Michelle McIlveen
Strangford · Democratic Unionist Party · Northern Ireland
“Public confidence depends not only on effective enforcement but on enforcement being exercised fairly and consistently. <BR /> <BR />There is widespread concern across Northern Ireland about the condition of many of our lakes and rivers, and there are a vast number of factors that contribute to water quality challenges.”
“Although we support the overall direction of travel, I think that is appropriate to reflect on the concerns that have been raised and ensure that the legislation is proportionate, practical and capable of delivering its intended outcomes.”
“If we are therefore serious about improving our aquatic environment, every source of pollution must be addressed. New legislative powers are meaningful only if the Department has the resources, the expertise and the personnel necessary to implement them effectively.”
“There is, however, a need for accompanying clear guidance and support and for regulatory consistency and prompt decision-making. Delays, uncertainty and excessive bureaucracy will undoubtedly discourage investment and undermine confidence in the sector.”
“Subordinate legislation should not become a substitute for proper democratic accountability. Consultation and engagement must be undertaken before regulations are introduced, and I cannot overstate the need for stakeholder engagement. <BR /> <BR />I will now talk about the Bill's proposed enforcement powers.”
“The DUP broadly welcomes the Bill. As has been said, it provides an opportunity to modernise legislation that, in some areas, has remained largely unchanged for decades. The Bill strengthens the protection of our fisheries, improves the regulatory framework for aquaculture and enhances the management of our water environment.”
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“I thank the Member for her question. It is very timely, given that COP26 was taking place last week. Education plays a critical role in mitigating climate change. A number of aspects of the curriculum already address that, particularly the world around us at primary level and environment and society at post-primary level. We need to ensure that young people are investigating and exploring the impacts on the environment of climate change. We want them to have a greater understanding of the interdependence of society, the economy and the environment in order to be able to respect what we currently have. Obviously, the Executive are committed to tackling climate change through the New Decade, New Approach commitments, which I support.”
“I thank the Member for her question. I encourage everyone to get involved. The easiest way to do that is by completing the online questionnaire that accompanies the consultation document. That is available from my Department's website and from nidirect. <BR /> <BR />Officials will also be organising a number of engagement events with parents, young people and other stakeholders. I advise them to look out for further details regarding that.”
“<BR /> <BR />We have excellent schools and a well-regarded play-based curriculum in the early years of primary school. The vast majority of children, regardless of their age in the class, thrive at primary school. However, some parents feel that starting school shortly after their fourth birthday is not right for their very young child, and they have concerns, particularly around issues such as social skills, emotional readiness, the longer school day and independence in personal care. That is the main body of what we are consulting on as an option. <BR /> <BR />We are proposing that flexibility with regard to the school-starting age will be available on parental request to any child born between 1 April and 1 July. That does not need to include an educational assessment.”
“I thank the Member for her question. She will be aware that that has been a priority for me. I was very supportive of the concept when it was brought forward by John O'Dowd during his tenure as Minister. <BR /> <BR />I am delighted that the public consultation on the deferral of school-starting age began last week on 9 November. It will close on Tuesday 4 January. I will then bring forward a final policy decision and seek Executive approval to bring forward legislation. <BR /> <BR />I remain optimistic that, with the agreement of the Committee, legislation can be quickly taken through the Assembly to make that much-needed change. I am delighted to have launched the eight-week consultation last week. It has been received fairly positively to date. Within that, children born in April, May and June are the youngest in the school class.”
“I thank the Member for his question. There are a number of resources on the CCEA website on a hub that schools can access. We have set aside further moneys for various celebrations, which schools have taken up. I can go back and review whether that was considered at the time, but the Member will know that, while there are only a number of weeks left, some initiatives will be ongoing until the end of the year.”
“I thank the Member for his question. A number of programmes were announced earlier in the year, including the Northern Ireland centenary art competition, which closes in the next couple of weeks, time capsules, a digital programme and other resources that are being made available through the CCEA website. Alongside that, the Member will be aware of the centenary tree-planting initiative, which was facilitated by the NIO. I have had the privilege of being able to attend a number of schools to plant those trees.”
“However, the Member will be aware that, as I said, the mitigations that we have in place on behalf of CCEA are much greater than those that are in place in England and Wales.”
“I thank the Member for her question. As I outlined in my initial response, mitigations have been put in place to reduce the number of units that pupils will have to take. We are very mindful that COVID is still with us, and, while we do not want to be at a stage where we put in so many mitigations that the qualifications become meaningless, all these things will have to be taken into consideration as we move forward to the examinations in May. <BR /> <BR />The Member will also be aware that I committed to the Engage II programme in September, allocating £545,000 that was targeted directly at those who were going through GCSE maths, starting in November. We are keeping all of that under review.”
“For the majority of CCEA's GCSE, AS and A-level qualifications, one unit of assessment has been omitted, which reduces the number of exams that young people and candidates are required to take. In addition, CCEA has provided exam aids for GCSE maths, which were made available to schools early in September. I am very mindful that our A-level students, for example, will not have sat any public examinations, and obviously assistance will be required to give them reassurance and confidence to go into exams.”
“I thank the Member for her question. I absolutely understand where she is coming from on that issue. My priority has been that we return to examinations in this academic year, so that our young people can be assessed fairly on the work that they do, because that is the best thing for them. <BR /> <BR />The Member will be aware that, due to the disruption to learning over the past two academic years, mitigations have been put in place for the assessment of the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment's (CCEA) GCSE, AS and A-level qualifications. We were very early in making our announcement on what that would look like, doing so on 17 May, compared with the other regions.”
“My Department also offers teachers opportunities through the curriculum to cover the issue of road safety. For example, at primary level, the personal development and mutual understanding area of learning requires teachers to enable pupils to develop knowledge, understanding and skills in keeping themselves healthy and safe. At post-primary level, the learning for life and work area of learning requires that pupils have opportunities to develop preventative strategies in relation to accidents in the home, school and on the road.”
“My Department is supporting DFI in a programme to allow the installation of cycle shelters in schools. By providing a secure storage facility and improving the infrastructure within school grounds, it is hoped that we will be able to encourage a higher number of children to cycle. DFI is providing the funding for that scheme.”
“My Department engages with the Department for Infrastructure and the Public Health Agency on the Active School Travel programme. That initiative is funded by the Department for Infrastructure and the Public Health Agency and delivered by the charity Sustrans. Its officers work to equip children with the necessary skills to enable them to walk or cycle safely. The overall objective of the programme is to increase the number of pupils who walk, cycle or scoot to school.”
“I want to be positive though: teaching is a career that we want people to enter, be committed to, enjoy and feel supported in.”
“I thank the Member for her question. She will understand that, as a consequence of the action short of strike, there was an agreement with the unions that we would undertake a workforce review project to deliver nine reviews in the teachers' pay and workload agreement. That is progressing well. A number of pieces of work are following through on that. As a former teacher, I am more than aware of the commitment that is required and the long hours that teachers put in in order for all of our young people to have positive outcomes. I am committed to supporting them in any way that I can. However, we are, obviously, cognisant of the fact that we are in serious and difficult times with our budget. All of those things have to be taken into consideration.”
“Those pressures cover a wide range of education priorities but relate largely to school-based pressures such as teaching and non-teaching pay, special educational needs, EA block grant pressures and maintaining the programmes that were previously supported through confidence-and-supply funding, such as Sure Start and the early years pathway fund. <BR /> <BR />Without significant additional funding, the budget position for the Department of Education is likely to continue to be extremely challenging. Some difficult decisions will have to be made that could have serious consequences for front-line services in education. That would result in a detrimental impact on the futures of our children and young people.”
“I thank the Member for his question. The Department of Finance has provided my Department with an indicative 2022-23 baseline of £2,269·6 million for planning purposes. If the position does not change at draft or final Budget stage, that baseline would represent a 4% cut to the 2021-22 education resource budget, before taking account of other inescapable or pre-committed pressures, which are estimated to be in excess of £350 million for next year. That is inclusive of the £84 million shortfall in the indicative baseline.”
“I agree with the Member's sentiments about the work that they do. The assistance that they give is exceptional. They also have a longer-term impact on the children with whom they work very closely each day. That is to be commended. As I indicated, non-teaching staff are contractually entitled to the NJC pay award. My officials are not involved in those negotiations. There are ongoing negotiations about the final offer, which was made in July 2021. I would support a review of grading, if there were to be one, but that would be very much dependent on need and justification. The Northern Ireland Executive pay policy guidance would also need to be taken into consideration.”
“The latest pay policy guidance notes that pay awards of up to 1% are allowable, subject to there being a commitment to reform and efficiency initiatives. <BR /> <BR />The vast majority of non-teaching staff are contractually entitled to the NJC pay award, which is agreed by the National Employers for local government services. Northern Ireland officials do not have any input to the negotiation process or the final settlement from that. That does not take away from the fact that those people have worked incredibly hard through very challenging times.”
“I thank the Member for his question and his commentary on the dedication of teachers and support staff. I absolutely agree with every word that he said about that. As you know, I maybe visit that number of schools every week. I have made it a priority to get out to speak to teachers and classroom assistants. I see their dedication, and I appreciate it. <BR /> <BR />As you are aware, however, there are a number of factors that impact on and influence the pay awards of staff. The pay award for Northern Ireland teaching staff needs to follow the Northern Ireland pay policy guidance set out by the Executive. That takes into consideration the constrained Budget position in Northern Ireland and the pressures on public services. It also advises that pay awards need to be affordable in the context of a Department's budget allocation.”
“Teachers in Northern Ireland received a 2% cost-of-living increase in 2018, 2019 and 2020. In addition, staff who were eligible for incremental progression will have progressed up the teachers’ pay scale at an estimated cost of 0·8% per year. The vast majority of non-teaching staff in Northern Ireland receive the National Joint Council (NJC) pay award each year. The headline NJC cost-of-living increase was 2% in both 2018 and 2019, although higher awards were made to staff on the lowest pay points. The NJC agreement for 2020 was 2·75%. Non-teaching staff eligible for incremental progression will also have progressed on their pay scale at an estimated cost of 0·5% per year. Both the teaching and non-teaching pay awards for 2021 have yet to be agreed.”
“The third option was the extension of the Lurgan campus, following the relocation of the Southern Regional College in Lurgan. The fourth option was Lurgan Junior High operating as an 11-16 school, with the option to transfer to grammar provision at the age of 14.”
“I thank the Member for her question. Unfortunately, I am not in a position to confirm the number of responses or to say at this stage whether they were positive or negative about the DP because I have not received the information from my officials on it. <BR /> <BR />The latter part of the question was on the other options. The case for change for DP 574 sets out the four specific options that were considered, as well as an investigation of a number of suitable sites in the area. The first option was the proposed relocation of the Craigavon Senior High School campus to the Lurgan Junior High site, with a new build for 250 post-primary pupils. Option two, which was the preferred option, was Craigavon Senior High School operating on a single site on the Portadown campus.”
“I thank the Member for her question. Maybe the question is timely, as I am meeting representatives of Lurgan Junior High tomorrow.”
“I thank the Member for his question. As he will understand, I cannot comment on what he said; however, all information and arguments that have been given to officials on the matter will be collated and presented to me for a decision in the coming weeks. At this stage, it would be unfair for me to comment on what the Member said, but I reassure him that all comments will be taken into consideration.”
“was published by the Education Authority on 22 April 2021. The statutory objection period ended on 22 June 2021. A submission containing all pertinent information on the proposal will be presented to me for my decision in due course. I assure you that, as soon as the proposal is presented to me for consideration, I will not unduly delay my decision.”
“Development proposal (DP) 574, which proposes:”
“In response to those pressures, the EA has already accelerated the expansion of staff resource that had been planned for early 2022 to prepare for implementation of the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act (Northern Ireland) 2016 — the SEND Act. That recruitment process is under way, and I hope that it will assist in restoring the 26-week time frame compliance. I absolutely agree with the Member about the pressures that the situation puts on families.”
“I thank the Member for his question on the statements and the need to move them on quickly. The EA has reported that the proportion of statements being completed within 26 weeks each month has fallen from 96% — 161 out of 168 statements — in April 2021 to 73% — 382 out of 525 statements — in September. That has been as a direct result of a significant spike in the number of referrals received across May and June 2021, which is more than double the number received in the same period of 2020. Although that spike has since fallen away to a degree, referral numbers are still significantly higher across the subsequent months compared with the same months in 2020.”
“Each child will have some support. However, there will be consequences for other aspects of what we deliver if we continue with that burden. The Finance Minister has given an assurance that he will give priority to SEN pressures in January monitoring, depending, of course, on whether funding is available. Given the significant level of pressures that I have indicated, however, it is imperative that the EA also takes action to manage pressures in order to avoid an overspend at the end of the year. <BR /> <BR />I will continue unashamedly to make the case for the funding of special educational needs at every opportunity. I hope that I will receive the necessary support from other parties in the Executive for that. As for when we will see the money being spent, that spend will be immediate.”
“I thank the Member for his question. Obviously, the October monitoring round was a challenge. My Department supported special educational needs bids totalling in excess of £23 million. Of that, £7·7 million was secured, which leaves a residual pressure of £15·9 million, which is not insignificant. The funding secured was £4·6 million for EA block grant pressures, combined with additional COVID funding totalling £3·1 million, which comprised £0·4 million for PPE for special schools, special schools substitute teaching staff and other staff cover of £0·5 million, additional SEN pupil support services of £1·2 million and asymptomatic testing in special schools of £1 million. <BR /> <BR />Meeting the needs of SEN pupils with a statement of need is a statutory requirement for us. Obviously, work will continue.”
“I thank the Member for his question. I have seen his socks as well; he was displaying them in the canteen earlier. <BR /> <BR />There is a growing need in SEN, as we all very much appreciate, and there is an issue about how it is resourced. That, in itself, is a challenge for us. I am hopeful that the reviews that I indicated are being carried out and the seriousness with which my Department and the EA are taking SEN will lead to a much more focused outcome to address the need for special educational needs provision.”
“I thank the Member for his question. He raises an interesting point that needs to be addressed. As he is aware, there are a number of reviews. Recommendations have come through from a number of reports, which, hopefully, will start to address some of those issues and make sure that need is identified and help is targeted appropriately to those who need it.”
“The independent review report is due in the summer of 2022. The EA has decided to pause the expansion of the pilot project until it receives and considers the independent review report.”
“Following the 2021 Public Accounts Committee recommendations, the Department has begun the procurement of an independent review of EA special educational needs services. The review includes:”
“The targeted additional teacher support project for post-primary children with complex interaction of needs, a pilot programme that the Education Authority implemented, is based on the reallocation of classroom assistant hours to provide newly qualified teacher (NQT) hours to support children with statements of SEN. The Education and Training Inspectorate (ETI) report on the initial pilot from March 2020 found that there was very positive collaborative work and practice, with skilled differentiation and good relationships among staff and pupils. It also found that pupils demonstrated a positive attitude towards engagement with learning. <BR /> <BR />A further pilot project has been rolled out and is being evaluated to track pupil progression against academic, social and emotional indicators, staff structure and management processes.”
“Colleges have also been provided with information about the classroom assistants' emergency register and asked to bring it to the attention of students who may be qualified or available for casual work. The placement coordinators have circulated that information to their colleagues on all campuses. <BR /> <BR />I am aware that there have been issues with Access NI in the past. It recently confirmed that there are no delays in processing vetting checks and that the education sector is being prioritised for a quick turnaround.”
“I thank the Member for his question. As I referenced, the EA emergency resourcing team has supported the establishment of a number of relief registers across a range of non-teaching roles. Officials continue to work closely with the chair of the special schools' strategic leadership group to provide support in response to the staffing challenges that are faced by special schools. <BR /> <BR />The childcare course placement coordinators in the five regional FE colleges have been contacted and advised that special schools may be in a position to host placement students with an interest in working with pupils with complex needs. They have been asked to contact their local schools directly to explore whether that is an option.”
“I thank the Member for his question. I have that information to hand. On the week beginning 1 November, four schools had class closures. In the week beginning 8 November, seven schools had class closures, and there was one full school site closure. The number of teachers absent in the week beginning 1 November was 91. In the week beginning 8 November, 111 teachers were absent. The number of classroom assistants absent in the week beginning 1 November was 239. In the week beginning 8 November, 298 classroom assistants were absent.”
“I thank the Member for her question. I am aware of a particular issue at Arvalee before the Halloween break, where the school closed for two days. That was to allow a 12-day window for teachers and young people to return to school. <BR /> <BR />As I have said in previous answers, I am aware of the challenges that are presenting in special schools in particular. The EA is working very closely with schools to address some of the issues. If there is anything else in particular with Arvalee, I am happy to speak to the Member. Having visited the school and seen the service that it provides in the area, I know that it is a resource that we do not want to see closed at any point.”
“I thank the Member for her question, and I absolutely agree with what she said about special schools. It is a priority to ensure that those schools are resourced appropriately. My officials are working closely with the EA to address that. As I indicated in my original answer, through the emergency resourcing team and special school support officers, we have been working to give particular support to schools that are finding it much more difficult than others to manage. <BR /> <BR />A number of schools have had class closures and had to close on particular days to address that problem. That concerns me because I do not want any pupil to miss out on learning, and I am also aware of the pressures that this places on families. I give the Member my assurance that my officials are working to address the current difficulties.”
“That team has also reviewed the Northern Ireland substitute teacher register (NISTR), asking teachers to identify an interest in and/or experience of working with children with SEN or complex needs. The team has also provided to priority schools updated lists of NISTR teachers who are available to work and have indicated a willingness to travel within a specific geographical area. <BR /> <BR />Officials continue to meet regularly with the special schools' strategic leadership group to ensure that issues and pressures faced by special schools are considered and addressed as they emerge. <BR /> <BR />My key priority is ensuring that all schools remain open to provide teaching and learning for children, young people and their families, and I have asked officials to keep me regularly updated on this issue.”
“I am aware that many schools have experienced high levels of absence of teaching and non-teaching staff due to a number of COVID and non-COVID factors. In these circumstances, principals have taken the difficult decision to close some classes or class bubbles, move to remote or blended learning, or avail themselves of exceptional closure days. These actions have been necessary to maintain the safety of pupils and staff alike, and, importantly, they have been taken in light of the extant public health guidance. <BR /> <BR />The Education Authority (EA) has established an emergency resourcing team to support principals in addressing staffing pressures and to provide support where required.”
“<BR /> <BR />I remain fully committed to delivering the educationally and strategically significant Strule Shared Education Campus programme. I can assure Members that my Department is working diligently to move to the next stage as soon as possible. <BR /> <BR />Mr Deputy Speaker, I am grateful for the time that you afforded me to respond to the debate. Thank you very much.”
“On the current programme timetable, assuming the successful appointment of a main works contractor and following a pre-construction design period, campus construction is due to begin on-site in the first quarter of 2023. <BR /> <BR />In relation to Ms Armstrong's query, I do not have the detail of that particular meeting in August 2020. What I can say is that HM Treasury has confirmed access to the Fresh Start Agreement capital funding for the Strule programme through to 2025-26. Flexibilities have been built into that. In December 2020, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury confirmed that all of the remaining £469 million of Fresh Start funding could be re-profiled across the remaining years of the programme: ie, 2021-22 can move to the 2025-26 financial year.”
“The delay was caused initially by tendering issues and later by the need for business cost reapproval and funding confirmation following the suspension of the main works contract procurement in 2018. In the past year and a half, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a major impact on all aspects of business, and the Strule programme, unsurprisingly, was also affected, with delays in the programme. <BR /> <BR />Based on the current position, campus construction completion is scheduled for 2025. In advance of the full campus going live, the possibility of opening some facilities — for example, sports pitches — once their construction is complete, will be considered.”
“The designs provide for additional teaching and support accommodation, which is deemed to be within acceptable tolerances, and more ancillary accommodation, which is deemed to be justified educationally and functionally, than would generally be provided for five stand-alone post-primary schools. <BR /> <BR />To ensure that Strule will promote genuine sharing, equality and full inclusivity, the needs of SEN pupils have been incorporated into the design from the outset. While that adds to the area and the costs, we can be confident that the most cost-effective design has been developed to ensure that the campus functions smoothly, provides optimum facilities and supports learning for all students on campus. <BR /> <BR />The Strule programme encountered delay in recent years.”
“That includes the cost of construction, including a contingency for construction price inflation, risk and optimism bias, staffing the programme, and other running costs, including support being provided to the schools for shared curricular development and implementation. <BR /> <BR />Costs have risen from the 2016 estimates, largely due to increases in building and site work costs and the potential estimated impact of construction price inflation in future years. We have additional costs that are unique to Strule, including significant site preparation works to transform a former military base into a site that is fit for schools; significant external roadworks; and a changing pavilion and maintenance building.”
“I appreciate that Members are, rightly, concerned about programme costs and timescales. Up to the end of September 2021, the Department had invested £46 million in the site. That investment has delivered the design, construction and fit-out of Arvalee School and Resource Centre, the Strathroy Link Road to improve traffic flow to and from the campus, and the completed site preparation works. It has also delivered the designs for the core schools and shared facilities. <BR /> <BR />The latest cost estimate is that, from October 2021 to programme completion, a future investment of £184 million is required.”
“My officials continue to liaise with Fermanagh and Omagh District Council in relation to the Department's planning application for the proposed development works on Gortin Road and Mountjoy Road, as a revised scheme has now been submitted.”