Diane Dodds
West Belfast · Democratic Unionist Party · Northern Ireland
“Minister, that is a brilliant segue into the question that I will ask. Just over 5% of women who are now seen within the 14-day target for a suspected breast cancer in Northern Ireland. That has happened since the list was regionalised. I get the fact that cancer cases are rising, but —”
“Minister, for Members and those who are listening to the debate, it is important that you tell us what "actively being considered" means on a day-to-day basis.”
“Thank you, Minister. The Muckamore inquiry report demonstrates a shameful period for our health service, and no one involved can, in any shape or form, come out of this with any kind of credibility.”
“Let me be clear: experimental treatment on children that can have lifelong implications is unconscionable. Children of 11 or 12 are in no position to give clear consent to the use of such drugs, especially when those administering the treatments had them banned because of the lack of evidence on their long-term impacts.”
“Once again, I will speak in the House about puberty blockers and the nationwide trial run by King's College. I now understand that the Government will issue new guidance that will allow such a trial to go ahead.”
“It is now anticipated that more than eight out of 10 couples in which the woman is under 40 will conceive naturally, but that leaves two out of 10 who will need additional interventions. Over a lifespan, that is a fairly substantial number of people.”
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“We want to understand that goods at risk will be sorted out in the Joint Committee and that, as the Member quite rightly says, goods coming into Northern Ireland for input into the agricultural sector are treated as not being at risk of going into the single market.”
“Of course the ports issue is an implementation rather than an end of the transition period issue. For Northern Ireland as a whole, let us be absolutely clear that my party believes that having a free-trade deal and zero quotas and zero tariffs is in the best interests of Northern Ireland. We think, and we want people to understand, that there are issues under the protocol that could be sorted out. We want to see unfettered access between us and our main market. I understand that the Internal Market Bill is being reintroduced in Parliament today and that there is a legislative route for that in the United Kingdom. However, there are also routes for that in the Joint Committee. Sensible, practical, pragmatic approaches by the EU could ensure that those things happen.”
“— dropped calf prices are round about, or slightly higher, than we would have expected.”
“That is a difference of £150 per finished head of cattle and is a significant uplift in beef prices. In fact, we probably are third in the EU league table for beef prices. Nevertheless, and again from a processing point of view, this is typically a low-margin process where issues of competitiveness and productivity are hugely important. <BR /> <BR />Pig prices have remained much the same, and —”
“<BR /> <BR />We understand that, for the week ending 21 November, beef prices are 13·2% higher than for the same period last year.”
“Thank you for the question. In many ways, agriculture was an area of policy that I looked at for many years in the European Parliament. I really enjoyed meeting and talking to the sectors right across Northern Ireland. We understand, from the published statistics, that milk prices are, on average, a little lower. Although milk prices for September were 1·59p higher than in September 2018, the average price across the period is 0·9% lower. That represents volatility and shows that the price is lower than the rest of the United Kingdom. It also represents the market and the exposure that Northern Ireland milk prices have, for example, to the commodity market. In GB, much greater supplies of milk go into the liquid market and supermarkets and producers can have longer and more stable contracts.”
“Those reports show that average beef, lamb and pig prices from January to September 2020 were higher than those of the same period in 2019, whereas average milk prices have been 0·9p per litre lower. They also show that average prices since September have remained around or above prices of the previous year for each of the farm products that are reported.”
“I thank the Member for her question. Mr Principal Deputy Speaker, with your permission and before we start, I inform the House that I am happy to stand in for my colleague and that I spoke to him this morning. He had his toast and porridge, was in very good form and is looking forward to getting out of hospital. Obviously, he had quite a traumatic period over the weekend. We will do our best to answer your questions as they arise. <BR /> <BR />The Department publishes statistical reports that contain the latest average farm-gate prices in Northern Ireland. Each of those reports average prices for the latest period, along with comparisons against prices in previous periods.”
“It would be interesting to have a conversation with the Member about his vision for how we change that and for how high streets operate. I am sure that the high street task force will afford him the opportunity to input to that. <BR /> <BR />For the here and now, we are very concerned. I have said repeatedly and say it again today that this is a difficult period for the economy. It has been an extraordinary and unprecedented period for the economy, and the best way to help the economy and businesses to survive and to support jobs is not only to open up the economy but to support Northern Ireland jobs, businesses and high streets. I look forward to rolling out the £95 million stimulus scheme, which, I believe, will do that.”
“Redundancy pay is a reflection of time served, the position held and wages gained. We are committed to a wide-ranging review of employment legislation, and I am sure that that can be one of the elements. However, we are where we are. It will not impact on the young people who will sadly lose their jobs through the liquidation of Debenhams and the potential administration losses at Arcadia. I hope that we can salvage something for those businesses, for young people, for part-time workers and for the many female members of the workforce there. It is really important that we try to support them.”
“Yes. I absolutely agree. I am on record many times in the House as saying that the best way to support our economy is to have an open economy, to allow our retail and high street to trade and to do so safely for customers and employees. I would like to see retail outlets able to open again in the run-up to Christmas. It is a really important time for retail in Northern Ireland, but, of course, I urge everyone to follow the health advice to keep your distance, wash your hands, wear the face mask and behave appropriately when in retail outlets for the safety of employees and business owners. We need to ensure that our high street can function again as quickly as possible.”
“I have said many times that my sympathies, on this occasion, are entirely with those who are impacted and will, potentially, lose their jobs. Many of those jobs are part-time, they are for female workers and they are lower-paid jobs. My sympathy is with them and not, of course, with Philip Green. I have committed to the House that, in my call with the Business Minister tomorrow, I will ask that they ensure that pensions are protected, particularly in Arcadia, and that pension pots are appropriately managed.”
“That is why we are introducing our high street stimulus scheme and why we want to support Northern Ireland businesses, shops and jobs through that stimulus scheme. I look forward to it rolling out in January and February so that we can signal a recovery as well as the hope of the roll-out of the vaccine. I hope that that will lead us to more hopeful times.”
“I thank the Member for his question because he describes a real danger. Many of those large stores brought people into shopping centres and then they visited the smaller shops in the shopping centres. That is why I have persisted in saying two things in the Chamber over the last number of months: we should have an economy that is open and shops that can trade, and we should try to do so safely. <BR /> <BR />The other element, in recognition of the real difficulties on the high street — we use that term generically to include all shops in Northern Ireland — is that there are real difficulties in the sector. One is from persistent rounds of closures, particularly now, in the run up to Christmas, but there is also competition from online sales.”
“I have already indicated to the House that I will write to the administrators who have now taken over responsibility for this to ensure, first, that we try to salvage as much of the business as possible and, secondly, that workers have their rights. Of course, should any of those workers feel that they have not received their rights, they should revert to the Labour Relations Agency, which has a dedicated line to help those people with their employment rights. I urge them to do so.”
“Many businesses have indicated to me that they now operate a dual system for their business where they have an online presence and a high-street presence. It is important that we retain the high-street presence, but sometimes the online presence also helps to sustain that business. I talked to businesses in mid-Ulster recently who gave us real examples of that. <BR /> <BR />Yes, we will bring forward a £95 million stimulus scheme for the high street in the new year. It is aimed at supporting bricks-and-mortar businesses on the high street. You will not be able to use the prepaid card or the funding online. It is aimed at supporting local businesses in local towns and local jobs.”
“Yes, I will. It is extremely important that we are able to speak to the trade unions and that we treat them as partners in an extremely difficult, sensitive situation for many of their members.”
“It is important to support businesses and the high street in particular. However, the most important thing that we can do is ensure that our high street is open for business and can trade safely. <BR /> <BR />I must say, Mr Deputy Speaker — I beg your indulgence on this — that I listened with great hope to the plans for the roll-out of the vaccine. I hope that we can do that as safely and as quickly as possible so that life can return to something more normal.”
“I thank the Member for his question but point out to him that responsibility for the high street task force lies with the Executive Office and with the Communities Department, which are charged with bringing it together. I am sure that they will be happy to answer the Member's question in detail. <BR /> <BR />In relation to the high street — I have mentioned this on many occasions — over the past number of months, my Department has given out almost £340 million in support to businesses through the £10k grant, the £25k grant, which was specifically targeted at retail and the high street, and the microbusiness fund. Today, I am sending for urgent procedure a scheme in relation to the self-employed, and we are looking at developing other schemes alongside the schemes operating in relation to the local restrictions.”
“The Member makes an important point about protecting workers' pensions, and I will raise that issue at my quad meeting with the Business Minister tomorrow.”
“As I said, my Department has been promoting the Assured Skills academies, and they are really important in the targeted approach of trying to provide employment for people, as is the Bridge to Employment scheme. It is important that we reach out and help people to retrain as quickly as possible. Because of COVID-19, my Department has, since March, offered more than 5,000 online training places to allow people to upskill and to improve their prospects in the labour market. That is a very significant intervention that we intend to continue, as it has had notable success.”
“As I said in a previous answer, it is really important that there is a cross-departmental response. The Department for Communities, with all the employment programmes that it progresses, will be very important in addressing those issues.”
“The Member makes a very important point about the pensions, particularly those in the Arcadia Group. I intend to take that up with the Business Minister tomorrow in order to ensure that those pensions are protected and that appropriate funding is put into the pension pot so that there are proper resources for people as they retire.”
“However, the House should be in no doubt that the best way to support jobs in Northern Ireland is to have an open economy.”
“We are engaging with companies and recruiting for the Assured Skills programme. Since the start of the financial year, 192 young people out of 203 on Assured Skills programmes have gained employment. The programmes are short, sharp, targeted interventions in the labour market that are designed to return high levels of employment. Of course, we continue to operate the Bridge to Employment programmes. The Careers Service will also be on hand to try to help employees match their skills and experience to vacancies, give advice and guidance on reskilling and give information on growth and emerging sectors. <BR /> <BR />It is clear that a joined-up approach across government is absolutely necessary, and the involvement of the Minister for Communities and the Minister of Finance will be essential.”
“The Member is quite right: this is a UK-wide issue. It has been estimated that there are around 12,000 jobs at risk in Debenhams and around 13,000 jobs at risk in the Arcadia Group. That is an enormous blow to the United Kingdom's retail economy. I have a meeting tomorrow with the Business Minister, and I intend to take this up at a national level because this is something that our national Government also need to work on. However, the answer is an absolute yes. I will work with colleagues across the House to ensure that we deliver what we can to support employees and, indeed, those shopping centres where Debenhams is a significant and important anchor tenant that attracts shoppers into the other stores. <BR /> <BR />My Department already has the Assured Skills academies and the Bridge to Employment programmes.”
“I previously warned in the Chamber that the cycle of restrictions would impact particularly on the young and on female, part-time and lower-paid workers. Unfortunately, today's news shines a light on that.”
“Debenhams is a name familiar across many towns and to many shoppers in Northern Ireland. The news today about it and Arcadia will have come as a shock to their employees and to the shopping centres — CastleCourt, Rushmere, Fairhill, Foyleside and the Quays — where Debenhams is an anchor tenant. It is important to note that no redundancies have been announced at this point. I intend, however, to write to the administrators to impress on them the need to seek alternative buyers to take on the stores as going concerns in order to retain the jobs and livelihoods of local staff. <BR /> <BR />We are heading into a very difficult period for the economy in Northern Ireland, the United Kingdom and, indeed, the British Isles.”
“I look forward to the publication of the options and the consultation next March, so that we can take this forward and lay down a road map for Northern Ireland's energy needs into the future.”
“I would, of course, like to see the schemes come forward at pace. I received the latest submission from Wrightbus just last week, and I have asked Invest Northern Ireland to look at it with Wrightbus. These are exciting opportunities for Northern Ireland. We have also done some work with the local council to see whether we can have a hydrogen academy on the site, as we believe that that will grow the skills base for Northern Ireland to become a leading-edge contributor in that sector of the economy. <BR /> <BR />To conclude, I welcome the report by the Economy Committee and the opportunity afforded to me to respond to today's motion. I am excited by the opportunities that will come through a new energy strategy. The report is a welcome addition to the evidence that has already been gathered.”
“I am also exploring the potential for further funding from central government for that.”
“I am aware of a number of problems that are associated with the energy sector. What I want us to focus on, however, is the potential going forward. This is an exciting new development in the field of hydrogen energy, and, if we can make it work, not only will we save for Northern Ireland Water but we will be at the cutting edge of how to take the sector forward. <BR /> <BR />The Northern Ireland Water trial could be part of a portfolio of projects that leads to a real stimulus to grow a local, world-leading hydrogen economy. There has also been reference made in the Chamber today to the work of Wrightbus and the need for that hydrogen hub at Ballymena. I have met colleagues there on a number of occasions. I assure the House that we are exploring the issue.”
“<BR /> <BR />I am excited by the developments in the hydrogen economy to date. There is a range of potential projects that can showcase our ability to develop cutting-edge hydrogen technology in Northern Ireland. That was mentioned by Kellie Armstrong and Paul Frew in particular. I am delighted to have been able to provide funding to Northern Ireland Water to trial an innovative commercial-sized electrolyser as part of its waste water treatment works.”
“It could be so much larger. In the context of our response to COVID, there are real opportunities for economic recovery through decarbonising energy as part of growing the green economy across Northern Ireland. I see those opportunities to lead the way in green hydrogen production and to have a world-class manufacturing base contributing to supply chains for, for example, offshore wind, hydrogen buses and electrolysers; innovative pilot projects in new energy technologies that can be scaled up and deployed across the world; and significant capital investment in buildings and the new infrastructure needed to generate and distribute low-carbon energy. I also see opportunities for energy entrepreneurs and business start-ups to develop skills in green energy technologies, low-carbon buildings and transport.”
“Costs are, of course, key for consumers. A long-term energy system based around clean, indigenous renewables that makes use of our abundant natural resources can be cheaper, but there will be investments, with associated costs, along the way. That is why an evidence-based approach is being taken to the development of an energy strategy, to identify the most cost-effective options for domestic and business consumers. <BR /> <BR />I also want to use the energy strategy to grow a green economy. When I published the medium-term plan for rebuilding a stronger economy in June 2020, which has been referred to in the Chamber today, I identified clean energy as a priority for future investment. We currently have a low-carbon, renewable energy economy made up of 3,500 businesses, around 5,400 jobs and £270 million of exports.”
“We need to rethink our relationship with consumers and make that a two-way engagement with the energy sector that brings citizens on the journey with us. The provision of a one-stop shop to provide information, advice and support to consumers came through strongly in our call for evidence. My officials are looking into options for a single delivery body as part of the strategy development.”
“We need to enable those consumers who want to be active in generating and trading energy while also protecting others, particularly the most vulnerable.”
“Every kilowatt-hour of energy that we generate from indigenous renewables is a kilowatt-hour that we are not importing fossil fuels. However, I am also clear that there is no single solution, and we will need to deploy a range of technologies and approaches and make use of our other assets, such as our agriculture base and modern gas infrastructure. The options consultation in March 2021 will outline short-term, low-regret options, as well as the long-term potential scenarios that we can achieve our aims. <BR /> <BR />I want to specifically highlight the crucial role of consumers in this energy transition. Consumers are at the heart of the strategy and will be involved in its development and implementation.”
“Energy efficiency and retrofitting are also widely being recognised as an important policy lever for green economic recovery, with significant potential for job creation going forward. It reassures me to see that many of the report's findings align closely with the work currently being taken forward to develop policy options in that area. <BR /> <BR />We will need to look at ways to decarbonise heat, power and transport. Our success at achieving and exceeding 40% renewable electricity targets demonstrates what we can achieve with a clear target and supporting policies. Our renewables base is a fantastic asset to have, particularly as the electrification of heat and transport will feature in our future energy mix. I see a clean, indigenous renewables base being key to our future energy mix.”
“<BR /> <BR />However, if we are going to meet ambitious targets that will be in an energy strategy, the Executive will need to reflect it as one of their top priorities. I expect to see a prominent role for the energy strategy in addressing climate change and growing a green economy in a new Programme for Government. We will also need to ensure that the ambition within a new energy strategy is backed up by funding to reflect its importance for society, the economy and consumers. There are many steps that we will need to take to decarbonise energy, but our first priority has to be energy efficiency. I welcome the fact that this has been identified as a priority in the report. Energy efficiency can play a vital role in driving down emissions, helping to tackle fuel poverty and providing positive health outcomes.”
“I am also working closely with the Environment Minister to ensure that any future targets on emissions reductions will be reflected in the energy strategy. The Committee Chair referred to the need for measurable targets. That is a key part of the ongoing work. I have already made a strong statement on my ambition for the strategy to contain a target of at least 70% of our electricity consumption to come from renewable sources by 2030, which is one of those immediate actions that the Green Party leader referred to in her contribution. That provides a clear signal to the industry and wider stakeholders to allow them to begin to plan investment now in advance of the strategy being published.”
“There is also significant membership across the five working groups from central and local government, alongside industry and stakeholders, to ensure that the development of policy involves all those who have a role in delivering it from the outset. I welcome the fact that the Department for Infrastructure is leading on the transport theme in the energy strategy, which demonstrates that a cross-departmental approach is being taken. I want this to be a true, Executive-wide energy strategy, and that is reflected in our approach. <BR /> <BR />I agree and recognise that there is a need for clear and ambitious targets. We continue to work within the context of net zero emissions by 2050. That will guide the focus of the strategy.”
“The report presented today by the Committee will be considered alongside the evidence that has been gathered to date. That will contribute towards the policy options and future scenarios being developed, which will form the basis of the public consultation in March 2021. <BR /> <BR />The report correctly highlights the need for a joined-up approach across government. I completely support that view, and I am delighted that the energy strategy is now providing that leadership. The energy strategy government stakeholders group brings together central government, local government and the Utility Regulator to ensure that the policies and programmes being taken forward at this time across government are aligned and joined up.”
“Our future success will be built on many people working together, and a collaborative approach has been taken to developing the strategy. <BR /> <BR />My Department's call for evidence received over 160 responses from a wide range of organisations and individuals. There were also a number of stakeholder events across Northern Ireland. Five working groups comprising more than 70 individuals from over 30 organisations have been established and are working on developing policy options. That is being supplemented by additional research and inputs from academics and international experts. In developing the strategy, my Department is therefore drawing on an extensive network from across government, the energy sector and a wide range of stakeholders.”
“I am struck by the positivity and ambition that come through from our stakeholders, and I would like to use today to discuss how the energy strategy can help to take advantage of the opportunities that are open to us. <BR /> <BR />Many in the Chamber have spoken of the importance of the energy strategy. I agree. Developing a new energy strategy is one of my top priorities. The strategy will set out the vision for our energy system to 2050, and a major programme of work is ongoing to deliver that. It is important to highlight that our strategy will be a living, breathing document. Once published, it will be regularly monitored, reviewed and updated to ensure that it is future-proof and able to respond to developments.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. Apologies for my coughing fit earlier. Rather than anything more sinister, it was because I have a dry throat and, possibly, if a politician can say this, because I was talking too much. <BR /> <BR />I welcome the opportunity to respond to the motion, and I congratulate the Economy Committee on producing the report. It is an exceptionally important issue. I also thank the individuals, academics, organisations and businesses that helped to provide the broad scope of views contained in the report. My Department has engaged with many hundreds of stakeholders in the development of the energy strategy to date, and it is encouraging to see consistency in the themes being raised in the report.”
“I am concerned that, if we continue in a cycle of lockdown, we will simply perpetuate the difficulties, particularly for the working poor, for women who rely on the hospitality sector for additional family funds and for the many other sectors for which it is a real issue. We need to get to the stage where the economy is open and able to function appropriately. We will do that not only with restrictions but with better testing and the vaccine that we hope to see rolled out in Northern Ireland in the future. I am committed to ensuring that we do not have a race to the bottom either in the jobs that we create or the conditions and restrictions that we impose on the economy.”
“I thank the Member for his question. He raises an issue that is very important to me. COVID and the restrictions imposed as a result have impacted significantly on families and the working poor. If you are on furlough, receiving 80% of your salary, that will significantly impact on your ability to pay the mortgage, meet the grocery bill and do everything that a family normally does.”
“I am sure that everyone in the House will recognise the real difficulties that families with poor connectivity have had. I spoke to one family whose members had to take it in turn to access broadband in their home. That is a very difficult situation, when we have young people wanting to get online, schools trying to teach lessons online and folk trying to work from home. Project Stratum will start to address those difficult issues, and I am delighted that it is being rolled out. For Members' information, I have asked Fibrus to ensure that MLAs are kept well informed about the roll-out of Project Stratum in their area.”
“Project Stratum is therefore a very significant and lasting legacy of that DUP-Conservative confidence and supply deal.”