Anna Lo
South Belfast · Alliance Party · Northern Ireland
“In 2007, when I decided to run for election, it was an exciting time filled with a promise of change to a better, more inclusive and progressive society. I have seen change, though, borrowing a line from Yeats, "peace comes dropping slow". More still needs to be done.”
“As one of the few pro-choice MLAs, I was naturally disappointed that the two amendments to the Justice Bill, one tabled by colleagues and one by me, to allow abortion in very limited circumstances did not pass. We cannot afford to ignore the issue; women need our help. <BR /> <BR />I want to thank my constituents.”
“I also pay tribute to the environment sector whose expertise and commitment have been invaluable to us. <BR /> <BR />As the only ever MLA from an ethnic minority background, I was glad to be in a position to set up the all-party group on ethnic minorities and human trafficking, as well as to lobby extensively with the voluntary sector for…”
“I thank the Minister for his kind words. I want to thank him too for his always very valuable contribution to the Environment Committee. We definitely had a very good working relationship. <BR /> <BR />When the voluntary sector is being cut, I think that the role of volunteers is more important than ever before.”
“I thank the Minister for her statement. The higher and further education sectors have suffered severe cuts to their budgets, so much so that the University of Ulster had to axe the whole of its languages department. How can the Minister justify the economic case for the creation of the two academies?”
“The Committee was advised that the Minister intended to discuss the matter at the Executive with a view to gaining colleagues' agreement to develop a community planning engagement protocol that clearly establishes the nature of the relationship between Departments and local government.”
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“I thank the Minister for his kind words. I want to thank him too for his always very valuable contribution to the Environment Committee. We definitely had a very good working relationship. <BR /> <BR />When the voluntary sector is being cut, I think that the role of volunteers is more important than ever before. Would the Minister support the development of policy on active citizenship and volunteering?”
“I thank the Minister for her statement. The higher and further education sectors have suffered severe cuts to their budgets, so much so that the University of Ulster had to axe the whole of its languages department. How can the Minister justify the economic case for the creation of the two academies?”
“As one of the few pro-choice MLAs, I was naturally disappointed that the two amendments to the Justice Bill, one tabled by colleagues and one by me, to allow abortion in very limited circumstances did not pass. We cannot afford to ignore the issue; women need our help. <BR /> <BR />I want to thank my constituents. It has been an enormous privilege to be an MLA for South Belfast, a constituency that is so vibrant and diverse. <BR /> <BR />Finally, I want to thank all the Members of the Assembly with whom I have a worked. In particular, I would like to thank my Alliance Party colleagues for their support and friendship. I look forward to seeing more positive changes in the next mandate. I wish you all the very best for the future. Thank you.”
“I also pay tribute to the environment sector whose expertise and commitment have been invaluable to us. <BR /> <BR />As the only ever MLA from an ethnic minority background, I was glad to be in a position to set up the all-party group on ethnic minorities and human trafficking, as well as to lobby extensively with the voluntary sector for a racial equality strategy, which was finally published last year. I hope that MLAs will continue to monitor progress on those issues and to speak out against racism. I will be watching you.”
“In 2007, when I decided to run for election, it was an exciting time filled with a promise of change to a better, more inclusive and progressive society. I have seen change, though, borrowing a line from Yeats, "peace comes dropping slow". More still needs to be done. <BR /> <BR />As someone who cares deeply about the environment, I could not have picked a more appropriate Committee of which to be Chair. I thank all of the Environment Committee members, past and present, who have worked so well together in the spirit of respect and partnership for the common good. I was delighted to have initiated the inaugural Environment Week, which I hope will be an annual event. I also express my gratitude to the very able Committee staff whom we rely on so much to function effectively.”
“I also want to thank Members for their kind words as regards my role as Chair. Last, but not least, I pay tribute to all of our Committee staff, past and present, for their hard work in support of the Committee over the last five years. Without them, we could not have worked as efficiently as we have done.”
“<BR /> <BR />As this is the last time that I will speak as Chair of the Environment Committee, I would like to take the opportunity to thank, most sincerely, all the officials from each of the Department's business areas for their engagement with Committee members over the mandate. I thank the Minister for making himself and his staff available and for keeping the Committee informed, allowing it to undertake its scrutiny role effectively. <BR /> <BR />I would also like to thank all members of the Committee, past and present, for their invaluable insight and contributions. I think that we have worked really well as a Committee. In particular, I thank Mr Alban Maginness. I have always found him to be very reasonable and balanced in his deliberations, and I wish him a very happy retirement.”
“I welcome the opportunity to outline the work that the Committee has undertaken in respect of the Local Government Auditor's draft code of audit practice. <BR /> <BR />The Committee first considered the consultation on the code at its meeting on 17 September 2015. It agreed at that time to request a synopsis of responses to the consultation when it became available. The Committee noted the synopsis of responses at its meeting on 3 March 2016 and also considered the draft code of audit practice, which had been formally laid in the Business Office. The Committee was content and agreed formally, on 10 March, to recommend that it be approved by the Assembly.”
“I understand the rationale for the three criteria on which a solicitor or barrister must base his or her opinion when determining whether a council decision may adversely impact on a section of the inhabitants of the district. I would hope that the councils' equality schemes would be robust enough to ensure equality and fairness to any section of the community, and that any council decision with the potential to breach conditions in the scheme would be seen by the solicitor as eligible for qualified majority voting. <BR /> <BR />I agree with the Minister that having a panel of solicitors could lead to unnecessary costs and HR implications for those councils with in-house solicitors.”
“<BR /> <BR />The Committee formally considered the draft regulations at its meeting on 10 March, noting that the rule is subject to the approval of the Assembly. Some members expressed concerns and reservations about the proposals. While the Committee recommended that the rule be approved, some members abstained. <BR /> <BR />That concludes my remarks as Chairman of the Environment Committee. I would now like to add some comments as a member of the Alliance Party. I supported the draft regulations in Committee, but it was not clear to me what the other parties' reservations were when they abstained. I will listen carefully to their deliberations during this debate.”
“Therefore, the Minister concluded that it would not be appropriate to further revise the draft regulations at this stage to provide for a panel. <BR /> <BR />Officials advised that, as the policy would take some time to consider and develop, as consultation would be required on its establishment and operation, it would not be possible to reach a way forward in this mandate. The Department wanted to proceed with the making of the regulations while the work in relation to a panel was ongoing, as these elements were not dependent on each other. The Department advised that it would be beneficial to see the call-in procedure in operation for a period in order that a full assessment of the requirements could be completed and to provide a statutory link between the process of reconsidering a decision and qualified majority voting.”
“Also, the opinion might come from someone who does not live within the council area affected by the decision. Therefore, the Committee explored with the officials the option of setting up a panel of solicitors to provide the legal opinions. At that time, officials advised the Committee that they were preparing a paper for the Minister on options for setting up such a panel. The Committee agreed to defer consideration of the statutory rule until the Minister considered this issue. On 26 February, the Committee considered further correspondence from the Department providing an update on the Minister's considerations. The Committee was advised that the setting up of a panel of solicitors could place additional financial burdens on councils and have HR implications for councils with in-house legal teams.”
“<BR /> <BR />Another issue explored by some members of the Committee was the differences and variations of equality schemes across the 11 council areas. Officials have further revised the draft regulations to provide that a qualified majority would be required where the legal opinion indicated that there was a risk that the decision would not be in compliance with the council’s equality scheme, in so far as it relates to equality of opportunity within the meaning of section 75(1) of the Northern Ireland Act 1998. <BR /> <BR />Other concerns expressed by members of the Committee included the fact that the opinion of only one barrister or solicitor would be sought, because their view may differ significantly from that of another barrister or solicitor.”
“Under the revised draft regulations, a qualified majority is required, thereby providing a filter mechanism. <BR /> <BR />Some members of the Committee expressed concerns that the test for legitimacy included compliance with the council’s equality scheme but not whether the decision would disproportionately affect adversely any section of inhabitants. Officials advised that they had sought legal advice on whether provision could be made to require a qualified majority on a council’s decision on a call-in where the opinion obtained indicated that the members had demonstrated that the decision would disproportionately affect adversely a section of the inhabitants of the district. The legal advice concluded that that would be ultra vires.”
“<BR /> <BR />Officials outlined to the Committee the Department's efforts to address the concern raised that the opinion of a practising barrister or solicitor did not act as a filter for decisions requiring a qualified majority when one was obtained after a request for reconsideration was made on the grounds that the decision would disproportionately affect adversely any section of the inhabitants of the district. To address the issue, the Department revised the draft regulations to take account of circumstances where the opinion of the barrister or solicitor indicates that there is a risk that the decision is outside the powers of the council, is incompatible with EU law or convention rights or is not in compliance with the council’s equality scheme.”
“I welcome the opportunity to speak in today’s debate to outline the work that the Committee for the Environment has undertaken in respect of the statutory rule. <BR /> <BR />Following the Assembly’s decision in February to not approve the rule, officials wrote to the Committee to outline the revisions it had made following concerns raised during that debate. The Committee considered that correspondence at its meeting on 1 October and invited officials to brief it on 8 October and 5 November.”
“However, as the CSSC will not be a statutory body and will operate within an advocacy role, it is not possible to name it as a statutory partner in the order, but it can operate as a support partner. The Committee sought clarification on the roles of statutory and support partners. Assurances were provided by the Department that the role of a support partner is no less important than that of a statutory partner in the community planning process and that statutory partners do not have bigger weighting in the decision-making process. <BR /> <BR />The Committee formally considered the draft rule at its meeting on 3 March. While the reservations of some members of the Committee in respect of these issues were recorded, the Committee agreed to recommend that the rule be approved by the Assembly.”
“Another issue raised during the Committee’s consideration of the draft order was the rationale for the inclusion of the CCMS as a statutory partner, given its membership on the board of the Education Authority, which is also named as a statutory partner. Some members expressed concern that this represented an inequality, as other educational sectors such as the integrated sector are not named as statutory bodies. The Committee was advised that some chose to pursue representation through being a support partner. The Committee asked the Department to explore whether the controlled schools support council (CSSC) could be added as a statutory partner. The body is expected to become operational during the 2016-17 financial year.”
“In addition, the Committee was advised that the partnership panel’s agreed work plan identifies the need to develop an engagement protocol that will formalise the local/central government relationship and help to create a positive environment. The Committee is aware that a final draft community planning protocol for Northern Ireland Departments and local government is being developed.”
“The Committee was advised that the Minister intended to discuss the matter at the Executive with a view to gaining colleagues' agreement to develop a community planning engagement protocol that clearly establishes the nature of the relationship between Departments and local government. <BR /> <BR />Throughout its consideration of the rule, the Committee consistently sought updates from officials on the progress of the development and content of an engagement protocol. In January, officials advised that the Department had been working with other Departments to help to clarify how this requirement will be given practical expression. The Committee was also assured that all Departments have indicated consistently their commitment to community planning, and many have underlined that commitment through proactive engagement with councils.”
“The Committee wrote to the Department to highlight its concerns about getting buy-in if Departments are not included in the order as statutory bodies. The Committee was concerned that this may make it difficult to deliver and implement community planning actions and objectives; for example, with no Executive targets and supporting budgets.”
“I welcome the opportunity to outline the work that the Committee has undertaken in respect of this statutory rule. <BR /> <BR />The Committee first considered the outcome of the consultation on the proposed legislation at its meeting on 4 June 2015, when it received an oral briefing from officials. The Committee was provided with a copy of the draft regulation setting out those organisations that would be statutory partners in the community planning process. The Committee is aware that three organisations were added as a result of the consultation process, as the Minister mentioned previously. These were Libraries NI, Sport NI and the Catholic Council for Maintained Schools. The Committee raised concerns at that time that Departments were not named in the order.”
“As the Minister outlined, the rule renames the DVTA trading fund as the Driver and Vehicle Agency trading fund and extends its scope to the whole of the DVA, bringing in driver licensing, taxi and bus licensing and regulation, and compliance and enforcement of the transport industry. The Committee noted that the Department laid the synopsis of responses in the Business Office as required by article 10(4) of the Financial Provisions (Northern Ireland) Order 1993, and the Department of Finance and Personnel is required to approve the rule. As no concerns were raised during the Committee's considerations, it recommends that the draft regulation is approved by the Assembly.”
“I welcome the opportunity to outline the work that the Committee has undertaken on this statutory rule. The Committee considered the consultation for the draft regulation at its meeting on 2 July 2015. It requested that the Department provide it with a synopsis of responses when that became available. The Committee considered the synopsis of responses at its meeting on 5 November and noted that only two responses were received, which were broadly supportive of the proposals. <BR /> <BR />The Committee formally considered the rule at its meeting on 29 February.”
“— to address this cross-cutting issue more comprehensively —”
“— have had frequent experiences of fish kill. Such concerns were also echoed by participants in the stakeholder event. I think that the new Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs will have the capacity —”
“<BR /> <BR />That concludes my remarks as Chairperson of the Environment Committee. I will now say a few words on behalf of the Alliance Party. I am glad that we managed to, at least, initiate consideration on the issue of river pollution, given the heavy workload that the Committee had in the last few months of the mandate. However, I hope that we have made a good start to raise the concerns expressed, particularly by a number of Committee members whose constituencies —”
“A holistic approach is required to tackle these complex but devastating incidents. That is why the Committee has called on the Minister to work with his Executive colleagues and key stakeholders to step up efforts to deliver outcomes that will impact directly on our water quality management. <BR /> <BR />I conclude by thanking all of the stakeholders for participating in the stakeholder event and for giving evidence to the Committee. I also thank the officials from the NIEA who attended and very ably responded to the many and sometimes difficult questions. The Committee hopes that by debating these issues this afternoon it will raise the profile of this particular issue, and, as we move into the new mandate, that more can and will be done to reduce pollution in our rivers and lakes.”
“<BR /> <BR />The work that the Committee undertook in a short time certainly gave it food for thought and reinforced its view that analysis is required in this area. It is the Committee's intention this afternoon to highlight some of the issues. It does not wish to dissuade a future Committee from considering the matter in depth; in fact, the Committee encourages the incoming Committee to undertake a more detailed analysis of the issues.”
“The Committee heard that there was a need for higher-quality monitoring and access to better data to fully understand river systems. The reliance on the public to report incidents was huge, and the Committee heard that there should be schemes to engage and encourage the public, with warning signs in place to deter polluters. Lastly, views were expressed that the current enforcement framework was not effective and that a joined-up approach was required. <BR /> <BR />The principle that the polluter must pay was also popular. Enforcement represents a failure of the process and should be used only as a last resort. Education and behavioural change in society and across the business sector would lessen the need for enforcement and might prevent pollution, rather than penalising those found to have polluted our waters.”
“The Committee also heard that smaller sewage treatment works still fail to meet modern standards and poorly maintained septic tanks are causing considerable damage. <BR /> <BR />Statistics show that pollution from unknown sources is increasing. Domestic pollution is also recognised as a problem. Therefore, improving education and raising awareness among the general public is considered important, as many individuals do not realise the impact of their actions. The benefits of educating children at school were acknowledged and welcomed. <BR /> <BR />The Committee also looked at how pollution was monitored. The two main avenues for detection are incidents discovered through NIEA's ongoing work and incidents reported to NIEA.”
“Stakeholders suggested that cross-compliance requirements attached to the single farm payment could prevent pollution from agrisources and that the farm advisory system could help to secure buy-in from farmers and inform them on legislative compliance. Views were expressed that more regulation was required of industry, as often the nature of the material that is polluted can be toxic. <BR /> <BR />There was recognition that government agencies had made improvements to address issues caused by underinvestment, with large improvements made in sewage collection and treatment. However, more work is required. For example, the Committee heard that funding must continue to be provided to enable the ongoing upgrade of waste water treatment works.”
“I am grateful to the Member for bringing that forward. As you know, our party, including me, is very enthusiastic about an independent environmental protection agency. <BR /> <BR />It was clear that there are real concerns that the fines and penalties imposed do not act as a deterrent and are not reflective of the severity of the crime. More work is required in that area. <BR /> <BR />The Committee heard that better interaction with the planning system and engagement with the strategic planning policy were vital. Discharge consents do not form part of the planning application, and concerns were expressed that there are occasions when there is insufficient infrastructure in place to support the planning application. <BR /> <BR />The Committee heard that there were three main sources of pollution: agriculture, industry and domestic.”
“It is hoped that the restructuring of Departments will provide an opportunity to adopt a more streamlined approach to tackling pollution and reduce duplication across agencies. It was clear that there are real concerns that the fines and penalties imposed do not act as a deterrent —”
“It commissioned research into causes, monitoring systems and preventative measures. <BR /> <BR />The Committee held a stakeholder event on 18 February 2016. Eighteen organisations took part, including the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA), which contributed and responded to the discussions. The event explored issues of pollution management under the following four themes: the impact of legislation, pollution causes, monitoring and enforcement. <BR /> <BR />The Committee first considered the impact of the legislation. It heard views that river basin management plans had failed to restore our lakes and rivers and that there were not sufficient resources or funding to deliver their targets.”
“The Committee first started to look at pollution incidents in April, following frequent reports of fish kill. Statistics show that, since the implementation of the water framework directive in 2009, there has not been a significant decline in the number of pollution incidents. That is surprising, as the purpose of the directive is to establish long-term objectives for water protection for our surface waters, coastal waters and groundwater. <BR /> <BR />The Committee recognised the merits of undertaking a full inquiry into the topic but agreed that it could not complete an inquiry in the remaining months of the mandate. The Committee felt, however, that it was important to highlight key issues, and, to that end, it took oral evidence from the Freshwater Taskforce and the Ulster Angling Federation.”
“On behalf of the Committee for the Environment, I am delighted to open the debate on the important issue of water pollution. Our water environment is so important to our daily lives. We use it as a source of drinking water; it is used by agriculture and industry; it sustains our precious marine life; and it is used by many of us for recreational activities. Everyone has a responsibility to ensure that our rivers and lakes are protected, and we are all affected by it.”
“Given that flooding is very much a fact of climate change, will the Minister update us on his stakeholder consultation on bringing forward a climate change Bill? What does he hope to achieve in this mandate?”
“We believe that recommendation 31 is necessary, as during the inquiry it became evident that, in Northern Ireland, we are lagging behind England in the provision of best practice. It has also been suggested to us that there is a need for further investigation of international best practice to inform our development of provision for those with learning difficulties. Although we have identified many examples of good practice across Northern Ireland, such as effective community-based approaches in regional areas, we must ensure that we do all we can to improve upon that. <BR /> <BR />I believe that the recommendations outlined in the report are valid, formed as a result of a thorough inquiry and will be beneficial to young people with special educational needs. I support the motion.”
“We feel that such a positive move must be implemented here and that the DHSSPS should, therefore, consider how that can be taken forward.”
“That is supported by academic research, such as a review commissioned by NICCY into services for young people with learning difficulties. It highlights the importance of such an approach, particularly in arranging further education and day care for young adults. That recommendation is, therefore, significant. <BR /> <BR />We believe that the system of self-directed payments must be reviewed, as outlined in recommendation 6. It has been pointed out by the National Autistic Society that, in England, there has increasingly been movement towards personalisation and self-directed support in the provision of services to those with learning difficulties. That system enables those who need it to have support, information and assistance at a time and in a way that is right for them.”
“In fact, I booked and went for a hair appointment with two of the students in order to give them some encouragement. I must say, they did a great job. <BR /> <BR />I will make some references to recommendations 5, 6 and 31 of the report. We find recommendation 5 to be particularly important and positive, following evidence received by the Committee that emphasised the necessity of a person-centred approach to the provision of post-special education services. For instance, stated in the Clanrye submission is the desire of parents not to have the young person forced into a one-size-fits-all training model. We agreed with them that an individually specialised service, delivered by caring staff, is required.”
“We went to look at its post-18 transition programme, which works with a number of schools in the Belfast area. The transition process begins at age 14. The pupils at special schools come to Springvale as part of their school week. During that time, they get a chance to see what is on offer and what they are interested in, before leaving school. This is the first year of the post-18 course, and there are 23 students involved in the pilot. The college provides a coordinator and classroom assistant for some students, with provision tailored around the individual's needs to ensure a greater chance of progression in their training. The students also have their own common room, where they can socialise and share their experiences with others.”
“No problem, Mr Deputy Speaker. I rise as the Alliance Party member on the Employment and Learning Committee. I thank all of the stakeholders who participated in the inquiry, as well as the Committee staff for their hard work throughout the process of producing this very comprehensive report. I pay tribute to the Chairperson for his wonderful leadership throughout almost two years of the inquiry. I was in the Committee for only part of it, but I certainly appreciate the hard work that was put in by the Committee, particularly the Chair. <BR /> <BR />The Committee visits took us from Belfast to Manchester, and a large number of places in between, to better inform us of best practice. I was particularly impressed by our visit to the Springvale employment and learning centre in Belfast.”
“If a new Bill comes forward and the necessary scrutiny can take place, we would endeavour to look at the merits and support it if appropriate.”
“We accept that there is a problem of metal theft that needs to be tackled, and there are certainly merits in the Bill, but it has just come so late in the day. Departmental officials tried their utmost — their hardest — to bring in amendments that dovetailed with current legislation and regulations and with the remit of the Committee. We encourage the Member, or the departmental officials, to revisit the amendments and perhaps bring forward a refreshed Bill early in the new mandate to give ample time for Committee scrutiny. <BR /> <BR />To support bits and pieces of the Bill now, as has been suggested by Mr Beggs, would not do justice to the Bill; it would not be a complete piece of legislation that we could support.”
“<BR /> <BR />I place on record my thanks to Mr Beggs for introducing the Bill; to all the organisations and individuals who took the time to provide written and oral evidence to the Committee; and to the Department for its positive engagement with the Committee and for working with the Bill’s sponsor to try to address the issues that were identified. It is unfortunate that that engagement came so late in the Committee Stage, which resulted in the Committee's not being able to complete its scrutiny role. Finally, I also thank the members and the secretariat of the Committee for their contributions during Committee Stage. <BR /> <BR />I will now make some brief comments as the Alliance Party member in the Committee.”
“I will make some brief remarks as Chair of the Committee for the Environment on group 3. As I said under previous groups, the Committee did not have sufficient time to have a full understanding of the impact that the Bill or the amendments would have on the industry and, therefore, agreed that it was not content to form a view on the amendments that were proposed by the Department, now tabled in Mr Beggs’s name, or the clauses as introduced. There are certainly merits in the Bill, however, many complex issues were raised during the Committee Stage. Those, coupled with the introduction of the Bill late in the mandate, meant that the Committee did not have enough time to give proper scrutiny to those issues.”
“I will make some brief remarks on group 2. As I reflected when speaking on group 1, the Committee did not have sufficient time to have a full understanding of the impact that the Bill or the amendments would have on the industry. The Committee agreed, therefore, that it was not content to form a view of the amendments proposed by the Department, now tabled in Mr Beggs's name, or the clauses in the Bill as introduced.”
“Our party appreciates the effort that Mr Roy Beggs has made towards the passage of the Bill to this stage, but the Alliance Party cannot support his amendments, which were suggested in haste by departmental officials. The amendments have not been consulted on with stakeholders or been scrutinised by the Committee, and every clause in the original Bill except the short title has been amended. It does not really resemble the original Bill that Mr Beggs put forward. Therefore, we think that it would be irresponsible of the Committee and the Assembly to allow the Bill to become law when we have no idea whether it is workable or whether it may bring negative and unintended consequences. We support the Sinn Féin amendments.”