Alastair Ross
East Antrim · Democratic Unionist Party · Northern Ireland
“Over the weekend, she supported an independent investigation into everything that is going on in the RHI scheme. She has been working with the Economy Minister to try to make sure that we have something in place in early January to stop the costs of the scheme and reduce the cost.”
“There is no doubt that it has been an incredibly difficult time over the past two weeks for anyone involved in politics. It is quite clear that the public are, quite rightly, angry about a scheme that, with hindsight, was poorly designed and badly administered.”
“I know that, for some individuals, the old habit of asking questions rather than trying to answer them, dies hard, but what we had was not an opposition-driven policy or an attempt to hold the Executive to account; it was a media-driven thing, and some of the opposition parties tried to jump on the bandwagon.”
“Again, I hear the leader of the Alliance Party chirping away in the background. I listened to her contribution, and she must have had 10 or 11 questions she wanted answered.”
“That is why some of the hyperbole that has been around today is hard to stomach. <BR /> <BR />What we heard from my colleague Joanne Bunting was a thoughtful and considered first contribution to the Assembly, and I think that it was one that shows that she will be a valuable asset to the Chamber.”
“They abandoned their seats, and they failed to discharge their duties or ask the questions that their voters might, quite rightly, want them to ask. The public care very little about procedures, points of order or Standing Orders.”
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“Mr Bell put that in context when he said that the amount of revenue lost is the equivalent of 857 nurses. It puts it in some context when we learn of that. <BR /> <BR />One of the concerning themes throughout the debate was the fact that a number of Members questioned why little or no action has been taken against those responsible for fuel laundering in Northern Ireland. Many Members pondered whether a blind eye is being turned to that sort of criminality. Mr Maginness asked whether there was a light touch towards that sort of crime. That is something that we have to be very concerned about. There is a saying here in Northern Ireland that even the dogs in the street know what is going on.”
“This is one of those issues that requires joined-up collaboration among a number of agencies, whether it be the Police Service of Northern Ireland, the NCA, the Department of Justice here, the Ministry of Justice at Westminster and, of course, HMRC. It is a crime that costs the UK £400 million per annum. Here in Northern Ireland, as many Members outlined, it is £80 million annually, according to the figures that we have. As Mr Bell outlined at the beginning of the debate, it accounts for 13% of the fuel trade here in Northern Ireland, compared to only 2% in Great Britain. As nearly all Members mentioned in their contributions, there is an impact on the environment, the water supply because of illegal dumping, and legitimate trade, and there is a huge loss of revenue that should be going to Treasury.”
“I thank Mr Bell, for setting the scene for the motion, and the Members who contributed to the debate today. As many Members mentioned, it follows on from a debate on organised crime that my colleagues tabled in the House of Commons at the beginning of March. Of course, fuel laundering was a significant part of that debate. Perhaps, this time next month, Mr Bell will be joining them on the green Benches at Westminster and can continue some of the work he has started on these blue Benches today. <BR /> <BR />This is a serious issue. There needs to be coordination between the House of Commons and Stormont.”
“I thank the Member for highlighting the specific issue of the marker. Is he also concerned that the marker that the Government seem to favour is not available for roadside testing, which is one of the clear ways in which we can discover how this type of fuel is moved around Northern Ireland?”
“The Committee subsequently agreed, at the meeting on 14 January 2015, that it was content with the Attorney General's proposed statutory rule to give effect to his proposal and, at its meeting on 4 February 2015, recommended that the statutory rule be affirmed by the Assembly. While the Committee is content, one member, Mr Elliott, indicated his opposition to the inclusion of the PSNI on the list of organisations to which section 8 guidance applies when considering both the proposal and the statutory rule. However, all other members of the Committee were content, and we therefore recommend it to the House.”
“The addition of the Police Service of Northern Ireland to the list of organisations would also enable him to provide guidance that links across all the criminal justice organisations. The Attorney General also indicated that the role of the Policing Board to monitor the Police Service of Northern Ireland's performance in complying with the Human Rights Act 1998 is entirely distinct from the role that section 8 guidance would play in assisting the PSNI with human rights compliance. The Committee also sought further clarification on the role of the Department of Justice and the mechanism to amend section 8. <BR /> <BR />Having considered the views expressed at its meeting of 30 April 2014, the Committee agreed that it was content to support the Attorney General's proposal to add the PSNI to the section 8 list of organisations.”
“The Policing Board performance committee also indicated that, in its view, the inclusion of the PSNI on the list would be both unnecessary and potentially unhelpful as it may be in contention with the Policing Board’s oversight role in monitoring the PSNI’s performance in complying with the Human Rights Act 1998. <BR /> <BR />The Committee sought the views of the Attorney General on the issues raised by the PSNI and the Policing Board. In response, the Attorney General highlighted the fact that guidance under section 8 provides direction on how to achieve compliance with international human rights standards rather than with a base minimum, and that the guidance could provide the PSNI with more detailed and practical advice to assist officers carrying out their day-to-day duties.”
“<BR /> <BR />The PSNI indicated in its response to the Committee that it is subject to the close statutory scrutiny of the Northern Ireland Policing Board on how it carries out its duties and functions in relation to human rights standards and that, under section 52 of the Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000, the PSNI is bound by a code of ethics, which is intended to lay down standards of conduct and practice for police officers and to make police officers aware of their rights and obligations under the Human Rights Act 1998 and the European Convention on Human Rights. It is the PSNI’s view that it was not necessary to add the PSNI to the list.”
“I am pleased to speak on behalf of the Committee for Justice this morning. As the Chairperson of the Ad Hoc Committee has already outlined, the statutory rule brings the PSNI into the list of organisations that the Attorney General can issue guidance to on the exercise of their functions in a manner consistent with international human rights standards. <BR /> <BR />The Committee has considered this issue from as far back as February 2013, when the Attorney General wrote to the Committee advising that he proposed to amend the list of section 8 organisations to include the Police Service of Northern Ireland. The Committee considered this issue a number of times and consulted with the Attorney General, the PSNI, the Policing Board and the Department of Justice.”
“<BR /> <BR />The Committee considered the proposal for this statutory rule in October of last year and agreed that it was content for the Department to undertake a targeted consultation on its proposals. At its meeting on 14 January of this year, the Committee considered the post-consultation report and noted that minor drafting amendments had been made to the draft regulations as a result of the consultation responses received. The Committee agreed that it was content for the Department to progress with its proposed statutory rule. <BR /> <BR />At its meetings on 18 February and 4 March, the Committee considered the draft statutory rule laid by the Department. On both occasions, the Committee agreed to recommend that the statutory rule be affirmed by the Assembly, and therefore it supports the motion today.”
“I am pleased to speak very briefly on the final motion today. Given that we have had swift agreement on the previous three, I hope this is an example of speeding up justice and anticipate that this will be a similarly quick motion. <BR /> <BR />As already outlined by the Minister, the Civil Legal Services (Cost Protection) Regulations make provision for the circumstances in which cost protection will apply — and when it will not apply — in civil cases in which legal aid has been a feature. The cost protection regulations set out the periods in which the limit on liability, under an order for costs against a person receiving funded services as part of civil legal services, apply.”
“The Committee considered the proposal for these regulations in September of last year and agreed that it was content for the Department to undertake a targeted consultation on its proposals. <BR /> <BR />At a meeting in January of this year, the Committee reviewed the consultation responses and agreed that it was content for the Department to progress with its proposed statutory rule to bring the regulations into effect. At its meetings on 18 February and 4 March, the Committee considered the draft statutory rule laid by the Department. On both occasions, the Committee agreed to recommend that the statutory rule be affirmed by the Assembly and therefore, again, it supports the motion today.”
“I notice that the numbers have increased in the Chamber. I do not know whether the bells have led to an element of excitement but I am quite sure, now that people have arrived in the Chamber, that they may be sorely disappointed. <BR /> <BR />As already outlined by the Minister, the Civil Legal Services (Disclosure of Information) Regulations make provision for the disclosure of information that is furnished to the Department of Justice, or any court, in connection with an individual seeking or receiving civil legal services. The regulations also require the provision of information from suppliers to the director of legal aid casework and waive the rules of privilege and confidentiality.”
“On both occasions, the Committee agreed to recommend that the statutory rule be affirmed by the Assembly and, therefore, supports the motion.”
“I will be very brief once again. As already outlined by the Minister, the Criminal Legal Aid (Disclosure of Information) Rules make provision for the disclosure of information that is furnished to the Department of Justice or any court in connection with the case of an individual seeking or receiving representation under a criminal aid certificate. <BR /> <BR />The Committee considered the proposal for the statutory rule in September last year and agreed that it was content for the Department to undertake a targeted consultation on its proposals. At a meeting in January this year, the Committee reviewed the consultation responses and agreed that it was content for the Department to progress its proposed statutory rule. The Committee then considered the draft statutory rule laid by the Department at its meetings on 18 February and 4 March.”
“As I outlined, the Committee agreed to recommend that the statutory rule be affirmed by the Assembly at its meetings on 18 February and 4 March and therefore supports the motion.”
“At the meeting on 14 January of this year, the Committee considered the responses to the Department’s consultation and the detail of the new appeal process proposed by the Department, which had been revised as a result of the consultation responses. The Committee noted that the appeal panel will comprise three people drawn from a wide pool of suitably qualified people from a range of professional backgrounds and appointed through a public appointments process and that there would be a requirement for the presiding member of the panel to be a lawyer. <BR /> <BR />At that meeting, the Committee agreed that it was content with the Department’s proposed statutory rule.”
“At that time, the Committee was content for the Department to undertake a targeted consultation on the draft statutory rule.”
“Although the Minister will be relieved that we are not calling for his resignation at this time, the Committee agreed that it would write to the Department to say that this was managed in an unsatisfactory way. To avoid duplication of work, we ask that the Department communicates better with the Committee when changes are made. <BR /> <BR />Now back to the rule in question. In September last year, the Department advised the Committee of the suite of legislation that was required to implement civil legal services. That included the requirement for a statutory rule to establish a procedure for appeals against decisions on applications for funding by way of civil legal services and provide for the establishment and composition of independent appeals panels.”
“I am pleased to speak on this motion on behalf of the Committee for Justice. Before I turn to the Committee's consideration of the statutory rule, I wish to draw attention to the Committee's dissatisfaction with the Department's management of the four statutory rules before the Assembly. The Committee considered and agreed that it was content to approve the four statutory rules at its meeting on 18 February. However, the Department relaid them in the Business Office five days later, with an explanation that it had made minor changes to the rules following suggestions by the Assembly's Examiner of Statutory Rules. This required the Committee to consider and agree to approve the four statutory rules for a second time, on 4 March 2015. As much as we enjoy statutory rules, we do not enjoy them so much that we wish to do them twice.”
“The CJI report on Magilligan highlighted the level of drug use as being high, and there were no disciplinary consequences for positive drug tests. Does the Minister wish to comment on that, and what action can he take in conjunction with the Prison Service to tackle the high levels of use of illegal and prescription drugs in our prisons?”
“However, there are other areas that we could look at to try to make it more family-friendly. <BR /> <BR />In conclusion, I would say that one of the most important things that we could all do is encourage females in our local community to put themselves up for election. I have spoken to many women who are involved in community groups in east Antrim and asked them why they have never put themselves forward for election. Their simple message is that nobody has ever asked them. There is an important role for parties to talent-spot within their constituencies, look at people who play a positive role in their local communities, and ask them if they would stand for election. That would go a long way to encouraging more women.”
“It is not a 9.00 am to 5.00 pm job. It is not five days a week. All of us would appreciate that, most nights of the week, we are out at different community events. We get phone calls at all hours of the day. It is not a particularly family-friendly profession to be in. <BR /> <BR />That is not to say that we cannot mitigate some of those things. In the report, there were discussions about whether or not we would limit the number of late-night sittings and whether there could be pairing in voting and even job-sharing. Some of those suggestions are wholly unrealistic. You could not job-share in being a representative. I just do not think that it would work. There are also issues with pairing, particularly in the type of Assembly that we have here and the way that votes often break down.”
“Obviously, meritocracy is important. Anybody, whether male or female, who is put forward should be there on the basis of merit. I hold that view about young people going to grammar school and people joining the police. I take the same view about people standing for public office, namely that it should be based exclusively on merit. That is just the view that I take, and I think that most people would agree with that. <BR /> <BR />One of the other issues that was brought up was the culture of politics and how that can be off-putting to women. We need to be realistic that there is a certain adversarial type of politics in legislatures right across the world. That is what politics is. It is quite often a very passionate profession where arguments are put forward. We also have to realise that being a politician is not like any other job.”
“Clearly there is an issue there, in that the electorate will pick who they want to represent them, but parties, too, have a responsibility in putting their candidates forward. <BR /> <BR />I know that it is not in the Committee recommendations — I am glad that it is not — but, during the evidence sessions, a number of people talked about quotas. I think that quotas can actually be a very dangerous thing if we want to have women who are empowered and put forward for election. What that means is that women may be put forward for reasons other than merit. I think that that actually does a disservice to females who want to come forward and stand for office, Therefore, I am glad that that is not part of the Committee's recommendations.”
“It is not a newspaper that I read very often, but it said that there would be a significant number of female candidates for the Westminster election, which is only a number of weeks away, and they imagine that the next cohort of the House of Commons will have a significantly higher proportion of females. <BR /> <BR />I know that, at a local level, many of us will have the same experience of community groups or resident associations. When there is an issue in our local constituencies, it is often women who garner people together and are the drivers and force behind getting action taken in their local communities. It leads to this question: why are those women not putting themselves forward for their local council or, indeed, for the Assembly?”
“There are Chambers much worse than ours in terms of their representative nature. <BR /> <BR />I was struck by looking at the particular areas. I know that the Committee went to Wales and to Iceland as part of its investigations. I notice that the Seychelles is much more representative in terms of females, and I wonder why the Committee did not take the opportunity to go for a study visit there. But why we have a lower number of women coming forward to put themselves up for election and, indeed, among those who are elected is a serious issue. <BR /> <BR />I read an article over the weekend in 'The Guardian'.”
“<BR /> <BR />I only joined the Committee in the last number of months, so I did not have the advantage of the evidence sessions like other members did, but I have read through the report and some of the evidence sessions, and there are some stark findings. One would imagine that, given the fact that 50% of the population or thereabouts is female, a representative body such as the Assembly would also be around 50% female and that we would expect to have around 54 female Members of the House. The fact that we do not and that only a quarter of Members are female clearly says that there is a disconnect between the proportion of women in society and the proportion of women represented here in the Chamber, and that is something that is of concern. We are far from the worst Chamber anywhere in the world.”
“It has been mentioned by the Deputy Chair that yesterday was International Women's Day. I noticed the number of people who made reference to it on my Twitter feed and Facebook feed and put up women from right across the world who inspired people, whether they were in business, politics, sport or community activism. It was a very positive message and an indication of the positive role models that there are out there for young women. Sadly, I doubt that the report will get an awful lot of media coverage today, given the actions of Sinn Féin on welfare, which is disappointing, because I think that it is an important issue and one that should receive significant amounts of media coverage.”
“Last year, I joined the Minister and her counterpart at the time, Leo Varadkar, at that. There are huge opportunities there and massive opportunities coming with the new council, if it works with Invest Northern Ireland and Tourism Northern Ireland. I hope that Members champion East Antrim and talk about the opportunities there, rather than just being negative about it.”
“If there are entrepreneurs willing to welcome visitors to East Antrim, there are business opportunities for people willing to embrace them. I point also to the all-Ireland lighthouse trail, which is an exciting project.”
“It will be used to promote this year's race as well and, I suggest, for some years to come. That is a prime opportunity to capitalise on cycling tourism. The Gran Fondo is coming this summer, and, already, the number of registrations from across the world show that it is a massive opportunity, and, of course, the coast road is a prime place where that could happen. <BR /> <BR />The project to restore the Gobbins path, which will hopefully be open again this summer, is a massive opportunity to bring lots of people to the coast. From Islandmagee, they will travel right up the coast road towards the Giant's Causeway and the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge. Tourists will visit the coastal corridor to visit the film sets of 'Game of Thrones'. There is huge potential at Cairncastle and Magheramorne.”
“Of course, we have the Ballygally Hotel, which recently put a lot of money into expanding its operation and attracting more tourists to the area. <BR /> <BR />The area has never had greater exposure. In May last year, the Giro d'Italia — I was very close to that and very enthusiastic about it — went through Moyle, Larne, Carrick and Newtownabbey. It was very fortunate that that was the route that it took, but it showcased the absolute splendour of the coast to viewers right across the world. Some 165 countries watched the coverage of the Giro d'Italia, which reached almost 800 million people and showcased the beauty of the coast. Who could forget the vision of the horses racing along the beach at Carnlough alongside the riders? It was an image used by the Giro d'Italia throughout the entire race.”
“Ryobi and Schrader, to name but two, provide job opportunities for people throughout the area. Even on the coastal corridor that Mr McMullan talked about, we have the example of Glenarm Organic Salmon. I was chatting to the guys in that business not so long ago at an InterTradeIreland event here in Parliament Buildings, and they told me how they have travelled the world. They have been to the west coast of the States, China and the Middle East on trade missions with Invest Northern Ireland, exporting their products around the world. That is exactly the sort of thing that we should highlight. It is the sort of story that we should champion: the successes in East Antrim and, indeed, in the rural areas of East Antrim.”
“Geographical position is important — Mr McMullan talked about that — but Northern Ireland is not such a big place that people cannot avail themselves of job opportunities close by. There is no doubt that there is concern among the working population about opportunities for employment. It is not unique to East Antrim or to Northern Ireland. I know that there is a lot of concern about the job losses in JTI, which will impact not just on North Antrim but on East Antrim. There is continued concern about some of the productivity lines in Caterpillar as well, although I know that the Minister has been proactive in meeting with the owners in Chicago to try to ensure that we get additional lines to East Antrim. <BR /> <BR />There are also examples close to the rural areas in East Antrim of businesses exporting all around the world.”
“I appreciate that, Mr Principal Deputy Speaker. <BR /> <BR />When tourists come to Northern Ireland, they will look at the tourist website, which will point them right the way across every little place in Northern Ireland, including in east Antrim and on the coastal route, which I will talk about later in my contribution. The narrative that Invest Northern Ireland is not attracting enough businesses to invest in this area may, I am afraid, be a nice sound bite for the local press, but it fails to recognise how investment happens and how investors take decisions. Invest Northern Ireland does not decide where an investor goes; it facilitates visits and encourages people to come to Northern Ireland. Investors ultimately decide where they set up the business.”
“Over the last number of months, I have read pieces by Mr McMullan in the local press in which he has made similar claims about a lack of investment. One would have imagined that he was quite passionate about the issue, but I am not sure that that quite came across in the presentation of his speech. I have also read his comments in the local press, in common with other Sinn Féin representatives across the country, about how many young people are emigrating from Northern Ireland to find jobs. However, I must say that Mr McMullan's diatribe of negativity does nothing to help the area that he purports to wish to help. I have yet to meet an investor or potential tourist who reacts well to that sort of negativity. He should highlight the opportunities in East Antrim rather than continually —”
“I will be as succinct as I can, Mr Speaker.”
“Does he share the concerns that have been highlighted by the Institute of Advanced Motorists that this does not deliver the results that some claim it does?”
“I thank the Member for giving way so early in his contribution. He talked about the number of stakeholders. Does he share my concern that the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) has pointed to evidence that suggests that the numbers of serious accidents and slight accidents in 20 mph zones have gone up in the last 12 months? Indeed, Simon Best, chief executive of the IAM, has said that recent advice and guidance and the relaxation of regulations has been making it easier for councils to put in place 20 mph zones, but they do not seem to be delivering fewer casualties. Indeed, that evidence is backed up by the Department for Transport. Second Stage is something that we can agree on, but it is important that we look at that in Committee.”
“<BR /> <BR />I do not intend to rehearse the detail that the Minister has already set out, other than to say that the Committee noted that the rule would make provision for short-service benefits to facilitate split pension age; transitional provisions to stop transitional members being treated as deferred members of their pre-2015 scheme; and consequential modifications to the tax regime in respect of ill-health benefits. At its meeting on 14 January 2015, the Committee agreed to recommend that the Assembly affirm the statutory rule, and it therefore supports the motion.”
“Brevity is the order of the day, so I shall try to keep to that in my contribution on this statutory rule. <BR /> <BR />In October of last year, the Department of Justice advised the Committee of the changes required to be made to the Public Service Pensions Act 2014 and that the police pension scheme was one of the schemes affected by the changes. In December, the Committee noted the detail of the proposed changes and, more recently at the meeting on 14 January 2015, the statutory rule itself. As the Minister has outlined, the rule makes transitional and consequential provision in relation to public-service pensions for members of the Police Service of Northern Ireland.”
“<BR /> <BR />The Committee noted during its consideration of the rule that, whilst the Department of Justice was statutorily responsible for reforming pensions for judicial office holders, responsibility for the devolved judiciary was a matter for a number of Departments, including the Department for Employment and Learning and the Department for Social Development. The Committee also noted that the scheme regulations had been closely modelled on those made by the Department of Finance and Personnel for civil servants and by the Ministry of Justice for the non-devolved judiciary, which is in keeping with the Executive’s decision to adopt an approach in line with equivalent schemes in Great Britain. On that basis, the Committee agreed that it is content with the statutory rule and, therefore, supports the motion.”
“I am pleased to speak very briefly on the motion on behalf of the Committee for Justice. <BR /> <BR />The Committee considered the proposals for the statutory rule in May and December of last year. The Committee then considered the draft statutory rule more recently at the meeting on 4 February 2015. As already outlined by the Minister, the rule provides for the establishment of a career average revalued earnings (CARE) pension scheme for the devolved judiciary and sets out the governance arrangements for it. As Members are aware, the establishment of the scheme is a small part of the wider reform of public-service pension schemes across the United Kingdom. As the Minister stated, there is a strong imperative for the scheme to be in place for 1 April 2015, as benefits to the devolved judiciary under existing schemes end on 31 March.”
“The Minister will know that, in order to be a business-friendly environment, we want to have a highly skilled workforce if we can get the lower rate of corporation tax and have flexible labour laws. Is he confident, given the fact that, in Great Britain, they have moved further on reforming employment law, particularly around the qualifying period for unfair dismissal, that after his employment law Bill goes through the House, we will not be at a disadvantage compared with other regions in the UK in being attractive to investors and job creators?”
“The Department has indicated that an allocation of up to £53 million has been provided for that in the next financial year, dependent on agreeing the drawdown of unspent funds from the Treasury. Given that the four-year period provided for the Department of Justice to carry forward underspends is due to come to an end on 31 March 2015, it would be helpful if the Minister could provide an update on the position regarding discussions with the Treasury in relation to the underspend and end-year flexibility arrangements. <BR /> <BR />I finish by saying that I support the 2014-15 spring Supplementary Estimates and the 2015-16 Vote on Account.”
“Whilst we acknowledge that many left under the voluntary exit scheme, it highlights that we are running short on the number of prison officers that we have. That will obviously have an impact on the running of our prisons. The Minister indicated that staffing arrangements will be considered and that emerging funding pressures will be considered as part of the monitoring rounds, but it is, as I said, an area of particular concern, particularly given recent events at Maghaberry prison. The Committee will no doubt wish to discuss the situation with the director general of the Prison Service when she next attends the Committee. <BR /> <BR />Finally, I wish to mention the Desertcreat community safety training college capital project.”
“I raised concerns regarding staffing levels, the use of overtime to cover staff shortages, the number of lockdowns, particularly in Maghaberry, and whether adequate funding is being made available to maintain safety levels for prison officers and prisoners. This morning, I noticed a reply to an Assembly question that I had tabled. It puts this in very stark view over the past five years. In 2010, 63 members of the Prison Service left with no new officers recruited; in 2011, 47 prison officers left the service and none was recruited; in 2012, 257 members left with 140 recruited; in 2013, 323 left and 170 were recruited; in 2014, 104 members left and none was recruited; in 2015, up until the 23 January, nine members of the Prison Service have left with no new recruits.”
“By reducing funding to projects that aim to prevent offending behaviour and rehabilitate offenders, not only will the Department reduce the likelihood of achieving its overall aims and objectives for the justice system but it is likely to increase costs for the PSNI, the Courts and Tribunals Service and, ultimately, the Prison Service. The Committee has asked the Minister of Justice to revisit some of the funding proposals, and, again, we will continue to monitor saving plans and related impacts to ensure that budget allocations are not based on a false economy. <BR /> <BR />When the Minister attended the Committee meeting on 28 January, the budget for the Prison Service was discussed.”
“My colleague Mr Frew, who is sitting along the Benches from me, has raised on a number of occasions the Railway Street Drug, Arrest Referral and Harm Reduction Service in Ballymena. NIACRO has been mentioned as well, and, of course, the work of the Probation Board, including the monitoring of sexual and violent offenders who are living in the community. <BR /> <BR />The Minister will continue to have to prioritise funding during 2015-16, and the Committee has raised concerns regarding the adoption of an approach to cutting spending that does not include a cost-benefit analysis and an analysis of the likely impact on and cost to other areas of the criminal justice system.”