Simon Hamilton
Strangford · Democratic Unionist Party · Northern Ireland
“I have emphasised to the Member and the House before, that, whilst I accept that those are not good enough — that is why we have been developing the plan — there are alternative technologies in place that can present opportunities for those who just cannot get acceptable speeds.”
“I thank the Member for his intervention. There are some initiatives that I believe will help and act as a driver to improve broadband access. One such intervention is the broadband universal service obligation (USO), which is being taken forward by Her Majesty's Government.”
“I thank the Member for his question. However, he is conflating two issues. I wrote to his party leader, and indeed to all Assembly party leaders, before making the announcement that I did last week about wanting to publish the details of the businesses in receipt of the non-domestic RHI scheme. It was my intention to do that tomorrow.”
“<BR /> <BR />The Chancellor, in his autumn statement, made some more funding available for telecommunications, and my Department is studying that and seeking to avail itself of that to the fullest possible extent.”
“In addition, my Department is managing a contract for the delivery of the superfast rollout programme, which, by 31 December, will provide access to superfast broadband with speeds of at least 24 megabits per second to a further 38,000 premises, both business and residential, across Northern Ireland, including in the Newry and Armagh cons…”
“I signalled the intention to do this a few weeks ago. The Member and the House will know that inspections of all installations would have taken place over the 20-year lifetime of the RHI scheme.”
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“I welcome the opportunity to respond to today's debate. I congratulate Members, including the mover of the motion, on their maiden speeches and thank Members for their kind words about my appointment. I am very glad that the first debate in the new Assembly is focused on the economy, and I think that it shows the centrality of my new Department in taking Northern Ireland forward. <BR /> <BR />There is something of a perception that Northern Ireland's manufacturing sector is in the doldrums. I understand that, and perhaps it is because of the demise of many of our traditional heavy industries over the last number of decades. Industries such as shipbuilding and textiles have either gone completely or are a shadow of their former selves.”
“Mr Speaker, I confirm that I am willing to take up the office of Minister for the Economy and I affirm the terms of the Pledge of Office as set out in schedule 4 to the Northern Ireland Act 1998.”
“She has at all times been thoughtful, measured and constructive. I think that we have all seen that she possesses the skills and abilities to be a very good Minister. Of course, she has — no mean feat for an independent Member — proven herself to the electorate of East Londonderry with what was a tremendous result in the recent Assembly election. <BR /> <BR />Claire is, like me, the child of a prison officer. I know that that personal experience, as well as her undoubted capabilities, will stand her in good stead and make her an excellent Justice Minister serving all the people of Northern Ireland.”
“This is my first opportunity to congratulate you, Mr Speaker, on your appointment as Speaker of the House. <BR /> <BR />It is a great pleasure to speak in support of the nomination made by the deputy First Minister of Claire Sugden to be our new Minister of Justice on what is, for many reasons, a historic day in the political history of Northern Ireland. Claire's appointment as Justice Minister will symbolise the new generation of leadership that is emerging not just in the Assembly and the Executive but right across Northern Ireland. <BR /> <BR />As the deputy First Minister said, Claire has proven herself in this place since replacing David McClarty as a Member for East Londonderry. Many inside and outside the Chamber have been very impressed by her contributions to debates and the proceedings of the House.”
“<BR /> <BR />In summary, the Bill will help to protect people's lives and health, especially the health and well-being of children, from the dangers of nicotine and tobacco products. It will afford us the opportunity to carry out a proper study on a levy on sugar-sweetened drinks, which could then allow us to move towards work on specific proposals thereafter. Finally, it will help to raise the public awareness of organ donation, with the intention that increased promotion will result in the outcomes required for an increase in donor rates. In this, my last contribution in the House on what the Chair, I think euphemistically, described as a wide and varied brief that is Health, I ask Members to support the Bill.”
“I do not think I am going to top that, Deputy Speaker. I think many of us will now be a little concerned about being stalked by Mr McCarthy as he uses his Executive-granted free bus pass to travel around Northern Ireland. He will be very welcome in Comber at any time, as he knows. <BR /> <BR />I thank the Members who contributed for their very positive and encouraging remarks about this legislation. I think it is very clear from today's debate, as has been clear from all the debates as the Bill passed through the House in its various stages, that this is a piece of legislation that has captured the interest of Members and has generated some very useful and informed debate on a diverse range of important health topics. I am also pleased that the Bill largely enjoyed cross-party support as it progressed through its various stages.”
“<BR /> <BR />I am grateful to all those who engaged with my Department on the Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill and offered their insights and suggested amendments at the various stages of the Bill's journey through the Assembly. I express my gratitude to members of the Health Committee for their thorough scrutiny of the Bill and for the time that they took to examine the clauses and take evidence from witnesses. I am also grateful for their helpful contributions and support during the debates in the House. I am convinced that the provisions in the Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill will help to make a positive and lasting difference to the health of people throughout Northern Ireland across a broad range of areas. Therefore, I encourage all Members to support the Bill.”
“<BR /> <BR />I am, therefore, establishing a clinical advisory group to develop a communications policy with a wide ambit to implement a programme targeted at achieving that increase. I will make available the resource to deliver this programme. That will be in addition to the promotional activities encouraging people to join the register. I will place a copy of the terms of reference for the clinical advisory group in the Assembly Library before recess. My Department will brief the Health Committee on the communications policy that is produced by the group later this year, subject to the approval of whoever is Health Minister at that time. Again, I am pleased to say that the Assembly accepted the rationale behind my amendments and was prepared to accept them.”
“<BR /> <BR />I am also aware that we have consistently been urged by clinicians, medical experts and interest groups to increase our efforts to educate the public about organ donation and enhance the existing level of awareness on that important matter. As I fully understand the motivation behind the amendments that were tabled at Consideration Stage and that now appear as clauses 15 and 16, I decided to propose a number of technical amendments at Further Consideration Stage in an attempt to ensure that the language used in the clauses is clearer and more easily understood. One of the key challenges in increasing the rate of organ donation is to convert the relatively high number of potential donors on the register to actual donations with family approval above the current average of 60%.”
“At Consideration Stage, the Assembly also agreed amendments that require the Department to promote and provide information on transplantation and to provide an annual report on transplantation. It has been said many times during our debates that, in Northern Ireland, we have a tried-and-tested voluntary registration system. I also believe that our record in Northern Ireland on promoting the organ donor register speaks for itself with regard to raising awareness. I again take the opportunity, as many did during debates on the Bill, to pay tribute to the transplantation team at Belfast City Hospital and to remember that the work that it has undertaken has seen live organ donation rates in Northern Ireland rise to a level that is now the very best in Europe and also stands amongst the best in the world.”
“As a result, I am convinced that we now have a more realistic time frame in which to undertake a study, which should, in turn, provide us with more comprehensive information about how we should best move forward on the issue of a sugar-sweetened drinks levy.”
“<BR /> <BR />My position is that we need to seek to educate and inform people much better about sugar-sweetened drinks. That is why, at Further Consideration Stage, I tabled an amendment that sought to remove the duty to consult on a levy on sugar-sweetened drinks and to replace it with a duty to carry out a study on a sugar-sweetened drinks levy. I also tabled an amendment seeking to extend the period within which the study must be carried out to two years after enactment. That was to reflect the complexity of the issues and to give the Department more time to commission appropriate studies and advice and to consider them fully before reporting on a study. I am pleased to say that the Assembly was persuaded again by my arguments and accepted both amendments.”
“<BR /> <BR />On my last point, I note that, in Mexico, a 10% tax on sugar-sweetened was implemented on 1 January 2014. More than 30% of the Mexican population is obese, and the tax was introduced to combat the growing obesity problem, not to raise revenue. In 2015, Mexico's National Institute of Public Health and the University of North Carolina carried out research, which showed that they have not seen any changes in obesity as a result of the changes in purchasing behaviour. However, the largest impact was on lower-income households, which cut their purchases of sugar-sweetened drinks by an average of 9%. That appears to highlight the potentially regressive nature of the tax and is one of the reasons why I have expressed my concerns and continue to hold those concerns.”
“It aimed to prescribe key issues that my Department should consult on, as well as which stakeholders should be consulted. I opposed the amendment and cited a number of reasons for my opposition. For example, I believe that we need to do more to educate people about sugar before moving to legislate. There is also a lack of evidence that shows the impact on health outcomes and not just on purchasing behaviour. My concern is that a levy on sugar-sweetened drinks might simply cause people to switch to other unhealthy foods, with the result that the problem is displaced but not solved. Finally, there are arguments that such a tax is regressive and that the tax does not, by itself, combat obesity but could potentially exacerbate food poverty.”
“<BR /> <BR />At Further Consideration Stage, I tabled an amendment that sought to introduce a new clause. I also proposed some technical amendments, which, I believed, would strengthen the Bill and demonstrate my clear determination to tackle smoking and the dangers it poses for children. I am pleased to say that the Assembly was persuaded by the arguments setting out the merits of my new clause and my other amendments. As a result, I am convinced that we now have much tighter legislation, which will result in the more effective implementation of regulations aimed at protecting the future health of our children. <BR /> <BR />At Consideration Stage, the Assembly also agreed an amendment tabled by Sinn Féin Members that required the Department to consult about a levy on sugar-sweetened drinks.”
“At the Bill's Consideration Stage, back in February, the Assembly agreed an amendment tabled by Sinn Féin Members to ban the use of tobacco or nicotine products in enclosed vehicles when children are present. Around 80% of second-hand smoke is invisible and odourless. That can inadvertently make people think that it is safe to smoke around others. However, evidence suggests that there are no safe levels of exposure to second-hand smoke. Research also shows that smoking in vehicles can place passengers at a greater risk of second-hand smoke exposure due to the confined internal environment. Children are more susceptible to the harmful effects of second-hand smoke than adults. That is partly because their immune system and lungs are less developed, and they breathe more rapidly and their smaller bodies can absorb more toxins.”
“Whilst e-cigarette manufacturers do not recommend their sale to under-18s, and some retailers impose their own age restrictions, the lack of regulatory oversight has increased the likelihood of e-cigarettes being purchased by children and young people I believe, therefore, that it is important that we protect our children, as Governments in England and Wales have chosen to do, by making e-cigarettes age-restricted products. <BR /> <BR />As the Bill progressed through its Committee scrutiny, amendments were proposed that sought to introduce a number of new provisions in the Bill and which acted as a stimulus for substantial debate. I will briefly touch on those issues.”
“I move now to the provisions that seek to prohibit the sale of nicotine products, including e-cigarettes, to those under 18. The sale and use of those products has grown considerably in popularity since the ban on smoking in public places was introduced in 2007. Limited research is available on the long-term health consequences of e-cigarettes, and, while they may have a role to play in harm reduction for existing smokers, I do not wish to see non-smokers, particularly children and young people, becoming addicted to nicotine through these products. <BR /> <BR />A survey that was carried out in 2015 showed that around 13% of 11- to 18-year-olds in the UK reported that they had used an e-cigarette. That represents an increase of almost 3% from the previous year.”
“The amendments were mainly technical in nature and sought to correct references to the various categories of people and bodies responsible for providing dental, ophthalmic and pharmaceutical services. It also amended provisions concerning charges for services provided to persons not ordinarily resident in Northern Ireland.”
“Part 1 contained provisions dealing with nicotine products that will enable the Department to make regulations prohibiting the sale of nicotine products to under-18s; to create an offence for proxy purchasing — in other words, an adult purchasing a nicotine product on behalf of a minor; to develop regulations in relation to banning the sale of e-cigarettes from vending machines, and to raise the level of fines for sales of tobacco from vending machines to a level five fine, thus ensuring fines for all underage tobacco or e-cigarette sales offences are consistent. <BR /> <BR />Part 2 of the Bill sought to amend anomalies in the Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act (Northern Ireland) 2008.”
“I am pleased to move the Final Stage of this Bill in the Assembly today. When I reflect on its passage, I think it is fair to say that its scope and purpose have changed quite markedly since I introduced it in the Assembly on 30 November last year. Initially, the Bill focused on two main areas.”
“I ask Members to support this Bill at its Final Stage.”
“I thank Members for their contributions. I particularly thank the members of the Health Committee and the Chair for undertaking rigorous and careful scrutiny of the Bill and for the interest and support that it has consistently shown. This Bill will ensure that the Social Care Council's conduct model is modernised and reflects regulatory best practice so that those who deliver social services in Northern Ireland are subject to fair and proportionate sanctions in respect of deficits in performance, and that learning attained through a variety of approaches by social workers can be recognised. I am also convinced that the Bill will help to increase the confidence of those who rightly expect to receive only the highest standards of care, by ensuring that only those who are suitable and competent to work in social work and social care do so.”
“<BR /> <BR />In summary, the Bill will modernise the model of conduct used by the Care Council so that it keeps in line with regulatory best practice and gives it the powers to recognise the learning achievements of social workers achieved through a broader range of learning methods. It is timely for those improvements to be implemented for the benefit of registrants, service users and the public and to ensure that the Care Council's regulatory practice reflects a modern approach to the regulation system of the social work and social care workforces in Northern Ireland.”
“<BR /> <BR />Registration with the Care Council requires that registrants maintain and keep their knowledge and skills up to date to be accountable for the quality and safety of their work with vulnerable people. The Bill seeks to extend the Care Council's powers to give formal recognition to the learning achievements of social workers, as at present, the legislation allows the council to award certificates to social workers only for the successful completion of formal professional training courses approved by the council. The Bill will extend the Care Council's powers so that it can recognise learning achieved by social workers to improve their knowledge and skills through a wider range of approaches to learning and development, such as academic courses, research, in-service training, e-learning and distance learning programmes.”
“That essentially restricts the Care Council's ability to respond flexibly and proportionately to cases where there has been misconduct or concerns about an individual's practice. That is particularly so where there are issues regarding health or competence. <BR /> <BR />The Bill proposes the introduction of two additional sanctions to be available to the Care Council, including undertakings and conditions. Those wide-ranging sanctions will enable the Care Council to require remedial action to be taken to address any shortcomings or deficits in a registrant's performance and, in so doing, to improve the quality and safety of care provided by the individual in the future.”
“That will be achieved through, first, modernising the Care Council's model of conduct by extending the range of sanctions available to it in the disposal of conduct cases, and, secondly, by extending the Care Council's powers to formally recognise the learning achievements of social workers. <BR /> <BR />As I explained to Members at the Second Stage in December last year, the existing conduct model is based on a determination of misconduct. The current range of sanctions allows the council to take action against registrants through admonishments, suspension from the register and, the most serious sanction of all, removal from the register. However, when compared with other healthcare regulators, such as the General Medical Council, the current range of sanctions available to the Care Council is limited.”
“The Care Council's current conduct model was put in place in 2003 and, while it has ensured that those who are unsuitable to provide care have been excluded from the workforce, the council has been restricted in the sanctions available for misconduct that does not merit removal from the register. The aim of the Bill is to modernise the Care Council's conduct model so that it reflects best practice models used by other workforce regulators, particularly those used by professional healthcare regulators here in Northern Ireland and across the United Kingdom. <BR /> <BR />Through the Bill, I want to ensure that the Care Council continues to promote the highest standards and practice.”
“I am pleased to move the Final Stage of the Bill, as I believe it is timely and important legislation. Regulation of the social work and social care workforce forms parts of the framework established by my Department to strengthen public protection and safeguards for service users in Northern Ireland. It makes a key contribution to providing independent assurance to the public that those responsible for the delivery of social care across Northern Ireland will be held to account for their conduct against agreed standards of conduct and professional practice. <BR /> <BR />The conduct model used by the Northern Ireland Social Care Council must be fit for purpose, efficient, cost-effective and command the confidence of service users, the wider public and the social care workforce.”
“<BR /> <BR />It is a day that many thought would not come — perhaps mostly those who were on the Ad Hoc Committee. It has come, thanks to the efforts of many people who I, and others, have referred to in the debate and who are inside and outside of government. Not least, as Minister Ford mentioned, there is the person who — to put it simply — came up with the idea in the first place, Professor David Bamford. We put on record our thanks for the contribution that he made, and for that of his successor, Professor Roy McClelland. <BR /> <BR />So, I think that it has been a useful debate. It has been a positive acknowledgement of the global first that we are seeing happen here this evening — a House passing a fused piece of legislation that Mr McCarthy talked about. Finally, I commend the Bill to the House.”
“Post Bamford, we have increased annual expenditure on mental health in Northern Ireland by about £50 million. It was about £200 million around 2007-08, and, in the most recent financial year, it is around £250 million, and it will increase further in the future. <BR /> <BR />Within that, I think that the most significant switch is not that we are simply spending more money but are spending it more wisely and better, and there has been a switch away from the money being spent in a hospital or institutional setting to a community-based setting. Around 60% of the expenditure on mental health is now in a community setting, so, it is helping people in their own homes, in their communities and close to their families. I think that that is something we should welcome and should continue to see grow in the future.”
“<BR /> <BR />A recent BBC report — although I have to make it clear that it was a national report as opposed to a local one — reported positively on the fact that Northern Ireland was the only region in the United Kingdom to have actually increased expenditure on mental health in the last two financial years. I say that, knowing that we have to make substantial progress to close the gap compared with other parts of the UK. However, I think that the trajectory is positive, where we have been progressively increasing expenditure even in that very tight and difficult fiscal situation, the reality of which Mr Wells pointed out. <BR /> <BR />I think that we have been doing the right thing in making good decisions in terms of increasing expenditure on mental health. We owe a lot of that to Bamford, and the vision set out in the Bamford review.”
“However, I think that we should be seeking, whether it is in Health and Justice, or Health and Education, or whatever, innovative ways of dealing with the problems we face as a society. <BR /> <BR />Before the Member intervened, I was touching on the issue of finance for mental health. Mr Wells talked about how we will probably not hear a terrible lot about this on the media. I was glad that he was able to make a contribution in the Final Stage debate, having had some ownership of the Bill at an earlier stage when he was Minister. He made the point that we probably will not hear a terrible lot in our media about this issue going through the House this evening and being a world first.”
“I think that the Member makes a good point. I do not think that many of the cases that he is talking about are cases that we should see as Health issues or Justice issues; they are society-wide issues and are everybody's responsibility and challenge to meet. I hope that the new Programme for Government gives us an opportunity to look very differently at some of those types of issues where there is joint, or shared, responsibility for different aspects. I think that we should be focusing much more on producing better outcomes for the citizen in whatever circumstance that is and try to work as collaboratively as we can. There will always be difficulties, and I do not think that there is a perfect system for dealing with those sorts of issues.”
“<BR /> <BR />We have come a long way as a society in our attitudes to mental health, although we still have a long way to go. Our attitude has changed for the better, and that is reflected in what we have done in putting the focus of expenditure in our health and social care budget on the issue of mental health.”
“Mr Wells and Mr Ross frequently raised the issue during the legislative stages in the House, and they were right to do so. There is no doubt — I think that I have been open from the outset — that it will be challenging, to put it mildly, to find all the resources required to implement everything in the Bill, certainly in short order. I do not think that that should have inhibited us from moving forward with the legislation. It is far better to have the legislation on the books and progressively implement it over time, as and when resources permit, than to wait for resources to appear. In those circumstances, we would probably never pass any legislation, or lots of it would not pass. We were right to do what we did. However, I accept and acknowledge that there will be challenges in finding the resources.”
“<BR /> <BR />I am glad that Mr McCarthy made a contribution on his final day in the Assembly. It is fair to say — it is probably not often said about political opponents — that I will miss Mr McCarthy. I will not miss his interrogations of me, but I will miss him on a human level. I will miss him beating me in first preference votes in successive elections, as he tends to do. If I may, Mr Deputy Speaker, I thank him for what he has done on the Health Committee, of which he has been an assiduous member. I cannot remember a time in the life of the Assembly when he was not on the Committee. I also thank him for his work on behalf of our constituents in Strangford, which we are both fond of and hold dear. Thank you, Kieran, for everything that you have done in public life. <BR /> <BR />He mentioned finances, as did others.”
“Given the shelf life of the legislation, quality is not something that the House should be prepared to compromise on, and I do not think that we have. <BR /> <BR />The time and effort expended on it also ensure, I believe, that the Bill will serve as a model for new mental capacity legislation in other jurisdictions, which I know have been watching its development very closely. Would it not be wonderful if, after the election, whoever is in my post or Minister Ford's post could say that officials and Ministers were coming from other parts of the world to Northern Ireland to see what we had achieved with the Bill? <BR /> <BR />In truth, it should be on everyone's radar. The Bill could apply to any of us at any point in our life. At the very least, we are all likely to know or even to care for someone to whom it will apply.”
“In some cases, they have devoted many years of their time to this legislation, and I wish to place on record my thanks to them — the officials in my Department, the Department of Justice and the Department of Finance — for everything that they put in to make this world-first a reality. Many deserve praise for their work over the last six years. <BR /> <BR />The Bill predates several Ministers — even Minister Ford. That might sound like a long time — it is a long time for a Bill — but it is understandable that a Bill of this size and complexity took that time to move from the conceptual stage to consultations and through the legislative process. Any less time and effort spent on it would undoubtedly have had an impact on the quality of the final product, which has been roundly praised this evening.”
“I thank the Minister of Justice for his intervention. I was just about to thank him for his contribution throughout the development of the legislation. We simply would not have what we have here without his input. As Mr Wells pointed out, it will be missed, I fear, by many that this is a global first. We do not do many things that are the first of their kind anywhere in the world. We simply would not be able to say that, had my Department, which I am very pleased to lead, and the Minister's Department not worked so closely together. We stand here and take whatever credit there is for that, but he and I know that there are a great many officials behind us in our Departments and in the Department of Finance and Personnel with whom we had to work on certain aspects of the Bill.”
“<BR /> <BR />Sometimes, the positive impact of our Assembly system is missed, as Mr Wells said, by many. Legislation goes off to Committees, and people think that it just disappears and nothing ever happens to it, but seldom does legislation that goes to a Committee not come out the better for it, and this Bill is a very good example of that. Whilst there were times that I, as Minister, Minister Ford or both of us disagreed with suggestions, in the spirit of compromise and trying to get good legislation on to the books, we agreed with the Committee and accepted some of the amendments that it proposed, and the Bill is better for it.”
“I will be brief in summing up the Final Stage debate on this important legislation. I thank Members from all sides who contributed this evening. Again, as I did in my opening remarks, I put on record my thanks to the Chair of the Ad Hoc Committee and, by extension, the entire Committee. As Mr Wells pointed out, it was a daunting task for many on the Committee. The Chair acknowledged how daunting and difficult the task was, and we saw some evidence of that at Consideration Stage, when we had to deal with roughly 500 amendments. In my time in the Assembly, I cannot recall — maybe others can — so many amendments being tabled to a Bill. I commend the Ad Hoc Committee, led by my friend and colleague Mr Ross, as Chair, for its work, the very thorough report that it produced and the impact that it had on the legislation.”
“I urge Members, therefore, to continue to support forthcoming efforts to turn the reforms in the Bill into reality for the many people in our society who more than deserve the new protections that it offers. <BR /> <BR />I commend the Bill to the House.”
“There are numerous sets of regulations to be made and codes of practice to develop, which will require significant stakeholder and professional involvement, along with training and the delivery of awareness-raising programmes. Those are as vital as the legislation, if the experience of England and Wales is anything to go by, where, coincidentally, this is national mental capacity action day. <BR /> <BR />That is why planning for implementation is already under way. We do not want to fall into the trap of good Act but poor implementation, which was a key finding of the House of Lords post-legislative scrutiny report on the English Mental Capacity Act.”
“Those powers were devised to take account of two important considerations. First, respect for a person's ability to make decisions about whether he or she wishes to receive healthcare treatment, an approach that supports and complements the ethos of the Bamford review. Secondly, those powers ensure that the criminal justice system continues to have robust mechanisms to safeguard public protection. <BR /> <BR />I do not need to remind Members that reaching the Final Stage of this Bill or any Bill is rarely the end of the matter. That is particularly true in this case. While it is quite right that we concentrate today on applauding the significant milestone reached, I want to be entirely up front with Members and say that, in many ways, the real work is only beginning.”
“The Bill provides powers for the Police Service of Northern Ireland to remove a vulnerable person to a place of safety so that appropriate medical attention can be obtained; powers for criminal courts to ensure that individuals receive healthcare disposals where that is the appropriate outcome; and powers to move prisoners from custody to hospital if inpatient care is required.”
“Before I highlight some of the key justice measures, it would be remiss of me not to acknowledge, in particular, the support shown for the Bill by Minister Ford, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank him for that. My colleague has responsibility for a number of civil and criminal justice matters dealt with by the Bill. In relation to civil justice matters, the Bill contains provision for High Court powers to make decisions on behalf of a person who lacks capacity to make that decision for himself or herself. It also contains clauses that provide for the appointment of a public guardian who will carry out important protective functions for those who are incapacitated. Those are important safeguards for vulnerable individuals. <BR /> <BR />The Bill also contains clauses that deal with a range of criminal justice interventions.”
“On top of that, the Bill will ensure that, when an intervention is made in someone's life, those responsible for making that decision do more to ensure that it is in the person's best interests. The additional safeguards provided for in the Bill go well beyond those in other jurisdictions. The greater emphasis on supporting people to make decisions for themselves also adds to the widely recognised progressive nature of the Bill. <BR /> <BR />Those are the headline reforms that constitute the core of the Bill developed by my Department, but I also want to remind Members that the Department of Justice has made a significant contribution to its provisions as well.”
“It will introduce a new rights-based legal framework that applies equally to every adult where there is a need to intervene in their lives on health grounds. In other words, there will be no more separate rules for those with mental disorder. Instead, there will be rules that recognise everyone's fundamental right to make decisions for themselves if they have the capacity to do so. <BR /> <BR />It is, of course, that fused approach that makes the Bill novel. Indeed, it is one of a kind, not only in the United Kingdom but further afield. Global firsts are not everyday occurrences, particularly for small jurisdictions like ours. We can and should be immensely proud that Northern Ireland is considered to be leading the way in such an important area of law, which we should also remember has the potential to touch upon everyone's lives.”
“That report highlighted a small number of issues that resulted in some policy amendments to the Bill at Consideration Stage. While I, on behalf of the Executive, may have counselled against some of them, it is more important today to highlight the key message from the report, which is the Committee and, indeed, stakeholders' support for the broad objectives of the Bill. <BR /> <BR />With the indulgence of Members and yourself, Deputy Speaker, I will briefly return to those objectives. After having spent, in this case, a long time during previous stages dealing with the minutiae of the Bill, it is important to remind ourselves of what we are trying to achieve. First and foremost, the Bill is about reducing the stigma that is still felt by many people suffering from mental disorder.”