Jonathan Bell
Strangford · Democratic Unionist Party · Northern Ireland
“I did so because terminally ill children were being prevented from getting a hospital place in my area. While attempts were being made to prevent me from coming to the Public Accounts Committee, a terminally ill child was told, after being seen by doctors, that they could not have a hospital place and that, if they needed one, they would…”
“The permanent secretary replied "No" and said that everybody would recognise that every government worked by and on collective responsibility. <BR /> <BR />We are in a mess, and somebody has to shine a light on that mess. It fell to me, and I do not know why. I did not seek it, nor did I want it. I did not want to do it.”
“Let me conclude, Mr Principal Deputy Speaker. The regulations are necessary because of the extreme mess that we have found ourselves in. The points that I made when I had to shine a light on this devastating situation were not made in December. The points were made in writing to the then First Minister in March 2016.”
“The permanent secretary replied, "Well, that is right". <BR /> <BR />There were no regulations on the table when I spoke out. There was no suggestion that we could reduce to zero or even significantly reduce the costs, and we had no legal procedure, that I was aware of, that we could have followed.”
“But I cannot speak authoritatively because, even after the Public Accounts Committee meeting, when I asked the permanent secretary last week whether I could come and see the information that, I believe, legally should be made available to me, I got no reply. Nothing.”
“The second objective that I wanted to achieve was to stop the haemorrhage of public funds. Let us not pretend that the money is still to be spent: tens of millions of pounds of taxpayers' money has already been spent — £85,000 a day, day by day, as we go along.”
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“The manufacturing strategy that the five parties, including the Member's, came to was the economic strategy, and DETI's manufacturing strategy is within that. I have met unions, and I have tried to take forward some of their ideas. They have asked me specifically to do things around energy costs, and I think that everyone in the House knows what we did, particularly in relation to Bombardier, our biggest manufacturer. <BR /> <BR />Sadly, we will never see the truth. I was ready to sign off a three quarters of a million pounds grant investment to Michelin to try to bring its energy costs down. I can work with trade unions on some things; I do not think that other things that they have asked me to do, like appointing additional junior Ministers, would be acceptable to the House.”
“We have to be careful. All of us want jobs to come to our constituency, and that is natural. I want jobs for Strangford as much as you want them for anywhere else. However, we have to be careful and look at the evidence from the last census: 40% of the people working in all constituencies work in areas outside the parliamentary boundary that they live within. We have to be very careful because we cannot instruct businesses where to go. Businesses will determine that on that on the basis of whatever factors are in their criteria. We will seek to put the best-case scenario right across Northern Ireland to attract jobs because we are conscious that nearly half of our people work outside their parliamentary boundary.”
“I am targeting trying to compete for higher-end jobs that require high skills. That is where our competitive edge lies. That is why I am looking to life sciences, agrifood, advanced materials and advanced engineering. I note the success of the Member's constituency in accounting for some 21% of all jobs in manufacturing.”
“Manufacturing is a vital sector, accounting for 14% of all local economic output. It accounts for one in every nine of our local jobs. Despite the bad news, the output was 3·2% over the year to quarter 2 in 2015, which outperformed the UK average. The latest DETI research on the cost of doing business showed that we are competitive on all costs against the rest of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland but that we cannot compete globally on cost alone.”
“That is how we will contribute to the Executive’s collective goal of delivering economic growth, increasing prosperity and creating jobs.”
“The Executive’s economic strategy sets out an overarching goal to 2030 to improve the economic competitiveness of the economy through a focus on export-led economic growth, and this will remain our priority going forward. Our most important exporting sector is manufacturing, and, despite the recent bad news about Michelin, the manufacturing sector has been posting strong growth in output and has created over 1,800 jobs in the past year to March 2015. It is interesting to note that the manufacturing sector is outperforming the UK average. <BR /> <BR />As we look to refocus the economic strategy, we will continue to invest in the key drivers of innovation, research and development and skills in order to create the conditions that will allow businesses in all sectors to grow and prosper.”
“<BR /> <BR />The UK, including Northern Ireland, would face a departure from the common agricultural policy and its related subsidies and regulations. I know that many local farmers rely on the single farm payment in order to be viable, but we also need to look at the money that would be available for them were we to be out.”
“I have met a number of farming groups on a range of issues. We have to look, for example, towards the common agricultural policy, but we also need expert opinion on what would be available to Northern Ireland farmers if we were not paying money into the European Union. What scenarios could there be? I understand that the agrifood sector is a key beneficiary of EU membership as a trading partner and as the result of direct funding from the sector. I also acknowledge that we exported over £1·1 billion in sales to the European Union, although the exact impact on those sales, according to research, depends on the terms that the UK Government would negotiate with the European Union on the movement of goods and services.”
“<BR /> <BR />We also need to consider the scenarios that the honourable Member pointed out — very well, I have to add — of the potential, should we leave the European Union and look towards what we can do with free trade in some of the world's emerging markets. The honourable Member made those points well; I suppose that we trained you well when you were a DUP MEP.”
“All that will need to be considered in the round. Members have asked me about the DUP's position, and I stand fully behind what Diane Dodds has done. I am not, however, answering questions as a DUP Minister; I am answering questions as the Enterprise, Trade and Investment Minister. We have to take a number of issues into account. There are particular advantages in being part of a market of 500 million people. We have to look at the scenarios that I outlined to see what the benefits are, what brings in the most GDP and employment and what represents the best value for United Kingdom citizens.”
“As we are part of the United Kingdom then, legally, we will be part of the United Kingdom when taking part in the United Kingdom referendum. It is the "United Kingdom referendum": the clue is in the title.”
“The short paper exercise and access to a database detailing the results are expected to be available to us by the end of this financial year.”
“We have set them specifically to look at what I have explained; the different options available and the potential impact those will have across the whole range of scenarios. We have to look very seriously at the implications of being in and being out. if we are to be in, then what potential benefits will there be, and, if we are to be out, what pitfalls will there be and what potential successes could we have, such as free-trade agreements and specific economic zones with areas where we currently do not have them. Let us take all the research and consider it in the round, looking specifically at a range of metrics; GDP, output by sector, trade volume, household spending, employment and unemployment. Comparisons will be made throughout the United Kingdom as a whole.”
“We will look at all the specific impacts of these potential exit scenarios in Northern Ireland across issues such as GDP, sector output, trade volume, household spending and unemployment.”
“The Oxford Economics research study proposes to examine a range of the potential scenarios, not just a simple in/out scenario. The study we have commissioned will look at, for example, the Norwegian option, which is to leave the European Union but become a member of the European economic area; the Swiss option, which is a new settlement as a product of continued bilateral negotiation; the Turkish option whereby the UK would enter into a customs union with the European Union similar to the current arrangements adopted by Turkey; and also complete withdrawal involving a complete repatriation of powers, with the UK's EU trading relationship determined according to the work of the World Trade Organization's most-favoured-nation criteria.”
“I have an opportunity to wish you well, Mr Speaker, after your announcement this morning. <BR /> <BR />My Department became aware of an existing research study by Oxford Economics that was seeking UK-wide funding to examine the potential impacts of a UK exit from the EU under a selection of plausible scenarios. We have now accepted a proposal from Oxford Economics to join its UK study and to have its work extended to Northern Ireland following a formal approach that we made to it during October.”
“They intend to bring investment and jobs, if this House gets its act together and sets a date and a rate for corporation tax: 30,000 to 40,000 jobs are a massive opportunity that we cannot afford to miss.”
“What we can do — the Employment and Learning Minister has put the Northern Regional College on notice with its full agreement — is put courses in place for people who have the skills but do not necessarily have the certification of those skills, so that they can get the necessary certification, to go on their CV, to render them eligible for those jobs. We will look at their skill sets, make one-to-one and group appointments and bring to people's attention the advertisements that, I understand, exist for jobs in the area. However, it is not just about the jobs that exist in the area: we can bring jobs in. I am in a privileged position as Enterprise Minister: I know that significant global companies are looking at Northern Ireland.”
“There are logistical issues, but we have to look at what we can do, which is to use that £5 million from the community development fund constructively. We can ask the people who are working there and whose employment is going to be phased out over the two and a half year period what skills they have that could be utilised by other companies in the area — Wrightbus, Shrader, Randox and Moy Park. The advertisements are out there. What do we need to do either to accredit their training or to upskill them to put them in a position where they can take advantage of the jobs that are being advertised?”
“The information that I got from the company this morning was that it was going to close the complete site. For what it is worth, I have every empathy with the 860 people who have been told that they have lost their jobs. There are 70 contractors as well. My information is that it will be a phased rundown over two and a half years. I hope that we can learn some lessons from the good practice that there was with JTI in retraining and generous redundancy support for families. <BR /> <BR />I understand that Michelin faced a major challenge. In addition to energy and logistics, it faced a major challenge because there was a £5 million downturn in the truck tyre market and real challenges from the Asian market. I understand that it regarded each of its five European sites as inefficient.”
“Creating employment and quality employment is everything that any sensible trade union would want to take forward.”
“It should be said that there was no indication at that stage, either from Michelin, the local management of the company or anybody else, that there were any difficulties leading to today's announcement. As I said, as recently as a couple of weeks ago, the Member of Parliament met local management, and we did not have any indication that this was going to happen. We discussed then what we would do with energy costs. I said, and I always will say, that the best way to create quality jobs and employment for our people in Northern Ireland — we cannot use the state aid as we did before; the European rules forbid that. We can debate whether they are right or wrong, but they are there, and I have to observe the law — is to set a date and rate of corporation tax that could create 30,000 to 40,000 new jobs and grow our economy by 10%.”
“I had a very positive meeting. I am not sure that the summary that the Member has given is accurate; it is certainly not an accurate account of my recollection or of the people who were with me at that meeting. I understand that press releases have gone out. I understand also that when UNITE requested that meeting with me, we asked whether it had anything specific, and it said that there was no specific area that it wanted to speak about. It was talking about general issues that affected UNITE and general issues that affected our manufacturing strategy. We had a very constructive and healthy meeting with UNITE. I was a trade union member for over two decades. I had a very constructive and healthy meeting with members of UNITE in July.”
“Do not take my word for it: take the word of 80% of the foreign direct investment that has come to Northern Ireland. Those businesses have subsequently reinvested. Eighty per cent of everybody who has sucked it and seen has put more investment into Northern Ireland. The area still has companies such as Wrightbus, Schrader, Randox and Moy Park. It is still a world leader, and we will do all in our power to ensure that it stays that way.”
“I assure you that anything that I can do in a task force capacity, as an Executive Minister or through working most directly and currently with the Minister for Employment and Learning, will be done for the people involved. It is important that we take a whole view of the mid- and east Antrim area. <BR /> <BR />It is also important that we take a look at foreign direct investment in Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland has outperformed the rest of the United Kingdom. Up until August 2014, we talked about outperforming every other part of the United Kingdom with the exception of London, and people said that we could not compete against London. However, from August 2014, we overtook it. We have more foreign direct investment coming to Northern Ireland.”
“There is a triangle: costs are there, yes, but there is also security of supply and emissions. You cannot just take costs without looking at security of supply and emissions. You must take a balanced approach. <BR /> <BR />For this House, the game changer — I will repeat this until I am blue in the face — is setting the date and rate of corporation tax. If we look back in 16 years' time at up to 40,000 jobs lost and an economy underperforming by 10%, the salience of what I am saying will be considerable. Let us set the date and rate, and let us give back to our manufacturing a competitive advantage.”
“I have put forward proposals that avoid putting that additional cost on to Northern Ireland consumers. The Utility Regulator is working to reform the single wholesale electricity market on the island of Ireland, because wholesale costs make up two thirds of our electricity bill. A review of the competitiveness of our energy markets has been undertaken by the Utility Regulator, and that has recently concluded that competition is effective. Although it is a big difficulty, it should be noted that most businesses have energy costs around the EU average. I appreciate, however, that large-scale users have comparatively higher costs than their competitors. We do not get exact figures, because they negotiate their contracts separately. We have to do something, but there are things that we cannot do.”
“The Member started with some sniping before coming to a very constructive question. There was nothing indicated in the monthly visits to Invest Northern Ireland. Without going into the contents of a private meeting, I can say that, when the Member of Parliament Ian Paisley visited the local management, nothing was raised with us to indicate that there were any difficulties. The most recent quarterly report, from September, I think, indicated that output was up. Therefore, the first part of your question — the sniping — does not really count. <BR /> <BR />As to energy costs, the Executive are putting £30 million into expanding our gas infrastructure to give consumers more choice. We have faced a difficult choice in balancing continued support for renewables against consumer bills.”
“The Member may want to shout down 30,000 to 40,000 new jobs. In that case, he would be failing not only north Antrim but Northern Ireland.”
“We are told that we have an opportunity of 30,000 to 40,000 new jobs coming from one of the top three economists in Northern Ireland —”
“It is important to talk up the skills that exist in the constituency to potential investors. The Member, foolishly, refers to "platitudes" to Invest Northern Ireland, but, as I said, the track record of creating 4,760 jobs for families is not platitudes; the offer of supporting inward investment with over £84 million is not a platitude; and the 23 inward investment visits are not a platitude. The legislation has been passed, and we have a chance in the House to set our date and rate of corporation tax. <BR /> <BR />The Member, foolishly, may think that he knows more than the likes of Professor Neil Gibson and others from the Economic Policy Centre, which provides independent advice. If I may, I will take the advice of the top three economists in Northern Ireland instead of his foolishness.”
“I say to the House again that a prize of over 30,000 new jobs for Northern Ireland will be the game changer that will transform our economy if we set a reduction of our corporation tax and the date for when that is to be done. Friends, that really is a prize that we cannot afford to miss.”
“I cannot go into the confidential details of the companies that I am dealing with, but I assure the House that there is significant investment in terms of jobs and our economy if we can set that date and rate. Even if we were to set it later — most companies work on a three- to five-year plan — I am informed that a lot of that investment will occur immediately. <BR /> <BR />There are challenges that we have with energy costs. I had a general meeting with Unite in July and we did discuss energy costs. I have to deal with energy costs, but I also have to deal with the security of supply and the burden that there would be on the domestic householder. There are things that we have to manage, but there are other things on which we can produce a game changer.”
“First — if you do not listen to anything else that I say — the thing that will transform and game-change heavy manufacturing in Northern Ireland is a reduction in our corporation tax. I know that the parties are working very hard, and I hope to see a positive response, with a date and a rate set to reduce corporation tax. The information that I am getting from the Economic Policy Centre is that, if we set a date and a rate of 12·5% in 2017, we could create 30,000 to 40,000 new jobs in Northern Ireland and grow our economy from 2017 to 2033 by 10%. If there is to be a game changer, it is for all the parties to assist me in getting that date and rate of corporation tax set and lowered.”
“I understand from the Minister that the Northern Regional College is ready to act to get those people accredited. <BR /> <BR />While there has been the difficult news, and you have also outlined correctly some of the big difficulties that there have been in the area with JTI and others, it is important to emphasise that there are some world class facilities in the area. I mentioned some of them earlier: Wrightbus, Schrader, Randox and Moy Park. They are recruiting. They are looking for skill sets. We will do all in our power to support those who are losing their jobs and tailor their skills towards quality alternative employment.”
“I have also been speaking to the Member of Parliament for the area, Ian Paisley Jnr. While others have shouted, he has been responsible for our bringing in a number of potential investors and orders from Singapore, Taiwan and Gibraltar. He hopes to see some success coming from those visits in the not too distant future. This shows that it is important to actually do something about the circumstances, as opposed to shouting from a sedentary position. <BR /> <BR />We will do all in our power with the Social Security Agency. We will do all in our power to help people, who may have come in at 16 or 18 years of age and have skills that they can transfer. The Employment and Learning and Minister and I, along with the colleges, will ensure that we get those people on to short courses or whatever is needed.”
“I understand the position that people are in, having experienced it in my own family and seen how devastating news of unemployment can be. I also understand that this is going to be a phased process over two and a half years. The First Minister and deputy First Minister have already spoken on this situation today. I want to assure the Member that everything will be done by the Executive and right though leadership level. I have already had a meeting with the Employment and Learning Minister, which, although very difficult in its content, was very robust and healthy as we look to see what we can do in a collaborative exercise. <BR /> <BR />I welcome the fact that there is a generous redundancy package. I welcome the fact that there is a £5 million community development fund.”
“Progress had been made in many areas with inter-group efficiencies, but there has been an oversupply. I understand that cheap imports have forced Michelin's senior management to take this decision. There were other competitive pressures that are outside Invest Northern Ireland's control or influence such as energy costs, distribution costs and, particularly, currency fluctuations.”
“Over the last five years, the company was also offered £1·226 million for training and development. In 2014, Invest Northern Ireland offered a £750,000 capital grant in support of the installation of an in-house plant to generate a percentage of Michelin's electricity requirements. That project was to have commenced in 2017. The Invest Northern Ireland team has worked closely with Michelin management to improve the Ballymena plant's competitiveness in relation to other Michelin plants.”
“I thank the Member for his question. As for Invest Northern Ireland's support for Michelin Tyre plc, there were quarterly reports and, I understand, monthly visits. I understand that some people are saying that they predicted the closure: I understand that the Member of Parliament was even in recent discussions with the local management of the company and others and we were unaware that the plant was to close. Even though I was getting texts and emails as early as 10.00 am today, the official information that we were given as a Department was around 11.00 am and was embargoed until 12.00 noon. <BR /> <BR />The company was nearing completion of an investment programme of £11·7 million that commenced in 2008. It was extended to enable expenditure up to 2015 to be eligible.”
“While some people may wish to talk down Invest Northern Ireland and the skills of people in North Antrim and in the mid- and east Antrim area, they should remember that, with Wrightbus, Schrader, Randox and Moy Park, we have some of the world's leading companies in this area. I understand that Schrader and others are advertising jobs today. We will do all in our power to ensure that the families who have had devastating news coming up to Christmas are given every opportunity to achieve new employment.”
“There was a downturn of five million tyres in the market, which is difficult to deal with. Our responsibility now is to see what we can do to create real employment and training opportunities. I have just finished a detailed meeting with the Minister for Employment and Learning on what we can do about putting the colleges to work to ensure that people who need accreditation for skills that they already possess can have it. We need to see what the Social Security Agency and all the relevant agencies can do. Working alongside Minister Farry, we will put together individual and group programmes. The Northern Regional College is available and will work constructively to respond. <BR /> <BR />There is a good skill set.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, those were to the mid- and east Antrim area. I am sure that the Member will be aware that, according to the last census, some 40% of people in Northern Ireland work outside their parliamentary constituency. We are looking at the mid- and east Antrim area, the 4,760 jobs that were created and the 23 inward investments. Invest Northern Ireland has made 83 offers to support inward investment projects that have led to over £84 million of investment. Since we got the news, my officials have been in contact with Michelin, and I understand that it has no complaints about the support that Invest Northern Ireland gave. <BR /> <BR />I say to the Member, who seems to think that shouting will help somebody's constituency, that I understand the difficulties that Michelin faced.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, can I resume the statement? Thank you. <BR /> <BR />In 2013-14, 4,760 jobs were created through the excellent track record of Invest Northern Ireland. From 2009-2010 to 2013-14, there were 23 inward visits. Invest Northern Ireland —”
“<BR /> <BR />I grew up as a child in Belfast in the 1980s in a working-class community. I know from friends and family exactly how devastating unemployment can be. However, I want to put it on the record that, in 2013-14, in terms of foreign direct investment in the mid- and east Antrim area, 4,760 jobs were created and, over the four-year period from 2010 —”
“Invest Northern Ireland was meeting the company almost if not actually on a monthly basis. There were reports as recently as September that did not indicate to us this announcement. I got news of the announcement at about 11.00 am today. At 10.00 am, no information was being given out. <BR /> <BR />The Member raised some questions about Invest Northern Ireland. Invest Northern Ireland has an excellent track record in attracting foreign direct investment to the mid- and east Antrim area. I appreciate that the Member is from North Antrim, and I appreciate the work that Ian Paisley Jnr, the Member of Parliament, has already done around the generous redundancy arrangements that are there and on the £5 million development fund that is there to assist and support people who are devastatingly affected by the situation.”
“Invest Northern Ireland has been in regular contact with senior Michelin personnel and was engaged in ongoing discussions related to further investments. Clearly, therefore, today's announcement is extremely disappointing. My Department and Invest Northern Ireland will, of course, engage with the company to fully understand its decision to close the plant, and we appreciate the company's commitment to support its employees in finding alternative employment with its £5 million development fund. Invest Northern Ireland will work with the company and all the relevant partners, including Mid and East Antrim Borough Council and the Department for Employment and Learning, which has been extremely helpful throughout this process, to help staff to consider all the alternative employment options.”
“Over the past number of years, Invest Northern Ireland has assisted Michelin Tyre plc with a number of financial interventions totalling £4,754,297. The objective of those interventions was to secure Michelin’s competitive position within the Michelin Group. The recent announcement is due to issues relating to an overcapacity of circa five million truck tyres in Europe and a substantial increase in imports of truck tyres from the Far East, particularly China.”
“Without breaching the confidences of those individual businesses, I understand that, as a result of that work, new orders worth hundreds of thousands of pounds have come into the dairy sector. We will continue with that work. <BR /> <BR />I recognise the importance of having a growing and thriving mutuals sector. The Bill will give greater operational freedom to credit unions and to the industrial and provident societies. It will remove barriers and help them reach out to new customers and embrace new markets. Therefore, I commend this legislation to the House.”
“If members want to raise it with my officials at Committee Stage, they are welcome to do so, and we will take things forward. <BR /> <BR />Every Member has made a very helpful contribution to the Bill. As has been said, it is a good piece of work. I think that it will help us deliver for the most disadvantaged in our society, and delivering something of value to those who need it most is what should motivate everybody in the House. That is what devolution should be all about. <BR /> <BR />Mr McCallister raised a point about milk prices. We are acutely aware of that. I have hosted a number of dinners with potential buyers from our dairy sector from right across the world, including the Middle East, and we have been exploring new markets with them.”