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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“The topic of nursery and primary-school provision in south and east Belfast has been talked about quite a few times. It was only a few weeks ago that I asked the Minister about the issue. <BR /> <BR />For parents whose children have missed out on nursery placements close to home, it means that they have to attend a nursery school further away and sometimes even one outside a catchment area. That puts additional time and cost pressures on parents.”
“I thank the Minister for a comprehensive answer. Can I ask the Minister exactly when the guidance will come out?”
“Of course, as we currently have no Budget, that support is only in principle.”
“A rationalisation of band instrument funding would be worthwhile, given that there appear to be seven sources of funding, although I appreciate that Comic Relief and the Heritage Lottery Fund are out of the scope of Assembly control. My view is that the Arts Council would be best placed to do that. Such an approach would also make it easier to apply conditions relating to community relations issues. <BR /> <BR />I ask the Minister to review how other funds can be incorporated in that. In such a difficult financial climate, we cannot continue to reject every money-saving idea that we are presented with. However, as the fund has not been scrapped and as the Minister is on record as saying that she would submit a bid in June, the Alliance Party will support the motion.”
“There is still a perception of disorderly behaviour and paramilitary connection attached to bands of both unionist and nationalist persuasions. While that could well be just public perception, there is obviously a need to promote a more positive image. <BR /> <BR />It is worth noting that there is already alternative funding for instruments that can be found in the Arts Council's small grants programme and its equipment programme. Bands can also apply for funds via the Community Relations Council's cultural diversity grant, Comic Relief, the Ulster-Scots Agency for some bands, local councils and the Heritage Lottery Fund. That is a better position than that of many other voluntary and community organisations and groups, which, when funding is cut, have nowhere else to turn to.”
“It is my understanding that bands in receipt of the previous round of funding are not eligible to apply. <BR /> <BR />I know that, when Nelson McCausland was Minister, he commissioned a report on marching bands in Northern Ireland, which I think he referred to earlier. That report gives a good overview of the importance of marching bands to sections of our community. Involvement requires commitment, skill and discipline. Bands have also reached out to traditionally difficult demographics — for example, male teenagers — and allowed them to engage in cultural and musical practice. It is not just the individual who benefits: through those social events, families and their communities are brought together. Of course, there are sectarian elements that need to be addressed, and the report goes into some detail on that.”
“The Arts Council has three funding programmes that are relevant to marching bands, the main one being the musical instruments for bands programme, which aims to improve the quality of the music and replace worn-out instruments in deprived areas. That scheme is currently on hold; it has not been removed. I understand that the Arts Council funding for its instrument programme is very thorough. To be eligible, an applicant has to reach a high standard, and monitoring continues for five years after an instrument has been received. Many bands work hard to get to that level, and it is important to maintain that incentive. Over £0·5 million has been awarded under the scheme in the past three years. The annual budget for that funding was set in 2006 at £150,000, with a maximum individual grant of £5,000.”
“The Minister indicated to the Committee that, following the publication of the finalised strategic planning policy statement (SPPS), he would undertake a review of the planning policies for renewable energy, including, obviously, wind turbines. Will he set out for us the timescale of the review, given the fact that councils are now developing their development plans?”
“The 10-year delay in publishing and bringing forward the strategy is a disgrace. The junior Minister mentioned the incident with Mr Paul Finlay-Dickson. Does the Minister not see the need for urgency in bringing forward the strategy? The consultation has taken far too long, and we are still seeing more and more delay.”
“It is the Health Minister's responsibility to produce guidance and to regulate clinics like Marie Stopes to safeguard women accessing legal terminations. Why have previous and current DUP Ministers not done that? The answer, to me, is simple: their sole aim is to make access to abortions harder for women, without any compassion or attempt to understand what the women are going through. Continuing to push for the amendment is not constructive, and the Justice Bill is certainly not the place to deal with it. I oppose the amendment.”
“No, I am sorry. <BR /> <BR />Those who cannot afford it, resort to other means. Therefore, this is also a class issue. <BR /> <BR />As a legislature, we cannot even have a sensible discussion about sex education in schools, let alone a discussion on how we ensure that women have access to the help and information they require when faced with a crisis pregnancy. Perhaps it is not surprising that some Members choose to ignore the fact that we export the problem. They prefer to focus their time and energy on closing down Marie Stopes, which operates within Northern Ireland law. <BR /> <BR />I stress that women's healthcare should not be a matter regulated by criminal law. Women who seek to have legal abortions in private healthcare are patients, not criminals.”
“Regardless of your opinion on the morals of abortion, surely we should ensure that women receive appropriate healthcare. Private clinics like Marie Stopes allow women access to legal abortions with medical support. <BR /> <BR />The hypocrisy behind all of this is most frustrating. Thousands of women who can afford it travel every year to other jurisdictions to access terminations —”
“<BR /> <BR />Many complaints were made during the Criminal Justice Bill debate in 2013 about the lack of regulation of private sexual health clinics that provided legal terminations. Given the fact that the Minister of Health said in November 2012 that he would introduce regulations and that Marie Stopes is on record as welcoming regulation, I do not accept the arguments of any Members who continue to use lack of regulation as a reason to support the amendment. The Health Minister could have done something about that, but he did not. <BR /> <BR />Among its many flaws, the amendment would prevent women receiving care and treatment in a private clinic. We know that women obtain abortion pills online and take them at risk to themselves without medical assistance.”
“Right now, there is no clear guidance on abortion for women in Northern Ireland. After 10 years of delay, the courts ordered the Health Department to publish guidance on termination of pregnancy. That was in 2013, and we are still waiting. That is a serious failing of previous Health Ministers, and I hope that the new Health Minister will bring forward the guidance without further delay. As our law on abortion stands, healthcare professionals operate in a legal vacuum. That has been compounded by previous draft versions of the guidelines that instilled a climate of fear in our medical profession. Amendment No 34 serves only to further restrict clinicians in doing their job.”
“No, I will not. I am sorry; my speech is short. The amendment would criminalise any person who ended the life of an unborn child at any stage of development. There is no definition in Northern Ireland law, UK law or Irish law of an unborn child. Ambiguous law is bad law, because it leaves itself open to interpretation. The morning-after pill could be seen as a medical intervention that prevents the development of a child, so who should spend 10 years in prison? Is it the person who bought the pill, the pharmacist who dispensed it or both?”
“The Alliance Party's stance on abortion is that it should be left to the conscience of its members. My personal view has always been that, when a woman is faced with an unplanned pregnancy, she should have the freedom to decide what to do with her own body within the legally permitted time limit. My party has always been reluctant to sign a petition of concern, but, on this occasion, it is essential to take that option, and I am proud to lend my name to blocking amendment No 34. It is a badly drafted amendment that has never been subjected to a full public consultation, not in 2013 and not now.”
“— any possibility of helping or subsidising those courses?”
“Minister, I was speaking with Employers for Childcare this morning about the shortage of childcare workers. It told me that there is a great shortage; it cannot recruit enough qualified childcare workers. Apparently, trying to get qualifications is very expensive; it can be up to £1,200 per course to get people qualified. Is there —”
“I thank the Minister for his very comprehensive statement. I am very pleased to hear of the many issues that were discussed. Certainly, there are very good opportunities for cooperation and collaboration between the two jurisdictions. Will the Minister outline some of the key findings of the interim report on the air quality research study? Moreover, when will the final report come out? Does he anticipate any legislative changes coming from the recommendations?”
“The problem with this is the lack of a site and lack of certainty about when and where the school will happen. Will the Minister consider putting forward a firm proposal on where the school will be before he decides to close the three schools?”
“I am pleased to hear that it has been progressing well. Does the Minister intend to evaluate the whole process and produce a report?”
“<BR /> <BR />I support the motion and amendment because we should be doing all we can to save the lives of those who suffer a cardiac arrest.”
“However, a quick sample of 10 marked locations on the map showed that only half had sufficient information on the address, geographical coordinates, location of defibrillator and opening hours, all of which should be given when you click on the specific location. For it to be effective, it is vital that that information is kept up to date. It seems that a number of them do not provide such information. The time spent travelling to a location, only to find that a defibrillator is not installed or that the premises is closed, could have devastating consequences. Ministers must bear this in mind when installing equipment. Training needs to be rolled out in conjunction with this. I would not have the confidence to use the equipment and would probably opt to wait for an ambulance, should I find myself in such a situation.”
“That is something that certainly needs to be addressed. Defibs4kids estimates that, throughout Northern Ireland, around 30 schools had defibrillators prior to the launch of its campaign. The latest figures show that 196 now have defibrillators, with 41 schools using the newly created education board tender during the first term of this academic year. Its vision is tried and tested and, apparently, working. It makes sense that we roll it out. <BR /> <BR />There is already an interactive map showing defibrillators in schools around the country, which is a worthwhile initiative. It allows you, at a glance, to see where the nearest defibrillator is. With so many people reliant on their smartphones nowadays, that is a very good idea.”
“<BR /> <BR />Like other Members who have spoken, I pay tribute to the Defibs4kids organisation, which was started by a parent and a teacher from St Colman's Primary School two years ago. Defibs4kids has been doing fantastic work in raising awareness, promoting CPR and working towards ensuring that CPR training becomes a mandatory part of the curriculum for all children and trainee teachers. It has been improving the availability of automated external defibrillators in schools, sporting organisations and public places across Northern Ireland as well as helping to create and maintain an online database of mobile and static defibrillators' locations, which, I am sure, provided some inspiration for the motion. <BR /> <BR />Currently, there is no national database in the UK or the Republic of Ireland.”
“First, I thank the Members who brought the motion and the amendment for raising awareness of this very important issue, not only in the House but in the media. <BR /> <BR />I think it is important to stress again that, every year, in Northern Ireland, over 1,400 people suffer an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Sadly, less than 10% of them will survive. We know that early resuscitation and a defibrillator shock are vital to a person's chances of surviving a cardiac arrest. However, CPR should be started as soon as possible while waiting for an ambulance or the delivery of a defibrillator machine from nearby. <BR /> <BR />It is heartening to see increasing awareness of the importance of defibrillators, with sporting associations and other community groups leading by example. I welcome the motion urging Departments to follow suit.”
“I welcome the Minister's statement and the important work that is being planned. Can he confirm his absolute determination to continue the process whereby under-18s are detained at Woodlands, not Hydebank? I know that stakeholders will want to hear that loud and clear. Can he also confirm that stakeholders will be involved in the process of the scoping review?”
“It is very welcome to hear that the Minister will engage with the Home Office again on the matter. Will he involve the Irish Government in banning the sale of those substances?”
“I thank the Minister for his response and for his work on this very difficult issue. Can he advise the Assembly whether he intends to proceed with taking his proposal to the Executive? Does he believe that the Executive should allow the Assembly to consider rather than block legislation on the issue?”
“Does the Member accept that that is not a funding cut? It is an EU programme with an open and competitive process.”
“Will you agree that the voluntary and community sector is seen as an easy target and a lazy option for cuts?”
“No, sorry. I am running out of time. <BR /> <BR />Sixty of the projects are related to the community and voluntary sector. That funding will support over 10,000 young people who are not in education, employment or training, over 7,000 people with disabilities, almost 25,000 people who are unemployed or economically inactive, and it will help over 2,000 families in need.”
“Surely. I was about to say that timings of the process are inevitably difficult. The Northern Ireland operational programme was approved by the European Commission in December 2014, and we were one of the first regions across the EU to obtain that approval. Decisions to allocate funding to 65 projects were made before the end of March, allowing for continuity from 1 April, where relevant. Sixty-eight projects have been funded, which amounts to £112 million over three years.”
“Secondly, the funding is allocated under an open and competitive process. No organisation should have gone into the process with an automatic expectation of funding. Inevitably, this competitive process means that some organisations will be funded and others may not.”
“The current round was 1·8 times oversubscribed. Also, due to cuts in spending in other Departments and issues around the formation of the new councils, there may be problems with organisations securing match funding.”
“In education, everything seems to get sacrificed rather than dealing with a segregated system. While I appreciate the large-scale cuts to the budget of the Department of the Environment, I question the rationale of 100% cuts being passed on to many environmental NGOs. Although, under pressure, the Minister has somewhat reversed his position, it will not be until the end of June that many groups will receive clarity on funding. It was also very much a top-down approach, with little consultation with partners in the sector. <BR /> <BR />There is a focus in this debate on the European social fund. The fund has not experienced a cut. In fact, the current funding round is bigger than before. However, it is under greater pressure due to cuts elsewhere.”
“Thank you. There has not been a very strategic approach taken by the Executive, in particular by the DUP and Sinn Féin, to decision-making, coordination and budget setting. However, it is important that we do not generalise and say that all Ministers have taken the same approach or made similar decisions that have impacted on the voluntary and community sector. I know that the Minister of Justice and the Minister for Employment and Learning value the sector and rely on it for core aspects of the aims and objectives of their Departments. <BR /> <BR />However, counterproductive actions have been taken by others. Cutting early years funding entails that the most crucial intervention — at the beginning of education — is undermined, as others alluded to.”
“I welcome this debate. As one who worked for many years in the community and voluntary sector, I stress its importance as part of our society and a key provider of services. <BR /> <BR />In many respects, it is more efficient and effective in interventions on the ground and in the delivery of specific services than government would be directly. That is recognised in a concordat between the sector and the Executive, although it could probably go further. <BR /> <BR />I sympathise with the frustrations being expressed by the sector in relation to budget cuts. I also recognise the concerns that the sector is disproportionately bearing the brunt of cuts and the cumulative effect of cuts from various sources. An example of that is the Ballynafeigh Community Development Association in my constituency.”
“I thank the Minister for his answer. Similarly, in south Belfast, we see a huge shortage of nursery and playgroup places. Is there any plan to address that oversubscription?”
“The Minister may be aware that I have just come from a Committee meeting with Queen's about funding for the NGO sector, which is facing huge uncertainty, not only this year but more so next year through the new Department. In his briefings to the Committee, the Minister has not given any assurances or explanations of how the savings will be used. Will the Minister give us a commitment that any savings from the voluntary exit scheme will be used to fund the voluntary sector and the likes of Queen's, which are doing the work of the Department in discharging some of its statutory duties?”
“I thank the Minister for his statement. I appreciate that there are practical difficulties to be resolved with the mutual recognition of penalty points, but we have been hearing about that for some time. Will the Minister provide more detail on the legal advice that is being sought on issues relating to equality of treatment? Will he let us know what further progress is needed before the mutual recognition of penalty points can be implemented?”
“I share the Minister's concern about the immigration restrictions on foreign students. I am aware that the university intake of overseas students has dropped in recent years because of the restriction by Westminster. What power do we have in Northern Ireland to mitigate these restrictions?”
“I follow my party colleague the Minister's congratulations to Tom Elliott on his success in the recent election.”
“That is to be welcomed. Higher-level apprenticeships are very much valued by young people. Those who do not go to university appreciate the opportunities they provide. How is the Minister going to identify new opportunities for the higher-level apprenticeships?”
“Last year, a number of curator vacancies were not filled. Do we now have enough curators to man all our museums?”
“Thank you. That was a very clear answer from the Minister. Given my earlier question about a new Department taking in agriculture and the environment, what will happen to DOE's staff and its headquarters?”
“I thank the Minister for her response, and I welcome her proactive approach to looking at the two Departments working together. <BR /> <BR />I am sure that she will agree about the environment sector's important role. Will she give a commitment that, before finalising any details about the group for the two Departments that she talked about, there will be engagement or a public consultation on how the environment function will move forward?”
“The ethnic minority fund for 2013-15 ended on 31 March, and it is not known to the organisations when the new round of funding will finish. Obviously, the two- or three-month gap in funding will negatively impact on the ability of ethnic minority organisations to help finalise the racial equality strategy. Will the Minister consider extending funding to all the organisations that have received funding for the previous two years until the outcome of the funding round is known?”
“The Minister said that a kind of bottom-up approach would be taken. Apart from being involved in the strategic forum, what will the community and voluntary sector's involvement or role be in the implementation of the strategy?”
“I certainly welcome the Minister's statement. As he said, economic inactivity is not only a long-term problem for Northern Ireland but a very complex societal matter.”