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 />The Minister's decision to announce a level 3 serious adverse incident is an important step in ensuring that we get answers about what happened at the hospital and what measures we need to put in place to ensure the safety of patients and staff. However, I am extremely concerned that this has not moved forward, and I look forward to the Minister outlining further details of the investigation to the House at the close of the debate. We also need to know about any issues that have already been identified and any early findings from preliminary investigations that have so far been carried out by the trust; I know that some of that has taken place. In these uncertain and difficult times, it is important that we find out the truth for patients and constituents in Upper Bann and, indeed, throughout the Southern Trust area.”
“<BR /> <BR />It is also essential that we instil confidence back into the community and hospital users, reassuring them that the hospital is a safe environment. I have been contacted by a number of patients, some of whom are incredibly ill and fearful because they may have to go into hospital. That is not a good situation for us to be in. During the pandemic, we witnessed a huge drop-off in those attending hospital, even when they needed to do so. We need to avoid a situation in which people feel unsafe using the hospital, as the long-term consequences would be absolutely devastating. My message to people in Upper Bann is simple: if you require medical attention, you should seek it immediately and use the hospital resources that are there for you.”
“<BR /> <BR />As other Members have rightly said, on behalf of the people of Upper Bann, I express my gratitude and thanks to the doctors, nurses and support staff at Craigavon hospital who have been to the fore in protecting our community during the COVID-19 pandemic. They have been at the front line of the battle against COVID, and their commitment has saved so many lives during a difficult and uncertain time. We all owe them a huge debt of gratitude. <BR /> <BR />However, given what they have done for us, we need also to ensure that there is no repeat of the events that we witnessed at Craigavon and Daisy Hill. We also owe it to the families of those impacted by these events to get to the bottom of what happened and to learn and take action so that such a tragedy does not strike again.”
“I speak in my capacity as MLA for Upper Bann. <BR /> <BR />I also associate myself with remarks addressed to my colleague Doug Beattie. I had not heard of the threat. It is reprehensible that a public representative should have such threats levelled against him. I trust that all will be well. <BR /> <BR />I would like to extend my sympathies to the families of the six patients of the haematology ward in Craigavon Area Hospital, who tested positive for COVID-19 and, sadly, lost their lives, and also to the families of the five patients in Daisy Hill, who also lost their lives. This is a devastating time for them and our thoughts and prayers are with them at this very difficult time.”
“No. <BR /> <BR />In conclusion, let me be absolutely clear: the scale of the challenge that is facing our economy is unprecedented. Getting our economic, societal and health-focused response to recovery right is absolutely vital. We must all ensure that the decisions that we take are strategically focused but also support families and jobs in Northern Ireland. I remain committed to working with my Executive colleagues to continue to support businesses and individuals as best we can moving forward, recognising that the next few months will be extremely challenging, not just for the Executive but for families and for prosperity in Northern Ireland.”
“I would be happy to join Ms Dillon in writing to the Finance Minister to indicate that I would also support further rating relief for manufacturing businesses, not just in Mid Ulster, which I visited recently, but right across Northern Ireland.”
“No. <BR /> <BR />That has been discussed on a number of occasions. On 13 August, at the proposal of the Finance Minister, it was agreed that the reallocation of the underspend from the business support measures would be considered as part of the overall funding allocation to deliver the Executive's recovery framework. I look forward to moving ahead with that recovery framework, seeing the list of proposals — including those in my options paper — from the Executive and getting down to work to make those things happen. <BR /> <BR />Again, at my instigation, we widened the scope of the £10,000 scheme to include those small manufacturing businesses that benefited from industrial derating.”
“No. <BR /> <BR />I will make it clear — particularly for Ms Dillon who seems to be under some misunderstanding on these matters — that my Department administered the business support measures on behalf of the Executive — this was not Department for the Economy core funding. Underutilised funds have been returned to the Department of Finance, as was requested, from the very outset of the schemes. Those funds will be reallocated for further funding and support. To aid that process, I have provided an options paper to the Executive with a wide-ranging list of areas where there will be gaps.”
“Furthermore, I have proposed that the Executive should write to the Chancellor to ask him to look again at some of the people who have been omitted from the scheme and to consider bringing forward measures across the UK. I will, of course, also work with my colleagues in Westminster who have been extremely vocal in support of that UK-wide scheme and the need for UK-wide measures to bring in these levels of support. Should support not be forthcoming, and should the Executive collectively determine that a bespoke local scheme is required, I will be happy to deliver such a scheme. <BR /> <BR />Members have referenced the money that has been underutilised from the three business support measures led by my Department.”
“Whilst the majority of self-employed people were eligible for the self-employed income support scheme if their business was adversely affected by COVID, I recognise that those who have recently become self-employed have been unable to access the scheme. I think that everyone would acknowledge that establishing a local scheme would be challenging because it requires access to a national database via HMRC. I have written to HMRC to enquire about such database access. <BR /> <BR />I also understand that the Department of Finance has contacted Her Majesty's Treasury about a number of issues in the UK-wide schemes, including widening the eligibility of criteria of the self-employed income support scheme to include those who have recently become self-employed.”
“<BR /> <BR />The motion specifically references sole traders and microbusinesses that were unable to access the business support measures because they did not meet the eligibility criteria. Within the available funding, the hardship fund aimed to support as many businesses as possible. However, with approximately 125,000 businesses in Northern Ireland and a budget of £40 million, difficult choices had to be made about the number and type of businesses that could be supported. Also, the Executive, as a whole, supported my decisions on the hardship scheme. <BR /> <BR />However, I know that people are still hurting and that there is still more work to do.”
“She has confirmed to me that her Department is currently scoping out such a scheme for Northern Ireland, and I hope that it will come forward fairly quickly. <BR /> <BR />Recently, along with Invest NI, I have announced a £1 million digital selling capability grant and a £5 million equity investment fund targeted at early- and seed-stage SMEs, both of which opened for applications last week. The Department for the Economy has a record of working to provide support. I thank my colleague from Foyle for referencing the Audit Office report which indicates that, by far and away, after the Department of Health — where you would expect actions in a health pandemic — the Economy Department has been prolific in its support for the economy and businesses in Northern Ireland. Again, I recommend that report as essential reading.”
“No. I am not giving way. <BR /> <BR />I have established the tourism recovery steering group and am working on the draft tourism recovery action plan. Many of the 32 bids would support actions in that plan. I have allocated £14 million to fund an apprenticeship return, retain and result initiative, over £12 million to fund an apprenticeship recruitment incentive initiative and over half a million pounds to an apprenticeship challenge fund. <BR /> <BR />I will address Mr Beggs's point about the Kickstart scheme. I agree with him that Northern Ireland could benefit from a Kickstart scheme. Last week, I spoke to the Minister for Communities, because Kickstart is essentially an employment scheme as opposed to a training scheme. I offered her my and my Department's help in the development of the scheme.”
“That is why again today in the Chamber I am urging the Finance Minister to get on with allocating the funding that he received after the Chancellor's July economic update.”
“All sectors bring their own unique benefits to our economic ecosystem. <BR /> <BR />To drive forward that agenda, I have secured £25 million to deliver digital and online selling, improvements to operational processes and supply chain resilience, the use of new technologies, business planning and the provision of loans and equity investment. I have reallocated £13·6 million from my budget to address pressures and skills in education. I have submitted 32 bids to the Department of Finance to deliver a wide-ranging and comprehensive programme of interventions to further the rebuilding agenda. I must say that I agree with Mr Dickson that it would be inexcusable that money should be returned at the end of what will be an extremely difficult and challenging period.”
“Although an extensive range of support was provided, it is simply not possible for the Executive to support every individual and business facing hardship with the funding envelope available, and I will say more on that later. <BR /> <BR />The Executive are currently preparing an economic recovery framework. I recommend as essential reading to the proposer of the motion 'Rebuilding a Stronger Economy'. That document has guided our path in the Department over the past number of weeks. It provides a framework for the next 12 to 18 months to build a more competitive, inclusive and greener economy by addressing the key structural weaknesses in our economy and by focusing on sectors in which there is potential for growth and higher-paying jobs. That does not mean that other sectors will be ignored.”
“That support had the objective of protecting jobs, preventing business closures and promoting economic recovery. My Department led on the business support grant schemes and the microbusiness hardship fund. We have paid out over £340 million to date across the schemes, providing much-needed support to many businesses experiencing hardship. <BR /> <BR />As well as the business support measures administered by my Department, a range of further support has been provided locally. The Executive put in place a four-month rates holiday for all businesses and 12 months' rate relief for businesses in targeted sectors. Funds have also been made available for childcare, charities and sports clubs, amongst others.”
“Since we moved to reopen the economy, some sectors have seen immediate pickup, while others will face much lengthier challenges or face challenges further down the line. I have already referenced hospitality and aerospace. I make the point because the Executive, with a limited amount of financial firepower, must target that firepower and be strategic with it. The Executive must recognise that the economy is in a different place today from where it was during lockdown and that support will come in different forms. When the economy was in lockdown, we clearly needed to get money out to businesses quickly. As part of our immediate Northern Ireland response to the pandemic, my Executive colleagues and I introduced an unprecedented range of local financial support to help those on whom COVID-19 had impacted.”
“It was a delight yesterday to announce a further 50 jobs in the digital sector, created by one of our own who has gone to America and who is responsible for much of the foreign direct investment that has come to Northern Ireland.”
“No, I am not giving way. I have a lot to get through and I will reference many of the points that Members made during the debate. <BR /> <BR />The Executive have difficult decisions to take about what and where interventions can and should be made and what form of support is offered. They need to ensure that spending can be justified as providing value for money and that it will make a positive impact in the medium to long term. Not all businesses or individuals have been impacted by COVID in the same way. Some businesses effectively stopped trading, whilst others continued as normal or even saw an increase in productivity.”
“July was the third month in a row where the number of claimants was above 60,000; levels last seen in 2012 and 2013 after the previous recession. To put it another way, around seven years of jobs' growth has been wiped out in a matter of weeks. Although the local economy is showing signs of recovery, with many sectors improving, it may take some time before we see overall economic activity back to its pre-pandemic levels. I do not underestimate the challenges that lie ahead of us. That is why, from the Chamber this morning, I reiterate my call for an extension of the furlough scheme. It is important that we continue to support jobs in our local economy and in sectors where that tail of recovery will perhaps be longer than it is in others. <BR /> <BR />The Executive have difficult decisions —”
“Nearly all sectors were affected by the social-distancing measures, and many businesses have availed themselves of business support schemes and grants from the national Government and the Northern Ireland Executive. <BR /> <BR />The motion references the extensive range of support put in place by our Government. That has provided a much-needed lifeline for many local businesses and individuals. The shutdown of many industries resulted in the widespread furloughing of workers, with just under 250,000 — almost a third of those eligible here — being furloughed and around 78,000 availing themselves of the self-employed income support scheme. Together, these claims amounted to over £1 billion in support for jobs in Northern Ireland. <BR /> <BR />Despite this, there has been a spike in the claimant count over the past three months.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker, and thank you, Members, for the motion and debate. A range of important and relevant areas have been covered this morning. I will take each of the key issues that have been discussed in turn. <BR /> <BR />First, I share the deep concern expressed in the House for the significant impact that COVID-19 has had on the Northern Ireland economy. It is undeniable that the economic impact has been significant and has had implications across the entire economy. Huge economic impacts, which might normally take months or years to unfold, occurred within weeks as a result of lockdown and industry shutdowns. My Department estimates that, during lockdown, our economic output was operating at 25% below normal.”
“I ask the Member to join me in that commitment.”
“I thank the Member for his question. Indeed, I signed off an answer to a priority written question from him on this issue just prior to coming to the Chamber. <BR /> <BR />The Member will be aware that the HMS Caroline issue arose because, while we wanted to take matters forward and settle the issues with the naval museum, we had to do so on a sustainable footing. However, the museum decided that it wanted to terminate the agreement, and that left us little time to actively pursue a new operator for HMS Caroline. However, be under no illusion on the matter, and let me be absolutely clear on this: I am committed to this very important piece of our heritage reopening and remaining in Northern Ireland and to making sure that we do everything that we can to ensure that it does so in a sustainable way.”
“Absolutely. This is a hugely important area for Northern Ireland. I have been speaking to Greg Hands, a Minister in the Department for International Trade, to ensure that the Northern Ireland protocol will not hinder Northern Ireland firms from being be able to be full parts of those trade Bills. To really prosper and grow our economy, we have to look out towards other economies. It is, therefore, absolutely vital that we are able to be part of those trade Bills. I look forward to further discussions with Minister Hands, and I would like to see legislative underpinning in the trade Bill of our part in it.”
“As I have said in the House many times, our biggest market is in GB. For our agri-food industry, between 65% and 70% of everything that we produce goes to market in Great Britain. Therefore, any frictions in that marketplace have potentially a detrimental impact on business and bring a competitive disadvantage to our businesses in the marketplace. We also need to remember that about two thirds of everything that we need for manufacturing and that very important supply chain for manufacturing and from retail comes from the Great Britain market. It is, therefore, absolutely essential that we do not have frictions in that way either. I think that we should really focus on this as an issue and forget the politicking around it and ensure that our businesses have the ability to survive, compete and do well in what is our largest market.”
“We have no intentions for regulation in that direction at this time. As I said, I am happy to talk about the health implications of any and all of these processes with the Member.”
“I thank the Member for her question. We are, as you know, doing research into the wider impacts. Health will be part of that research, and I look forward to sharing the research and, indeed, to maybe sitting down with the Member and discussing these issues in further detail as we get towards a conclusion of the process.”
“That would be disastrous for business and disastrous for families and incomes in Northern Ireland.”
“It is no secret to the Member — indeed, to all Members in the House — that, as a member of the European Parliament, I did not vote for the withdrawal agreement or the Northern Ireland protocol. I see the Northern Ireland protocol as being absolutely disastrous for the Northern Ireland economy. I am concerned that they have the access to our internal market that will make sure that they are able to compete, both competitively and without disadvantage within that market. Again, I make no apology for repeating that that means that unfettered access to that market is of the utmost importance to me and that the operation of the protocol could be detrimental to that access. I do not understand why this House wants so desperately at times to put up barriers between us and the biggest part of our marketplace.”
“Therefore, there are many issues that concern me around the Internal Market Bill, but my absolute top priority for prosperity in Northern Ireland is to ensure that we can access that market in an unfettered way, and that our firms do not suffer a competitive disadvantage in that market.”
“Since taking office, my absolute top priority in negotiations with our national Government and in conversations with my Executive colleagues is to make sure that Northern Ireland's firms and businesses have that unfettered access to the United Kingdom's internal market: our internal market. That is hugely important because jobs, families and prosperity depend on that access to that market. Therefore, I think that there are a number of things that we need to consider around the Internal Market Bill. That is not just on the idea of unfettered access but is around the idea of state aid. I do not want Northern Ireland's firms to be encumbered and lumbered with EU state aid regulations while the rest of the United Kingdom is able to move on in that direction.”
“I refer the Member to my previous answer.”
“I thank the Member for his question. Currently, we are not exploring the issue of licensing. In fact, we are looking at and collating the responses to the applications that are with us. We are doing some research on the overall topic. Be assured: this is a controversial and cross-cutting issue. It will be a matter on which every Executive party will give a view. Therefore, when the time comes, whatever the recommendations from the Department may be, they will go to the whole Executive for a decision.”
“It is time that we got on with doing those things, and, to that extent, over the last number of weeks, my Department has submitted to the Minister of Finance about 32 bids looking at interventions in the economy in a structured way that will allow it to grow, prosper and provide jobs for families in Northern Ireland.”
“I appreciate that the Member is trying to spare his colleague's blushes, so we will move on from this. Many areas of the economy are suffering very, very deeply in this recession, and we will experience even more difficulties as we come to the end of the furlough scheme. That is why I published my economic recovery paper. That is why I have indicated that, while we need to support the core elements of the economy, we also need to go out and grab new opportunities for Northern Ireland in the digital economy and in the green economy, which are really important issues for Northern Ireland.”
“The Department for Infrastructure holds all those figures. Therefore, it would seem sensible for the Department for Infrastructure to step up and get going with a scheme that will help the industry, which, in the height and the depths of COVID, kept food supplies running to Northern Ireland.”
“As I said in my previous answer, to which I will revert, the Department for the Economy has provided a huge range of support to businesses right across Northern Ireland. Indeed, over a third of a billion pounds has been allocated through my Department to help businesses in Northern Ireland, including some taxi firms that will have availed themselves of rate relief, the hardship fund or the 10k fund. Many of those firms have already been helped. However, it is also important that the Departments that have regulatory responsibility step up, take on that responsibility and look at the areas where they can provide help. In the case of, for example, haulage, the Department for the Economy does not hold any of the stats, figures or other information needed to have a scheme for the haulage industry.”
“I have spoken to the universities on this issue. They assure me that, while lectures will be online because they are so large that it would be impossible to accommodate social distancing, tutorials, teaching and other elements of student life will be available to students within the campus set-up. It is not for me to comment on how universities organise this, except to say that my Department will monitor it to ensure that students get not only the best value for money but the best teaching available to them.”
“In this respect, the Member may wish to address her question directly to the universities or, indeed, to the Department for Communities, which is responsible for private landlords and the legislation regarding houses of multiple occupation.”
“While my Department is responsible for higher education policy in relation to teaching and research, as autonomous institutions, the universities are responsible for their own policies on student accommodation. My Department has no remit to intervene. It is clear, however, that universities will need to consider steps to ensure that young people are helped to secure accommodation. Furthermore, universities need to ensure that clear information is developed with the Public Health Agency and communicated to students to ensure that accommodation is provided in a safe manner that is consistent with the current health guidelines. I am aware that universities offer a limited number of accommodation places to students in any given year and that off-campus accommodation is provided, albeit through private landlords.”
“That will also involve learning to live and work with COVID as a backdrop.”
“It is no secret — in fact, it was leaked to the papers — that I wrote to the then head of the Civil Service to indicate that I thought that we should be looking at a phased and safe return to on-site duties for Civil Service staff. That is important, and it is reasonable to do that where it is safe and possible to do so. It was the end of his period in office, and his response was not that helpful. However, when the new head of the Civil Service is appointed, I will take the matter up again. <BR /> <BR />On a general note, this is about the balance that we will bring to life and to the working environment. I do not think that things will ever be the same again in a post-COVID world, but we will have to find that new balance and support city centres, which, generally, throughout the region, are experiencing very difficult circumstances.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. <BR /> <BR />I recognise that, at the moment, we are seeing — my local town in Upper Bann is seeing it as well — somewhat of a move in that people who usually work in Belfast during the day are now working at home. Therefore, the local economies are seeing some progress in very difficult circumstances. We will publish an economic strategy, and, as part of the research for that, it would be welcome to do some research into the impact of working from home, from both sides of the argument.”
“Many of the businesses that I speak to are already planning on returning to the office for a range of reasons, including the social side of work, the ability to enhance team working and the informal engagement in workplaces, which all contribute to the way a business operates. The trend has had a dramatic impact on Belfast city centre, where footfall has dropped, which, in turn, is having a severe impact on local cafes, coffee shops, restaurants and the wider retail sector as well as on the number of people using public transport to move around the city. <BR /> <BR />Whilst I am on record as saying that I would like to see people return to their offices as soon as it is safe to do so, that will, ultimately, be a decision for each business to make.”
“<BR /> <BR />One of the impacts of remote working could include the wider regional redistribution of some office worker spend by moving expenditure away from the area around the office to where workers live. However, sudden moves of large-scale economic activity from one place to another will bring benefits to some and hardships to others, which is why any such changes will usually be based on extensive planning and gradual implementation. COVID-19 has allowed us time for neither and has been quite a disruptor in that respect. <BR /> <BR />Some commentators believe that these changing work practices are here to stay, with greater levels of flexibility for many on when and where they work. One should be cautious about predicting these things, though.”
“With your permission, Mr Speaker, I will group questions 5 and 13, so that we can proceed with a range of the questions that are available today. <BR /> <BR />Clearly, for those able to, working from home and the use of videoconferencing have allowed many people to continue working throughout the pandemic and been an invaluable tool in keeping parts of the economy going when others were, effectively, shut down. For certain sectors, for example the digital economy, it has had little impact on productivity, with some reporting an increase in productivity, and has demonstrated the resilience of the sector, now a good selling point for Invest NI as it talks to companies interested in coming to Northern Ireland.”
“<BR /> <BR />It is a pity that the Minister for Infrastructure was a little late in coming to the decision that we would be able to have the schemes, unlike other Ministers, including Education, which stepped in with childcare, and Communities, which has been working with disadvantaged groups, the arts sector and other sectors within its remit. It is important that Ministers step up. I am glad that the First Minister and deputy First Minister made the decision that they did, and I look forward to supporting the Minister for Infrastructure as she brings forward the schemes, which are much needed.”
“That is a really timely question, and I am delighted to be able to answer it. The Department for the Economy, as you will see from the Audit Office report that was published recently, is next to Health in its interventions and its work to support the economy, way beyond anything that any Department apart from Health, as you would expect in a pandemic, has done. The Department for the Economy has not been found wanting in reaching out to support the sectors that it can reach out to. However, Ministers have regulatory responsibility, and the Executive and the First Minister and deputy First Minister have made a decision that where that regulatory responsibility lies is where the responsibility should be for bringing forward such schemes. I welcome the fact that the schemes will now be brought forward.”