts.”
“The social investment fund is one such example. Its budget for 2011-15 was £80 million, and it was due to be completed by March of this year. Clearly, it has not been completed, and, at the last count, something approaching half the sum had still not been expended for the benefit of vulnerable people in Northern Ireland. We are not intending to suggest that any money should be reallocated from that which has already been allocated to specific projects. We are referring to the money that remains unexpended and, indeed, has done throughout the life of this mandate, from the beginning of 2011 until today. The money was always there, but it has never been pushed out for what it was intended for.”
“We all know that this year's Budget process has been particularly difficult and truncated. In many instances, Departments failed to produce spending plans for scrutiny by the relevant Statutory Committees. The consultation extended over the Christmas period, and there is little evidence that the tens of thousands of responses were studied, analysed and taken on board by the Executive. Indeed, several Members acknowledged that the draft Budget was counter-strategic in many areas and that the Programme for Government had not been revised. Most seemed satisfied that a Budget had been agreed by the two largest parties and would do in the meantime. <BR /> <BR />Surely that is not good enough. The areas in which Departments have failed to deliver need to be considered and monitored and their failures highlighted.”
“I also welcome the Minister's report. It certainly looks like the start of a new, exciting chapter for tourism. The Minister referred to the link between the councils and Tourism Northern Ireland. Will she confirm whether there will still be a role for the subregional bodies — the Causeway Coast and Glens comes to mind, and others — and whether that will change in any way?”
“I thank the Minister for outlining his many figures, although I would like to have had them earlier than this morning. I ask you to answer three points very quickly. They refer to novel switches, for example, resource to DEL, resource to capital, the Northern Ireland investment fund, including the transactions capital funding. Have these all now been approved by Treasury and can they therefore be used going forward?”
“The Minister will know that special needs are a non-core issue. Despite that, Minister, have you any plans to protect special needs children in schools despite the budget cuts?”
“The Minister will remember that she initiated a review of the permanent staff timetables in September in order to minimise any adverse service impact from the Budget cuts. Minister, have you completed that work yet, and will it be brought to the Committee for consideration?”
“<BR /> <BR />The Deputy Chair of the Committee said virtually everything that needs to be said. He highlighted that, because of the time constraints on the Committee, it was able to undertake only cursory consideration of the proposed LCM. However, he identified issues for careful consideration by the Department, and I acknowledge that the Minister addressed some of those points this morning. <BR /> <BR />The provisions of the LCM are a necessary first step in addressing a loophole in the law, and they deserve the support of the House.”
“I have little to say, apart from adding some points. I acknowledge that the Bill was introduced in the House of Commons last June. It contains provisions on a range of initiatives intended to support small businesses by improving access to finance. I notice that the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment has tabled a motion for debate on it for 20 January. <BR /> <BR />The Bill also contains measures to facilitate the effective recovery of redundancy and compensation payments from individuals who exit a role in the public sector and then return to the same part of the public sector in a short space of time. In that regard, there is concern that compulsory redundancy situations could fall under the legislation, and clarification has been requested.”
“The legislative consent motion before the House, if approved, will extend those provisions to Northern Ireland. The Department of Finance and Personnel considers this legislation necessary to protect both the integrity of the unfunded schemes and the interests of scheme members here. As the Deputy Chair said, the unions have indicated their support. Indeed, the Committee for Finance and Personnel has agreed that the motion should be agreed today. <BR /> <BR />On behalf of the Ulster Unionist Party, I support the motion.”
“The difficulty in following the Deputy Chair is that he does not really leave much to go on. However, the changes in the pension schemes that have been made recently mean that, from April next year, members of defined contribution schemes will be allowed to access their pensions and exercise choice in how they wish to handle their investment. Public-service defined benefit schemes can also be transferred to defined contribution schemes under current rules, but again, as the Minister said, most of the public-service schemes are unfunded and therefore have no fund of assets. <BR /> <BR />The Pension Schemes Bill currently going through Westminster seeks to prevent transfers from unfunded public-service pension schemes to defined contribution schemes.”
“However, £133 million is included in the draft Budget to cover increased employer contributions. Can we be sure that this figure is sufficient? What is the risk of other sudden and significant increases in the future? <BR /> <BR />Finally, there was £10·7 million resource DEL and £8 million capital DEL held at the centre for allocation as part of the final Budget. It would be good to know how that money will be allocated and how and when Departments can bid for it.”
“<BR /> <BR />On the issue of repetition, perhaps the Minister can update the House on another interest of mine that would have the capacity to improve the whole Budget process. I refer to the review of the financial process, which was agreed by the Committee and supported by the House but has been lost in the Executive for several years. We need this approach more than ever. <BR /> <BR />I understand that an agreement has now been reached on welfare reform. Again, we do not have the details, but it would be appreciated if the Minister could share them with the House. Is it likely that we would get some of the penalties refunded in this regard? <BR /> <BR />When the Assembly debated the Pensions Bill last year — the Chair referred to this — there was no reference to the possibility of increased costs to the public purse.”
“I would be pleased to know the outcome of the feasibility study and whether the Treasury has agreed to the operation of such a fund. I certainly hope so, as the scheme has real merit. We still do not have the involvement of all Departments on financial transactions capital, and an agreed approach to promoting awareness among Departments and in the private sector is urgently needed. FTC now makes up a significant percentage of our capital budget, and we have to increase our uptake of it. I seem to remember saying that before. There is £115·6 million in the Budget, but the projects "require ... refinement". I would be pleased to have confirmation that those projects have now been agreed and will be delivered during the year.”
“It is also in stark contrast to the reduction in the public sector pay bill anticipated in the draft Budget. Indeed, the alarming figures for potential redundancies being forecast by some Departments are a major concern. We need to have certainty in that area, and, if they are to materialise, we need to see a credible restructuring plan agreed corporately and published by the Executive as soon as possible. It is wise to assume that future budgets will bring pressure on limited resources. It is vital that front-line services be protected. Therefore, consideration has to be given to ways of raising additional revenues as a matter of urgency — not just talk but an action plan. <BR /> <BR />The Minister introduced the prospect of a Northern Ireland investment fund that could utilise financial transactions capital.”
“<BR /> <BR />One of the main problems with the draft Budget was that Committees were not able to scrutinise departmental bids and proposed allocations, including any supporting evidence, prior to the Executive agreeing it for public consultation. We do not know whether a consistent approach was taken across Departments and whether the funding of particular central strategic pressures justified the resultant reduction in departmental resource budgets. I fully support the Committee's recommendation that the final Budget document should provide further information and clarity in that regard. <BR /> <BR />At this difficult time, it is disappointing that half of the Departments are recording increases in administration expenditure. That area needs to be carefully monitored and reported on.”
“Thank you very much, Mr Speaker, and congratulations on your elevation. <BR /> <BR />This has been a difficult year for the Budget-setting process. Although the Minister brought a Budget to the House on 3 November last, the issue was not settled, and it became part of the talks process in the run-up to Christmas. The absence of detailed information in certain areas and time pressures have meant that Committees have not had adequate scrutiny of their respective budgets. Although acute financial pressures appear to have emerged after the June monitoring round, we now know that the Executive were informed of their allocations for 2015-16 as part of the 2013 spending round in June 2013. An obvious question is this: why were the problems not identified and addressed during the previous 12 months?”
“I thank the Minister for his very interesting response. Minister, you have given us a broad outline; perhaps you could outline the next stages of the scheme as they occur.”
“I thank the Minister for a comprehensive response. Minister, you came close to touching on a concern that I have, which is that the recent massive drugs find suggests to you that there are better opportunities now in Northern Ireland for criminals because the NCA does not operate fully in this jurisdiction.”
“I thank the deputy First Minister for his statement. It was interesting to read that Waterways Ireland has developed this first blueway in the Carrick-on-Shannon area. Can he share with us if, in fact, Waterways Ireland has developed any projects for the Erne waterway itself?”
“For example, those who live closest to peace walls are often those most fearful about what will happen if they are removed. They have genuine fears that should not be underestimated and must not be discounted. We may not be able to make progress at the rate that we would like, but we must ensure that we do not lose sight of our destination. We are totally committed to building a genuinely shared future, but, for now, we need to persuade some people that we need to share the present.”
“We must take care to encourage and support moves to end division and bitterness and to support cross-community initiatives, but we must ensure that we bring people with us.”
“Of course we should look at departmental budgets to see what can be done to ensure that increasingly scarce resources are deployed in the manner that ensures the most effective return. We are in government to deliver for the people of Northern Ireland. All waste and duplication must be eradicated as a matter of principle and urgency. The current economic climate and the expectation of further restrictions on government spending means that it is only prudent to trim any fat that can be found. <BR /> <BR />We need, however, to be mindful of the reality of the situation in which we find ourselves. Northern Ireland is a divided society. We endured 30 years of a serious terrorist campaign, and many urban areas were scarred by communal violence. This has left a legacy of fear and suspicion, and peace walls protect areas and people from attack.”
“We value the diversity of the modern United Kingdom and the multi-ethnic, multi-faith society that has developed since the mid-20th century. <BR /> <BR />Mr Principal Deputy Speaker, we believe that it is essential that the society of Northern Ireland evolves and proves itself capable of assimilating those who have arrived from other countries. We are convinced that the United Kingdom offers the people of Northern Ireland — all the people of Northern Ireland — the constitutional arrangement that best guarantees social freedoms and economic prosperity. <BR /> <BR />Sectarianism is a toxic legacy of the Troubles. It is not only morally wrong, but extremely costly, as other Members have indicated.”
“The last thing they want is for a united community to develop, because such a community would threaten their electoral support. The language of "curry my yoghurt" feeds off the idea that equality is being used as a Trojan Horse to break these b's. We have heard that very recently. Quite simply, the two big parties in this Chamber need each other. They gain electoral strength from their claim to represent the narrow, sectional interest of their side of the peace line. Neither the DUP nor Sinn Féin has any pretence of appealing beyond its own voting bloc. <BR /> <BR />The Ulster Unionist Party believes that the Union is for everyone, be they Protestant, Roman Catholic or anything else. We are a unionist party, not a Protestant party.”
“<BR /> <BR />Whilst equality legislation has played a major role in ensuring that workplaces are much more reflective of society, it is, indeed, a source of deep regret that 16 years after the Belfast Agreement we are still faced with so much segregation in public housing and with the ugly scars that peace walls leave across the landscape in many urban areas, particularly in Belfast. I note, following Mr Eastwood, that there were 88 such walls in Belfast in 2010. <BR /> <BR />We also face the cost of duplication of services, where community divisions have resulted in two sets of facilities being provided in close proximity, often at great expense. <BR /> <BR />We also need to recognise that certain political parties thrive on division.”
“The Ulster Unionist Party fully supports the creation of a Northern Ireland that is prosperous and at peace with itself. We want to build a society in which all our citizens have a stake and in which they can live and work wherever they choose. The Ulster Unionist Party supported the Belfast Agreement because we wanted to open up a better path for the people of Northern Ireland. We wanted to end the decades of violence and offer the prospect of a new society, free from fear and suspicion, in which the people of Northern Ireland could make common cause in building a better society in which to live and bring up their families.”
“Minister, although the decision on the minor injuries unit is welcome, it is regrettable that you did not show the same good judgement with respect to the intermediate care beds. Can you explain why you accepted the South Eastern Trust's proposal to close the MIU in the first place? When will the 20-bed unit be restored?”
“I thank the Minister for that response. I know that most Departments are a little bit cautious about working with the private sector, which you have to do to lever in money. Following on from her response, has she charged anyone in her Department to liaise with the private sector to see whether there could be common ground and to utilise that asset?”
“I also heard that the new operating model had been prepared. In your budget, Minister, you obviously have a certain amount set aside to use at your own discretion and for prioritisation. Can you indicate whether there is any money in that that might give the orchestra a bit of hope at this stage? I know that we cannot tie you down, but is there hope from DCAL?”
“I thank the Member for giving way. He makes a valid point. In the case of Bangor and the South Eastern Trust, we were told that four months was not enough to plan a strategic action. In fact, it was admitted to be non-strategic. We now know that the budget figures were known in summer 2013 and that nothing was done until summer 2014. Perhaps the Minister could comment on that.”
“I thank the First Minister for his response. First Minister, will you detail the actual spend in the current financial year and the projected spend for 2015-16 by Departments on T:BUC?”
“What a wonderful platform it would be for local athletes to welcome hundreds of young people from across the Commonwealth to join them in a spirit of friendship and hospitality to compete at the highest level on home ground. I support the motion.”
“With its links to the Northern Ireland Tourist Board's new strategic vision for events and its representation on DETI's global events bidding group and international events development group, which considers the facilities that are available when bidding for events, I remain optimistic that Northern Ireland will be well positioned, through the Executive, to bring a bid for Northern Ireland to host the Commonwealth Youth Games in 2021, which is, of course, the centenary of the founding of the state of Northern Ireland, and it would be extremely fitting if the Commonwealth Youth Games were to take place here to help to mark that date. Perhaps a future bid to host the Commonwealth Games may be an option after that. <BR /> <BR />We have first-class athletes in Northern Ireland.”
“<BR /> <BR />In light of Northern Ireland's recent successes in attracting major sporting events such as the World Police and Fire Games, the Giro d'Italia and the recent Carl Frampton world title fight, the Minister stated that her Department, through Sport Northern Ireland, would continue to develop facilities subject to the availability of budgets. That is welcome news, as Sport Northern Ireland has identified lottery funds of £17·5 million to invest in a capital programme to improve sports facilities over a five-year period from 2014-15 to 2018-19. I am also pleased to learn that Sport Northern Ireland is developing this programme and, as a first step, procuring a specialist organisation to develop a sports facility strategy.”
“<BR /> <BR />We are all appreciative and supportive of our Northern Ireland athletes, both at junior and senior level, but that does not happen overnight; it requires extensive training to take part in competitions, and that is best started at a young age. It also requires investment in state-of-the-art training facilities. Our athletes certainly proved their competitiveness in medal success at this year's Commonwealth Games in Glasgow by bringing home 12 medals, ranking Northern Ireland fifteenth out of 71 countries on the medals table. That was a great achievement, considering that there were over 6,500 competing athletes at the event. Indeed, the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure hosted a reception for local athletes at Stormont in celebration of those outstanding achievements.”
“It is nice to hear us all apparently singing off the same hymn sheet; I will try not to change that. <BR /> <BR />The Commonwealth Youth Games were first held in Edinburgh in August 2000, the second games were held in Australia in 2004 and the third in India in 2008. In 2011, it was the turn of the Isle of Man, while Samoa has been lined up for 2015 and St Lucia for 2017. The number of participating countries has increased from 15 in Edinburgh to 63 in the Isle of Man, while the number of athletes rose from 773 in Edinburgh to a peak of 1,220 in India. The number of sports involved has ranged between seven and nine.”
“Has the Minister had any indications that the Department of Finance and Personnel will process the revised business case without further delay — in fact, expeditiously?”
“I know that the Minister is aware that Arthur Wellesley, arguably Britain's greatest soldier, was born in Dublin or thereabouts. He was a sponsor of Catholic emancipation and defeated Napoleon at the battle of Waterloo in 1815. Surely that bicentenary deserves to be commemorated and presents a unique opportunity to attract tourists.”
“"Inniskilling Fusiliers" should be "Inniskilling Dragoons".”
“<BR /> <BR />The implementation of the inquiry recommendations will also support the delivery of a range of the Executive's existing policies and priorities, such as the 'People Strategy 2013-16', the reduction of levels of sickness absence, the measuring well-being initiative, the consolidation of the Northern Ireland Civil Service estate and the wider public sector reform agenda. <BR /> <BR />I support the Committee's report and commend it to the House.”
“<BR /> <BR />The Committee firmly believes that the strategic implementation of flexible working, facilitated by appropriately designed workplaces, will maximise the property savings from the rationalisation of government office accommodation. That should be a key priority for the Department at this time of tight budgetary pressures. However, the main reason for flexible working is about doing things better, whilst cutting out waste from existing resources and embracing new technology. Unfortunately, the public sector in Northern Ireland appears to lag behind other jurisdictions in adopting new technology to support working practices. That is despite the fact that we have high-profile, local software companies in this market.”
“<BR /> <BR />The Committee carried out its own survey of flexible working in the various Departments, as no meaningful information was held centrally. That survey produced evidence that the Northern Ireland Civil Service uses part-time working, flexitime, term-time working, career breaks and other alternative working patterns. However, it was also clear that there was an absence of corporate policy and guidance, which was reflected by incomplete data on existing working practices. Evidence was also gathered from other parts of the world where flexible working had been introduced successfully. However, culture change was a vital part of the overall change management process in most places.”
“The purpose is to change the way work is carried out by focusing on the achievement of certain benefits. I will mention those benefits, quickly: increasing the effectiveness of the activities; reducing the financial costs of running an organisation; focusing on outcomes rather than processes, which is a very important one; meeting the aspirations of staff for an improved work/life balance; creating office environments that facilitate collaboration and innovation; and reducing the environmental footprint of working practices. So, it is not just about working from home as opposed to working in an office. Sir George Bain summed it up when he said that it was more a question of how rather than whether flexible working should be involved.”
“More than half of the employees surveyed felt that flexible working helped them reach a better work/life balance generally, and almost a quarter said that flexible working had helped them with their caring responsibilities for children. More than one third of those who responded believed that flexible working made them more productive, while around a fifth said that it reduced the level of sickness absence. <BR /> <BR />The Committee noted that, as part of the Civil Service reform programme, the Cabinet Office adopted the Smart Working policy approach for Whitehall Departments.”
“Evidence was gathered from a wide number of sources, and videoconferencing and Internet-based video links were used. It was particularly helpful to be able to speak to and question experts in the field and practitioners directly involved in flexible working. <BR /> <BR />The Chair referred to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development's recent survey, but I will do so again. The survey of over 1,000 employers and 2,000 employees found that three quarters of UK employers surveyed felt that implementing flexible working practices had had a positive impact on talent retention and that 73% reported a positive impact on motivation and staff engagement.”
“The report before the House represents over two years' work on flexible working by the Committee. The early evidence showed that the Northern Ireland Civil Service did not have a formal strategy or policy on most aspects of flexible working but did have several connected human resources policies. At the outset, the Committee was satisfied that the inquiry would aim to investigate how flexible working practices in all areas could be implemented successfully and used strategically for maximum benefit and efficiency in the Northern Ireland public sector. <BR /> <BR />Most people have an opinion on what is meant by "flexible working". Indeed, there are many definitions. The Committee decided to look at the broadest range of factors, and that is reflected in the report.”
“This matter has been the subject of many questions over the years and it is time that the issue was decided. This morning, in the House, Minister, you told us that you are a man who makes decisions. That warmed my heart because that sort of suited this evening's debate. When, therefore, may we expect a positive decision from you to proceed with plans for a new school build for St Columbanus'? <BR /> <BR />I know that there were plans for Mr Perry, the headmaster, and some of the governors to come here and perhaps meet the Minister this evening. I do not know whether that happened. If they did, and it looks like they did, hopefully, they will have received good news from you. I look forward with anticipation to your response.”
“<BR /> <BR />However, to get back to the subject: St Columbanus' College in Bangor has demonstrated over a long time that it is viable and sustainable. Again, as has been touched on, it is a very good example of a shared campus and a cross-community school, but it is old and does not meet modern educational needs. That was recognised by the South Eastern Education and Library Board in its area plan for 2013-18. The board also supported CCMS in identifying the school as an urgent priority for major capital investment in order to support the school's continued development. <BR /> <BR />I am pleased to see the Minister here this evening. Minister, you will remember that you are on record as stating that St Columbanus' deserves a new school; but when will it get it?”