Trevor Clarke
South Antrim · Democratic Unionist Party · Northern Ireland
“For recruitment to the current Youth Assembly and on the basis of research on the youth demographic in Northern Ireland, a minimum of 10 young people with disabilities were sought in order to be representative of the data. Of the 90 young people appointed to the Youth Assembly, 18 have a disability.”
“<BR /> <BR />The Youth Assembly regularly uses social media to promote its work, and, when preparing for a new mandate, targeted multimedia recruitment campaigns are used to engage young people and encourage participation.”
“<BR /> <BR />The Assembly Commission also has an apprenticeship and placement framework that provides the opportunity for people with a disability to avail themselves of short-term supported placements.”
“In 2025, 770 tours were delivered and the number of events hosted in Parliament Buildings almost doubled to 583. <BR /> <BR />Our Education Service promotes its programmes to schools and colleges through an annual September mail-out, outlining provision for the relevant Key Stages, including a focus on inclusive engagement for children wi…”
“Mr Speaker, I may require an extra minute to answer the question. <BR /> <BR />I thank the Member for her question. The Assembly Commission's school work experience programme is facilitated through a partnership between our internal education services team and an organisation called Futures For All, a social mobility charity.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, with your permission, I may need an extra minute to answer the question, and I thank the Member for it. <BR /> <BR />The Assembly Commission's public engagement strategy 2025-27 aims to increase awareness, improve understanding and enable participation in the work of the Assembly.”
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“I thank the Members for their questions. <BR /> <BR />The Assembly Commission has had a number of discussions on the matter. It is important to make Members aware that the Assembly Commission's remit relates solely to the provision of allowances to enable Members to exercise their functions as Members. The Assembly Commission has the ability to provide additional support to a Member who is absent due to parental leave to carry out the constituency work that a Member would otherwise have undertaken. Additional support could be made available to assist with constituency work through an increase to the staffing costs that are made available to a Member under the provisions of the Assembly Members (Salaries and Expenses) Determination (Northern Ireland) 2016.”
“On the first point, as I have already said, the Commission is meeting today to discuss how to advance that. The date of its commencement will be decided by the Commission, and no decision has been taken on that yet.”
“The review has been informed by the aforementioned report, which was debated and agreed on by resolution of the Assembly on 9 November 2021. <BR /> <BR />Since then, while the Assembly Commission has considered a number of papers on the matter, the Assembly Commission thought it inappropriate to conclude its deliberations when the Assembly was not sitting. However, since the resumption of Assembly business, there have been a number of discussions between Members and officials in advance of formal discussion at the first meeting of the newly constituted Assembly Commission this afternoon. Once the review of the FAPP scheme has been completed, the Assembly Commission will bring the revised scheme before the Assembly for its approval.”
“That includes payments to parties that are the official Opposition. The payments are delivered under the provisions of the financial assistance for political parties (FAPP) scheme 2016. <BR /> <BR />While the current FAPP scheme already provides payments to official Opposition parties, it is recognised that those payments are different from those contained in the 'Report on the outcome of the independent Review of the adequacy and effectiveness of the Statement of Entitlements for an Official Opposition at the Northern Ireland Assembly. <BR /> <BR />The Assembly Commission agreed to review the FAPP scheme in 2020 to encompass a wide variety of issues, including the level of funding that could be made available for official Opposition parties.”
“I thank the Member for his question. The Financial Assistance for Political Parties Act (Northern Ireland) 2000 provides the mechanism for the Assembly to agree funding to be made available to political parties for the purpose of:”
“In response to Mr McGrath, you said that you are not the Minister for policing, which you are not, but it is, of course, a tripartite arrangement. On Linda Dillon's question about injury-on-duty, we have come across that many times — sorry, I should have declared an interest as a member of the Policing Board — whereby we are being asked to make decisions on medical grounds, when none of us has medical training. We are told that the matter has been discussed with the Department and that it is Department that should be introducing legislation. As far as we on the Policing Board are aware, the Department is aware of that. Is that true?”
“I am sure that the Chief Constable will welcome your support on that. However, the officers who have waited a long time for their pay rise are now hearing that the budget is not recurrent. What continuing conversations will you have with the Chief Constable and the Policing Board to give them the assurance that the budget will continue in the future? Will you say more about the nature of the pay rise for the civilian staff, many of whom do different jobs, which have different risks, compared with the wider Civil Service.”
“Thanks very much for your answer, Minister. In your response, you talked about the uniform grant and the guidance. It is clear that some schools are not following the guidance. Given that, what are your plans, going forward, for the removal of some of the costs that you referred to?”
“I thank the Minister for his answer. Does the Minister agree that, while people are intimidated from their homes, the system has, in many instances, been abused to make people's points allocations more favourable? In each of those phases, has there been any consideration of reviewing how intimidation points are allocated?”
“Like others, I congratulate the Minister on his appointment. I worked with him previously, and, hopefully, we will have the same relationship going forward. <BR /> <BR />Minister, you responded to two Members about checking on the utilities. Of course, when your Department allocates jobs, some of those jobs turn out to be substandard and fail quite quickly after the repair. Will any work be done on that to ensure that the money is spent wisely?”
“How will the Minister prioritise those very dilapidated buildings and bring them up to standard?”
“I join others on the list of the Minister's new-found friends. I wish him well in his new role. Lots of Members' questions have been on new builds and there has been much focus on them. I was in Greystone Primary School in my constituency on Friday. It is a 1970s school with the windows falling out.”
“In addition to her paid roles, Dorinnia has taken on a number of voluntary roles in Northern Ireland, in the public sector as well as the voluntary and community sector, including being on the board of trustees for Belfast and Lisburn Women's Aid. <BR /> <BR />It is the recruitment panel's view that Dorinnia is very well qualified to take on the challenges posed by the role of the C&AG. On that basis, I commend the nomination of Dorinnia Carville as the Comptroller and Auditor General for Northern Ireland to the House.”
“She also represented the Northern Ireland Audit Office on the public audit forum with colleagues from the audit offices in England, Wales and Scotland. <BR /> <BR />Following the review of public administration, Dorinnia moved in to local government as director of corporate services at Newry, Mourne and Down District Council in 2016. She is the senior financial officer in the council, and is responsible for a wide range of corporate services, including audit, human resources, legal and compliance, communications, marketing and capital projects. Dorinnia holds the position of deputy chief executive, and, since February 2022, she has been the council's acting chief executive.”
“In that regard, Dorinnia has an exemplary track record in her academic studies and career to date to fill the role of C&AG. Dorinnia is a graduate of Queen's University Belfast, with a degree in law with politics. Dorinnia trained and worked as a chartered accountant in the big four accountancy firms in London and Belfast. She then moved to public-sector audit, joining the Northern Ireland Audit Office and gaining experience in auditing a wide range of public bodies in Northern Ireland. During her 11 years with the Northern Ireland Audit Office, Dorinnia held a number of positions, including financial auditor director and director of corporate services. In that position, she was the technical director, providing technical audit advice to the C&AG and the local government auditor.”
“I place on record my thanks to all the panel members, but I especially thank Mr Pitt and Mr McCarthy for their help and insight, which was of tremendous assistance to the recruitment panel. <BR /> <BR />Following a fair and open recruitment competition, the recruitment panel identified Dorinnia Carville for nomination as the C&AG. The Assembly Commission laid a proposal in the Business Office last Friday that listed Dorinnia as the individual who had been identified for nomination by the Assembly. The Speaker also wrote to all Members last Friday to inform them of that. <BR /> <BR />The role of the C&AG is important. It was vital that the recruitment process identified a person who had the necessary experience, skill and judgement to be successful in the role.”
“I thank Mr Donnelly for his unwavering approach to ensuring that the highest governance standards were applied to public finances in Northern Ireland and for his firm commitment to ensuring that the resources that were allocated to public entities were used in an economically efficient and effective manner, which gave confidence to Members and people further afield. We wish him well in his retirement. <BR /> <BR />The recruitment panel for the appointment process to find a successor to Mr Donnelly comprised the Speaker; Mr Martin Pitt, the chairperson of the Audit Office advisory board; Mr Seamus McCarthy, the Comptroller and Auditor General of Ireland; and the Clerk/Chief Executive of the Assembly, Mrs Lesley Hogg.”
“In particular, the C&AG works closely with the Public Accounts Committee in order to help the Committee to discharge its responsibilities to examine public spending and, in doing so, to highlight good and, perhaps, poor practice or poor value for money and, crucially, to recommend improvements to the overall stewardship of taxpayers' money. Therefore, the role of the C&AG is crucial in ensuring that public finances are disbursed in a lawful and effective manner and that appropriate review of expenditure is undertaken to ensure that it delivers its intended outcomes. <BR /> <BR />Members may know that the tenure of the current C&AG, Kieran Donnelly CB, is due to end shortly.”
“Section 65(1) of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 provides for the Assembly to nominate a Comptroller and Auditor General, or C&AG, for Northern Ireland. The appointment of the C&AG is by Her Majesty on the nomination of the Assembly. As well as authorising the issue of money from the Consolidated Fund to allow public-sector entities to meet their expenditure requirements, the C&AG has responsibility for the audit of government bodies, including the Northern Ireland Departments, Executive agencies and a wide range of other public-sector bodies. That includes non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) and the Health and Social Care (HSC) bodies. <BR /> <BR />The C&AG undertakes financial audits and value-for-money audits, and Members may well be aware that the results of the C&AG's work are reported to the Assembly.”
“Like others, I am very pleased with the announcement, Minister. Two things strike me about it. First of all, it includes two schools in my constituency, Ballyclare Secondary School and Ballyclare High School. Secondly, in response to another Member, you talked about sustainability. To be included in the announcement, a school has to be a sustainable school. It is testament to those schools' sustainability that they made it on to the list. <BR /> <BR />Minister, you have been asked a number of times, in different ways, about how and when these programmes will be advanced. Have you any indication that any of them are ready to move? Indeed, if you are struggling for suggestions, may I suggest that you take them in alphabetical order?”
“I thank the Member for her supplementary question. The Assembly Commission will consider what you have raised. It is very much on our minds at the minute, given the rising energy costs, which are outwith the control of the Assembly.”
“I thank the Member for her question. The energy costs for Parliament Buildings relate to gas and electricity usage. The Assembly Commission avails itself of a Department of Finance framework for the provision of gas, and it also uses a DOF contract to purchase its 100% renewable electricity. The total energy cost for Parliament Buildings for this financial year, 2021-22, is forecast to be just under £480,000. That is an increase of £194,000 and is up almost 68% on the cost in 2020-21, which was £286,000.”
“I thank the Member for his question. I do not have that information in front of me today, but I will get him a more detailed follow-up answer.”
“I can give that assurance. The Assembly has gone to great lengths in the mediation process to get value for money for the Assembly and the wider public.”
“The Assembly Commission is closely monitoring the defects that you have referred to to determine whether remedial work needs to be carried out in advance of an agreement on the liability.”
“However, I can advise that the Commission has agreed that there should be an initial effort between the parties to resolve the issues of liability through mediation. Failing that, the Commission will issue legal proceedings against those responsible for the defects.”
“I thank the Member for his question. The Assembly Commission, in conjunction with the designers and the contractors, has investigated a number of water ingress issues in Parliament Buildings but, so far, has been unable to address all the issues successfully. Having been unable to agree on the cause of and responsibility for those issues, the Assembly Commission instructed solicitors in June 2021 to advise on determining liability for the defects. The external experts have prepared preliminary expert reports on the matter, and counsel has been instructed. <BR /> <BR />Given that the Assembly Commission may need to resolve the matter through legal proceedings, the Commission needs to be careful in its public comments on the matter.”
“I do not believe that there are any immediate plans, but the exhibition will be retained for future use and will be a particularly useful focus for future outreach events, including potentially using the exhibition in locations outside of Parliament Buildings.”
“I thank the Member for his question. The Speaker launched the exhibition on Friday 4 March 2022 at an event in the Great Hall to coincide with the first Women's Parliament. The launch was attended by members of the Assembly Women's Caucus, Parliament participants and some of the women who feature in the exhibition, academics and Assembly Commission staff who had assisted with the exhibition.”
“I thank the Minister for her answer. At the same time, I appreciate the difficulties that the courts service and many others had, given the pandemic. <BR /> <BR />Have any representative bodies made representation to the Minister about getting the courts service back to a normal process? Has anyone raised the suitability or otherwise of how some of the work has been done by video? It could be suggested that, sometimes, people do not get a fair representation.”
“I appreciate the Minister's acknowledgement that the review is overdue. However, it has long been called for. Why has it taken her Department so long to get to this stage, pushing it into the next mandate as opposed to bringing it forward in this mandate? Funeral and wedding car drivers are required to have a taxi licence. Those people already have driving licences, and there is no reason why it should take as long as it has.”
“I thank the Member for giving way. So that I cannot be accused of speaking for landlords, let me speak for tenants on that one. There are tenants in private tenancies, which are, invariably, more expensive than tenancies in the social housing sector. What that says to the tenant who, hopefully, has found a property in the social housing sector with cheaper rent is that they cannot have that house for 112 days; they will have to stay in the more expensive house for almost four months. That actually disadvantages the very people whom the Bill is intended to help.”
“As the Chair of the Committee has said, 17% of rental properties are in the private rental sector and houses in the public sector are in short supply. Does the Member accept that what could happen is that, universally, landlords will put rents up to allow for that 10% reduction?”
“I thank the Member for giving way. First, I apologise, Mr Deputy Speaker, that I failed to put it on record that I have rental properties, but it is recorded in the Register of Members' Interests. <BR /> <BR />I take the Member's point about cash — as a landlord, I do not take cash — but there are occasions on which tenants have no access to bank accounts, and cash is their only means of payment. We need to be careful not to inhibit people who have difficulty with banking.”
“Will the Member address what the Minister said about situations where you have a problem tenant? A problem tenant could have been in a property for more than eight years. Given the rights that amendment No 15 gives tenants, what would you say to people who live next door to difficult tenants? Is it acceptable for such tenants to stay for 224 days, as they would be able to under your amendment?”
“Does the Member accept that the Minister has been fairly dismissive of some of the suggestions that have been made in the debate and even of the Association of British Insurers and the grey area to which he has referred? Does the Member accept my assertion that the Minister has been dismissive of some of those suggestions and has disregarded the concerns of many members of the public about all the problems that they face?”
“Does the Minister also accept that the five-year period from which she has taken those figures covers the period when the centres were shut?”
“Will the Minister give way on the same point?”
“I concur with the Member. I raised the issue of the trailer test with the Minister, but she was not minded to do that here. Today is an opportunity for her to say why that is and why she is not taking on some of the suggestions that the Member makes. All those things will reduce the numbers of people waiting. <BR /> <BR />I support the thrust of the motion.”
“There is already a difference between here and the mainland, and it is probably more important to look at that, as opposed to making roads and cars safer. Obviously, we cannot do that at the moment. <BR /> <BR />Ms Hunter talked about us running away, but the Minister has had this problem for two years, and it is still not fixed. Whilst some may accuse us of running away, the Minister has been responsible for her Department for two years. The problem has not gone away; indeed, it is getting worse. I look forward to hearing those innovative and creative ideas for fixing the problems and coming up with solutions. We cannot continue in the way that we are.”
“Absolutely. That takes me back to November/December 1985, when I failed my test: I got to do it again in February. Now, however, in the same scenario, you will wait much longer. I know that, in the grand scheme of things, that may not seem important. <BR /> <BR />I suspect that the Minister muddied the waters at one stage when she talked about increasing the period from one year to two years: I am against that. You cannot say that you are up for safer roads and safer standards and then increase the MOT period to two years. Someone else referred to what has happened in England: they have continued with business as usual, but, of course, they have an added complication that we do not have, which is that their cars come due for MOT a year sooner than ours.”
“It may be a distant memory for us all, but I can clearly remember it. I remember the excitement of that time coming up to 17, but that has now been dashed. I have heard from people who, in the midst of the coronavirus regulations, had come to the magical age of 17 but had to wait for another year. In the grand scheme of things, that may not be the most important thing, but, as Mr Beggs mentioned, there are, for example, people who have gone through their education and want to work in domiciliary care but cannot do so unless they have their driving licence.”
“<BR /> <BR />I will correct the Minister's party colleague, who said that the numbers are now similar to those pre-COVID. We are testing less than we did pre-COVID, according to my reading of the motion, unless I have read it wrongly. It talks about a reduction from the pre-COVID numbers. If that is the case, it is an indictment of the Department. Maybe the Minister will address that in her contribution. <BR /> <BR />As I look around me, there are not many Members here who look close to 17 or 18 years of age. There is a degree of excitement when that time comes.”
“As time has gone on, however, the innovative ideas have not been there. <BR /> <BR />We have heard, for example, that the police will not do someone for not having an MOT, but we have never heard the same assurances from the insurance companies. Now, we are two years down the road, and people are having difficulty with obtaining road tax. There is no help for those people — no innovation, no ideas. Mr Beggs highlighted the problems associated with that, and I concur with him. Recently, most of the people who have contacted my office have asked how they can tax their vehicle without an MOT. They cannot do so because there is no solution for that. The Minister has missed a trick here. She should continue with short-term exemptions until she can get on top of the waiting list.”
“I will follow in Cathal Boylan's spirit when he said that we are here to scrutinise. I am not a member of the Committee for Infrastructure, but it is important that we scrutinise, although not necessarily be critical. As we get into the debate, however, it is difficult not to be critical. <BR /> <BR />First, my thoughts are with all those who work in that environment. We have been through a horrendous two years. I am not suggesting for a minute that the ramps were the Minister's fault — clearly, that was not the case — but we could say that it was a perfect storm. The timing of that situation, closely followed by the pandemic, provided an opportunity for some of those things to be fixed. That worked out in the Minister's favour, but "perfect storm" is probably the best way to describe it.”
“However, I have never heard calls from the Benches opposite for inquiries into those cases, nor have I heard Members from the Benches opposite condemning the actions of some of their own in relation to murders, including those of RUC officers. <BR /> <BR />In 1998, a line was allegedly drawn in the sand on all these things, but we continue to hear about all these inquiries, which are one-sided in nature. The sooner that that stops and we move forward, the better.”
“I say to her: how many opportunities did the organisation that her party represents have to hand out weapons that killed almost 3,000 people in Northern Ireland? <BR /> <BR />I am also struck by the fact that the ombudsman has found the opportunity to create a criminal offence for coercive behaviour. All those things stand in contrast with the out-of-court settlements that the Chief Constable has made in the past few months, not connected to loyalist paramilitary attacks but to those from the nationalist community and the cover ups in relation to them. Indeed, I have sat in many meetings with the Historical Enquiries Team (HET), and if the information that was provided at those meetings was in the public domain, it would be harrowing for people to hear.”
“However, I find it ironic. I am sure that you would not give me enough time to read out the names of all the people who were murdered at the hands of terrorists, many of whom are represented in the Chamber today on the Benches opposite. Indeed, the identity of the SDLP Member who submitted the Matter of the Day was telling, given that his colleague who sits on the Northern Ireland Policing Board besmirched the name of the RUC in previous comments. This is just part of a litany of incidents in a campaign to destroy the name of the RUC, which is something that many of us thought had been settled in 1998. <BR /> <BR />The findings of the report on any involvement are disappointing, but then I think about the previous Member's comments about documents being destroyed and weapons being handed out.”
“I declare an interest as a member of the Northern Ireland Policing Board (NIPB). <BR /> <BR />It gives me no pleasure to talk about the contents of this report today.”
“I thank the Minister for her answer. She referred to the sustainability funding coming to an end at the end of June. Will she outline the rationale for not continuing it from 1 July?”