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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“Many of the policies that could cause frictions to trade are reserved policy areas, so I am working to hold the UK Government to account on their commitments to unfettered access to the market.”
“<BR /> <BR />More generally, I am concerned about the potential for regulatory barriers to trade with our largest market: Great Britain. Great Britain is a key market for Northern Ireland business, with sales of goods to Great Britain representing 48% of total goods sold in Northern Ireland in 2017. Goods purchased from GB during the same period represented 63% of all Northern Ireland purchases. I am working hard at the Executive and with our Government to ensure that our businesses do not experience frictions to trade with GB, and I also wish to protect consumers from any adverse impacts, particularly the most vulnerable, who are most at risk from rising prices and, indeed, perhaps, restricted choice.”
“I thank the Member for his question. It refers to the regulatory environment that would optimise our economic opportunities while protecting consumers and workers. I am committed to ensuring that our regulatory system optimises economic opportunities for business and commerce while protecting consumers and workers. <BR /> <BR />My business regulation officials continue to progress casework and activities as normal. The existing bodies of regulatory legislation, including employment legislation, are already incorporated into Northern Ireland law, and there will be no changes, during the transition period, that diverge from required EU standards. Any future divergence, at our initiative, would require consultation and Assembly approval for legislation.”
“I cannot give that indication because the consultation responses are under review and will be informed by further work that my Department is doing. We take the issue seriously. It is not something that we should be doing without good policy and environmental protections in place.”
“We must have a sound basis to develop those policies, and that is why I am asking for a review of licensing and further economic research on the societal and economic impacts of mining. We should not go ahead without any of those measures being in place, and it is an area that I intend to take forward in my remaining time in office.”
“We live at a time when we are progressing with new technologies that require minerals to progress through to their economic benefit, technologies in wind power, solar cells, batteries and electric cars that are essential if we are to meet zero-carbon targets in the future. Modern living also depends on mobile phones, tablets and laptops, which all require metals for their production. Lithium, copper, nickel and cobalt are essential to growing our green economy, given the high dependence on battery technology. Northern Ireland may have the potential to provide those minerals. Therefore, the requirement from our new and emerging technologies and our environmental restraints mean that we need minerals to be part of that everyday exercise.”
“I will ask my Department to review this further, and then we will decide if this in the public interest and if it is a value-for-money exercise for officials from my Department to take part in, and then we will make a decision based on those two issues alone.”
“I will answer the question in two parts. I understand that communities can be anxious and distraught at the potential for mining in their area. It is important to say that the environmental and planning considerations are not for me to take; it is for the private sector, in pursuing its interest in possible exploration in Northern Ireland, to take on. I presume that the Member will be aware that there has been some controversy about members of my Department taking part in a convention in Canada and about their proposed attendance at a convention on the issue in Canada in March of this year. As a new Minister, just in place, I asked for the public interest test to be applied to attendance at last year's conference, and that concluded that a future review of this was required.”
“OK? I will let you all take a break. <BR /> <BR />On 11 February, as part of the consultation process, the Health and Safety Executive submitted an update on the application for gold. It is a controversial subject. It has the potential to impact on communities, on tourism and on agriculture, but those are planning decisions and generally not for the Department for the Economy. There is also a potential for job creation. However, the decisions cannot be taken in isolation. They should be taken as part of a package. Therefore, it is important that the whole package is considered when we look at applications for proposed mining.”
“My understanding is that the Department for Infrastructure is in receipt of a planning application for exploration for gold. The planning decision in relation to the exploration is for the Minister for Infrastructure to take.”
“<BR /> <BR />My Department is undertaking a strategic review of petroleum licensing policy that will include independent research aimed at developing a better understanding of the economic, environmental and societal impacts. That, along with advice from experts in other Departments, will help inform consideration of the issues raised through the consultation. Therefore, in answer to your question, this is the strategic way forward. We will await the outcomes of the consultations and the reviews, and then we will have that discussion in the House.”
“Currently, we have two petroleum licensing applications. Both of those consultations opened on 7 May 2019 and closed on 31 July 2019. Members will be aware from their local communities that there were huge expectations arising out of that. We received 5,700 responses to the consultation: 2,500 for the application for an area south of Lough Neagh and 3,131 for an area in south-west Fermanagh. Work is ongoing to identify and consider the complex issues and concerns that have been raised. However, it is clear from the analysis to date that the possible environmental impacts and the potential risks to health are the main concern of communities where such licences are concerned.”
“<BR /> <BR />Equally, my Department recognises that access to mineral resources is important, particularly to support the new green technologies that will be required to help us tackle climate change. Towards the end of last year, my Department began a strategic review of licensing policy, and I fully intend for that work to continue. To inform the review, I recently gave approval for my Department to commission independent research in the area. The aim of the research is to develop our understanding of the potential economic, environmental and societal impacts of mineral and petroleum activities and to consider what policy and licensing regime we require for the future. I look forward to having that conversation with the Committee and in the Chamber.”
“I thank the Member for her statement and question. It is an interesting area for my Department and perhaps demonstrates to everyone here the broad range of issues that the Department for the Economy covers. Northern Ireland minerals and petroleum-licensing legislation is now over 50 years old. The legislation needs to be reviewed to ensure that it is flexible, to balance the needs of our society and our environmental responsibilities with the economic benefit. We all recognise the concerns about the environmental and community impacts of mineral and petroleum licensing. On 3 February this year, the Assembly declared a climate emergency and called on the Executive to fulfil the climate action and environmental agreements in 'New Decade, New Approach'.”
“As a reserved matter, consent to explore for gold and silver is given by the Crown Estate and does not require a mineral-prospecting licence from my Department. However, of the 12 licences currently in place from my Department, nine also have options from the Crown Estate to explore for gold and silver.”
“Northern Ireland currently has 12 active mineral-prospecting licences: 10 for base metals, mainly zinc, copper, lead, iron, cobalt and baryte; one for diamonds; and one for rock salt. In 2009, following the publication of data from a major geological survey, the Tellus project, the number of licences peaked at 42. Those 42 licences covered 73% of the land mass of Northern Ireland, compared with around 16·6% today. After that 2009 peak, subsequent years saw a steady decline in the number of licences until 2014, when numbers stabilised, and they have remained relatively consistent — between 10 and 20 — ever since. <BR /> <BR />It is difficult to consider mineral-prospecting licences in Northern Ireland without the question of gold exploration also being raised.”
“I would be absolutely delighted to visit Impact Training. I would be going to my political home, and I would be delighted to do that. <BR /> <BR />I thank all my colleagues across the Chamber for their kind words on this, my very first Question Time.”
“I look forward to working with them and, indeed, visiting some of them in the near future.”
“I thank the Member for his question. As I said in answer to an earlier question, that is something that I have been reviewing with officials in my Department. There is some concern about the progression levels from level 1 to level 2, about how those skills can be delivered and about whether they can be delivered in community settings. I hope to bring forward proposals that are flexible and that allow people to progress at the pace at which and in the place in which they are best placed to make that progress. The Member and I have visited and been part of community training schemes such as Impact on the Shankill for a very long time. Such schemes do an enormous amount of work with young people in the area, and I congratulate them on that work.”
“I absolutely do. To add to that, we need to ensure not only that formal education, community education, further education and higher education are linked but that they are driven by the needs of the economy so that we are training young people for real jobs while we seek out better remunerated jobs in the economy. Therefore, it is really important that we lay the foundation blocks. As an old teacher in another life, which seems a very long time ago now, I know that education is absolutely fundamental to progress for our young people.”
“I am absolutely delighted that my Department has a capital spend of over £200 million for new facilities for further education in Northern Ireland. Two Fridays ago, I visited the campus at Banbridge in Upper Bann, and it is very exciting to see there a new hub for digital learning that will be taken forward. It will open in September. The Armagh campus is due to open this year as well. Those are hugely exciting prospects to improve education, training and skills for our young people and to match those skills, with the help of employers, to our economy's needs.”
“I assure the Member of my commitment to all communities in that particular area, because I want to ensure that we have education at community level, whether that be traineeships or general education, that is driven by the community so that everyone can participate in the programmes and thereby find themselves better placed on the ladder of work.”
“We are in danger of consensus breaking out across the House. Yes, any economic strategy has to relate to all communities in whatever way they are found, and that is very important. <BR /> <BR />I will mention two key pieces of work that my Department will be bringing forward in the next number of months. One is a strategy for 14- to 19-year-olds in education, skills and training. It is absolutely important that the Department of Education and the Department for the Economy, which has responsibility for further and higher education, work together to deliver valid pathways for all our young people. <BR /> <BR />I am also currently reviewing work on the training programmes that will be delivered by the Department.”
“I absolutely am committed to bringing forward a new strategy for Northern Ireland. I want a dynamic economy that brings benefit and prosperity to all our people in Northern Ireland. That is of the utmost importance. As someone who, in the European Parliament, took a very keen interest in our rural communities, I want to ensure that that dynamic is extended into all rural communities. I reviewed Project Stratum, which aims to deliver broadband to communities where there are slow broadband speeds and poor connectivity, with officials in the Department. Of that delivery, 90% will be in rural areas, which shows the commitment that we have to increasing and growing the economy in rural areas of Northern Ireland as well as increasing productivity, which is absolutely key.”
“Absolutely. When it was first brought to my attention, I could not believe that, in this day and age, we did not have statutory provision on this issue. It is the right thing to do. I know that I will have support across the House in relation to that. Employment law should be fair to employees and employers, but it also needs to be compassionate. I will bring that forward as soon as I can.”
“That is the right and proper thing to do. Currently, the Employment Rights (Northern Ireland) Order 1996 gives a day-one right for an employee to have a reasonable time off work to deal with an emergency such as a bereavement involving a dependant. An employer does not have to pay an employee for that time away from work, but many employers already offer paid special or compassionate leave. As Minister, I encourage employers to continue to ensure that their employees are treated with compassion. Statutory parental bereavement leave introduced in Northern Ireland would ensure that all employees are able to avail themselves of parental bereavement leave should they find themselves in the difficult circumstance of the loss of a child.”
“I thank the Member for his question. In April this year, it is anticipated that a new arrangement will be brought in in the rest of the United Kingdom around the issue of parental leave. It will mean that bereaved parents who are employees will be entitled to two weeks' leave following the loss of a child under the age of 18 or a stillbirth after 24 weeks of pregnancy. Employees with 26 weeks' continuous service will be entitled to receive statutory pay while absent from work — I think that that equates to around £151·20 per week in 2021. <BR /> <BR />At present, there is no corresponding legislation in Northern Ireland. However, it is my intention that parental bereavement leave will be introduced here, and I have asked officials to bring forward proposals for my consideration as a matter of urgency.”
“All of the issues will have to be looked at individually. We can direct that to the appropriate Department or to Invest Northern Ireland for them to have a look at it, if the Member would like to contact me directly.”
“I thank the Member for her question. In the New Decade, New Approach deal, it was indicated that there should be compensation for firms in relation to the costs associated with the implementation of any new systems. I intend to take that forward with colleagues. The first meeting of the Brexit subcommittee of the Executive will be tomorrow morning and this issue will be part of the considerations in the overall package. It is important that the Government live up to their commitments in the New Decade, New Approach deal and look after businesses in Northern Ireland that might have to change their way of operating.”
“I assure Members that I will engage with key sectors and will try to understand, in bringing forward options and potentially even legislation, how these things impact on families and lives — on real people in our communities — in the fullness of time.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, with your permission, I would like to answer AQO 45/17-22 and AQO 53/17-22 together, as they are on a similar issue. <BR /> <BR />I am committed to protecting vulnerable workers, especially those whose only choice is to accept zero-hour contracts, which do not guarantee any hours and prevent them from working elsewhere. That seems somewhat unfair, particularly to those whose options are limited in relation to the times and hours that they are able to work. My officials are going to develop policy options, taking into account best practice, and we will provide advice in due course. I am also sure that the Committee will take a particular view on the issue in the fullness of time.”
“I will of course engage on this particular issue. I understand the hardship that, sometimes, that can bring, particularly to small businesses that are impacted, from my Department as well as the hospitality sector. I will engage with the Minister of Finance and I suspect that the Minister of Finance will get a significant number of questions around this particular issue.”
“My understanding is that that is an issue for the Department for Communities, but I will be happy to give a view. I want the sector to develop and to grow Northern Ireland. The sector is responsible for around 65,000 jobs in Northern Ireland. It is important that we support the sector and allow it to grow in the best way possible. The Department for Communities is the Department in relation to the licensing issue.”
“I can confirm that I have a meeting with the Minister of Finance later this week, and we will no doubt discuss those issues.”
“I thank the Member for her question. The tourism and hospitality sector has experienced steady growth since 2013 and plays an important role in the Northern Ireland economy. In 2018, there were an estimated five million overnight trips in Northern Ireland. Estimated expenditure associated with those trips was a record-breaking £968 million. As Minister with responsibility for tourism, I am aware of the potential impact of the proposed rates revaluation on the sector. It is my intention to meet with a number of key stakeholders from the sector to discuss a range of issues impacting the tourism and hospitality business.”
“In deciding what we need to do in Northern Ireland, we will need to see the outworking of the protocol. The Prime Minister has promised us unfettered access. The Executive need to hold the Prime Minister to his word and let us see what unfettered access means. I understand that ports see both restriction and opportunity in the situation that we are currently in, and I will be talking to them in the future to ascertain their exact needs.”
“<BR /> <BR />As an add-on, my own particular view of this is that we may have left the institutions of the European Union, but we have not left Europe. We will still continue to trade with Europe; we will still continue to work on security with Europe; we will still continue to work on the really important issues, such as human trafficking, and on many other items. It is absolutely important that we move ahead, maximise our potential and grow Northern Ireland's economy.”
“I thank the Member for his question. Undoubtedly, the Member takes a particular view of Brexit. However, Brexit for us in Northern Ireland is a fact: we have left the European Union. What we need to do is to work together to ensure that Northern Ireland maximises its potential in the years going forward, so that is absolutely my most important priority at this minute in time. <BR /> <BR />There are many economic analyses of where we might be in any particular scenario. Some of those have not worked out particularly well or even been that accurate in relation to the impact of Brexit. However, what we will do, when we see how the joint committee develops, how the negotiations develop and the exact nature of the trading relationship between the UK and the EU, is bring forward our own analysis and recommendations.”
“That is why, last week, I participated, alongside Conor Burns, Minister at the Department for International Trade and our counterparts from Scotland and Wales, on the issue of setting up a UK trade forum. <BR /> <BR />I want Northern Ireland to benefit from global Britain. I want Northern Ireland to be able to take part in those trade deals. As an aside, this week I am meeting a delegation from Qatar to strengthen trade relationships with that part of the world. There are many exciting opportunities going forward and we will work to maximise those, not just to protect Northern Ireland and GB, but to work on our global profile.”
“I thank the Member for his question. It is hugely important that we recognise that. Sometimes we talk of the difficulties, but Brexit will present new opportunities as well. By far the most important market for Northern Ireland is the GB market. Around 70% of everything that we make, grow or produce is sold within the United Kingdom. About two thirds of everything that we bring into Northern Ireland is from GB, whether it is for the marketplace or the high street. Securing access to those markets is the most important thing and is uppermost in my mind, so that the Prime Minister's promise of unfettered trade becomes a reality. The Prime Minister also promised us in his statements that we would have access to future UK trade deals.”
“Again, it is absolutely important. This is the key issue for the Northern Ireland economy that we will need to deal with going forward. Unfortunately, because it is a negotiation, the situation can sometimes appear more fluid than businesses want.”
“If the Member writes to me with the specifics of that case, I will, of course, be very happy to have officials look at it and see how we can make progress. I understand that one of the greatest things for businesses going forward is to have certainty about how they do business, the manner in which they do business and the forms and processes etc they have to go through to do that business. So, I will be very happy to respond individually. <BR /> <BR />As an aside to your question, it was interesting to see this morning that the Prime Minister and the European Commission set out their opening positions on negotiations on the future economic relationship between the UK and the EU. Clearly, that was set out for a negotiation purpose. There are key issues for us that will be very, very important going forward.”
“Let me assure you that I will be working with the wider business community, the Committee and Ministers to ensure that Northern Ireland's case is forcefully represented and its interests protected as we go forward in this transition period.”
“I have already taken part in the United Kingdom trade forum with Minister Conor Burns and counterparts from Wales and Scotland. That will be hugely important in ensuring that we have full access to UK trade deals, as promised by Prime Minister Johnson. Last Monday, I met Michel Barnier here, in Northern Ireland, and, of course, I met him in the European Parliament in the middle of the week. Again, I raised those issues of how we treat goods coming into Northern Ireland. <BR /> <BR />This is an issue of the absolute, utmost importance. It is imperative we work together to make sure these issues are dealt with in the coming months, and there is very little time to work on them.”
“Thank you for your question. The protocol in the withdrawal agreement will set the terms for our trade in goods. Many issues important to that trade, where businesses will want clarity, are not devolved. Issues like unfettered access to the UK market, the treatment of goods entering Northern Ireland from GB, access to labour and access to UK trade agreements are all the responsibility of the national Government. It will be the UK Government and the EU that will agree how the protocol will be practically implemented. The UK Government, however, have committed to including the Executive on the UK delegation for the joint committee, and I will be working with colleagues to make sure that we maximise our influence on that forum.”
“I anticipated your question: to date, almost 600 sites on the scheme have been inspected. It is hoped that 880 sites will have been inspected by the end of June and that the remaining ones will be done by the end of the year. The inspections are complex. When the whole scheme is done, there will be a full picture on the issue of compliance. There is some information available on that. I will ask my officials to brief the Committee on compliance and on the inspections done to date.”
“That is why I urge us all to get engaged with the energy strategy. There is a call for evidence to inform that strategy. It is very important that we develop a strategy for Northern Ireland that makes us competitive and as environmentally sustainable as possible.”
“I have not received the results of the hardship report or the tariff report. I understand that the tariff report is due imminently, in which case the outcomes will be shared with the Committee, and we will take them forward. <BR /> <BR />On your first point about fossil fuels, you are absolutely right: we need to be very careful that how we proceed going forward does not encourage further dependence on, or a return to, fossil fuels. The 'New Decade, New Approach' document indicated that closure of the scheme should be considered. I, along with my officials, will of course bring forward all the options for the scheme, and the Executive can then take an informed decision on how best to proceed. I am committed to helping us have a low-carbon economy in Northern Ireland. I have no desire to increase the use of fossil fuels.”
“At this stage, it is too soon to say how much the closure, or any potential closure, of the RHI scheme might cost. I intend to bring forward a paper when we have resolved all the issues and when we have the hardship review and the tariff review. I will do that in a transparent and open manner so that we can collectively consider how best to take the issue forward. I am positive, given the current financial situation, that the costs of any closure or any future scheme will be of the utmost importance and interest, not just to the House but to the Executive.”
“The outcome of the tariff review is due reasonably soon. The scheme has a current spend of around £7 million out of a budget of just over £28 million, so the actual spend of the scheme is under control. We need to look at the recommendations of the tariff report, and we will plot a new way forward when we have all the information that is available to us.”