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 very much welcome the Minister's announcement of reviewing urgently the ETSU-R-97 and of introducing the climate change Bill. Can the Minister be a bit more specific about the timescale for bringing in the climate change Bill and about whether he is going to put in targets for mitigating measures?”
“— and that the exemption has outlived its sell-by date.”
“— to a certificate being open to all students. <BR /> <BR />Ms McLaughlin said that access to a certificate is important —”
“<BR /> <BR />Mr Rogers said that the SDLP advocates parental choice, but he said that he would like to see Stranmillis giving more information and support to students in getting the certificate. That is our aim as well. He said that he wants to see access —”
“However, for now, we seek to address the imbalance by calling on St Mary's, as an interim measure, to provide access to the teaching of the certificate in religious education to students from other teacher-training institutions, including Stranmillis University College. <BR /> <BR />I will now refer to Members' comments on our amendment. Sinn Féin and the SDLP stated that they will oppose the motion and the amendment, although I found that the Members who spoke were all really saying that they wanted to see more collaboration between St Mary's and Stranmillis in not having that barrier for our undergraduates when learning their teacher training. <BR /> <BR />Mr Sheehan said that the debate today creates an atmosphere of distrust, setting back the potential for collaboration. I hope that that is not the aim of the Alliance Party.”
“Their only option is to undertake distance learning through the University of Glasgow, which means additional time and resource costs. A number of Members referred to that. <BR /> <BR />The Alliance Party respects the fact that there is a range of sectors in the Northern Ireland education system. Across those sectors, different ethoses may need to be accommodated. However, our ideal would be to see a more pluralist certificate that ensures that teachers are trained to work in any context, particularly given the growing diversity in our society, so that those of non-Christian faiths or from no religious background are catered for in our schools system.”
“<BR /> <BR />As Members outlined, there is an ongoing requirement for a teacher to possess the certificate in religious education in order to work in nursery and primary schools in the Catholic maintained sector. The crux of the matter is access to the CRE for students at Stranmillis University College and others who may also be affected. At present, Queen's focuses on PGCEs for secondary-level education, where this is less of an issue. Ulster University students study for the certificate as part of the training that is facilitated by the Catholic Church. At St Mary's, provision for the certificate is also part of the course. However, students of Stranmillis have no direct access to studying for the certificate.”
“I thank all the Members who referred to our amendment. <BR /> <BR />The Alliance Party recognises that the motion seeks to address equality of opportunity, and, although we support it, it is important to note that any change would have to be made by amending legislation, and that could take a few years. For that reason, we tabled our amendment as an interim solution. There are a number of issues relating to teacher training, but the debate primarily concerns the existence of the teacher exemption in equality legislation. That is based on article 71 of the Fair Employment and Treatment (Northern Ireland) Order 1998, and it is OFMDFM's responsibility to initiate legislative change. A number of Members referred to that.”
“It will maintain its watchful brief on these and other relevant EU activities throughout 2015 by seeking regular updates from the Minister and his officials. I support the motion.”
“REFIT will carry out an evaluation of existing legislation, covering a number of areas, which include a reduction of CO2 emissions from light duty vehicles; fuel quality; drinking water; environmental noise; and the birds and habitats directives. The Committee will monitor the Department's input to those evaluations, particularly in relation to the current evaluation of the birds and habitats directives, and any possible legislative changes resulting from the programme. <BR /> <BR />In conclusion, as part of the Committee's scrutiny and consideration of these issues, it has already sought information from the Department on its key priorities.”
“A new international climate change agreement between UN countries is to be developed and adopted at the Paris climate conference at the end of 2015 and implemented from 2020. <BR /> <BR />The Committee will monitor the way in which the Department proposes to prepare for the implementation of an agreement that sets targets beyond the timescales of current Northern Ireland action plans and programmes. Those include a greenhouse gas emissions action plan up to 2025, which was produced by the Department in 2011. In 2014, an adaptation programme was also introduced for 2015-19, setting out actions that are needed to respond to the impacts of climate change. <BR /> <BR />The Committee's third priority relates to evaluations that were carried out under the REFIT programme.”
“<BR /> <BR />The Committee has a particular interest in the greenhouse gas emissions reductions target that is set out in the framework and the plan to introduce a new emission reduction target of at least 40% in 2030 compared with 1990. That will build on the 2011 greenhouse gas emissions reduction plan to achieve the 35% reduction of greenhouse gases by 2025. The Committee will continue to monitor progress closely in delivering those targets. The revision of the directive will also require the Department to update associated guidance documents. The Committee will keep a watching brief on the issue throughout 2015. <BR /> <BR />The Committee's second priority relates to the communication on the road to Paris regarding the multilateral response to climate change.”
“I welcome the opportunity to speak in the debate as Chairperson of the Committee for the Environment. <BR /> <BR />On 12 February, the Committee agreed its priorities from the European Commission work programme for 2015 following a briefing from the Assembly Research and Information Service. The Committee further refined its key priorities on 12 March. <BR /> <BR />The first priority that the Committee identified is the strategic framework for the energy union, which was also mentioned by Mr McGlone. Much of the focus of the framework falls under the remit of DETI, including energy supply security and integration of national energy markets. However, the framework also includes the revision of the EU emissions trading system as part of the legislative framework post 2020.”
“An example of the success of the work undertaken by the group to address gender bias is the initiative Women in STEM, Addressing the Gender Balance, which supports women into management positions in manufacturing and engineering companies. <BR /> <BR />The initiative supports companies to develop females in a successful career in STEM, promote STEM to schoolgirls and establish a women's network to mentor and support women and girls. In June 2014, the Equality Commission, in conjunction with the group and DEL, established a STEM CEO charter for businesses to show their commitment to taking steps to recruit and retain more women in the workplace. It is by working together that we can begin to see a change in the historical deficit of female representation in the STEM sector.”
“However, it is very disappointing that the Education Minister has decided to cut 50% of the budget for Sentinus, which promotes STEM subjects in primary and secondary schools. That is another example of silo mentality in the Assembly. <BR /> <BR />Of the 25 recommendations in the STEM strategy, five are for businesses to carry forward. To address the problem of under-representation comprehensively, the approach must be collaborative and include parents, schools and agencies. To deal with the business-specific recommendations, the STEM business subgroup was formed, with a DEL-funded post of business coordinator.”
“Thank you. She is certainly an excellent role model with her degree in civil engineering. <BR /> <BR />Media focus on prominent women scientists, engineers and STEM teachers as role models can change the perception that those are careers for only men. <BR /> <BR />Minister Stephen Farry and his Department are aware of the challenges and have led in the production and implementation of the STEM strategy, Success through STEM, which has been endorsed by the Executive. The strategy aims to encourage more of our young people, particularly females, to study and pursue a career in STEM. <BR /> <BR />DEL has been working on a gender action plan as well as taking into consideration gender bias in career and apprenticeship reviews.”
“<BR /> <BR />As public spending cuts deepen, there will be fewer teachers in schools and a reduction in administrative and social policy jobs in the Civil Service, so women and girls will have much better job prospects with qualifications in not only STEM degrees but the traditionally perceived men's trades as technicians or electricians. It is not easy to replace a "scientist equals man" image, which is deeply embedded in our culture. We need a culture shift to make those sectors more attractive to women and to make young women more aware of the wide range of career options available in those industries. We need enthusiastic parents, teachers and career advisers to encourage girls to embark on STEM careers. Role models are important for inspiring females to take up technical subjects and pursue careers in male-dominated sectors.”
“The fact that men outnumber women by nearly three to one in STEM posts is not surprising. While female students tend to do better than their male counterparts in GCSE and A-level results and are more likely to enter higher education, less than 30% of females graduate in STEM subjects. The under-representation of women in STEM jobs is not just a gender equality issue. There are wider economic consequences for our economy and international competitiveness. <BR /> <BR />The workforce of the future will need to be skilled in STEM to meet the growing demands from an economy increasingly dependent on ICT and innovation from research and development. Therefore, it is vital that more young people are encouraged to study STEM subjects. If we fail to inspire our young females, we are not maximising the potential pool of talent from both sexes.”
“I am glad to hear the Minister say that the programme will be evaluated. I am sure that she will agree with me that we are now a multicultural society and that a cultural awareness programme should have included other cultures.”
“What does the Minister believe the Equality Commission's thoughts would be on recent media reports regarding the alleged vetoing of a proposed unionist unity candidate in South Belfast on the basis of his sexual orientation?”
“He criticised the use of the petition of concern. Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker.”
“I am almost done. <BR /> <BR />John McCallister wants to see there be maturity to have the debate when the Bill comes along.”
“No, I am sorry. I am running out of time.”
“<BR /> <BR />Jim Allister accused the Alliance Party of lots of things, including being illiberal and being so bigoted that it is not prepared to consider what the Bill might say. In our little world, we object to a lot of the things that he said. He was actually wrong when he said that we supported 50:50 PSNI recruitment. We did not. He said that we supported the Catholic teachers' certificate. We did not, so he was wrong again.”
“Caitríona Ruane said that the DUP has now rolled back on equality, that the conscience Bill is about the DUP's continued attempt to discriminate against the LGBT community, and that Sinn Féin will use a petition of concern to stop the Bill. <BR /> <BR />Edwin Poots said that the Alliance Party is losing its argument against the conscience Bill and that there is too much discrimination happening against Christians. Colum Eastwood mentioned that the age discrimination Act now discriminates against people on the basis of their age. He questioned whether the DUP, because it did not seek to put down an amendment to the motion concerning the age discrimination Act, now supports age discrimination legislation not starting at age 16. Alex Maskey said that the age discrimination Act should start at birth and apply to all ages.”
“<BR /> <BR />Danny Kinahan said that we are out of step with equality legislation, particularly on disability and women's rights, and that the single equality Act process had ground to a halt because of the dysfunctional nature of OFMDFM. He said that the UUP would support the amendment to find a way forward. <BR /> <BR />Stephen Moutray said that the conscience Bill is not about dominance but is meant to better protect those with genuine religious beliefs and should not be rejected outright by the Alliance Party.”
“Our equality law is, in some areas, less likely to meet, and is potentially in breach of, the standards set out in international human rights conventions. <BR /> <BR />I will now highlight some of the points that Members made in the debate. Paul Givan said that there was a knee-jerk reaction to his proposal for the conscience clause, which had been grossly misrepresented. He said that the amendment is an olive branch to appeal to Members for respectful discussion. <BR /> <BR />Bronwyn McGahan said that the bill of rights and the single equality Bill should protect everyone. Alex Attwood asked whether the DUP would confirm that it would accept the principle and practice of the age discrimination legislation covering under-16s. He said that the Equality Commission had not been punching above its weight in promoting equality law.”
“I do not need to remind the House of the fear felt among ethnic minority communities over the summer. OFMDFM's snail's pace has certainly not reassured them. The ethnic minority development fund runs out on 31 March and there has been no indication as to when and how it will be administered, even though organisations were told in February that the same level of funding will be available for the next financial year. <BR /> <BR />Clearly, Northern Ireland has now fallen behind in its equality legislation. It is sobering to reflect that all equality laws applying to Northern Ireland have been delivered either through primary legislation in Westminster or through OFMDFM using the Order in Council, acting under direct rule. Northern Ireland has been named in examinations of the UK by UN committees for non-compliance with treaty standards.”
“The single equality Bill will include the amendment of race equality legislation to cover colour and nationality alongside race and ethnic origin. If Members cast their minds back to the Assembly debate in 2009, they will recall that all parties supported the reform of race relations legislation. The Alliance Party, Sinn Féin and the SDLP all called for a single equality Bill in their manifestos. The UUP manifesto called for the Race Relations (Northern Ireland) Order 1997 to be amended as a matter of urgency. However, we continue to wait. <BR /> <BR />The draft racial equality strategy has still not been produced, even though the consultation closed in October 2014. Several questions for written answer that I have submitted remain unanswered.”
“<BR />Legislation should properly reflect and respect the diversity of identities. It certainly should not create a hierarchy of equality. If people want to run a business to provide services or facilities to the public, it must be for everyone; they simply cannot pick and choose who they wish to serve. The days when notices said, "No blacks, no Irish, no dogs" are gone. We cannot, therefore, accept the DUP's amendment, which would remove our rejection of the proposed conscience clause contained in the motion. The amendment may be dressed in a plausible manner but, so far, the DUP's tactic on the consultation process has been anything but respectful, accusing the Alliance Party of being anti-Christian. <BR /> <BR />Much of my career has been spent in the pursuit of racial equality in Northern Ireland.”
“The main gaps in Northern Ireland are in disability legislation and age discrimination legislation to cover under-16s, which my colleague Chris Lyttle and many others mentioned. <BR /> <BR />The DUP has long dragged its feet over publishing the sexual orientation strategy, but it readily consults on a private Member's Bill that would significantly weaken protection for lesbian, gay and bisexual individuals. The conscience clause would effectively legalise discrimination. Although equality policy is largely a devolved matter, that does not mean that we can create special rights regimes. The Alliance Party believes that there should be the same standard equality provisions throughout the UK. If we decide that exemptions from equality legislation are necessary, they should be limited, specific and justified objectively.”
“I thank all the Members who have contributed to the debate. The Alliance Party tabled the motion because, since the Westminster passage of the Equality Act 2010, there have been widening gaps in our equality law protection. We are calling for a single equality Bill to harmonise and simplify different pieces of anti-discrimination legislation. So far, we have failed to update our laws. It is time that we rectified that. Many Members voice their support for that. <BR /> <BR />It is worth adding that the EU is currently considering the simplification and harmonisation of the equality legislation with the horizontal directive. In the Republic of Ireland, there is also the Equal Status Act 2000.”
“The Committee also discussed how the changes would be promoted and would like the Department to make sure that the changes to the safety standards are widely publicised to assist parents with the choice of appropriate car seats. Accordingly, the Environment Committee has agreed to recommend that the motion is affirmed by the Assembly.”
“I thank the Minister for his very detailed explanation of the background and purpose of this affirmative statutory rule. The Committee first considered the SL1 proposal at its meeting on 13 November 2014 and was briefed by departmental officials on the rule at its meeting on 26 February 2015. Officials outlined how the rule will implement UNECE regulation 129 to introduce new safety standards with the aim of providing better protection for children travelling in cars. Members questioned officials about the timetable for implementing the legislation and were reassured that parents would not need to replace existing seats until at least 2018, when it is expected that most cars will have the necessary ISOFIX points to meet the new standard.”
“Obviously, the application process did not go very smoothly at the beginning. What is the ESF's added value in supporting training and employability outcomes?”
“I thank the Minister for his response. Given that the law in England and Wales has helped to ensure free speech and deter reckless defamation claims, which specific clauses does the Minister object to being implemented here?”
“Given that DOE will be merged with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and that there has always been, as the Minister knows, a tension between the environment and the interests of the farming industry, what steps is he taking to ensure that climate change mitigation stays in focus in Northern Ireland?”
“I thank the Member for giving way. Does the Member agree that a number of pieces of research have shown that female voters like to see more female candidates because they like to vote for female politicians.”
“I thank the Member for giving way. Dame Rosemary Butler was here last Friday and said, on quotas, that there has never been an issue about asking for merit in nominating men. That is a very interesting point that she put forward. We are always arguing that we should not have this issue about merit in nominating women, if you know what I mean.”
“The Minister said that he will not ban zero-hours contracts but will ban exclusivity clauses. How will he implement and enforce that?”
“In answer to that; it does not necessarily mean that renewable energy has to come from wind turbines. We are urging for a mix of different types of renewable energy.”
“The Committee believes that that would enhance transparency and accountability as well as providing a means of assessing the effectiveness of the schemes. <BR /> <BR />In conclusion, the Committee has made recommendations that it hopes will promote a more inclusive approach and thereby result in a more meaningful and real form of engagement to address the concerns of the communities whose approach to the Committee gave rise to the inquiry.”
“These include the mandatory use of a community engagement toolkit, the preparation of pre-application independent community engagement reports, and information events that are properly organised discussion sessions with opportunities for residents to have their questions answered. The Committee recommends that the level of community benefits payable be set at government level and that these should be made a condition of planning permission. A community benefits register, similar to the one in Scotland, should be set up as a public record of all types of benefit arising from wind developments.”
“The Committee found that, although the wind industry is aware that engagement is vital and is moving towards a more robust standardised approach, many residents still feel marginalised in the whole process of siting wind developments near their homes. Often, community concerns about visual amenity, noise and health are not given due regard. The views of residents need to be listened to and considered, and changes need to be made, if possible, to take account of their views. It is not just about preparing reports; there is a need to act on their findings. <BR /> <BR />The Committee has made a number of recommendations to promote timely and early engagement with communities.”
“Yes, I agree with the Member. We will keep a very close eye on the result of the investigation into that turbine collapse. The Committee report recommends a review of the separation distance and that that distance should be longer and wider than what the Department uses as guidance at the moment, particularly given that some turbines are taller now. We look forward to the response of the Department and the Minister to our recommendation on the separation distance. <BR /> <BR />The final term of reference for the inquiry related to the extent of engagement by wind energy providers with communities and the promotion of such engagement.”
“However, the recent collapse of a turbine in Tyrone led to a recommendation that any lessons learned from the investigation, which is ongoing, be implemented as soon as possible.”
“The Committee was concerned that there did not appear to be continuous, long-term monitoring of noise from wind farms, either by developers or by the relevant public sector organisations. Such information would provide developers and planners with factual evidence and a useful assessment measure for future applications. The Committee has recommended that the Department commission independent research to measure the impact of low-frequency noise on residents living in proximity to individual turbines and wind farms in Northern Ireland. <BR /> <BR />The Committee has also recommended that the Department specify a minimum separation distance between wind turbines and dwellings. During the inquiry, the Committee received assurances from developers and the Department that wind turbines are generally a safe form of technology.”
“This has been the most emotive aspect of the inquiry. Many submissions detail the adverse impact that perceived noise from wind turbines is having on respondents' daily lives. From the evidence put before the Committee, it seems apparent that current guidelines for permissible levels of noise are no longer adequate. The Committee, therefore, recommends that the Department urgently review the use of the ETSU-R-97 guidelines with a view to adopting more modern and robust guidance for the measurement of wind turbine noise.”
“<BR /> <BR />The Committee recommends that planning applications for connection to the grid be assessed at the same time as the turbine application and welcomes the Department's inclusion of that provision in its latest draft of the SPPS. <BR /> <BR />The Committee believes that the requirement to notify neighbours who occupy buildings on land within 80 metres of the boundary of the application site is inadequate for the latest wind turbines, which may exceed 110 metres in height and have a much greater impact in open countryside than in an urban environment. The Committee recommends that the Department review that distance with a view to extending it beyond the current radius. <BR /> <BR />The second term of reference of the inquiry focuses on wind turbine noise and separation distances from dwellings.”
“<BR /> <BR />The Committee agreed that the Department should carry out an audit of the effectiveness of PPS 18 in determining both the environmental and economic outputs of wind energy. The Committee believes that that exercise would be useful not only in establishing the effectiveness of PPS 18 but in determining future policy and practice. <BR /> <BR />The Committee found that many submissions to the inquiry focused on the perceived inadequacies of current planning procedures and the cumulative impact of turbines. Members recognised that balancing individual applications against cumulative effect is a wider issue across planning, but the Committee has recommended that procedures be put in place so that a saturation point is clearly defined rather than it being the judgement call of individual planning officials.”