Arlene Foster
Fermanagh and South Tyrone · Ulster Unionist Party · Northern Ireland
“Yet, like too many projects, it has been tied up in legal wrangles. Too many infrastructure projects are being swallowed up in the courts. We need to improve the expertise in infrastructure delivery. We need better infrastructure for the next generation, but key projects being delayed by 10-plus years is unsustainable.”
“Any agreement involves compromises but NDNA had two central pillars that, I believe, remain important: ambition for devolution and a new cultural deal. The breadth and depth of issues that NDNA set us all to deliver on would have been enough to fill an entire term or perhaps more, let alone two years of government.”
“That confidence-and-supply agreement will leave a legacy but also highlights our challenges. Some £150 million has been rolled out via Project Stratum to bring broadband to rural areas and leave Northern Ireland as the best-connected region in Europe. When it is completed, the project will be transformational to our economy.”
“However, such short-term advantage comes at the cost of long-term harm to relationships. It is not a real partnership. Imbalance and instability are built in that will fester and deteriorate. If Brussels continues to think that the protocol is enough, it is in denial.”
“Colleagues inside and outside the House know very well that all periods of leadership must come to an end. That is why, when we are privileged and, indeed, honoured to hold such a position, we must not waste a moment in frivolous brinkmanship but forge ahead on behalf of those whom we represent.”
“The recommendations of the Commission on Flags, Identity, Culture and Tradition (FICT) are to be taken forward as well. I encourage all of you to do all of it, to take it forward in its totality and to speak of and implement it as one complete, independent package: a new cultural deal for Northern Ireland's new century.”
The complete record
Every one of 3,345 lines we hold for Arlene Foster, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 19 of 67.
“The deputy First Minister may want to recount visiting some of the firms that have been involved in repurposing to deliver PPE, for example; many firms are doing that. There are many firms whose furloughed employees are out helping in the community, delivering food and all of that. We should be very proud that so many of our firms — rather than just saying, "Right, we are on furlough. We are not going to do anything" — have repurposed to provide PPE and other assistance to the community. We are very proud of those firms, and I send a message of thanks to them from the Chamber.”
“Something that we did here, which was unique to Northern Ireland, was to set up that forum between employers, trade unions, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and Diane's Department. It produced a very good piece of work about how you could work safely, and that guidance should be read in accordance with going back to work. Just today or late last night, the Department for Business on the mainland brought forward guidance about safe working as well. All of that has to be read in conjunction with the road map that we are bringing forward today.”
“When we say that we are planning for the future, of course, we are making sure that health is to the fore and that we take into account the impact on the R number, which Michelle referred to, to make sure that we move forward on a step-by-step basis. However, we are also conscious of what the Member said in reference to hugging her grandchild, the society point and the economic issue. COVID-19 has had what the Economy Minister, if she was here, would say was a "devastating impact" on the Northern Ireland economy. We have to look at how we mitigate that impact and then how we plan for recovery. In the near future, she will bring plans on the recovery element of that, and that will sit alongside our road map. <BR /> <BR />The very good work of the Northern Ireland engagement forum should be remembered.”
“<BR /> <BR />Contact tracing is key to us moving ahead in our steps. I really want to make that point. It is part of what we are planning for. Whilst you may say that some will see this as an aspirational document, I have to say that I think that it is very clear on what we are relying on for decision-making. If you look at the document, you will see that it is very clear that we are looking at evidence and analysis, the capacity of our health service, and a risk assessment of the impact on health, on the economy and, indeed, on society. We realise that the restrictions are having a big impact on family life and on people meeting their friends and that that has an impact on mental health. We recognise that, and we want to challenge it and to make it part of our risk assessment.”
“Thinking about businesses in particular, if we are saying that they can reopen, obviously, they will need time to get ready. That is what this plan is about as well — to give them an indication of the movement. <BR /> <BR />The Member asked a specific question about track and trace, which I want to pick up. Contact tracing is, of course, very important to us, moving forward. The contact tracing service NI is very well advanced. On 27 April, a pilot phase of contact tracing was begun to permit testing and further development of the system and processes. The process is evolving, and we are learning from that pilot. A transition phase following on from the pilot commenced on 11 May. We are preparing and developing the delivery of phase 2 of the project, and we hope to implement that on 18 May.”
“Thanks, Colin. There is no silver bullet and no flick of a switch. We have to do this in a stage-by-stage process. Taking that into account, what you see in the document, where it says "Current Position" in all the boxes, is where we are today. We will continuously look to see whether we can move to stage 1 in relation to the different boxes. As Michelle said, we have built in the flexibility to move whenever the advice comes to us. I think that that is a better way of doing this. I understand the desire for dates. Believe me, I understand that. However, we had to balance up putting down dates and then not having the flexibility to move in a different way, and that is why we put that in. <BR /> <BR />We will give notice.”
“<BR /> <BR />I end with a word of thanks for everyone who is working hard to keep us safe, including those in our blue-light services — the Police Service of Northern Ireland, the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service and the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service — and those who provide our food, look after us in the NHS and care for the vulnerable. We are grateful. Thank you.”
“The Department of Health has committed to taking this forward with other Departments. <BR /> <BR />I want to stress again, before handing over to the deputy First Minister, that our restrictions have worked. They have saved and are saving lives. We are asking a lot of our people, and we appreciate that the restrictions have health and well-being consequences too. We want everyone to be able to go out, visit relatives, socialise and enjoy everything that this place has to offer. We need to get people back to work when safe to do so, and we will get there. It will take time, but we will get there.”
“It is understandable to want as much certainty as possible, and the Executive agreed last week on the need to enhance messaging around what people are already permitted to do within the legal framework. There is scope for Departments to be more clear with different sectors of the economy, citing examples such as construction and manufacturing. It is not surprising that people err on the side of caution and are not engaging in activities that are, in fact, permissible, safe and beneficial. That is understandable, given the extremely unusual and challenging times that we are living through. The Executive supported messaging aimed at giving people the knowledge and the confidence to enable them to live their lives as freely as possible within the existing legislative constraints and in line with public health advice.”
“We will take account of the impact that the restrictions have on non-COVID health and well-being outcomes, the societal impact arising from the restrictions and the impact that the restrictions have on our economy. <BR /> <BR />We know that some will want us to set a date for the lifting of restrictions, but we will not be driven by a timetable. We know that some will be disappointed by that. Many will want answers immediately around specific scenarios that impact on them most directly, but our road map will not answer every query. It provides an indication that people can use in looking ahead and anticipating how the next weeks and months might evolve.”
“We were clear at the outset of the crisis that we could not entirely insulate ourselves or our economy. We have lost loved ones, and we have lost neighbours. Our health system has been under tremendous strain. We have lost livelihoods, and some businesses, tragically, will not survive this. We have to consider the impact that this dreadful disease has had on families, on communities and on the way we live and socialise. That is why our document sets out very clearly the factors that we will take into account in forthcoming reviews of the restrictions that have been introduced and measures that have been taken so far. We will base our judgements on the health and well-being impacts of COVID-19, and we will have a clear focus on NHS capacity.”
“We may have to embed social distancing even further in how we live our lives and conduct our business as we emerge from the restrictions. We may need to take some steps forward and some steps back, but we will not return to the world as we knew it before COVID-19 for some time.”
“We will preserve, rebuild and develop aspects of our life that are most important to us. We will think about what our people have been through, their experiences over this last few weeks and how we can best assist with the adjustment to the "new normal". <BR /> <BR />There will be a new normal. COVID-19 will not be beaten through restrictions. We may be living with it while clinical interventions are being developed.”
“It will continue to be central to the judgements we will make in the coming weeks. <BR /> <BR />The Executive's document sets out the way in which we approach each review of the restrictions. We must work our way through on the basis of risk-assessed, incremental steps and judgements, but it is equally important that we develop a very clear vision of where we want to be as we emerge from the crisis. The document sets out an indication of how key aspects of life may progress through different stages as we emerge from this situation. They will not necessarily all move forward at the same time, and they will move forward only if it is safe to do so. In reaching our judgements, we will think about the outcomes that we need for the health and well-being of our people, the economy and our society.”
“<BR /> <BR />COVID-19 spreads at a rate that is not visible in real time either. Before the restrictions were put in place, each person with COVID-19 was likely to pass it on to two to three people; the time it was taking for COVID-19 cases to double was shortening; and we were faced with a growth rate that could have overwhelmed the NHS. The current transmission rate of each person infecting, on average, fewer than one has been achieved because of the restrictions being in place and the adherence to them. We cannot allow the transfer rate to rise to uncontrollable numbers, and that is why we cannot lift the restrictions too early and must continue to ask everyone to play their part every day. The transmission rate — "R", as it is more properly known — was key to the review last week.”
“<BR /> <BR />We must continue to avoid the health service being overwhelmed. COVID-19 spreads in a way that is not visible in real time. A person who catches it today may not have symptoms immediately but may well need hospital treatment in coming weeks. The things we do today, as citizens, have an impact in the near future, and, if restrictions are lifted too soon or in a way that we cannot control, we will see the negative results of that in the days and weeks ahead, so we will also keep our approach and document under review. As we move forward, we will address any oversights and make improvements to how we consider the issues that matter to our people — to their lives, families and livelihoods. We will not take a set-in-stone approach, if there are things we can do better and do differently.”
“That will require a series of judgements and decisions as we move through. Last week, we considered very carefully the effect that restrictions are having on our people. We know that you want clarity on things that matter very much to you, such as visiting relatives, going to work and taking your children to school. We decided collectively that the time is not right for making major steps. We will continue to consider whether some modest steps can be taken, and, if they can, we will do that ahead of the next review. Against the background of last week's decisions, we fully appreciate that people want as much information as we can give on the next steps. That is why we are publishing our document today, and we will move forward with care, step by step, with a clear goal of emerging from the situation safely.”
“Differences and nuances between the jurisdictions in the United Kingdom will emerge. The four nations discussions will, however, continue, and, to that end, we welcome the announcement by the Prime Minister on the establishment of a new, joint biosecurity centre to monitor the levels of infection and identify specific actions in regions where spikes occur. The devolved Administrations will participate in and contribute to its work. We will also continue to engage, of course, with our counterparts in the Irish Republic. <BR /> <BR />We will remain focused on the health and well-being of our people, our society and our economy as a whole. We will be driven by science. We will be driven by the need to emerge from the current arrangements in the safest way possible, step by step.”
“They are measures that we would not contemplate in normal times. We know that they have a significant effect on people's ability to live their life the way they and we want, so, today, we wanted to set out for the Assembly our thoughts on how we might move forward when the time is right. <BR /> <BR />Just as there was no rule book for putting the restrictions in place, there is no set pathway for lifting the restrictions. Countries and jurisdictions are taking some tentative steps to lift restrictions. Some have published criteria and principles, and some have outlined a timetable. Each is different, and there are good reasons for that. Our decisions must be based on what is happening here, taking account of our particular circumstances within the four nations approach.”
“This is our five-step plan to aid recovery and renewal. Our discussions have been guided and assisted by inputs from the Chief Medical Officer and the Chief Scientific Adviser, and we have been grateful for their advice. The Economy Minister is working on a further document dedicated to economic recovery that will dovetail with this road map and will be published in the coming days. <BR /> <BR />The Executive agreed that now is not the time to lift restrictions, and we made that announcement on Thursday of last week. We also agreed that the time is right to set out our thinking and explain how we will approach decision-making, what we will take into account and how we see the restrictions easing. As of today, we remain subject to restrictions that no one wants to last a day longer than is absolutely necessary.”
“Thank you very much for the opportunity to update the Assembly today. Since 7 April, updates have been provided by me and the deputy First Minister and by Executive Ministers, and the junior Ministers brought the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) Regulations to the Assembly for approval. The common themes and threads across all of our updates have been the devastating nature of COVID-19, the need to protect our health service, the interventions made by Departments and the need to follow the restrictions to keep safe and protect the NHS. Today, we wish to update you on our latest review of the restrictions and our decision-making process for coming reviews. They have been discussed in detail by the Executive, and we will publish 'Coronavirus: Executive Approach to Decision-Making' later today.”
“First, I acknowledge my faith in almighty God and acknowledge that his grace is sufficient in all things; the love and support of my friends and colleagues inside and outside this great party; and my precious family, who had to listen to so many people speak of their wife, daughter, sister and mother in such a disparaging way but who never stopped believing in me as a person of integrity. Thank you to those who, with my family, never stopped believing in me as a person of integrity. I will reward their faith by learning the lessons, by fixing the problems and by making Northern Ireland a place that the next generation can be proud of.”
“<BR /> <BR />As we now see in the report, there was no good reason to bring the institutions down and keep them down for so many years. However, the report demands action, particularly to tackle and address the structural and systematic failings. I welcome the fact that some of that action has already taken place, particularly in relation to the new special adviser code. Yet, there is much more that could be done, and we should be open to that. <BR /> <BR />Colleagues, this is not a day for recrimination; it is a day for learning. I acknowledge my role in damaging public trust, but I am determined to play a full part in rebuilding that trust and doing all that I can to ensure a better way of working as we move forward. <BR /> <BR />Finally, I acknowledge what carried me through some very dark moments over the last couple of years.”
“None of us is perfect — we will make mistakes — and I apologise for the errors. I will learn the lessons for my role as First Minister, and all those who have been criticised must act and do better. <BR /> <BR />The report identifies a catalogue of errors and opportunities missed by many people at many different times. No Minister will be an expert on every policy area in their Department; they depend on accurate, diligent and comprehensive advice. Sir Patrick Coghlin concluded that that was not received on many occasions in the Department. I want to ensure that this can never happen again. We need better systems and people with the right expertise to be involved in the policy design of complex issues. Scrutiny functions must be improved, and professional project management must be implemented. We must rebuild trust across all levels.”
“Having the right motivation does not prevent mistakes, oversights or omissions, and I must learn from what has been pointed out by the inquiry. However, when I look back, it is the allegations of corruption that were of the utmost concern. To allege that someone is corrupt is amongst the most damaging accusations that can be levelled against anyone. I therefore welcome Sir Patrick's clear and categorical finding that corruption played no role in the failure of the scheme. Those who made such claims should now publicly accept that finding as a lesson for everyone on these Benches and on the Benches opposite for the future: before questioning anyone's integrity, wait for the facts; look at the subject not as a political rival but as a father, mother, son or daughter who, at least, deserves a fair hearing.”
“However, as the Minister pointed out, the report does not mark the end; rather, it is a critical staging post. We must now look carefully at the problems identified in the report, learn from what has happened and use the report as a road map to fix the broken systems. <BR /> <BR />I came into politics not for position or personal gain but to try to advance the values that are important to me and to help make people's lives better in Northern Ireland. I want Northern Ireland to thrive. I want to heal the divisions. I want better opportunities for the next generation. That is what motivates me. That is why I have such deep and personal regret about the mistakes that were made in the scheme, particularly the opportunities that I had or could have taken to address some of the issues that subsequently emerged.”
“Mr Speaker, thank you for calling me so early in the debate. Unfortunately, given the pressures outside the Chamber, I will not be able to stay for most of the contributions. I have already explained to you the reasons for that, Mr Speaker, and I trust that the Minister and other Members will appreciate the circumstances. <BR /> <BR />First, I thank the inquiry team, who worked so forensically to examine this very complex issue. We should all agree that the inquiry was carried out in a professional manner under the chairmanship and leadership of Sir Patrick Coghlin. A lot has been written about the RHI scheme, but this is a definitive account based on the facts rather than the headlines, and I welcome the publication of the report.”
“Secondly, is it essential to be done now? Would it displace other more critical legislation? Thirdly, is it achievable? Is it based on sound policy and implementation plans? Lastly, can it be scheduled to be completed within the time available in order to avoid nugatory effort at the end of the mandate, bringing about congestion, which has, unfortunately, been a feature of past mandates? <BR /> <BR />Taking those considerations into account and with a mutual recognition of the importance of legislation, we believe that there is great potential for the Executive and the Assembly to work together to maximise the value that we can obtain from the next two years and to lay a firm foundation for legislation in the next full mandate.”
“First, will it make a positive difference to people's lives by offering protection or remedying weakness in provision?”
“<BR /> <BR />As the deputy First Minister outlined in her opening speech, the publication of the legislative programme is only the beginning of a process which will, over the next two years, involve Ministers, the Executive, the Assembly and its Committees working closely and collaboratively to deliver the legislation. That, of course, is not an end in itself. What is most important is the positive difference that it will make to the lives of our citizens. We fully expect this programme to grow as the work of the Departments regains momentum, and we will keep the Assembly updated on that, but we must also be conscious of the limited time frame within which we are working. <BR /> <BR />We believe, therefore, that our approach to legislation should be governed by a number of important considerations as we move forward.”
“Seriously, at a time when we are dealing with our response to leaving the European Union and with our response to coronavirus and all of the issues around that, I have to say this to the Member: the Assembly and Executive have a big job of work to do. Whilst of course he has the right to criticise and question, I cannot let it go past for him to say that that is the only reason we are back in the Assembly. Some of us do this job because we feel we have a public service to deliver to people, and we do it because we have a duty to the people who elected us. That is why we are standing here today and doing our job. <BR /> <BR />Mr Carroll made various comments in relation to the Irish language. He does not like the fact that there is an Ulster-British commissioner, but that is what the agreement says, and that is what will be delivered.”
“He also made comments on perceived differences between the office for the Irish language commissioner and the office for the Ulster-British commissioner. Both commissioners will investigate complaints where a public authority has failed to have due regard to standards. That is both commissioners, not one. He should not mislead the House in that way. <BR /> <BR />Mr Speaker, I have to ask, is the Member seriously suggesting that the people of Northern Ireland did not want to see the Northern Ireland Assembly back and running? Is the only reason we are back here the fact that, apparently, I have acquired a limousine?”
“Those aims are covered there and will be reflected in the legislation when it comes forward. He was disappointed about a number of things that are not included, but I think he accepted that it was a start. <BR /> <BR />Mr Gildernew, Chair of the Health Committee, mentioned items that he would like to see coming forward from the Department of Health, including legislation on adult safeguarding, on carers and on breastfeeding, but he recognised the impact that some of the mitigations would have in relation to the health of the people. <BR /> <BR />Mr Allister made various comments around the priority of the TEO. As I indicated, we are just following through on the commitments that we made in the New Decade, New Approach agreement.”
“It is important that we recognise that this is not the full legislative programme; it is as much as we think we can bring forward within this mandate. He welcomed the domestic abuse legislation and the committal reform Bill. He made comments on the office of identity and culture and said that he hoped that it would be inclusive of diversity and inclusion. If he looks at the strategic aims of the office in 'New Decade, New Approach', he will see that it is clear that one of them is:”
“Ms Archibald, Chair of the Economy Committee, made reference to the significance of a number of the Bills, including the housing Bill and the domestic abuse Bill, and again welcomed the fact that we are bringing forward the package on our NDNA commitments, including the repeal of the 1737 Act. She also made reference to the time frame, but I hope I have answered that query. <BR /> <BR />Mr Durkan asked a question about the raising of the pension age. That, of course, is a matter for the Westminster Government and not for us. <BR /> <BR />Ms Ní Chuilín welcomed the reclassification of housing associations, the mitigations on the bedroom tax and the suite of legislation on language and culture. She also welcomed the liquor licensing legislation. <BR /> <BR />Mr Lyttle recognised that this is not the full list.”
“He indicated that devolution allows us to serve our different electorates and that it is important that we are here to do so. He welcomed the housing amendment Bill and welcomed the dFM's clarification about the written statement on culture and rights. He indicated that the success of Northern Ireland is really when we create a situation where everyone is equally valued and respected. He felt that the package should go forward together, as no one's identity should be left behind.”
“<BR /> <BR />Kellie Armstrong welcomed what was there and made some commentary about things that she wished were there but were not. Again, she hoped that Budget Bills in the near future would be for multi-year Budgets — as do we all. <BR /> <BR />Paul Givan made the point that it is not always about legislation and we should not just have legislation for the sake of it; it must be there to make a difference and to answer a real need. He hoped that the Department of Justice would be able to bring forward the stalking Bill, and I think that we all agree that we look forward to that legislation. He welcomed the domestic abuse Bill and give us clear reasons and some statistics as to why it is urgent that we deal with that legislation. <BR /> <BR />Christopher Stalford referred to this date three years ago and what we were all doing.”
“Therefore, people who feign surprise that the Bills should be in the legislative programme obviously have not read the New Decade, New Approach agreement, where there is a commitment to bringing forward those Bills within three months. The agreement commits me and the Deputy First Minister to sponsoring and overseeing a new framework that will recognise and celebrate Northern Ireland's diversity of identities and culture and will accommodate cultural difference. I hope that that answers the Chair's point about timing. <BR /> <BR />Mr Nesbitt welcomed a number of Bills. He asked whether welfare mitigation would be temporary or permanent, and that is, of course, a matter for the Minister. He looked forward to multi-year Budgets in the future and hoped that they would be before us.”
“Consideration has been given to bringing forward the language rights and identity proposals in the agreement as soon as possible. The New Decade, New Approach agreement sets a very challenging time frame, as it does for many issues, and it sets the time frame for the introduction of the draft Bills to the Assembly as:”
“As those Bills are introduced, the Assembly will shortly have its opportunity to consider those matters in greater detail than today's debate allows us, as this is only a take-note debate. I am sure Members will have many and various questions that they will want to go through about each Bill that will come before the House. <BR /> <BR />I will go to each of the various issues that were raised in the debate. Paula Bradley and Declan McAleer spoke as Chairpersons of their respective Committees and welcomed the Bills relating to their Departments. <BR /> <BR />The TEO Committee Chair, Colin McGrath, wanted some clarity about when the NDNA commitments would be brought forward by the Executive Office. Our officials are processing and progressing the New Decade, New Approach agreement and draft Bills.”
“I thank Members for most of their contributions to today's debate. It should not surprise us that, as a primary function of the Assembly, legislation is a subject of considerable and enduring interest to its Members. Legislation is, of course, a shared responsibility between the Executive and the Assembly. While Ministers identify the need and develop the underlying policy, it is for the Assembly, ultimately, to decide, after debate and scrutiny, whether to legislate to give effect to the policy. <BR /> <BR />Our purpose in presenting the legislative programme has therefore been to advise the Assembly on the matters that, the Executive believe, are sufficiently important to be enacted as law.”
“We have put that forward to the Committee. I know that it is frustrating for the Committee that we do not have actual costs based on a business case, but that is the best we can do in the circumstance.”
“As I indicated to the Member, our estimated costs are high-level at present. We need much further refinement, but we have based it on 2,000 recipients coming forward in 2020-21, which will amount to between £25 million and £60 million in implementation costs. For the purposes of financial planning, we have assumed a cost of £109 million, including implementation costs, over the three-year budget period.”
“The Member may not have been in the House when I answered the question earlier, but it is, again, a guesstimate, and is based on the fact that we have been unable to develop a business case alongside the policy and legislative development, because it was policy and legislation that was developed at Westminster. We are now trying to put in place a guesstimate for the Committee. We are doing that as best we can, but recognise that it will only be a guesstimate at this stage.”
“<BR /> <BR />I remind the Member that it was a Minister from this side of the House who brought about more nursing places for Northern Ireland over that period. More nurses were put in place. He should not play politics with nurses. It is very, very poor form indeed, but the Member will continue to do what he always does.”
“I have to say that there are many things that I would not spend money on in Northern Ireland, but unfortunately we have to spend it because there is a commitment to do so. I have to say that it is not just about the Irish language. There is also a British commissioner, and I am disappointed that the Member does not think that it is worthwhile having a commissioner to enhance British identity in Northern Ireland. I certainly think that it will be a good thing for those of us with a British identity to have that put in place. There is also the office of identity, which will be there to try to deal with some of the issues that have developed over the past number of years and to help newcomer communities to come into Northern Ireland.”
“Therefore, I think that his worst fears will not be realised, and maybe he will be very disappointed about that.”
“Of course, it is not an either/or situation. The Member well knows that New Decade, New Approach was come to by the Government and was a basis for moving forward. The costs that have been set out, which have been the subject of much discussion here and in Committee, are only a marker. Of course, I expect that the actual costs will prove to be much less. The reason that those costs have been put forward is that they are an estimate. They have been arrived at by looking at other commissioner offices to see in what way things can move forward. Officials have been working on the basis of comparisons with bodies such as the Human Rights Commission and the Equality Commission, and I do not think that it will necessarily be reflective of the offices that we are talking about putting in place.”
“As the Member knows, the veterans' commissioner will be appointed by Her Majesty's Government. It will be part of the work of the veterans' commissioner to make sure that veterans' voices are heard at the heart of government here in Northern Ireland and across the United Kingdom. I see that as a very important appointment to give veterans a voice. We look forward to that appointment being made in the near future.”
“There is a wide variety of matters that are not the responsibility of the Executive but are the responsibility of the United Kingdom Government in relation to the issues that the Member raises. Therefore, we will want to ensure swift delivery. We welcome the commitment by Her Majesty's Government and, indeed, the Ministry of Defence to work with us, but we will need to see timescales and structures put in place, and we will work to ensure that those come forward as quickly as possible.”