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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“<BR /> <BR />Therefore, again, I appeal to communities right across Northern Ireland to be careful, remember social distancing, remember good hand hygiene, look after one another, particularly the older and more vulnerable in our communities, and remember that, in order to keep our businesses going and to keep jobs and livelihoods in Northern Ireland, we have to do these things.”
“I thank the Member for his question. It is extremely important. We are very concerned about the community transmission of COVID throughout our communities, and, of course, the health of our communities and of the people of Northern Ireland is of paramount importance to us, but it is equally important to say, here in the Chamber and with great clarity, that Northern Ireland simply cannot afford another lockdown. <BR /> <BR />If we think back to the provisions of the schemes in March, April and May and we look at the Chancellor's statement of last week, that will reinforce my view that, while we have to look after our health — that is absolutely vital — we also need to learn to work and live knowing that this virus is in our communities. Even the fear of another lockdown would impact on business confidence.”
“For many of us here who went to university, we look back at it with great fondness as a time in our lives when, as young people, we were pretty carefree and were able to do things. We are in unprecedented circumstances, and we want to support young people to learn and support universities to do the right thing by them.”
“I assure the Member that I will continue to engage with the universities on that issue. I am acutely aware that many young people who have just gone to university for the first time, are living on their own and are struck with these kinds of situations will feel lonely and isolated, and we need to support our young students through what is a very difficult time. <BR /> <BR />I am also aware of the issues around the balance between online learning and face-to-face learning, and I think that the universities will have to work very hard to get this one right. Obviously, in some courses that have a more practical element, the universities will offer more face-to-face learning. However, I do not want our young people to have a poor experience at university.”
“<BR /> <BR />Again, I appeal to our student population, remembering that the vast and overwhelming bulk of our young people and students will be respectful of the regulations and respectful of one another, and I ask them to respect the regulations, practise good hand hygiene, keep to social distancing, wear masks and obey the rules around campus so that they can keep themselves, their friends and their families safe.”
“I thank the Member for his question, which is important and timely. Our student population needs a clear message, and we need to support students in the circumstances in which they find themselves. I understand that university representatives met Executive Office officials this morning, and I also spoke to the universities this morning. Later this week, I will speak to student leaders to take their views. I want a more holistic approach to the issue.”
“We now need to progress the city deals as part of that strategy. As a local Member, I will discuss that with the council.”
“I do not know whether the Member has seen my mailbox recently, but as a Member for Upper Bann as opposed to being the Economy Minister, I have agreed to meet the local economic development agency of the ABC council. I look forward to that meeting, to which I intend to bring representatives of Invest NI in order to ensure that information is readily available and to make the necessary links between government agencies or arm's-length agencies of the Department and councils. <BR /> <BR />I continue to work with councils on the city deals strategy for Northern Ireland. As part of our medium- to long-term recovery, that is a very exciting mechanism by which to introduce new and innovative ideas. We have £500 million of new funding for innovation in Northern Ireland, which is a significant amount for our economy.”
“In the meantime, my Department and I are working on a strategy for the economy, which, we hope, will be ready in due course. I emphasise that I am not waiting for a strategy; I am taking the necessary steps to help the Northern Ireland economy in unprecedented circumstances.”
“I thank the Member for her question. She will be aware that in June I published my short- and medium-term recovery plan, 'Rebuilding a Stronger Economy'. It looked at not only the short-term but the medium-term issues that we will have to address. It also gave a vision for the future of the Northern Ireland economy. I want such an economy to take Northern Ireland into its second century and to look at new opportunities and the sectors in which we can do well — the digital sector, cybersecurity — and in which we are already a world leader. I want it not only to grab those opportunities for the new economy for Northern Ireland but to support our traditional firms and manufacturing base, and the values that we all hold very dear. That has been adopted as part of the Executive's recovery strategy.”
“I thank the Member for his question. I am in constant communication with all our further education colleges, and I will continue to monitor the situation. The scheme will commence in November as furlough ends for young apprentices. We are encouraging employers to bring back young apprentices and to retain them right through to the completion of their apprenticeships. <BR /> <BR />We are also offering funding for employers who want to create new apprenticeships. This week, I launched the apprenticeship challenge fund for Northern Ireland, and the work of the further education colleges will be absolutely vital in that. After the scheme is formally launched in November, I will continue to monitor the progress of the scheme so that we can ensure that employers, businesses and colleges are able to work together.”
“<BR /> <BR />After we have established broad frameworks for that shared prosperity fund, I would like to see the detail of that fund being administered, directed and guided by the needs of Northern Ireland and by this Assembly in exercising its functions under the devolved Administration solutions.”
“While it is important to acknowledge that the European social fund has done significant and some very good work in Northern Ireland around the subject that we were talking about earlier — those young people who are not in employment or training and in funding apprenticeships — we are currently engaged in negotiations with our national Government around the replacement for that funding, which is the shared prosperity fund. The parameters that the Finance Minister has set for that is that we should receive the same amount of funding from the shared prosperity fund as we currently do from the European social fund. With that, we are at common cause with our colleagues in Scotland and Wales.”
“Given the amount of funding that historically came to my Department for economic development, energy, skills and apprenticeships, the Department has been liaising closely with Finance and relevant Westminster Ministers to ensure that our needs and priorities are reflected in those negotiations.”
“EU funding contributes to increasing the skills base of those currently in employment and future potential participants and part funds DFE apprenticeship programmes. <BR /> <BR />My Department currently receives £10·4 million per annum from the European social fund (ESF) to fund our Apprenticeships NI and higher level apprenticeship programmes. Any funding loss will restrict our ability to recruit new apprentices or fully see out the upskilling of existing apprentices on those programmes. In order to maintain the scale of those programmes, the shortfall in funding will need to be sourced and funded. That is currently being considered as part of my Department’s succession planning for provision post-EU exit. <BR /> <BR />The Department of Finance is leading the case for full replacement of EU funding in Northern Ireland.”
“<BR /> <BR />We also need, as a matter of great importance and urgency, the issue of a Northern Ireland qualifying good resolved. The Northern Ireland qualifying good, and some of the issues around that, would stop others from using the Republic of Ireland as a back door into the GB market, and, therefore, impacting on Northern Ireland firms' competitiveness in that market. <BR /> <BR />There are many issues to be resolved. We could talk about state aid, and the fact that Northern Ireland would be encumbered with EU state aid regulations while the rest of the United Kingdom would be free to make more-generous subsidies available for businesses if it were so inclined. <BR /> <BR />I want Northern Ireland to succeed —”
“We continue to engage with our partners in government and responded to the White Paper. While there are many views in the House on the Internal Market Bill, and I suspect that they would not all accord with my view, there are principles that we need to acknowledge and accept as being vital for Northern Ireland. <BR /> <BR />The Internal Market Bill looks at unfettered access in the case of a no-deal and the EU refuses to acknowledge GB as a third country. It is vital that Northern Ireland firms have unfettered access to the GB market. <BR /> <BR />Other issues are of equal importance in relation to access to our markets. We need our Government to tell us how, in conjunction with the Joint Committee, they are going to define goods at risk. That will be important in getting those goods from GB, our largest market, into Northern Ireland.”
“I encourage Members to convey these messages to businesses so that they can get the help that they need in the circumstances that we find ourselves.”
“I thank the Member for his question. Over the course of the pandemic, my Department has administered £400 million in grant schemes and helped 30,000 businesses in Northern Ireland. That has not been perfect nor are we able to say that it covered the full scope of the business spectrum. However, that help has been extremely important in sustaining businesses and skills in a difficult time. <BR /> <BR />If we continue on the Brexit theme, Invest NI is offering Brexit preparation grants. I am glad that the Member raised this issue because we need to get the message out that a full toolkit of resources is available within Invest NI to help businesses to prepare for the end of the transition period. InterTradeIreland also has a significant level of interventions in place.”
“Again, trade negotiations with Australia began again on 22 September, and we are looking forward to trade negotiations with New Zealand on 19 October.”
“Could I give just two more stats, which I think are very important? With your permission Mr Deputy Speaker.”
“<BR /> <BR />It is also extremely important that we are able to trade with other international markets. Trade within the current EU free trade agreements that have been rolled over is worth £110 billion to the UK. We have some outstanding trade agreements with the EU that are very significant to Northern Ireland that have still not been renegotiated by the Government. They include agreements with Canada, Mexico, Turkey and Norway. Canada is our second largest rest of the world trading partner, with an estimated £632 million of trade in 2019. <BR /> <BR />In terms of the US trade deal, again, America is an extremely important market for Northern Ireland companies, and the fourth negotiation on the US trade deal took place between the 8 and 18 September, and —.”
“First of all, it is vital that Northern Ireland is able to trade within UK trade agreements on an equal basis to every other part of the United Kingdom. That, of course, is complicated by the protocol, and I fail to understand why many parties in the House rush headlong to demand a full implementation, no less, of a protocol that would potentially restrict trade within the UK's internal market. Therefore, while trade with the rest of the world, including the European Union and the Republic of Ireland, is vital, and I do not underestimate it or diminish it in any sense at all, it is of utter importance to Northern Ireland that trade within the UK's internal market is able to continue unencumbered by restrictions imposed by the Northern Ireland protocol. I think that is massively important.”
“I support the Government’s ambition to have an agreement that supports our trade with Europe and, through supply-chain activity, our trade via Europe that goes into international markets.”
“From that perspective, it is critical to recognise that Great Britain is our most important market, accounting for almost £24 billion of trade in 2018. During the same period, trade with the EU, including the Republic of Ireland, amounted to £12·1 billion and trade with the rest of the world to £6·9 billion. In other words, we did more trade in the GB market than in all of the other markets added together. Therefore, it is very important that, when we are looking at international trade, we are also protecting our trade with our internal UK market. <BR /> <BR />In tandem, I have been encouraging the UK Government to pursue with vigour a comprehensive trade agreement with the European Union.”
“I have sought assurances that Northern Ireland will be covered fully in the scope of trade agreements, that our industry will be protected from unfair practices and that our businesses can remain competitive, both in the UK internal market and globally, despite the complexities of the protocol.”
“During my time as Minister for the Economy, I have continued to work with our national Government to ensure that UK international trade policy works for the people of Northern Ireland. It has been my priority that Northern Ireland will be able to access transitioned EU trade deals and new UK trade agreements. I have had extensive engagement with the Minister of State in the Department for International Trade through the Ministerial Forum for Trade and via bilateral meetings on matters of interest to Northern Ireland.”
“I shall resist, just this once, the Brexit issues in order to focus on the really important issue of skills in the Northern Ireland economy. I have been proactively engaging with my counterparts in London on the issue of the European social fund and its replacement, the shared prosperity fund. I will further support the Finance Minister as he seeks a full replacement of those funds for Northern Ireland. It is absolutely important that we are able to progress these issues for the people of Northern Ireland, for the young people of Northern Ireland and particularly for the economy of the future of Northern Ireland.”
“It will include collaborative approaches from further education on placement and to support women to return and get training in information technology. That is work that the Department is already engaged in and fully cognisant of.”
“I am extremely concerned about the 20% of the workforce who have no formal qualifications. It is an issue that the Assembly and the Executive will have to address in the long term. In the short term, we have been working with adults and with everyone, really, who has been affected by the impact of COVID on their employment. Our skills strategy division has been able to support 2,000 individuals impacted by COVID-19, helping them to achieve one of over 90 online fully accredited qualifications in key areas including digital, leadership, management and employability. A second phase of the programme will complete by March 2021. We hope that it will support a further 3,000 individuals, including those who have been furloughed or made redundant or who are availing of the self-employment scheme.”
“We are also talking about creating that digital spine for Northern Ireland. We will try to incorporate those skills for our young people, right the way through from primary school until they leave education, preparing them for the world of work and the economy of the future.”
“Before the Assembly collapsed in earlier times, the Minister of Education and the Minister for the Economy were working together on a strategy for 14- to 19-year-olds to look at the pathways that young people take at that age, the choices that they make and how we can improve services for them. Very early on, before the impact of COVID in this mandate, I had been talking to the Department of Education on that issue. We have now re-engaged with that work stream. I would like, in conjunction with the Department of Education, to bring forward a strategy that allows young people at 14 to 19 years old not just to look at traditional paths but to look at alternative paths towards their career prospects. We will help all of our young people in progressing their career prospects.”
“Since April, I have announced over 1,000 new jobs, even in the midst of incredibly difficult economic circumstances in Northern Ireland. Six hundred of those new jobs have been announced by North American and US companies. That shows the importance of those companies investing in Northern Ireland. I look forward to talking to the special envoy to Northern Ireland tomorrow and building the relationships that allow those skills and job pipelines to continue.”
“Those have been very successful in delivering proper training and jobs for young people in difficult circumstances. I refer to the Microsoft cybersecurity academy, which was completed in Northern Ireland on 12 June, delivered at the height of lockdown and delivered completely online. Of the 24 young people who engaged in that skills academy, 23 found employment out of it. Those long-term skills programmes and the ability to be flexible and match skills to labour market demand is really important. <BR /> <BR />With your indulgence, Mr Deputy Speaker, I will answer the other part of the Member's question. It is really important that, while we build our skills base and support companies in Northern Ireland, we recognise the importance of foreign direct investment in Northern Ireland.”
“It is an important question. I think that the House will agree that, through my actions as Minister for the Economy, we have invested significantly in apprenticeships, youth training and the skills agenda in Northern Ireland. That is not just important for holding what we have but for developing the economy of the future and the skills pipeline that will go into that. That is an important aspect. The Department has been proactive in looking not just at apprenticeships but at careers delivery and other short-term interventions that will help to build the Northern Ireland economy, build skills and engage our young people into the future. <BR /> <BR />I just want to focus for one second on one of those programmes, which has been very important, namely the assured skills academies that we have run.”
“The lead Department for this is the Department of Finance. It has been working on this, and, of course, I will continue to liaise with it and with Departments in London to make sure that those views are known. Current ESF funding is secure until 31 March 2022.”
“That is indeed an important and, again, topical and timely question on the issue. The European social fund funds a range of programmes, not just for young people who are not in employment or training but as part of the Northern Ireland apprenticeship programme. Therefore, it is very important to us that the Executive collectively engage with the UK Government to ensure that our national Government understand that, in the replacement for that European social fund — the shared prosperity fund — Northern Ireland is not at a disadvantage and gains the same amount of funding from that shared prosperity funding as it does from structural funds as they come to Northern Ireland and, importantlyl, that we are able to set our own priorities and objectives for the funding as a devolved legislature with responsibility devolved in those areas.”
“Since March, the Careers Service has made over 49,000 contacts with 16- to 18-year-olds to guide them in taking the next steps in their education, training or employment.”
“<BR /> <BR />The Department for the Economy is also the Northern Ireland accountable Department for Peace4Youth, which aims to engage 7,400 young people who are disadvantaged, marginalised and not readily engaging with other programmes. The Careers Service provides all-age, all-ability careers guidance, with a priority focus on helping those vulnerable to social exclusion. Inevitably, the response to COVID-19 and the lockdown, in particular, has made it more difficult to deliver those vital services. However, the services and projects have adapted to continue to provide much-needed support throughout the crisis. In March, Peace4Youth projects swiftly moved to online delivery to continue to support young people. ESF projects also moved to remote working. Some are now back working in their usual premises, where social distancing allows.”
“In today's uncertain times, this is an important question for us, as a legislative Assembly, to consider. <BR /> <BR />My Department provides a range of support to young people who are not in employment, education or training, often referred to as "NEET". My Department administers the Northern Ireland European social fund (ESF) programme, which includes 18 NEET projects with a value of over £33 million. The projects are specifically designed to support young people. Examples of the projects are wide-ranging across Northern Ireland. We have Bryson Charitable Group, Extern, GEMS, Include Youth, Job Directions, the South West College, Springboard, Stepping Stones NI, the Prince's Trust, Training for Women and YouthAction Northern Ireland, so it is really a very wide range of programmes that are supported through this part of my Department.”
“Those are hugely important to Northern Ireland, and I look forward, as the Minister responsible for skills, to doing more work in that area. <BR /> <BR />All of us in the House have, I think, collectively, expressed our pride in what Northern Ireland Screen does and what it brings to Northern Ireland, but it is also important to remember that it is a huge contributor to the economy. That can continue, and it can increase its contribution. It is one of the areas that we need to focus on for the new economy and for Northern Ireland's next century. I thank colleagues across the House for their support.”
“The Chair referenced some of the issues around Northern Ireland Screen, including skills issues. Skills are really important for the future of the industry in Northern Ireland. I was really encouraged by my visit to my local further education college. That new build, which is opening soon in Banbridge, means huge investment in the local economy. There, the Southern Regional College will invest in digital and media skills, and 300 young students from across that region of Northern Ireland will be upskilling in all these areas. That is important and exciting for Northern Ireland: not only are we looking at how we support core and traditional values and industries but we are reaching out to new industries and training young people to be part of them. Again, I stress the importance of video game and virtual production.”
“We are all also very supportive of the work that Northern Ireland Screen does, as our colleague Matthew O'Toole said, in giving confidence to Northern Ireland and bringing back that sense of being able to step out on the international stage and do things that gain international acclaim, win awards and are really important for Northern Ireland. That is important.”
“I thank colleagues across the House for their support in ensuring that Northern Ireland Screen is appropriately funded and that the anomaly that we have had in its funding will be no longer. That is an important basis for going forward, and I thank you for your support on that. <BR /> <BR />For a few seconds, I will answer some of the questions and issues that have been raised by the debate. I think that we are all supportive of the funding model and mechanism that we need to fund Northern Ireland Screen.”
“The Department has received approval from the Department of Finance to rely upon the authority of the Budget Act on the clear understanding that appropriate legislation would be taken forward to remedy the situation once the Executive returned. There is therefore now a requirement to regularise the legislative basis on which my Department funds Northern Ireland Screen. The statutory rule being brought forward will not impact on the policy or strategic direction of Northern Ireland Screen or the amount of funding that it receives; rather it is simply a regularisation of the legislative basis on which the Department funds Northern Ireland Screen. Therefore, I commend the motion to the Assembly.”
“<BR /> <BR />The legislation brought forward to the Assembly today is required following the transfer of Northern Ireland Screen to my Department from the then Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure in May 2016 as part of the restructuring of Departments. Prior to that transfer, Northern Ireland Screen received the majority of its programme funding from Invest NI via a letter of offer. When Northern Ireland Screen became an arm's-length body of my Department, it was agreed that funding would continue to operate as previously until the existing Invest NI four-year letter of offer expired in March 2018. <BR /> <BR />Since 1 April 2018, the Department has funded Northern Ireland Screen directly rather than through Invest NI.”
“<BR /> <BR />Production in Northern Ireland has now resumed for large-scale projects, and a new film, 'The Northman' is currently being filmed at Torr Head on the Antrim coast. High-profile projects like that will continue to support the growth of our international stature as a production location, along with the growth of our indigenous sector, as Northern Ireland Screen support ensures that local personnel are involved in international productions. <BR /> <BR />In economic terms, during the period of Northern Ireland Screen's previous strategy, it is estimated that for every £1 spent on developing the screen sector in Northern Ireland, there was £2·70 returned to the Northern Ireland economy.”
“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker, for this opportunity. The Northern Ireland Screen Commission (Funding) Order (Northern Ireland) 2020 will provide my Department with the vires to provide Northern Ireland Screen with grant-in-aid payments to allow it to continue to promote commercial activity and employment. <BR /> <BR />Northern Ireland Screen is the lead agency for the development of the screen industries in Northern Ireland. It has also had considerable success in attracting major screen projects to Northern Ireland, for example, the world-acclaimed HBO 'Game of Thrones' series, which is estimated to have brought in excess of £250 million into the local economy, employed over 1,000 local people in each of the eight series and has elevated the profile of the Northern Ireland screen industry internationally.”
“I look forward to finding out where the investigation is at, and I urge that we proceed with haste in finding out the answers and providing solutions so that these dreadful things do not happen again.”
“<BR /> <BR />The Minister has my support, but I believe, like all Members here this evening, that we need to get answers and that the families involved deserve answers — indeed, the front-line staff deserve answers — and that the importance of restoring trust and confidence to patients at the hospital is absolutely to the fore of our concerns this evening. <BR /> <BR />This is a very difficult time, and, over the past 24 hours, we have seen how this pandemic continues to impact our community and, indeed, all our services. Hospitals are not immune to those issues any more than any other environment, but we need to make sure that our patients, the most vulnerable among us, are protected and taken care of.”