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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“Those pressures will be spread right across the system and are being faced in various trusts and other services like the Public Health Agency and so forth that we are providing. <BR /> <BR />Those are the immediate pressures that the Department faces that we need to deal with in-year through a range of measures if that money is not found through the monitoring round process. We are all concerned with the situation and the stand-off on welfare reform, what will happen with the monitoring round process and whether it will be a monitoring round process where money can be distributed or whether the Executive will face further pressures on funding. <BR /> <BR />So, there are £30 million to £40 million of unfunded pressures, but that is before we get into service development.”
“I think most people do. <BR /> <BR />As I hope I outlined in my response to the first question, even before taking up this post I was well aware of the financial pressures that the Department of Health is facing. Even though I am very pleased and, I suppose, proud of the fact that, in my previous post, I was able to ensure that 3·4% uplift in departmental expenditure in the Health Department this year — £203 million or £204 million — that still left considerable pressures and the need to realise significant savings from the budget. We are committed to delivering, and we expect to deliver, a further £160 million worth of savings through efficiencies throughout the health system this year. <BR /> <BR />However, there remain roughly £30 million to £40 million worth of unfunded pressures in the system.”
“I thank the Member for her congratulations. I hope that in roughly a year's time she is still able to stand on her feet in this House and congratulate me.”
“<BR /> <BR />I assure Members that, if successful, additional income from June monitoring would enable me to address a range of critical front-line service pressures in elective care, mental health, learning disability, specialist drugs, children’s services, Transforming Your Care, public health and unscheduled care. <BR /> <BR />The June monitoring bids are being developed for my consideration and, in line with normal practice, will be discussed with the Health Committee prior to final submission.”
“The final budget for 2015-16 is exceptionally challenging for my Department. Indeed, even after delivering substantial savings of almost £160 million, some £30 million to £40 million of unfunded pressures remain to be addressed. In addition, there is no funding to invest in a range of new service developments. <BR /> <BR />I am also fully aware of the difficulties of the overall Northern Ireland financial position and the need to urgently get a resolution to the welfare reform issue. In such a constrained financial context, my Department will seek additional funding from the Executive through the in-year monitoring processes to avoid service consequences and provide additional services and treatments for patients.”
“I don't is the simple answer, but I am happy to provide that information to the Member in due course. It is worth pointing out that Ms Sugden's question was a useful one in that it highlighted the provision being provided by others in support of the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service. That support is primarily for non-emergency situations where patients are moved from hospital back to their home or from their home to hospital for appointments. It is worth noting the work being done on our behalf by other providers, and I hope that there is an acceptance around the House that it is a good thing that we are able to call upon that resource as appropriate. <BR /> <BR />I do not have the specifics on the amount of overtime being paid, but I am happy to provide that information to the Member in due course.”
“However, that would require investment in not just a helicopter but staff, maintenance, upkeep and infrastructure changes to ensure there is an appropriate place to land a helicopter. That is one reason why, at this stage, even if we had an air ambulance, it would not necessarily be working to its optimum performance. <BR /> <BR />There are a lot of points to consider. It is on the agenda, and the events of the weekend highlight it all the more.”
“I am awaiting the report of the emergency aeromedical support services group that was established by the Republic of Ireland's Department of Health to consider the provision of a dedicated service in that jurisdiction. I imagine that will include recommendations in relation to the potential for the expansion of the geographical reach of that service to include the whole of the island. When the report is received, I will consider those recommendations in conjunction with the Health and Social Care Board study before making a final decision on the matter. <BR /> <BR />Mr Allister is also right to point out one of the practical difficulties in the provision of air ambulances. I do not think anybody would dispute that, where we had appropriate resources, it would be a good thing to do on our own or with our neighbours to the south.”
“The Member is right to raise the incident at the weekend. It again highlights the issue of air ambulance provision in Northern Ireland. We were all shocked by the severity of the incident at the North West 200. Pictures in the press today showed how serious it was. We pay tribute to the staff who responded, and obviously our thoughts are with those still in hospital who are being cared for. We wish them a speedy recovery. <BR /> <BR />The Health and Social Care Board submitted a report to my Department on the feasibility and appropriateness of establishing a dedicated helicopter emergency medical service in Northern Ireland.”
“Going back to the original question asked by Ms Sugden, we are, thankfully, able to use private and charitable providers, such as St John Ambulance, the Order of Malta and the Red Cross, to alleviate some of the pressure so that Ambulance Service staff can deal with life-threatening calls and emergency situations, so that when somebody, unfortunately, has to make the call, they are getting responded to appropriately and in the appropriate time. We know that, when they do get responded to, they get the best of care.”
“I agree. I join with Mr Dallat in paying tribute to the work that staff in the Ambulance Service do on behalf of us all; it was remiss of me not to do so earlier. Our citizens should expect the highest standard of service from them as from all in the health and social care sector. <BR /> <BR />There are issues with response times that I have been familiarising myself with, as you can imagine, over the last number of days. Unfortunately, sometimes some targets, particularly the eight-minute response time for life-threatening calls, or category A calls as they are called, are not being met. That is in spite of the investment that I outlined to Mr Robinson to increase the number of paramedics. <BR /> <BR />We all appreciate the range of pressures.”
“I appreciate that, even with that additional complement, there are still pressures on the service and that there can still be difficulties, but it is testimony to the work of my predecessors in post that, even at a time when resources have been under severe pressure, as we all know, investments have been made in the front line. The Ambulance Service is a front-line service, and our paramedics and our care attendants are incredibly important to the overall service, so a near 10% increase in the number of Northern Ireland Ambulance Service paramedics over that period of time is testimony to the commitment that we have made to the front line in that period.”
“If you go back to the beginning of the current Assembly term — roughly the end of March 2011 — the number of paramedics employed in the Ambulance Service in Northern Ireland was 379. If you fast-forward to March 2015, that number has risen. Even though I pointed out to Ms Sugden the vacancies that exist, which we are trying to fill, there are currently 415 paramedics, and that includes 80 rapid-response vehicle paramedics. In that four-year period between 2011 and 2015, there has been a 9·4% increase in the number of paramedics, and that has to be warmly welcomed.”
“I hope that moving to fill those vacancies might help to address some of those pressures.”
“Issues that were highlighted by the recent industrial action have been dealt with, and I am confident that the escalation plans that are in place in the trusts are appropriate to deal with that. At the minute, there are roughly 94 vacancies in the Ambulance Service, and many of those posts have been for emergency medical technicians. Around 90 of those positions have been offered to ambulance care attendants. I hope that the filling of those vacancies could help to alleviate some of the pressures that manifested themselves during the recent industrial action but which can also be seen in intervening periods when there is pressure on existing resources. Many constituents of mine and many constituents of other Members will have reported difficulties with the slowness, sometimes, of response times in the Ambulance Service.”
“The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) is not reliant on using private ambulance services. Private ambulance providers are used only in exceptional circumstances such as those that arose during the recent periods of industrial action on 13 March and from 27 April to 10 May. The use of private ambulance services on those occasions was under the NIAS resource escalation plan to support the Ambulance Service's resources. The private ambulance services were engaged primarily to deal with non-emergency calls in order to protect capacity for Northern Ireland Ambulance Service staff to be deployed in response to 999 calls.”
“We in the health sector can treat some of the underlying risk factors, such as depression, addiction, and intoxication. Others can help address the wider societal risk factors. Only by acknowledging that and working across government and in partnership with other sectors will we defeat suicide.”
“<BR /> <BR />Looking ahead, a new initiative has been established to bring the 2019 International Association of Suicide Prevention biennial conference to Londonderry. My predecessor and the First Minister and deputy First Minister have supported that. The issue of a detox centre was raised by many Members. I do not have time to go into as much detail as I would like to, but it is certainly an issue that I want to familiarise myself with, along with some of the issues and opportunities that the Chair of the Health Committee mentioned. <BR /> <BR />I would argue that it is not possible to treat suicide in the way that we treat an illness. Suicide is a behaviour; it is not a condition. However, it is not an inevitable behaviour.”
“Planned investment for 2015-16 comes to almost £600,000, although budgets have yet to be confirmed. Other local developments have included the establishment of a liaison and support service for families who have been bereaved by suicide and the state-of-the-art crisis treatment centre Grangewood, which was opened in 2012. <BR /> <BR />The Public Health Agency has invested over £200,000 on direct initiatives to address the issue of suicides at the River Foyle. This has included substantial investment in Foyle Search and Rescue to support its work on suicide prevention, as well as rescue and recovery. The fact that Foyle Search and Rescue has stopped over 2,500 potential suicides and rescued over 300 people directly from the water is a credit to that charity and I join with other Members in paying tribute to it.”
“For example, Lifeline has responded to crisis calls from some 1,300 people from the area in the past three years alone, over half of whom were referred to crisis counselling. Recent statistics from the self-harm registry have also shown particularly high rates of hospital treated self-harm in the Derry area. <BR /> <BR />To address that need, almost £5 million has been invested in mental health promotion and suicide prevention initiatives in the Western Trust over the last five years. The majority of those programmes have been available to residents in Londonderry and the wider trust area, rather than being focused on one particular setting. That has included the SHINE community-based self-harm project, which has informed the commissioning of self-harm prevention across Northern Ireland.”
“However, the Public Health Agency has been working with partners to consider how technology, culture, arts, recreation and innovation could be used to change local people's perception of the river and its bridges to encourage a more positive interaction. I am pleased that a very innovative bid has been made to the UK Technology Strategic Investment Board for a £2 million grant to implement the first phase of a project drawing on experience from work on a bridge in South Korea, which, unfortunately, had prevalence for suicide. We await the outcome of that bid, and I am hopeful that it will be successful. <BR /> <BR />We remain aware of the high level of need within the Londonderry area.”
“The process was developed out of early work between health care and the PSNI in Londonderry that was designed to provide a multi-agency response to suicide clusters in order to prevent further deaths. This multi-agency approach has broadened and there are now suicide cluster community response plans in every trust area in Northern Ireland. The latest activation of a community response plan in the Londonderry area was in March in response to a number of deaths on the river. <BR /> <BR />It is important that we turn specifically to Londonderry, and there is a clear need to address the reputation that the River Foyle is attracting as a suicide location. Previous investigations into technical options to improve safety at the Foyle Bridge proved inconclusive.”
“Timely, comprehensive and accurate data on suicide and self-harm is essential to identify trends and inform the development and delivery of prevention services. The self-harm registry is in place at every hospital emergency department in Northern Ireland. The registry provides valuable information on all aspects of self-harm and that information has been used to improve the response to patients who self-harm. <BR /> <BR />A sudden death notification process, which was developed by the police and the health sector, is now in place. This unique system provides early notification of suspected suicides, with the aim of providing bereaved families with immediate access to information and support. The sudden death notification process is being tested in the rest of the UK, with a view to making it a national surveillance mechanism.”
“There is no doubt that inappropriate reporting can contribute to the general sense of hopelessness that is felt by vulnerable people. Media guidelines are in place to prevent this, although we still struggle to get it across to many people in the public eye that the term "commit suicide" is itself inappropriate and hurtful to bereaved families. I will use this opportunity to highlight that the more sensitive term "die by suicide" is preferable when discussing this topic. <BR /> <BR />We also take steps to make mental health services as safe as possible through learning from adverse incident reporting and implementing the recommendations from the National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Homicide.”
“Training is provided for GPs and those who are likely to come into contact with people who are vulnerable to suicidal behaviour. The aim is to identify those who are at risk at an early stage and ensure that they receive the help that is necessary to overcome their difficulties. This help can be provided by mental health services, addiction teams, primary care or the community and voluntary sector, according to the individual's needs. <BR /> <BR />The reduction of stigma remains a critical part of our strategy. People who have suffered from poor mental health often cite the associated stigma as one of the main barriers to recovery. We therefore work with the media to encourage responsible reporting of suicide and mental health.”
“Indeed, there is a wide range of activity ongoing across Departments to address these issues. This activity is reported and updated at the regular meetings of the ministerial coordination group on suicide prevention, which Mr Durkan referenced. Suicide prevention is now on the radar of practically every Department in Northern Ireland, and it is essential that this approach continues to be strengthened. <BR /> <BR />The overriding aim is to improve the social circumstances and emotional resilience of potentially vulnerable individuals, thereby equipping them to deal with adverse life events in ways which are not self-destructive. There is also a broad range of programmes in place under the Protect Life strategy to tackle suicide and self-harm.”
“The factors that lead someone to attempt suicide are likely to have their roots in a chain of events and experiences that have begun years previously, which are themselves shaped by broader socioeconomic influences. Suicide is the result of highly complex interactions amongst various risk factors and protective influences which vary from one individual to another. The key to reducing suicide in our society is to minimise the risk factors and maximise the protective factors. This means addressing issues such as poverty, unemployment, substance misuse, family breakdown, violence, bullying and mental health stigma. It also requires building greater social connectedness, improving educational outcomes, promoting tolerance and enhancing mental health from the very early years. <BR /> <BR />Clearly, this goes way beyond the health sector.”
“Men are three times more likely to die by suicide than women. Indeed, the majority of people who die by suicide are not known to mental health services. We all know that men are reluctant to seek help, and one of the biggest challenges that we face is encouraging men who are experiencing emotional or mental problems to seek appropriate help. <BR /> <BR />Provisional figures for 2014 show an 11% reduction in suicides in Northern Ireland. Whilst this is encouraging, taken with the fact that suicide rates did not rise here over the recent recession, and may be an indication that our prevention efforts have had some success, we need to be cautious as rates can fluctuate from year to year and, clearly, the number of deaths remains much too high. <BR /> <BR />Suicide is a hugely complex issue, as Members have discussed at length.”
“<BR /> <BR />Suicide is a burden which impacts unequally, given the fact that the suicide rate in the most deprived areas is almost twice the Northern Ireland average and three times that of the least deprived areas. The link with deprivation is well known and may go part of the way to explaining why Londonderry, together with north, west and east Belfast, experiences higher suicide rates than the rest of Northern Ireland. Emerging evidence also indicates a link between the legacy of decades of violence in Northern Ireland and high levels of suicidal behaviour here. Those areas that experienced the worst of the Troubles tend to correlate now with the areas that have high suicide rates. <BR /> <BR />I should add that there is also a gender aspect to this — again, an issue that was highlighted by many Members.”
“I have to pay particular tribute to the contribution by Mr Durkan, who has an all too real personal experience of this. I think that we are all very grateful for the very difficult contribution that I am sure it was for him to make to the House on this subject. Indeed, others highlighted their own experiences as well. We do not have to go too far. Sometimes I think that people look at us up at Stormont here and think that we do not have the experiences that the wider world would have. I think that Mr Durkan's experience and the experiences that were highlighted by Mr Hussey, Mr Campbell and others show that we do understand, we do know and we do see it in our own lives and communities.”
“That indicates that, over the past 10 years alone, some 17,000 people in Northern Ireland have been profoundly affected by suicide, and at least 10% of our population know someone well who has died by suicide. Sometimes it is perhaps easy just to talk about figures and statistics like that.”
“I begin by joining colleagues on all sides in congratulating Mr Middleton on bringing this difficult but important subject to the Floor. I consider it an honour, in my first business as Minister of Health in the House, to be able to respond to Gary's maiden speech. I look forward to many similarly good contributions from Mr Middleton down through the years. <BR /> <BR />As was made very clear through contributions from all sides, suicide is a major concern not just for the people of Londonderry but for society right across Northern Ireland. Unfortunately, we have around 280 deaths each year as a result of suicide. Academic research estimates that, for every suicide, there are at least six members of the close family who are deeply affected and up to 60 other people who know the deceased and are touched by the death.”
“As we debate the issue in this place and outside, whether for or against, the true meaning of tolerance should be at the forefront of our minds and reflected in the language that we use. I oppose the motion.”
“I have said this before in the House, but it is worth repeating: I was always taught that tolerance was when you disagreed with people but respected their right to have a different position to you. Today, unfortunately, it seems that, for some, when you fail to fall in line with their thinking, you are the intolerant one. <BR /> <BR />Opposing a redefinition of marriage is not bigotry, narrow-mindedness or even intolerance. It is a view held by many — quite possibly, the majority — in Northern Ireland. Those people are members of the Presbyterian Church, the Catholic Church and no Church at all. They are Members on all sides and in all corners of the House.”
“As I have said in the House, opposition to same-sex marriage is not grounded on opposition to any particular type of relationship but on support for the traditional, long-standing, centuries-old definition of marriage and a genuine belief that our current legislative framework achieves a fair balance between the competing interests. <BR /> <BR />In all the correspondence that I received in advance of this debate from those opposing a redefinition of marriage, which far outweighed any correspondence in favour, none of the language used by good people from across this country has been nasty, bitter or aimed personally at members of the gay and lesbian community. However, those people are often painted and portrayed as bigots by those who, ironically, want to redefine marriage on the basis of tolerance.”
“It is clear, therefore, that the United Nations, Europe and our own Human Rights Commission all agree that this is not an issue of equality. <BR /> <BR />The motion uses the language of religious tolerance, and it suggests that suitable protections can be afforded to people of faith. However, the proposed protections relate only to the clergy and religious organisations. There is no offer to protect the religious beliefs of others, such as teachers or registrars. <BR /> <BR />There is a tendency to portray opposition to same-sex marriage as evidence of an underlying animus toward the lesbian and gay community, and that is wholly unjust.”
“<BR /> <BR />Article 16 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, as upheld by the UN Human Rights Committee, defends a traditional view of marriage. In European law, article 12 of the European Convention on Human Rights also upholds that definition, and the European Court of Human Rights has deemed the definition of marriage to be not a matter of equality but a matter for individual state law. The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission highlighted that the international treaties protect the right to marry but has conceded:”
“A major reason why we have devolution is so that we can have different laws from other parts of the United Kingdom to suit the views of the people of Northern Ireland and our circumstances. <BR /> <BR />The argument for the motion and a redefinition of marriage is, again, grounded in equality. This, however, is not an equality issue. People in Northern Ireland have an equal opportunity to enter into a committed relationship with all the benefits that that entails. Opposite-sex couples can do that through marriage, and same-sex couples can do it through civil partnerships. It has been acknowledged that a same-sex marriage in England and Wales confers the same — not different, not more, but the same — benefits as a same-sex civil partnership. Equality, therefore, is not the issue.”
“The list of countries that have not introduced same-sex marriage is much longer than the list that have. <BR /> <BR />Some states now provide for same-sex marriage following a democratic vote or judicial ruling, and I respect the position in those states. Next month, the Republic of Ireland will decide whether it wants to amend its constitution to allow for same-sex marriage. Again, I will respect the outcome in that jurisdiction. However, comparisons with other jurisdictions are, ultimately, of limited value. This Assembly does not, and should not, simply align itself with other legislatures. It has a duty to question, challenge, probe and produce laws that take account of the needs and interests of all our citizens.”
“<BR /> <BR />Critics are also quick to suggest that Northern Ireland must introduce same-sex marriage because the other constituent jurisdictions of the United Kingdom have done so. However, the position in the UK is by no means unique, and other jurisdictions, such as the United States, New Zealand and the Netherlands, have territories that have not introduced same-sex marriage. Furthermore, Northern Ireland is not alone in the world in not having legislated for same-sex marriage. There are close to 200 countries in the world; only 17 allow same-sex marriage. A further 30, of which we are one, have civil partnerships with similar protections. Notable countries that have not approved same-sex marriage include Australia, Germany and Italy, and it is the same in one third of the states in the US.”
“Different approaches are not lesser or discriminatory, and it is wrong to imply that a civil partnership is an inferior status. Our marriage law recognises the unique relationship between a man and a woman, just as our law on civil partnerships recognises the unique relationship between two people of the same sex. <BR /> <BR />Those who criticise civil partnerships are quick to suggest that other jurisdictions have a greater respect for diversity because they have introduced same-sex marriage. However, such suggestions should not be taken at face value as same-sex marriage in some jurisdictions has not resulted in certain restrictions being lifted for same-sex couples. Such restrictions are not, of course, highlighted because they undermine the arguments that some prefer to present.”
“<BR /> <BR />There would appear to be a view that claims of inequality, if repeated often enough, will inevitably succeed. When the last motion was debated, on 29 April 2014, there was talk of second-class citizens, marginalisation and discrimination. The reality is, I am happy to say, somewhat different from the rhetoric. Same-sex couples in Northern Ireland are not denied the opportunity to live in a loving, secure, stable and permanent relationship with all the protections and benefits that such a relationship can bring. They can do just that by entering into a civil partnership, and many have. <BR /> <BR />If you choose to focus on negative concepts, such as marginalisation and discrimination, you will inevitably lower self-esteem and create unnecessary divisions.”
“I know how he felt. This is the fourth time this subject has been debated in this Assembly term, and it is déjà vu all over again. Effectively, it is the same motion, tabled by the same people, with the same MLAs speaking, saying the same things, with most probably the same outcome. <BR /> <BR />I note that the call to action in the motion is directed at the Executive as a whole. However, as the subject falls within the remit of my Department, I agreed to respond. In saying that I believe that this motion will suffer the same fate as the three previous motions, I am not seeking to be curt or dismissive. I am merely recognising the fact that most Members have voted, and will continue to vote, according to their conscience, no matter how much pressure is brought to bear.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. I join with the many contributors who wished Jim Wells and his wife well at this difficult time for them and their wider family. I would, however, go further than many and condemn the vile personal abuse and threats that he and his family have received, particularly on social media, in the last number of days. <BR /> <BR />The baseball commentator Yogi Berra once famously said:”
“A wide range of flexible working policies are in place to support work/life balance. <BR /> <BR />It is clear that there is no one silver bullet to resolve sickness absence issues in any organisation, not least one of the size and complexity of the Northern Ireland Civil Service. However, I am confident that we have a wide range of initiatives in progress that, with continued perseverance, training, support and enforcement when required, will result in a reduction in the Northern Ireland Civil Service sickness absence and the associated cost to the public purse.”
“<BR /> <BR />Overall, therefore, I can assure colleagues that sickness absence in the Northern Ireland Civil Service is receiving constant attention. Positive initiatives, such as the extension of the WELL programme, welfare support services and the launch of a staff engagement charter, will be important in reducing Northern Ireland Civil Service sickness absence levels. Managers and staff are supported through dedicated training courses, online e-learning and the provision of sophisticated sickness absence data analysis. Departments are vigilant in monitoring sickness absence trends and compliance targets and in adapting their approach in response to that data. Targeted interventions are being deployed with the analysis of female and over-55 sickness absence in addition to the development of well-being and stress action plans.”
“The majority of Civil Service employees can avail themselves of at least one of those schemes, and there is no doubt that they have a positive impact on the work/life balance of staff. For example, the results of last year’s Civil Service staff survey showed that over 60% of staff agreed that they achieve a good balance between their work life and their private life. That is something that can only have a positive impact on staff absence levels. <BR /> <BR />I assure Members that we will continue to benchmark with other organisations to ensure that the best possible practice is being applied in the Civil Service and that, where appropriate, we will engage with external providers to ensure that we tap into all available support.”
“In recognition of those benefits, the Northern Ireland Civil Service has already implemented a number of alternative working patterns under the umbrella of flexible working, including flexible hours or flexitime; compressed hours and personalised hours; part-time working, including job sharing; partial retirement; and term-time working.”
“It is not envisaged that the voluntary exit scheme will make a significant impact on this overall trend. As this ageing profile is likely to have an adverse impact on sickness absence levels in the future, it is important now to consider what interventions might be possible. <BR /> <BR />In the past, the Committee produced a report on flexible work practices; that is also mentioned in the report. I am glad that the recent report acknowledged the work of DFP as an exemplar organisation in relation to flexible working. There are many benefits, which include improved staff morale and commitment, reduced staff turnover and absenteeism and an improved work/life balance.”
“Civil Service female absence levels are over 30% more than Northern Ireland Civil Service male absence levels and almost twice that of females in the GB Civil Service. Reducing the levels of female absence to those of male staff would have a significant impact on overall Civil Service sickness absence levels. <BR /> <BR />The rationale behind commissioning the report on staff who are over 55 was that, with a recruitment embargo, low levels of staff turnover because of the wider labour market position, the removal of any policy on age retirement in order to comply with age discrimination legislation and the probability that changes to public sector pension schemes will require staff to work much longer before they can draw an occupational pension, the Northern Ireland Civil Service workforce is likely to become an ageing one.”