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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“I have been looking at support for some licensed premises that have been continuously closed over the period of restrictions, and I feel that there could be some additional support, through an extension of the hardship scheme, to include companies with more employees than those covered by the previous hardship scheme. <BR /> <BR />I have made significant bids, and they will all be assessed in the coming days.”
“While we have the funding to do so, even though we have an unparalleled derating scheme for manufacturing in Northern Ireland — unparalleled throughout the United Kingdom — I think that, in these very difficult circumstances, it would be an easy win for manufacturing and something that we could do relatively simply. <BR /> <BR />I am also, as I have said, finalising and hope to get Executive approval for a scheme for those who have been recently self-employed. I have been looking at a scheme for tourism support for large tourism businesses that did not fall into the £51,000 bracket in the previous rates schemes and a scheme for bed & breakfast providers.”
“I thank the Member for his question. Before I answer, Mr Speaker, with your permission, I wish to address a point that Mr Muir raised. I do not consider this a game. Actually, I know so many people who are extremely stressed and anxious, people who perhaps are facing unemployment and people who do not know where to turn to get Christmas over. This is not a game. <BR /> <BR />I have made a number of bids for additional funding from the Finance Minister, and I will continue to do so. Last week, I wrote to him to ask him to consider extending the 12 months' rates relief to the manufacturing sector. Manufacturing generates about £6·4 billion to the economy and accounts for about 11% of all employees in the economy.”
“It is intended to be as inclusive as possible, hence the different categories of businesses that we have included, but they must be tied to the local restrictions that were announced on 16 October. That is the main part of it.”
“Part B — this is readily available on the NI Business Info site — will apply if the business supplies goods to a business named in the regulations. That includes businesses that supply goods directly to a business named and those that supply via a wholesaler or intermediary. If it is a food business, those food businesses must be licensed and registered by the local council. It can also apply to businesses whose services are provided directly to a business named in the regulations or those that supply a subcontractor. It also can apply to a business that does not supply goods or services to businesses named in the regulations but that is dependent on those businesses being open in order to operate; for example, businesses in the events sector. This is a fairly wide-ranging scheme; it is not intended to exclude.”
“However, I would suggest that, since part B is not in operation, it can be extended automatically. Part A will be a more difficult conundrum to deal with, but we should be able to overcome that reasonably quickly. I do not see any particular problems with it. <BR /> <BR />I do not want to get into an individual case. There is a helpline, and there are people in Invest NI manning the telephones every day in order to iron out those problems. I ask your constituent to contact them to make sure that the issues that she is raising are properly raised with those who administer the scheme and who will point her in the right direction.”
“The particular issue of the extension is one that we as an Executive will have to make a decision on.”
“Of course, we will pay out as quickly as we can, given the assurances that are required in order to make sure that taxpayers' money is being well spent.”
“We are currently working our way through about 2,500 applications to the scheme. By the end of this week, we will have paid out over £3 million through that scheme. We will endeavour to get the rest of the money out as quickly as possible, with as much assurance as we can have, so that the House and I can be satisfied that taxpayers' money is being spent appropriately. <BR /> <BR />Part B of the scheme is, of course, for businesses that have a number of customers but part of their supply chain is impacted by the restrictions. The Member and the House will understand why we wanted to directly target, first of all, those people who had no income whatsoever. That is what we have done. Part B will, we hope, be out on Wednesday.”
“Again, I ask the Member to clarify whether the businesses that she talks about have a rate base. If they employ two or three people, it suggests that they have a rate base. If they have been waiting for seven weeks, it suggests that they are part of the original localised restrictions support scheme that is run by the Department of Finance. If that is the case, I advise the Member to address her questions to the Minister of Finance, as the Minister responsible for operating the scheme. <BR /> <BR />As I have said and will continue to repeat in the Chamber, part A of the scheme is for those businesses that do not have premises and those that operate on a mobile basis, such as a driving instructor who maybe operates with some ads on Facebook and his mobile telephone number and makes appointments.”
“It is a tricky and difficult balance, and I think that you will see the agonies that people genuinely went through last week to try to get that balance. Therefore, I think that we now need to look at how we have a functioning economy and a health service that can service the needs of all patients.”
“The Member would need to clarify for me whether he was talking to a businesswoman with a rateable premises. If that business owner had a rateable premises, of course, that would be for the Finance Minister to look at. I launched the scheme that we have running whenever we saw the parameters of the Finance scheme. We will of course get the money out as quickly as possible. <BR /> <BR />However, in answer to the main thrust of the Member's question, I do not see a contradiction between a healthy community and a healthy economy. If we allow that economy to go to rack and ruin and unemployment to grow, we will increase mental health problems and death. Poverty brings incredibly negative health outcomes for people across Northern Ireland.”
“Today, I have spoken to a number of people in the hospitality sector who are extremely annoyed and disappointed that the rules of this game keep changing all the time. I urge the Health Minister to indicate to the Chamber and, indeed, to the hospitality sector what he wants the sector to do in order to open safely so that we avoid a repeat of last week. If he cannot tell us that they can open safely, what is he saying to the 65,000 people whose jobs depend on tourism and hospitality?”
“Yes, I agree. I am on record as saying, many times in the House, that the best support that we can give to businesses is to allow those businesses to open. I am also on record, Mr Speaker — if I may have your permission to speak briefly — as saying that last week was not the Executive's finest hour. However, having come to a compromise solution last week, which in essence rolls over the restrictions for two weeks, bar close-contact services, which the Health Minister says provides 0·05% to the R rate, and the opening of coffee shops. Other than that, the restrictions are rolled over for the next two weeks, yet the Health Minister again, on television on Sunday, not in the House, said that he would be asking for further restrictions.”
“I thank the Member for his question. Of course, the Member is very well aware that I have, on any number of occasions, asked the Executive to make decisions in relation to this matter. Since decisions are exceptionally difficult to make on this issue, I have today received a submission about support for those who have been recently self-employed and sole company directors, and I hope to sign it off this evening. Of course, that will then go to the Executive and it will be for the Executive and the Finance Minister to decide whether to support those proposals.”
“It is my expectation that part B will open on Wednesday, and I have asked Invest NI ensure that it has the dedicated and necessary resources to make that happen and to respond as quickly as possible. However, again, to be clear to the House — and I am sure all Members in the House will agree — as custodians of taxpayers' money it is imperative that we have the necessary controls in place to reduce, insofar as it is possible, the risk of fraud and error around the various schemes that Departments are asked to bring forward.”
“<BR /> <BR />My Department has put in place a scheme to provide support to those who are not covered by the Department of Finance's scheme. Part A of the COVID business restriction support scheme is for those that are mandated to close, but that are not recorded in the rates database. Therefore, it is a much smaller scheme. It was important to get part A up and running as it is directed at individuals with very small businesses and who are unlikely to have cash reserves. By the end of this week, more than 1,000 small businesses will have received payments amounting to more than £3 million. <BR /> <BR />Part B is for companies that make up the supply chain of businesses that are mandated to close.”
“In responding to this question, it is worth clarifying that there are two schemes currently in operation. It is unfortunate that some Members of the House have deliberately, or otherwise, conflated the two and have thereby created confusion among many of the people who are seeking support. <BR /> <BR />The local restriction support scheme is run by the Department of Finance. It was designed to provide support to businesses that are mandated to close and that are operating from premises, so it makes up the vast majority of the support that is available. I know that Members of the House will, of course, be keen to hear the details of the progress of that scheme when the Finance Minister is next in the Chamber.”
“<BR /> <BR />In conclusion, I thank Members for their contributions to the debate and assure the House that I am committed to supporting our businesses and our citizens through this very difficult time. The spirit and tone of this debate will be welcomed by those listening. I look forward to working with you all in the next number of weeks and months to ensure that our economy is on the best possible footing that we can make it, so that we can help people with the challenges that they face.”
“The Department for Infrastructure will be key to that. Road and rail connectivity are key enablers of economic growth, but so too is digital connectivity, and I am happy to report that the procurement for Project Stratum is almost complete and ready to launch. That will be a key enabler of competitiveness for the whole economy, particularly in rural areas of Northern Ireland, in the years to come. <BR /> <BR />Rebuilding our economy will be possible only if we accept that more needs to be done. I will of course be making further representations to our Government for further support measures for the economy in the wake of Brexit. I outlined some of those challenges earlier today.”
“Building on that work, a new economic strategy will recognise the significance of manufacturing to the local economy and will set a clear direction for ensuring that the full range of appropriate policy instruments are in place to support the sector. Those include a pipeline of talent to meet the skills that are needed in the sector now and in the future; investment in economic infrastructure; a supportive environment for innovation and research and development; business growth; and support measures with assistance from market development and exporting. Supporting those enablers is even more important in the wake of COVID-19. <BR /> <BR />I agree that economic recovery, and recovery for the manufacturing sector, is not just for the Department for the Economy but for all the Departments right across the Executive.”
“<BR /> <BR />Work is ongoing in my Department, Invest NI and MATRIX, which is the Northern Ireland science industry panel, to develop the medium- and long-term steps that are necessary for recovery from the challenge of COVID-19 and for return to growth. Advanced manufacturing, materials and engineering are critical to that strategic policy. <BR /> <BR />In June, I published 'Rebuilding a Stronger Economy', which provides a framework for how we can build a more competitive, inclusive and greener economy that delivers higher-paying jobs. It recognises that, in addition to skills, there must be a focus on high-potential sectors, including advanced manufacturing.”
“<BR /> <BR />I also recognise the importance of supporting companies to invest in research and development and innovation. Companies that innovate are more productive, more resilient in a crisis and more likely to grow. Our innovation accreditation scheme has so far helped over 500 firms to proactively assess their innovation capability and to access interventions that can help them to improve their innovation performance. <BR /> <BR />We are seeing a significant increase in companies seeking to bring forward R&D projects through Invest NI's grant for innovations and innovation vouchers. They are an excellent way to help small companies to access research capabilities from universities and colleges.”
“As I said, we must also find a way of living with the virus that negates this cycle of lockdown, which costs jobs and businesses. <BR /> <BR />It is reckoned that the four-week restrictions on the Northern Ireland economy will have a hit on output of around £400 million. As the Chair of the Economy Committee indicated, that hit to output overall in Northern Ireland across the year is around 15%. The whole economy, not just manufacturing, will find itself in an incredibly significant and difficult situation. The best way that government can help is to create an open and free economy and environment that supports technology and enables manufacturing companies to move forward with policies and support that are tailored to their specific needs and, indeed, to the needs of the whole economy.”
“It is my view that there is no need for a stand-alone manufacturing strategy. Manufacturing is a key component of the Northern Ireland economy. Indeed, I identified advanced manufacturing as a key growth area in my 'Rebuilding a Stronger Economy' document. While I appreciated Mr Chambers's amble through the 2016 debate, the reality is that, in the midst of a COVID pandemic, we have to take specific actions in the here and now alongside building the strategies that will help to move us forward. <BR /> <BR />I, along with Executive colleagues, am doing all that I can to address the significant challenges that COVID-19 continues to present to our economy. It is a very quickly evolving situation, and we must retain maximum flexibility in order to adapt to the frequent changes in the virus spread and the public health advice.”
“I will say to my colleague from Londonderry that helping the agri-food sector with those challenges has nothing to do with the promotion of Brexit, which I see as a valid democratic choice by people, but has everything to do with the promotion of the protocol, which will significantly impact and act as a barrier between us and those companies and their main market in the rest of the United Kingdom.”
“That is where I see the possibility and, indeed, every opportunity for those great companies in mid-Ulster, for example, to take advantage of the growth deal. There is around £260 million in that particular growth deal, and much of it will be used to help manufacturing and infrastructure. <BR /> <BR />I have also been working with the AERA Minister to advance the agri-food sector, identifying need and driving forward the industry in the face of the twin challenges of Brexit and COVID.”
“It has been hit so significantly by COVID-19 that it will require a significant tail of help to recover from the pandemic. I agree with the proposer of the motion that further financial support and the better procurement of defence contracts would be of immediate help to the aerospace sector, where many of our companies carry out a dual role. <BR /> <BR />I also welcome the planned city and growth deal investment in a number of advanced manufacturing projects. The projects envisage investment in excess of £130 million across Northern Ireland. They present a real opportunity to significantly scale up capabilities and increase the profile of manufacturing across the UK and make Northern Ireland a powerhouse of advanced manufacturing.”
“<BR /> <BR />My Department has also identified — in many cases, it now delivers — a range of schemes to assist manufacturing businesses to adapt to the combined challenges of COVID-19 and EU exit. The schemes support innovation; apprenticeships; skills; supply chains; product resilience and diversification; access to finance for early-stage businesses; and business and financial planning. My Department continues to look at what further interventions may be necessary to assist Northern Ireland businesses, including those in the manufacturing sector, to recover from the impact of the pandemic. <BR /> <BR />Recently, I met with companies in the aerospace sector, mainly those in the supply chain of the larger aerospace companies here. I have asked my officials to explore with that sector what can be done to increase the help that it gets.”
“It is particularly important for sectors such as manufacturing that have difficult to replace skills. It is important to retain those skills until the markets recover, which they will. <BR /> <BR />At least 65% of all manufacturing businesses were eligible for support under the £10,000 business support grant or the £5,000 microbusiness hardship fund. As well as the business rates holiday for part of the year, our manufacturers benefit each year from industrial derating, which is normally worth around £60 million to the sector. Indeed, I would support an extension of this for the remainder of the year as an important means of delivering immediate help to the sector.”
“I am sorry. I have a lot to get through, and I want to respond to a lot of the comments that were made. <BR /> <BR />Around 2,000 self-employed workers in the industry have availed themselves of the second self-employment income support scheme. <BR /> <BR />I am aware that many firms are reporting lower demand — that is despite the fact that demand was up in the weeks prior to the circuit breaker — and describing the impact that this is having on workers returning from furlough. Therefore, I welcome the Chancellor of the Exchequer's announcement that he will extend the job retention and self-employed schemes until March 2021 and April 2021 respectively. Executive colleagues and I have been calling for those schemes to be extended. This decision will continue to protect jobs and livelihoods in the months to come.”
“Manufacturing will continue to play a significant role in the Northern Ireland economy. It will be a key sector in driving our economic recovery. Its success remains a priority for my Department. That said, I fully recognise the pressures that face the sector at present. The level of support put in place to assist businesses, including those in the manufacturing sector, by the UK Government and the Northern Ireland Executive is unprecedented. The support ranges from government furlough and self-employment support schemes to the business support grant schemes and rates holiday delivered by the Executive. Over 42,000 jobs in the manufacturing sector have been supported by the furlough scheme, almost half of which are in the eligible sector.”
“My colleague Gordon Dunne referred to our visit to Denroy, and that company is an inspiring example of innovation in the face of the COVID challenge. There are other examples such as Huhtamaki and Bloc Blinds, and there many other companies across Northern Ireland that have responded in these challenging and difficult times.”
“Invest NI and the relevant Departments will work with the management and staff who have been affected to provide the appropriate support. We hope that we can work with Caterpillar globally to look at its footprint across the world to see whether other operations could come to Northern Ireland. <BR /> <BR />The manufacturing sector remains at the very heart of business and industry here, generating around £6·4 billion to the local economy and accounting for over 11% of employees. This has been a challenging time for our business community, and I am proud of the perseverance and resilience displayed throughout the crisis, particularly in the manufacturing sector where many businesses have innovated and pivoted to continue to succeed in these difficult times.”
“I have listened with interest to the debate today and welcome this opportunity to respond. I will start, as I did earlier in the Chamber today, by saying how disappointed I was to learn last week that Caterpillar is considering transferring some of its Larne-based operations out of Northern Ireland, with a potential loss of 700 jobs. Any redundancies that may arise from this announcement are deeply regrettable and, of course, devastating for the individuals and families involved. I know that the House will agree with me on this issue. <BR /> <BR />However, I have confidence in Northern Ireland's capabilities and that the Caterpillar operation will continue to be a key contributor to the manufacturing and engineering base here.”
“The Member may want to have a headline out of today's debate and his contribution to it, but I have no desire in the wide earthly world to add to the fear and anxiety that exists among workers in Caterpillar, both those who may be made redundant and those who will remain. I believe that Caterpillar has an important future in Northern Ireland. I will commit the resources of my Department and Invest NI to talking to Caterpillar and exploring with it how we can continue to secure that future. As I said, it is an important company not just for Northern Ireland; it has 23 sites across the rest of the United Kingdom, which contribute about £4·5 billion to the economy of the United Kingdom every year. There is an important opportunity for supply chain companies to be part of that family of Caterpillar in the future.”
“Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, through its chief executive, is one of the most proactive councils on that matter. The council, along with Invest NI and, of course, the Careers Service in my Department, will do everything that it can to support workers and their families in uncertain and very difficult times.”
“That is not something that we can sustain over and over again.”
“Through my Department and, indeed, Invest NI, I will do everything that I can to minimise job losses in Northern Ireland, but I cannot predict the future. We live in an uncertain economic environment. That environment is fed by COVID, particularly for firms here in Northern Ireland. I have said, on the record, many times in the Chamber that that uncertain economic environment could lead to further job losses. We need to learn to live with COVID rather than continue any proposed cycle of lockdowns, such as we have seen thus far. That has been my view consistently throughout this whole process, and it remains my view. <BR /> <BR />My Department has been doing some modelling of the impact of the four-week lockdown. It is projected to have a £400 million hit to the economy of Northern Ireland.”
“Much as I am tempted to get into a debate about public- versus private-sector companies, I refuse to do that. What is important is that the Assembly commits to working with those who face an uncertain future in Larne and, indeed, in the Caterpillar family in Northern Ireland as a whole; that we try to minimise the number of jobs that will be affected; and that we work with Caterpillar globally to try to ensure that any opportunities that there are to bring further work to Northern Ireland are maximised. As I have said repeatedly during my answers, Caterpillar remains an important contributor to the Northern Ireland economy and is a very important employer. We want to work with them to secure the future.”
“I am answering questions in the Assembly, so I am unaware of that message. <BR /> <BR />It is important that we understand the motivation for what has happened in Caterpillar in Larne. When I spoke to the senior management team, they indicated that it was part of the global restructuring of the company and that that is how the company sees the way forward with location to market and cost competitiveness. That is very regrettable. Having said that, however, Caterpillar is an important part of the overall economic outlook for Northern Ireland. It remains an important employer and, at a UK level, contributes about £4·5 billion to the economy. We want to work with Caterpillar to ensure that we can maximise any future opportunities and ensure that the company remains part of our future.”
“As the Member is aware, my Department has been focusing on bringing forward a number of strategies that will feed into the economy of Northern Ireland. We need an overarching economic strategy, but we need an energy strategy, a skills strategy and other ideas to feed into that in order to build the Northern Ireland economy as a whole. We should not always be focused only on strategies, however. We should be focused on the short-term gains that we can make for the economy that make a real difference to people's live, That is why with, for instance, the energy strategy, I am engaged on the potential use of hydrogen fuel and setting minimum targets for renewable electricity generation in Northern Ireland. Those are important issues on which we can set the direction of travel now while working on the larger time frame of the overall strategy.”
“It is important to Northern Ireland and to the United Kingdom, and, given its strategic importance, I will be talking to Minister Zahawi about the issue later in the week.”
“I am on record in the House as saying that I believe that Caterpillar will remain an important part of the economy of Northern Ireland. Although there are difficult days ahead in Larne, I think that we can work with the company to ensure, for example, that those bespoke solutions that Northern Ireland has been so good at providing in the past will remain. Indeed, the Northern Ireland management team has identified opportunities for growth in those sectors. I am also extremely encouraged by the fact that the company's back-office operations are stable and working well in Northern Ireland, and there are opportunities in that direction as well. Caterpillar is an important company.”
“Skills and improving young people's opportunities in Northern Ireland is probably my favourite subject, Mr Speaker. Last week, I looked at how we improve skill levels at levels 3, 4 and 5, because that is where the skills gaps are.”
“That programme was done completely online, and 23 out of 24 of the young people in that skills academy got jobs. <BR /> <BR />It is also one of the reasons that we need to bring forward the skills strategy for Northern Ireland. Last week —.”
“We need to look very quickly at what the future will look like, not just for manufacturing but for all aspects of our economy. That is why it is important that we brought forward the apprenticeship recovery programme and the apprenticeship challenge fund. Through those, we will be able to create new apprenticeships. It is important that we continue to look at the assured skills academy, because we require that really quick, sharp intervention in the economy where jobs are needed in different sectors. In the next few weeks, I am really looking forward to going to some of the companies that have completed assured skills programmes and in which many young people have gained jobs. I often quote the Microsoft example from just a few months ago.”
“In the past six to eight months, we have seen that process accelerate throughout Northern Ireland and, indeed, globally. For our digital sector, for example, this has been an opportunity to prove its innovation and resilience, and many of our companies in the sector are winning and gaining work from sister companies in larger corporations.”
“I have said in the House before that COVID has been both a disruptor and an accelerator in the way in which the economy operates. The process of digitisation, for example, has progressed at a much higher pace than we might have anticipated.”
“On Friday, I also spoke about this issue to the Caterpillar agent who works with government in London. Caterpillar operates on 23 sites right across the United Kingdom. Both Invest NI and I made the point that it is important that we open up opportunities for supply companies from Northern Ireland into that larger UK family of sites, so that maybe opportunities that are lost in Larne will open up in other parts of the United Kingdom. Invest NI will explore that with the company in the coming days.”