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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“That liaison should also involve all relevant central government Departments and should reflect the aims of the regional development strategy and the strategic energy framework. <BR /> <BR />The Committee expressed some concern that the term "economic considerations", which is used in PPS 18 and has been retained in the draft SPPS, has not been clearly defined, and it urges the Department to do so. The Committee acknowledges that some economic impacts may be intangible but believes that planning applications submitted by developers need to be very specific about the measurable economic outcomes of the project so that it is clear whether or not they have been delivered.”
“The Committee considered whether a strategic approach that advocated zoning or the identification of the most appropriate locations for wind turbines would be effective. It was agreed, however, that it was too late to introduce zoning in Northern Ireland because some areas, notably west Tyrone, have already reached saturation point in the number of wind developments, either operational or planned, for the region. However, the Committee identified a clear need for closer liaison between the strategic planning division and councils to ensure a joined-up approach and more cohesive planning for wind farms and individual turbines. That should be a natural outcome from the development over the next two years of local development plans for each council area.”
“In addition, the Committee carried out a fact-finding visit to west Tyrone to see a wind farm development at first hand, and it heard from residents who lived close by. <BR /> <BR />After due consideration of the evidence before it, the Committee agreed on a number of recommendations. The Committee agreed that there was a need for a strategic approach in the siting of wind energy developments. The current policy is set out in planning policy statement (PPS) 18, with a slightly different approach proposed in the draft strategic planning policy statement (SPPS) that would remove the significant weighting of wider environmental, economic and social benefits considerations and urge a cautious approach to the siting of turbines in areas of outstanding natural beauty or other designated landscapes.”
“The Environment Committee agreed that economic and health issues may be more properly referred to other Statutory Committees, and that it should focus primarily on concerns raised in relation to environmental and planning matters that are more directly relevant to its remit. That was reflected in the terms of reference that were established for both the review and the inquiry. <BR /> <BR />The Committee received 98 submissions in response to its call for evidence, and it agreed that the evidence that had been presented during the review should also be considered. The Committee had oral evidence sessions with a range of stakeholders and commissioned the services of a specialist acoustician to assist it with the technical aspects of the inquiry.”
“The evidence presented at those two meetings led the Committee to agree to carry out a short review in October and November 2013. <BR /> <BR />It quickly became clear that issues that were emerging were largely cross-cutting and impacted on the remit of other Departments and the relevant Statutory Committees within the Assembly. Those included economic issues, such as subsidy by consumers of electricity and the impact on tourism of wind developments in areas of great scenic beauty, as well as possible health impacts arising from the proximity of wind turbines to homes.”
“I would like to take the opportunity to express my appreciation to all those who have contributed to the inquiry and to thank the Committee staff, particularly the Clerk, Sheila Mawhinney, who has worked extremely hard to enable the Committee to gather evidence and produce the final report. <BR /> <BR />I now wish to outline the circumstances that led to the Committee undertaking its inquiry. In June 2013, at an external meeting in Omagh, the Committee for the Environment had briefings from a group that opposes the siting of wind turbines in populated rural areas, and also from the Strabane/Omagh councils working group on wind energy. The Committee subsequently invited representatives from the Northern Ireland Renewables Industry Group to respond to the issues that had been raised.”
“I welcome the Minister's statement, particularly the inclusion of "Environment" in the new Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs. However, given the recent examples of us facing imminent risk of infraction fines over horse mussels in Strangford lough due to the opposing objectives of DARD and DOE, what safeguards will be put in place to ensure that the interests of the agriculture and fishing industries will not trump the protection of the environment?”
“I am very supportive of the plan, but how realistic is its implementation, given the budget cuts the Minister faces and also the fact that Northern Ireland has lower arts funding per head than anywhere else in the UK and Republic of Ireland?”
“Accordingly, the Committee therefore recommends that careful consideration should be given to ensuring that the criteria for call-in should be further defined in guidance. <BR /> <BR />After taking these concerns into account, the Environment Committee has agreed to recommend that the motion be affirmed by the Assembly.”
“The Committee was also concerned that neither the Bill nor the regulations specifies the criteria to be used to determine the grounds for reconsideration under clause 41, which is that a decision would disproportionately affect adversely any section of the inhabitants of the district. The Committee believed that any lack of clarity could lead to a specious use of call-in. The Committee also remained concerned that the use of a call-in will require the opinion of a practising barrister or solicitor. The Department had indicated that the specification of a panel of lawyers, rather than an individual barrister or solicitor, would introduce an additional safeguard, but this has not been introduced in these regulations.”
“The Committee was content that neither of these amendments impacted on the protection of the interest of minority communities in council decision-making. However, during its consideration of the Local Government Bill, the Committee raised concerns that the overuse of the call-in procedure could result in a deadlock in council decision-making. Members were reassured that the percentages required for a call-in or for a qualified majority may be revised by regulations subject to an affirmative resolution of the Assembly.”
“<BR /> <BR />The initial draft regulations that came before the Committee also provided that only those decisions that were called in on the grounds of disproportionate adverse impact, supported by the opinion of the practising barrister or solicitor, would be taken by a qualified majority. All other decisions would be implemented or tabled for ratification by the council. <BR /> <BR />The Department has indicated that, since the relevant section of the Act makes no specific provision for obtaining a legal opinion on a request for reconsideration, the proposed provision had to be withdrawn. That means that all decisions that are subject to call-in on disproportionate adverse impact grounds must be taken by a qualified majority, taking into account the opinion of the practising barrister or solicitor.”
“I thank the Minister for his explanation of the background to and purpose of this draft affirmative statutory rule. The Committee considered the SL1 proposal at its meeting on 11 December 2014 and agreed that it was content for the Department to proceed with drafting the rule. The Department has since notified the Committee that two provisions were removed from the draft regulations after the submission of the SL1 to the Committee on that day, on the advice of the Departmental Solicitor's Office. The draft regulations included provision for a call-in to be terminated if the level of support for the request fell below the required 15% of members, after the request had been submitted. The Committee understands that no such provision may be included in the draft regulations, as the 2014 Act does not provide for the withdrawal of a call-in.”
“The resourcing of the One Plan's student numbers would represent a significant challenge in terms of funding and would require an investment of over £30 million on a recurrent annual basis. It strikes me as strange, and somewhat removed from reality, to block Minister Farry from making reasonable cuts to teacher training only to ask that he increase funding for another institution. All Departments have been faced with serious challenges that require difficult decisions. We must put aside any desire to score political points and rise to those challenges.”
“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I thank the Member for his contribution but, with Budget cuts, as the Member and his party says, we are under very difficult economic constraints. Does that answer your question? <BR /> <BR />The Minister had made good progress towards the interim target of 1,000 additional places by 2015 as set out in the One Plan. However, Budget cuts have focused and forced a pause in expansion plans. <BR /> <BR />The SDLP has called on the First Minister and deputy First Minister, as chairs of the north-west ministerial subgroup, to liaise directly with the university and the Minister for Employment and Learning to prioritise the expansion at the Magee campus to ensure its full delivery. As stated in the September Adjournment debate, the Minister said that he is:”
“However, that does not discount the fact that higher education expansion in Derry/Londonderry is a key transformational theme within the One Plan; but it is important to state that the Department of Employment and Learning is not measured or scrutinised in relation to the expansion of Magee. <BR /> <BR />Minister Farry has been able to expand higher education by around 1,600 places across Northern Ireland, with 1,200 being directed to our universities. The University of Ulster has received 652 of those places. In line with the stated commitment, the university has located those places to the Magee campus.”
“In terms of education provision, I am grateful that we have come a long way since 1965. As I stated in previous debates, it is undeniable that the north-west has long been neglected in many areas. The expansion of the Magee campus would certainly help to drive economic growth. The motion affirms its commitment to the One Plan's target, which is to see 9,400 full-time equivalent students by 2020 and increase the maximum student number by 1,000 by 2015. <BR /> <BR />In the Programme for Government, the One Plan does not explicitly state higher education expansion in Derry/Londonderry and I note that the only reference to the expansion of higher education is actually in relation to increasing the numbers taking STEM subjects.”
“I rise on behalf of the Alliance Party. During the Adjournment debate on 16 September on the expansion of the Magee campus, my party colleague, the Minister for Employment and Learning, made one point very clear: his central objective is and always has been to ensure that Northern Ireland continues to have a world-class and internationally recognised higher education sector, one that can continue to grow over the coming years. The Alliance Party recognises the great importance of making higher education the best it can be. Giving the next generation an excellent education should always be a high priority. <BR /> <BR />As the motion notes, it is 50 years since the Lockwood Commission report was published. The report recommended the creation of the New University of Ulster in Coleraine, as opposed to Derry/Londonderry.”
“It is most likely, therefore, that the non-ringfenced areas of departmental expenditure limit will not have the necessary funding and that this will impact mostly on the NGO sector. <BR /> <BR />Looking beyond the next Budget, before discussions on how the DOE will be broken up and its functions absorbed by other Departments, it is important that the House again considers the urgent need to create an independent environment agency to ensure that our already neglected environment is not completely abandoned. The agency needs to be external to any Department so that it can hold all Departments to account for their policies and practices in relation to the protection of the environment, which is a responsibility for all in government.”
“It does not make sense for the Department to lose one third of its staff, who are mostly professional or technical staff carrying out the Department's vital functions and services.”
“The environment sector has advised me that it strongly encourages DOE to look at ways to develop those relationships and to work in partnership with NGOs on delivery. <BR /> <BR />According to departmental officials, for them to fund the current programmes that are contracted out to councils, the private and voluntary sectors, as well as road safety campaigns, DOE would have to lose 500 posts to save £8 million from salaries. That is a third of the workforce. That is impracticable, if not impossible. As a voluntary exit scheme will not start being implemented until at least autumn 2015, the Department is unlikely to find the necessary money through staff reduction within six months of the next financial year.”
“The leverage is, on the one hand, evidence of the quality and potential of the Northern Ireland environment and, on the other, a good example of what will be lost if the NGOs that have leveraged that input are lost. Furthermore, there are clear linkages between what the NGOs deliver in Health, Education, Agriculture and Rural Development, Regional Development, Enterprise, Culture and Leisure, and the community development aspects of OFMDFM. The same issue emerges in all those areas. <BR /> <BR />The environment is the foundation for our society and economy, yet it is taken for granted and not treated as the key resource upon which future well-being and prosperity depend. A relatively small investment in the environment sector could lead to significant savings across all those Departments.”
“Those organisations tend to be small and lack resources and they are likely to find it difficult to navigate through a period of sudden budgetary loss that may result in their closure. The kind of activities that will be affected are managing natural and built heritage sites; providing access to sites; education programmes; managing and improving habitat; protection of wildlife; developing research and knowledge; monitoring sites, wildlife and access; and enabling the public to access and understand the natural and built environment. <BR /> <BR />NGOs in Northern Ireland have been very successful in accessing non-government funds. A good example is the Heritage Lottery Fund landscape partnerships, of which there are now at least seven in Northern Ireland. They all draw in significant leverage.”
“I understand from the Northern Ireland Environment Link that, within natural heritage grants alone, DOE funds around 50 organisations through grants and contracted services. Total funding in 2014-15 to those organisations is approximately £3·5 million. That is over 110 posts affecting more than 130 individuals. Within that relatively small government input, those NGOs tap into a volunteer workforce of over 350,000, manage over 314,000 acres of land for government benefit, spend over £20 million in the Northern Ireland economy and leverage in £3·20 for every £1 invested in core funding. The potential loss of those jobs in some of those organisations will have a detrimental effect on the local economy.”
“I cannot emphasise enough the importance of the NGO sector in getting value for money for us by delivering government objectives in a cost-effective manner. Funding for this sector can bring significant added value through match funding and co-funding, accessing the passion and energy of volunteers, the involvement of students and people of all ages, and managing significant areas of land for public benefit. <BR /> <BR />The environmental sector is also of value to Northern Ireland in the retention of skilled and qualified young people. DOE cuts would inevitably contribute further to the Northern Ireland brain drain.”
“I rise as the Alliance Party's spokesperson on the environment. When departmental officials briefed the Committee for the Environment on 5 February, we were advised that, after meeting inescapable expenditure, the Department has only £1·4 million to fund a range of programmes and projects being carried out by councils and the private and voluntary sectors. The shortfall is over £8 million, although officials stated that the Minister would look at the £4·2 million from the carrier bag levy to see whether any money could be reallocated. This will be limited, given the already committed funding for projects and the restriction on how receipts can be spent. <BR /> <BR />Seeing projections from officials, it looks like the axe will fall mostly on activities that are currently undertaken by NGOs.”
“I thank the Minister. As he has admitted, we train too many teachers. How can he justify using that excessive amount of public funding to fund teacher training colleges while neglecting other, maybe very crucial, areas of building up the economy, taking into account the need for skills building ahead of the reduction in corporation tax?”
“As the Minister knows, most renewable energy comes from wind turbines. What measures is he taking to encourage alternative sources so that there is a mix of different renewable energy potentials?”
“Fifty-two per cent of the work undertaken by the Arts Council's regularly funded organisations takes place in hospitals, schools and communities. Given the collaborative nature of many arts groups, there is a real worry in the sector that, when one organisation goes, it will have a domino effect. You cannot just switch voluntary organisations on and off. When those organisations go, they are gone for good and to rebuild them will have significant costs. <BR /> <BR />A constituent sent me a letter asking:”
“The Tourist Board calculated that the top five arts events of the Derry/Londonderry City of Culture 2013 generated a 20:1 return on the investment and attracted a third of a million visitors. In all, the City of Culture boosted tourism to Derry/Londonderry by 50%. The 2012 Ulster Bank Belfast Festival at Queen's created nearly £580,000 in tourism revenue, and local businesses benefited by approximately £1·95 million. The CEO of the Arts Council recently queried the logic of making the cut to a sector that helps to turn 0·1% of public investment into 4% of GDP <BR /> <BR />It is not just tourism and employment that benefit from the arts sector. Public spending on arts has a negligible impact on funding for other Departments and makes a very positive contribution to services such as health and education.”
“To put the cut in context, the total annual spending of this arts budget would not sustain the health service for a day. It would sustain education for less than two and a half days. <BR /> <BR />I appreciate that the serious Budget constraints demand tough decisions, but it troubles me that the voluntary and community sector is always the first to be cut. I worry that too many MLAs have a tendency to view the arts as trivial and that not everyone recognises that visual arts, drama and music all enrich our quality of life. It is not just that: the arts sector grows and supports our local creative industries, which are worth £740 million a year. Those industries not only bring tourism, further investment and a sense of national pride but provide 40,000 people with jobs. There are financial benefits, too.”
“It is tantamount to a threat to an independent organisation when it does something that some Members disagree with. It is almost an abuse of power. <BR /> <BR />Over the past few months, I have been inundated with correspondence from constituents who are deeply concerned about the future of the arts in Northern Ireland. The 10% proposed cut to DCAL's budget equates to a loss of £10 million. Within the draft settlement for DCAL, the arts budget has been even further reduced by 11·2%, a loss of almost £1·38 million. The proposed cut comes on the back of six successive cuts to the arts since 2011 and would set the arts budget back a decade to below the level last received in 2005-06. This reduces investment in the arts from 13p to just over 11p per person per week.”
“The Committee is very conscious of the vital importance of road safety education and the need to support this work on an ongoing basis. Members have urged the Minister to prioritise this funding as he considers his budget for 2015-16. <BR /> <BR />The Committee has largely been supportive of DOE's bids during the past year and, in considering the Vote on Account, stresses the importance of making sure that the necessary funds continue to be made available to DOE so that it can continue to deliver its programmes and conduct its functions effectively. On behalf of the Environment Committee, I support the motion. <BR /> <BR />I now wish to make some comments on behalf of the Alliance Party. The first is that the Alliance Party opposes Mr Allister's amendment.”
“The Committee welcomes the Department's focus on capacity building in councils. Nevertheless, the Committee would urge the Minister that this level of support for local government should be maintained over the next few years so that neither ratepayers nor local communities are financially disadvantaged by the process. <BR /> <BR />The Committee also places great emphasis on the provision of road safety services and will be concerned to note that this area has had a cut in its resources. During each week in 2014, the death toll on our roads increased, and, as the Committee continues its scrutiny of the Road Traffic (Amendment) Bill, departmental officials have reiterated the grim statistics regarding young people killed or seriously injured.”
“The Committee welcomed the increased funding provided during the year for the Environment Agency. The Committee very strongly supports the role of the NIEA in fighting environmental crime and dealing with illegal waste, particularly when it is on the scale of the incident at Mobuoy, where more than half a million tons of illegal waste has been dumped and appropriate remedial action is still ongoing. <BR /> <BR />The Committee also supports the additional allocation of resources to local government. Members are very aware of the widespread changes to be introduced over the next year as the new 11 councils deliver not only the existing functions of local councils but a range of new functions that will transfer to them from central government. Adequate resourcing will be vital to ensure the success of the new roles and structures.”
“The closure of the DVA resulted in almost 300 job losses, and it appears that about 400 planning division staff are to move to local council offices as those powers transfer to local government. A further reduction of 500 staff — equivalent to one third of the current workforce — will be a severe blow to the Department. The Committee remains extremely concerned about how this could be managed without impacting significantly on service delivery.”
“I welcome the opportunity to outline the Environment Committee’s views on the motion. <BR /> <BR />DOE’s budget is one of the smallest in comparison with other Departments, so the Committee realises how difficult it has been for the Department to manage the 4·4% cuts that were required during the 2014-15 financial year. The Department has indicated that those savings were made by ceasing to fill vacant posts and by phasing out the use of temporary or contract workers, as well as carrying out a review of general administrative expenses across all business areas. While the Committee did not oppose those cost-saving measures during the 2014-15 year, members are apprehensive about how the proposed staff cuts can be realised over the forthcoming financial year.”
“I thank the Minister for coming to the Committee last week specifically to brief us on the budget. I know that he is trying his best to mitigate the cuts, but I understand that Belfast Metropolitan College is seeking to cut English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) teaching quite drastically to meet its budget. What impact will that have on the new immigrant population?”
“Mr Weir, I really cannot understand why you have been arguing that the situation will be less competitive or that there will be more competition for the public hire companies and that they are not viable. At the moment, they do not travel around; they stop at taxi ranks and they pick up passengers. They can continue to do that. People can still go to taxi ranks to get black taxis.”
“I do understand that there was a lot of discussion in Committee. Reference was made to the raft of issues, such as metering and receipt printers. To be fair to the Department, it has brought forward a range of arrangements, time after time, following delay after delay, for the industry to adapt to. This was all meant to be happening in 2013, but, in 2015, we are still no further forward.”
“In many cities where there are bus lanes taxis can use them only to drop off and pick up passengers; otherwise, they are not allowed to use bus lanes. That is one way that we should be implementing it. There is no need to say, "Right, we want to reject single tier as a whole." I urge UUP Members to think carefully and not to throw all this out but to support our party and the SDLP in rejecting the motion.”
“<BR /> <BR />In any big city, such as London, New York, Hong Kong or Tokyo, where taxis are an essential means of transport for the public to move around the city, people take it for granted that they can hail a taxi anywhere, at any time and without having to book in advance or walk to a taxi rank. Tourists coming to Northern Ireland cannot understand why empty taxis will not stop for them. If we want to promote tourism, we need a taxi service fit for purpose. <BR /> <BR />I understand what Mrs Overend said about bus lanes, and I know that, during Committee Stage, she objected to the prayer of annulment. I call on the UUP to think carefully. The decision on whether to allow taxis to go on bus lanes is based purely on the judgement of the Minister for Regional Development.”
“<BR /> <BR />In proposing the motion to annul the regulations, DUP and Sinn Féin will allow one small sector in the taxi industry to prevent progress for the whole of Northern Ireland. Competition is always good for customers, as it drives up quality and maintains price competitiveness, and any sector in the industry that provides high-quality services should not be fearful of levelling the playing field for fairer competition. An email from North West Taxi Proprietors called on all MLAs to act in the best interests of the taxi industry as a whole, indicating that the Consumer Council, Imtac and others have agreed with the majority of the taxi industry that single tier is the best way forward for customers.”
“<BR /> <BR />Somehow, from late October 2013, DUP and Sinn Féin members, following lobbying from Belfast public hire, began expressing concerns about the costs of equipment and the notion that competition may drive the Belfast public hire out of business. They proposed an exclusion zone in Belfast for black taxis, which the Minister refused. I agree with him. It will cause more confusion for customers if they can wave down a taxi only in certain areas in Belfast. Belfast public hire represents around 5% of taxis in Northern Ireland and around 10% of taxis in Belfast. There is no rationale for the Assembly to ignore overwhelming public support for a single-tier system in favour of keeping the monopoly for Belfast public hire.”
“<BR /> <BR />In June 2013, the Committee first considered the synopsis of the public consultation responses, which were vastly supportive of the proposal for the single-tier system. Naturally, we all agreed that the Department should proceed with drafting the legislation with the caveat of a delay of a further year to give the industry more time to meet new requirements. The Department agreed and duly brought the SL1s, which the Committee then agreed. The sense in the Committee at the time was that the public really wanted the changes and that the long gap between the 2008 Act and implementation of the new single tier and the whole raft of regulations was becoming unacceptable.”
“We must also listen to public opinion. The motions for annulment are calling on the Assembly to make a U-turn and throw out previously agreed legislation that was supported by the public to regulate and improve taxi services and to give customers more choice. During Committee discussions, I did not hear any compelling arguments to object to the statutory rules for a single-tier system. I therefore oppose both motions on behalf of the Alliance Party. <BR /> <BR />The Taxis Act was passed by all parties in April 2008 as enabling legislation to bring our outdated laws into the 21st century and was welcomed by the public and businesses. It is right and proper that the Act allows the taxi industry a period of time to prepare for the proposed changes, but common sense would say that seven years must be long enough.”
“As legislators, we must be objective when making judgements, always bearing in mind what is best for the largest number of people in Northern Ireland.”
“The amendment is similar to last week's Adjournment debate. Our current system for teacher training is fragmented and not cost-effective. We are producing too many teachers who will not find teaching posts in Northern Ireland. Therefore we only educate and export them elsewhere. The premia act as a subsidy to the teacher training colleges in recognition of their smaller size. It is hard to justify that at the best of times, but certainly not in times of pressures on budgets, when university and college places are in jeopardy.”
“For many, it may mean the end of their hopes and ambitions for third-level education. Investing in higher education and training must be a top priority for the Executive, not just to enhance the economy but to enhance young people's life chances.”
“Fewer FE and HE places will mean a smaller workforce capable of high-end jobs. Those who cannot get a third-level place will leave our shores, which will only serve to escalate the decades long brain drain of our brightest students, who could have remained here if we had cared to invest in them.”