Stephen Farry
North Down · Alliance Party · Northern Ireland
“Speaking for a party that has a longer pedigree in advocating a public inquiry than both the DUP and Sinn Féin, I nonetheless welcome this announcement, despite the torturous path that we have had and, indeed, the missed opportunities.”
“The first was a reform of the petition of concern to take it back to the original intent when it was designed in 1998. It was clear at that stage that Arlene Foster banged the table and said, "No, never. We are not doing that. That is a way whereby we are going to have to fold on equal marriage: it's not happening".”
“<BR /> <BR />The main points that I make concern the substance of the order. There are probably three aspects that the Minister needs to address properly before the Assembly, and they really relate to what other options he has.”
“That raises the question of why they want to go as far as 2022, especially when I am not sure — I would welcome any clarification to the contrary on it — that there has been formal Executive approval of this.”
“<BR /> <BR />There are three major substantive issues that I do not believe have been properly aired on this: VAT; European Commission infraction proceedings; and, most important, the opportunity foregone to revisit the classification of Northern Ireland Water and the ability, through a separate water charge, to allow it to borrow commerc…”
“While my party was supportive of the Good Friday Agreement back in 1998, at that time, we expressed some reservations around the very detailed nature of the proposals and how those could, in due course, destabilise Northern Ireland and prevent us from realising our full potential. We have been very much vindicated in that analysis.”
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“I thank the Member for his question. Those are the types of issues that we need to emphasise as the consultation unfolds over the next eight to nine weeks. The importance of ensuring that we have fair and equal access across Northern Ireland must be stressed. In the first instance, I assure the Member that the new supported employment officers will be available on a regional basis and will not be concentrated in the greater Belfast area. That geographical coverage is central to the success of the new model. We have a network of jobs and benefits offices and job centres in every major settlement across Northern Ireland. They will have their own catchment areas. As we look to the learning disability transitions, we see that transport, obviously, comes into play with regard to some of the programmes.”
“A lot of the delivery of the strategy will be through the European social fund projects that have been successful in the current programme, and, most clearly, the supported employment officers, who are central to the new focus of the strategy, will be employed through Disability Action, which was successful as part of the European social fund. Hopefully, Members see how that is beginning to knit together by way of a coordinated strategy to make a real difference for our citizens.”
“I, along with a number of other Ministers, have been very keen to make the point that the community and voluntary sector plays a central role in the delivery of services for the community. In many respects, it is better placed and has a better knowledge and level of expertise in some areas than could ever be provided by the state, including engagement on how we work with those with disabilities to give them full opportunities. So, in that context, we have been very pleased that the strategy has been developed over the past couple of years in conjunction, and in very close partnership, with the disability sector. <BR /> <BR />Looking ahead, we will have the disability stakeholder forum to ensure that we have an ongoing, coordinated approach.”
“I thank the Member for her question and, in light of her announcement yesterday, I put on record, I think, everyone's thanks and acknowledgement of the contribution that she has made to the Assembly over the past seven to eight years and her wider contribution to public life in Northern Ireland over many decades. Hopefully, that will continue in a new role in the years to come. The Member has, quite rightly, put a lot of focus on the importance of working with the community and voluntary sector. An ongoing concern has been expressed over the past number of months, particularly in the context of Budget cuts, that the sector has, somehow, been regarded as an easy target for savings.”
“There is also focus on the outgoing programme, Training for Success, which, as the House will know, is to be replaced shortly by a new youth training system that is to be mirrored in apprenticeships. So, in the existing educational and training opportunities we have consideration for those with disabilities, and we are seeking to ensure that that is improved. In the new strategies on apprenticeships and youth training, in particular, there has to be a clear read-across with this emerging employment strategy to ensure that we give young people the fullest support that we can to enable them to develop to their full potential. As I said to the Chair, everyone in society has the ability to make that contribution to the economy and to develop as an individual, and it is important that we give everyone that opportunity.”
“I thank the Member for his comments and questions. To add to the stark statistic that he mentioned about the employment rates for people with disabilities, it is important to bear in mind that it is something like 34% of people with a disability have no qualifications, compared with only 12% of the population as a whole. Therefore, the education that the Member referred to is critical. <BR /> <BR />Outside the strict boundaries of the strategy, we have a number of existing interventions, including the additional support fund for further education. The House will know that we have increased the budget for that by 50% during this mandate. We also have disabled students' allowances (DSAs) to give young people assistance to obtain a higher-level qualification at university.”
“The strategy has been developed in partnership with the sector, and we are making a clear commitment to having a stakeholder forum to take the strategy forward and to ensure that that engagement continues. However, we are very much in the hands of the sector, which has the experts. We take great counsel from its views.”
“If we again look to the supported employment model, which is intrinsic to the new strategy, it is important that we identify young people coming through the system at an early stage and get an awareness of where people's aptitudes and aspirations lie. We then must decide which of them should be referred to the supported employment staff in Disability Action. Some of the other disability programmes funded through the European social fund will also have their own supported employment staff doing similar exercises and having intensive engagement with young people to try to encourage them to move forward. <BR /> <BR />All of that will be governed by partnership.”
“I thank the Member for her comments and questions. It is important to bear in mind that transitions for young people leaving education is a critical issue in all of this. Young people will have a range of conditions, and we need a cross-Executive response. Hopefully, the action plan that we have put in place gives us a good foundation for that. We are particularly keen to hear the Committee's recommendations, which will touch on my Department and maybe others, on how we can best coordinate and ensure that there is proper provision. Obviously, Members will be aware that, alongside the education and skills opportunities that are there, there is an issue around ensuring that there is proper day provision through social services. <BR /> <BR />The strategy is to focus on the employment aspect of such opportunities.”
“It can be argued both ways. It can be argued that it would sit better in a Department for the Economy or, because of its interactions with social security, that it would sit better in a Department for Communities. My view is that it should be part of a Department of the Economy. <BR /> <BR />The Chair is right. It is important that we lock it in to ensure that the financial pressures will be absorbed and that we have a long-standing commitment. I appreciate what he said. I am sure that other Members will be equally supportive of the strategy; that there will be cross-party consensus on the importance of this work to our constituents and the Northern Ireland economy; and that we will endeavour to ensure that it is given priority, no matter what structures emerge for the next Assembly mandate.”
“It is the one aspect of the Department that will go off in a different direction. <BR /> <BR />I am open to the Assembly taking a view on that in due course.”
“We are considering how we can identify a business champion in particular who can engage with companies to try to ensure that they fully understand that. Also, part of the support employment model is about the support employment officers being proactive in talking to companies and trying to source opportunities for people with disabilities, rather than simply using the more proactive model that we have. <BR /> <BR />The Chair is also right to say that there is a funding pressure on Access to Work, which is obviously a demand-led programme. We in the Department will try to absorb that in-year as we go forward. At this stage, however, the employment service aspect of my Department is scheduled to be transferred to the new Department for Communities, rather than the Department for the Economy.”
“While we made reference to some of the issues on clarifying the legal framework through which things can be done by employers, as the Chair identified, a lot of promotional work and engagement with employers has to be done to ensure that they fully understand the opportunities that are out there. <BR /> <BR />I think that, first of all, it is important that we get the message out that employing people with disabilities is not something that they should be doing out of some sense of corporate social responsibility or that will be a burden to the organisation. It is important that we fully understand that people with disabilities can play a full and active role in any company or organisation. They are just like any other member of staff, are extremely productive and add immense weight and value to any company or organisation.”
“I thank the Chair for his comments and questions. I also acknowledge the good work that the Committee is doing on learning disability transitions. That is a distinct issue in its own right, but it can be regarded as a feeder for people progressing into employment, as well as into different educational opportunities. Those two should knit very closely together, and I look forward to receiving the conclusions of the Committee's inquiry in due course. We have made some progress on an action plan that has been developed by the Bamford implementation Executive subcommittee, although we would, of course, be very happy to revise that in light of any emerging recommendations from the Committee. <BR /> <BR />The Chair is also right to highlight the importance of employers in creating opportunities.”
“The public consultation will run until 27 November this year. During that period, my Department, in cooperation with a number of stakeholders, will undertake further engagement with people about those challenges to encourage a wider discussion about potential solutions. After the public consultation process is completed, I will take stock of the responses and finalise and launch the new strategy by March 2016.”
“<BR /> <BR />Theme 5 is on strategic partnership and engagement and seeks to develop a framework that will ensure continuous and meaningful engagement between all of the key stakeholders, including people with disabilities. Proposals that will build on and improve current practice include committing to ongoing communication and engagement with those in the community who are disabled but who want to work or supporting those with a significant disability towards and into employment. Proposals that will introduce something new include establishing a new disability employment stakeholder forum, the membership of which needs to be fully inclusive of those who have a direct impact and influence on the employment prospects of people with disabilities.”
“Proposals that will introduce something new include the developing of a best-practice recruitment-support model with the disability sector, which will be available to employers. There will also be an annual employers' event to promote and facilitate the employment of people with disabilities. <BR /> <BR />Theme 4 is on research and development and seeks to ensure that Northern Ireland is leading the way in terms of research, development and innovation on disability skills and employment issues at local, national and international levels. There is an intention to commission quality research projects that will provide additional and relevant information on those issues over the lifetime of the strategy.”
“However, unless there are real jobs and employment opportunities for people with disabilities to move into, there will be little benefit or few outcomes to be gained. The strategy, therefore, will seek to encourage and influence employers to take positive action and promote equality for disabled people, particularly when they are creating job opportunities or recruiting and selecting new staff. Proposals that will build upon and improve current practice include working with the Equality Commission to develop a clear understanding in relation to positive action and developing stronger links between the disability sector and the employer, which is work that the Department and Invest Northern Ireland lead on. They will also aim to maximise the benefits to people with disabilities through the appropriate use of social clauses.”
“That will include a targeted campaign to promote existing disability retention services and programmes, considering flexibilities that would support more disabled people in part-time employment and promoting examples of good practice in employing and developing disabled people across all employment sectors. There is a specific proposal to work with the disability organisations to target growth sectors of employment and ensure that disabled employees have an equal opportunity to develop a successful career path in areas such as hospitality, retail, information technology and the creative arts industry. <BR /> <BR />Theme 3, entitled 'Working with Employers', is critical for obvious reasons. The Department and its partners can have all the best pre-employment services and programmes available.”
“There are also proposals regarding a new pathway to employment, including a clear signposting and referral service for all people with significant disability related barriers and the establishment of annual targets for the number of disabled people who move into paid employment. <BR /> <BR />Theme 2 is on job retention and career development. Under theme 2, the Department will seek to work with employers and disabled employees to support job retention and promote opportunities for progression, personal development, promotion and career enhancement. The Disability Employment Service is supporting approximately 1,600 disabled people who are in work, so the proposals are aimed at building upon and improving current practice.”
“<BR /> <BR />The strategic working group identified five key themes for the strategy, with a number of supporting proposals within each theme. Theme 1 is about supporting people to secure paid employment. The success of the entire strategy will be judged on that. Through the proposals, theme 1 will seek to develop and implement a disability service that maximises the number of people with a disability who make a successful transition into paid employment, including self-employment. Proposals include the recruitment of the new team of supported employment officers and the formal adoption of the model of supported employment.”
“The additional staff are employees of Disability Action, but their remit has been agreed through the strategic working group, and they have been funded through the Department’s European social fund. The new staff will work very closely and in collaboration with staff from the Department's Disability Employment Service and Careers Service, as well as front-line staff from the employment service. The new staff will also complement the service being delivered through local disability organisations throughout Northern Ireland. <BR /> <BR />In summary, the purpose of the employment strategy for people with disabilities will be to improve the job prospects and working careers of people with disabilities. The key objective is to directly assist disabled people to find, sustain and progress in paid employment or to start up a business.”
“A lot of time is spent with the individual at the early stage to engage with them, their family and other key stakeholders. There is an emphasis on vocational profiling to ensure that there is a clear idea of the correct job or career match before the crucial element of employer engagement and job preparation begins. Finally, if the person successfully secures the job, support will remain in place for the individual and the employer for as long as is deemed necessary, although the objective is always to withdraw support at the earliest opportunity. <BR /> <BR />In order to deliver the supported employment service to more disabled people, the strategy, and those charged with responsibility for its success, has recruited a number of supported employment officers in advance of the strategy's launch.”
“<BR /> <BR />The key difference between what is offered through the supported employment model and what is offered through mainstream employment programmes or services is the more intense, person-centred and disability-specific support.”
“The strategy is directly referenced in the action plan, as it is anticipated that many young people with a learning disability leaving full-time education or discrete learning units within the local college network will avail themselves of the specialist pre-employment support that the strategy will offer. <BR /> <BR />One of the key proposals within the strategy is the implementation of the supported employment model throughout Northern Ireland. The model has been used successfully locally, through the European social fund projects and programmes such as Workable, as well as in a number of other countries. It will provide high-quality, personalised and often long-term support to people with significant disabilities to secure, maintain and progress in paid employment.”
“The intention is to prevent people with significant disabilities from becoming economically inactive and dependent upon welfare benefits as well as health and social care for a large part of their adult life. The strategy will therefore complement some of the other interventions that the Department and Executive are undertaking to support young people with disabilities and will ensure that these service options are fully inclusive. Specifically, it will assist and complement the implementation of the new apprenticeship and youth training strategies, as well as additional support proposed for students within further and higher education. <BR /> <BR />The Department has been working with others on a cross-departmental group, looking at transitions for young people with severe learning disability.”
“The target group comprises people with learning disabilities and difficulties, long-term mental ill health, autism, neurological conditions and more severe sensory and physical disability. People with significant disabilities feel excluded from many employment opportunities that others take for granted. The aim of the strategy is, therefore, to provide comprehensive and tailored disability employment services, which will lead to an increase in the number of disabled people who will secure successful job and career outcomes. <BR /> <BR />While the strategy and subsequent implementation plan will support people of all age groups, there will be a particular focus on young people.”
“A strategic working group, including key representatives from the sector, was established in 2013 and has played a central role in helping the Department to develop the employment strategy for people with disabilities. The strategy has also been informed by a number of positive engagement events, targeted primarily at people with disabilities but also including support workers, community and voluntary sector organisations and employers. More than 300 people, most of whom had a disability, attended those events. In addition, a separate event, targeted at employers, was organised to help gain an understanding of the issues faced or perceived by employers when recruiting and supporting people with a disability. <BR /> <BR />As stated, the strategy will target and support people who have significant disability-related barriers to employment.”
“<BR /> <BR />The need for a dedicated strategy, however, is based on the fact that there is a need for additional specialist support for people with disabilities to help them prepare for and move into paid employment, specifically at the key transition point between education or skills training and the critical stage of active job search. The strategy aims to address that issue and will build upon and improve what the Department and others currently deliver for people with disabilities who want to work and are capable of doing so. <BR /> <BR />The Department and the local disability sector have a long-standing positive working relationship.”
“The Department also has a dedicated occupational psychology service, and supports residential training for disabled trainees at Parkanaur College. <BR /> <BR />Across the network of 35 jobs and benefits and jobcentre offices, employment service advisers also work with people with health problems and disabilities to assist them to find and retain employment. With financial support provided through the Department’s European social fund, local disability organisations throughout Northern Ireland are delivering quality training, employment and employability services to hundreds of disabled people each year.”
“<BR /> <BR />The Department already provides dedicated and enhanced support to enable people with disabilities to access educational and skills programmes and services. It aims to build on those existing disability services and, more specifically, the employment support that is delivered through mainstream as well as community and voluntary sector programmes. The strategy contains a number of proposals that will improve partnership working at all levels and will create a more cohesive pathway to employment for individuals. <BR /> <BR />In terms of existing provision, the Department has a dedicated Disability Employment Service, which provides and manages a range of pre-employment and in-work support measures, including Access to Work, Workable and Work Connect.”
“<BR /> <BR />The employment strategy for people with disabilities contains proposals that will help the Department, working in partnership with others, to address the difficulties and inequalities that people with significant disabilities are attempting to overcome. The strategy is focused on supporting people with the most significant disability-related barriers to work and is about helping that group to achieve real paid employment outcomes. The strategy is making a clear statement to society that people with disabilities share the same ambitions and aspirations as everyone else and, provided they are given the right support, advice and assistance, are capable of realising their full career potential and making a significant contribution to our economy.”
“I wish to inform the Assembly that I am, today, launching the public consultation on the employment strategy for people with disabilities. For a truly successful world-class economy, it is critical that we draw upon all the talents in society, and it is vital that we give every person the opportunity to develop to their full potential. <BR /> <BR />At a time of unprecedented pressure on departmental budgets, and in a climate of economic change as we attempt to create a more balanced employment base, it is essential that those who may be more distant from the labour market solely because of a lifelong or acquired disability are neither forgotten nor left behind.”
“That is there to resource a number of pilots in relation to the apprenticeship strategy and the youth training strategy. A number of those were announced earlier this month, and work is under way to get them up and running. Indeed, South West College has been successful in a number of respects in that regard, and it has always been very proactive in seeking out new and innovative ways to invest in the future of the Northern Ireland workforce.”
“Yes. As the Member may appreciate, against the wider trend, my Department received £7·5 million of funding as part of the change fund from the current year's budget.”
“The skills strategy is a 10-year strategy running through to 2020. There are indicators around, for example, the number of people in work who will reach a level 2 qualification, those reaching level 3, those reaching level 4 and the percentage who are engaging in STEM areas. The biggest leap that we are seeing is in STEM. I am pleased to see success in that regard. We are seeing good progress in level 4 qualifications. More work probably needs to be done on the level 2 and level 3 interventions. Obviously, the challenges that we have around budgets will create difficulties as we look ahead to the next five years through to the end of the strategy.”
“We are seeing some increased interest from other parts of the UK in studying in Northern Ireland, and that interest is based on the quality of courses. However, I should say to the Member that universities are able to charge up to £9,000 in fees for students who are not domiciled in Northern Ireland. That was part of the wider Executive agreement on tuition fees in 2011. That was done on the basis that we have to protect the local market for local students. If they are crowded out through displacement by students from Great Britain, we will see our students leaving and not coming back on an even greater scale than happens at present. The approach that we have taken in Northern Ireland is similar to the approach that Scotland has taken in relation to the rest of the UK.”
“It is also important to bear it in mind that a number of factors, such as demographics, will influence those outcomes. It is important that people are fully aware of the full context when they see those figures when they are published in due course.”
“It will probably be towards December that we will get the full picture of admissions in the academic year that is about to commence. We will make sure that the Member gets a full copy of that. We have been moving slowly in the direction of increases. We have been making incremental progress in increasing local provision. Obviously, that is now under threat, and we are going in the opposite direction, with fewer places. Clearly, that will have an impact, with some people being displaced to Great Britain and others simply opting not to go to university at all and either having to consider other provision or simply not engaging in any further education or training. That would be a major loss to our economy as well as having an impact on their personal life opportunities.”
“Our universities are recognised and praised throughout the world for the quality of their graduates. It is important that we are able to consolidate and build on the success that we have rather than let that erode.”
“<BR /> <BR />I want to stress to the Member that there is a range of factors in these rankings, and different mixes of rankings and different weightings given to factors in the rankings will lead to different outputs. The fact that we have a drop is something that we need to take account of. That could be as much about other universities making further investments and leapfrogging ahead of Queen's as about a deterioration in where Queen's stands. However, we are aware that, in the main, the big challenge is how we preserve the international context in which we operate. Our universities in Northern Ireland are not there simply to serve a local population; they have to be genuine international actors in their own right. Whenever we reach those heights, we are able to deliver inward investment for Northern Ireland.”
“I am very committed to doing that. Even at the margins this year, for example around teacher training, where we could have made a bad situation just a little better, we have had opportunities for the universities. It is in this context that we are having the Big Conversation, because we know that there is a situation where the funding context for higher education is simply not sustainable, so we have to do all that we can. That involves, for example, coming to agreements around budgets and welfare reform and ensuring that we seek to invest in our higher education system and not simply have a standstill situation as we look to future financial years.”
“A university that may claim to be number 1 in one survey may not find itself in the top 10 in a different survey, so there is a slight health warning around those surveys. However, for sure, we do not have any room for complacency in the international context in which our universities operate.”
“Let me respond to the Member in two respects on that. First, it is important that we take account of the international context in which our universities operate, and they will be judged against their peers. Without repeating all of the points that I made, it is a further reason why it is important that we invest fully in our higher education system, particularly in research, which often informs these surveys. Secondly, we should have a bit of caution around surveys. As the Member will know from his tenure many years ago as my predecessor as Minister for Employment and Learning, a number of surveys are published, and they use different factors and different weightings of those factors to reach their outcomes.”
“I am afraid that that is a much sadder story in the sense that it is currently in the Executive system and has been for a little while. Efforts are ongoing to see whether we can find some agreement to allow that to come to the Floor of the Assembly. Let me stress that there is nothing in that that would threaten anyone's interests. It is about positive reform of our employment law, particularly around how we can introduce stronger forms of alternative dispute resolution to make the system work better for employees who have grievances that need to be addressed and for employers, who will have a much more streamlined approach through which these issues can be resolved to everyone's satisfaction.”
“At times, I certainly get frustrated when strike action, particularly in the public sector, takes place, especially when that is aimed not at what is happening in the workplace in particular but at wider issues around complaints about government policy. At the same time, I respect that the trade unions are part of our civic society. We have long fought for and won rights on the ability to organise, and they play a very active role in other aspects of civic society through protests around a number of very worthy causes and, indeed, what they have done to support the peace process. Secondly, I do not think that there would be any prospect of agreement on such legislation in any event, even if I were predisposed to a different outcome, given the viewpoints of parties in the Assembly and the Executive.”
“I am happy to assure the Member that I have no plans to introduce any similar legislation in Northern Ireland. That said, let me make a couple of things clear. First, what is happening in Great Britain is disproportionate to the problem, or perceived problem, with industrial action. Whatever problems may exist in Great Britain, they are not mirrored in Northern Ireland, where, by and large, we have good industrial relations.”
“So, both of those provide us with very strong platforms from which we can encourage further bids to Horizon 2020.”
“There are a number of different forms in which that type of cooperation is taking place. Obviously, InterTradeIreland can be a focal point in that regard. Specific to my responsibilities, we have an existing network where we have a new partnership between my Department and Science Foundation Ireland in the funding of research programmes. That is outside the context of Horizon 2020, but that type of collaboration provides us with a very solid foundation on which we can facilitate potential bids to Horizon 2020 from universities from both jurisdictions on a North/South basis. We also have the US-Ireland Research Alliance, which is a tripartite agreement between Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and the State Department of the United States. That supports collaborative research across the three jurisdictions.”
“There are a number of other large projects in the mix, and, hopefully, there will be some very positive announcements made in the near future in that regard.”