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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“Continuing with the competing globally theme, I think that Northern Ireland has a very strong track record in attracting foreign direct investment, outperforming many larger regions.”
“<BR /> <BR />On the competing globally theme, our economic strategy identified that the route to economic success would come from a renewed focus on export-led economic growth, and that still holds true today. The promotion of external sales and exports will remain a key priority for the Programme for Government and the refocused economic strategy. I am pleased that the Committee welcomed my Department’s work in developing 'Export Matters', the export action plan for Northern Ireland. I hope to publish that later this year. <BR /> <BR />I reassure Members that, as suggested in recommendation 5, we have fully considered the relationship between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland in supporting economic development and job creation.”
“Having a local banking sector that meets the needs of consumers and businesses, and provides bank lending on a competitive basis to local SMEs, is vital to sustaining economic recovery. <BR /> <BR />Much progress has been made in recent years on improving the availability and affordability of finance for businesses in Northern Ireland. However, I agree with the Committee that access to finance remains a key issue for our businesses. While it is encouraging to see that access to the finance landscape is improving, it is important that we also continue to explore options to ensure that local companies have access to appropriate and affordable finance to support investment and assist in continuing growth.”
“<BR /> <BR />One important area of work that my colleague in the Department for Employment and Learning is leading is the implementation of ‘Securing our Success: the Northern Ireland Strategy on Apprenticeships’. The Committee rightly outlines the importance of apprenticeships in growing the economy and creating jobs. The Securing our Success strategy will be central to transforming the skills landscape. It will help us to ensure that employers obtain the skills that they require and that there is a critical mass of people with strong technical and employability skills in the high-demand sectors. <BR /> <BR />The Committee report identifies a number of key issues for businesses, including access to finance, business regulation and supporting SME growth. Those issues are explored under the economic strategy’s business growth theme.”
“I particularly welcome the recent performance of our students at A level and GCSE. It is encouraging to see the rise in economically important subjects chosen at A level and, in particular, the increase in the uptake of STEM subjects and the improved uptake of STEM courses by female candidates. <BR /> <BR />The report identifies that any initiatives taken in schools will need to be complemented by the further and higher education sectors. Invest Northern Ireland works with those sectors through a number of initiatives, including, alongside DEL, the Assured Skills programme and Success through Skills strategy. I recognise that is it also vital to raise standards at a school level and ensure that all our young people have access to courses that meet their needs and aspirations and lead to clear progression routes in educational attainment.”
“We are developing our understanding of the future demand for skills to ensure that our skills system meets the needs of investors, particularly if a lower rate of corporation tax is implemented. In that regard, my Department, in conjunction with the Department for Employment and Learning and Invest NI, is taking forward a research project that will help to identify the skills needs of companies attracted by a cut in corporation tax. This will help to inform future skills planning and forecasting work, and it will feed into the development of the refocused economic strategy. <BR /> <BR />The Committee suggests that, in order to develop education and skills at a school level, we need to consider how best to integrate education with business needs, including the increased provision of skills in STEM subjects.”
“The aim of the innovation strategy, published last September, is for Northern Ireland to be one of the top four UK regions by 2025. This will be very challenging. <BR /> <BR />Horizon 2020 offers a great opportunity to bring additional funding into Northern Ireland and can also provide access to potential new markets and customers. To increase Northern Ireland’s success, it is important that more of our local companies participate in Horizon 2020. We have secured €15·5 million from the first 18 months of Horizon 2020, and we are confident that this will continue to rise. <BR /> <BR />On skills and employability, the economic strategy recognises that the most important asset to the economy is our people.”
“I would point out that the Executive already recognise innovation and R&D, alongside skills, as the key drivers for the economy as outlined in the economic strategy and Programme for Government. Significantly, increasing the levels of innovation across the public sector is critical to future growth, and the Executive have a role to play in this. <BR /> <BR />Work remains to be done to increase the number of our companies that are innovation active. Currently, only 40% of our local companies are engaged in innovation, compared with a UK average of 45%. I am committed to creating the conditions in which entrepreneurship and innovation can flourish so that local businesses can keep ahead of their competitors and compete on the global stage.”
“Let me make some progress. I will see what time I have at the end. <BR /> <BR />I will, however, consider the Committee’s recommendation on membership of the EAG in the context of a restructured Department for the Economy. <BR /> <BR />The Committee’s report highlights a number of areas that respondents suggest are vital for driving economic growth. I am pleased to note that we have been progressing these areas under the economic strategy’s five rebalancing themes. I will now address a number of those key issues. <BR /> <BR />As the Committee highlights in its report, innovation and research and development are increasingly important in supporting businesses and attracting inward investment. The Committee proposes that this should be a key priority in a future strategy for the economy.”
“<BR /> <BR />My Department is also advised by an economic advisory group (EAG) and MATRIX, the Northern Ireland science industry panel. I would suggest that there is already sufficient economic support and advice available to the Executive and would not accept that there is a need for a further steering group.”
“<BR /> <BR />The report suggests that the development and implementation of an economic development strategy should be supported by a steering group with representatives from all levels of government, education and skills, business, employee and community representative organisations and that working groups comprising key stakeholders will be required to develop and monitor the implementation of strategies. <BR /> <BR />The Assembly will be aware that our economic strategy is an Executive-wide strategy that is monitored by the Executive subcommittee on the economy. Through this, Ministers with key responsibilities for the economy ensure that the implementation of the economic strategy is robustly monitored and reported on. The development of the refocused economic strategy will also be overseen by the economy subcommittee.”
“I agree with the Committee that it is vital that all parts of government, central and local, work together to achieve better outcomes. We will work closely with the new super-councils, given their extended economic development responsibilities, to create a link between the Assembly and local government during the development of the new Programme for Government and refocused economic strategy. <BR /> <BR />I also agree with the Committee that it is important for an economic strategy to align with the Programme for Government. My Department is working closely with OFMDFM throughout this process to ensure the refocused economic strategy aligns with the economic and social outcomes of the new Programme for Government 2016-2020.”
“Once the Assembly has agreed a way forward for corporation tax, the Executive subcommittee on the economy will oversee the development of a refocused and realigned economic strategy. During the process, the subcommittee will assess the degree to which we can strengthen the ambition of our overarching economic goals. This will be important work. I recognise that the refocused economic strategy will need to reach more widely than the Executive and public sector. We will, therefore, work closely with the private sector and the voluntary and community sector, which remain key drivers of our economic growth.”
“You will recall that the economic strategy set out five key rebalancing themes to drive growth in the Northern Ireland economy and work towards achieving that vision. Those are to stimulate innovation, R&D and creativity; improve skills and employability; compete effectively in the global economy; encourage business growth; and develop a modern and sustainable infrastructure. <BR /> <BR />It is important for Members to note that the Executive’s economic strategy is a living document. It was developed in advance of a decision on the devolution of corporation tax.”
“<BR /> <BR />Moving on to the inquiry report itself, I am pleased that there are clear synergies between the Committee’s recommendation for a 20-year strategy for economic development and the vision for the Northern Ireland economy for 2030 as set out in the Executive’s economic strategy and endorsed by the House in March 2012. I remind the House that the Executive’s vision for the economy is:”
“It is not a DETI plan; it is an Executive plan, with your Minister involved. It was developed by a cross-departmental group of officials; it was developed alongside our Programme for Government and our investment strategy. In addition, it was developed under the Executive's sub-committee on the economy, including the Ministers from the five other Departments. It was widely consulted on, including with key industry stakeholders, and was unanimously agreed by your party and Mr Kennedy — by the Executive — and endorsed by the Assembly.”
“In that context, I welcome the insight that the Committee’s report provides into what we can do to help Northern Ireland to realise its long-term economic potential. That work is timely as we make preparations to take forward the important work of implementing a lower rate of corporation tax. <BR /> <BR />I was surprised by the contribution from the Ulster Unionist Member for South Antrim, who criticised the role of his own, now former, Minister in respect of Danny Kennedy's work on the Executive sub-committee on the economy, particularly when Danny is no longer in a position to defend his record. I was also surprised by the contribution of Mr McKinney, so let me give him some facts. We do, indeed — wake up — have a long-term economic plan; it is called the economic strategy. That plan is absolutely joined up.”
“There is a significant body of evidence to suggest that a reduced rate of corporation tax would significantly add to the attractiveness of Northern Ireland as a prime investment location. I view corporation tax as a key economic lever that can help to achieve our long-term economic goals, and I remain hopeful that those powers will be devolved, helping to secure greater economic growth and jobs for our people. <BR /> <BR />In the Northern Ireland economic strategy, we acknowledge that corporation tax is important but that, by itself, it is insufficient to transform the Northern Ireland economy. We must, therefore, continue with efforts to improve other areas in our economy in order to grow Northern Ireland’s private sector and ensure greater export-led economic growth.”
“Across the Executive, we have to do all that we can to continue the momentum that has been built over the past few years. <BR /> <BR />Members will be aware that the Executive’s ability to respond to economic challenges is hampered by the impasse over welfare reform, which has prevented the implementation of the Stormont House Agreement and has slowed progress towards implementing a lower rate of corporation tax. That is set against continued fiscal austerity and departmental budget reductions and at a time when the Executive are considering the restructuring of Departments. <BR /> <BR />Today’s debate on the report of the Enterprise, Trade and Investment Committee is about growing the economy and creating jobs with lower corporation tax.”
“July witnessed a further fall of 400 in the number of people who are claiming unemployment benefits, which is now more than 21,000 lower than its previous peak. The economy has also added almost 28,000 jobs since March 2012. <BR /> <BR />There is also positive news coming from all our main sectors. The construction sector — our most impacted sector during the downturn — posted its highest growth in output in three years. The services sector has grown in both output and jobs. Service sector job levels are now above their previous peak from 2008. The manufacturing sector has been posting growth in output and jobs, with the latest quarterly job figures at their highest since December 2008. I welcome those improvements, but I recognise that challenges remain and that new ones will emerge.”
“I am pleased to be here this afternoon for what has been an interesting debate. I accept William Humphrey's invitation to congratulate Michael O'Neill on the potential position that he has brought the team to tonight. I think that we will all be behind them on this historic occasion and wish them well. <BR /> <BR />I welcome the publication of the report by the Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment following the completion of its inquiry into growing the economy and creating jobs with lower corporation tax. I thank the Committee Chair, Committee members and staff for the effort that they have put into producing the report. I also thank the stakeholders who provided evidence. <BR /> <BR />Our economic recovery is now well established and that is evidenced by improvements in our labour market.”
“I beg to introduce the Houses in Multiple Occupation Bill [NIA 60/11-16], which is a Bill to make provision for and in connection with the licensing of houses in multiple occupation.”
“We will put in whatever resources we can to bring together and to see the fulfilment of the potential that the Strabane business park has to offer.”
“If we frame it in the context of the significant investment by first, Invest Northern Ireland, I think that it shows that there is an ongoing commitment to secure investment and to get employment opportunities for the west Tyrone area. It is the view of Invest Northern Ireland that the current availability of land within Strabane business park will be sufficient to meet the needs of the qualifying businesses across the medium term. I assure the Member that Invest Northern Ireland will continue to proactively market the land to potential investors, both indigenous and foreign direct. We need to remember that the final decision on investment location rests solely with the investor. <BR /> <BR />I will certainly take up the offer to visit when I can.”
“Thanks. The Member's smile led me to get that question short. I know of the interest that she has in that particular area, and I am more than happy to take up the offer to visit. <BR /> <BR />I think that it is important how we frame this. I think that Strabane has a huge amount to offer through the development of the Strabane business park. It has released 16 acres of new industrial land that will support economic development not only in Strabane but right across the wider west Tyrone area. <BR /> <BR />Invest Northern Ireland has engaged with the council and stakeholders regarding the development of the business park.”
“The project is an outworking of what many Members will know to be the Northern Ireland aerospace strategy, Partnering for Growth, which was launched in January 2014 when Northern Ireland companies committed to doubling the size of the aerospace sector to £2 billion of sales and to increasing employment from 8,000 to 12,000 staff over the next 10 years. I expect that project to be fully completed and the 32 new jobs to be in place by 2017. That is building on what Denroy already does in employing some 127 people and a commitment to employ 151 staff in Northern Ireland by 2017.”
“I am more than happy to identify with Mr Easton's comments about Denroy being a local economic leader and a national and international leader in the product that it can specifically offer. <BR /> <BR />In that particular case, Invest Northern Ireland offered total assistance of £400,000, which leveraged a £3 million investment by Denroy. We are providing Invest NI capital grants towards the eligible cost of the buildings but also, and I mean this, absolutely state-of-the-art manufacturing equipment. This is a sector, as Mr Easton rightly points out, that is at the leading edge of aerospace development. That will provide new skills and new capabilities for a whole range of people in Northern Ireland.”
“I know that we need tens of thousands of new planes across the globe, and the Northern Ireland industry, and Denroy specifically, is offering some products, particularly one plastic polymer that is absolutely unique. Denroy, I think, will continue to be an important supplier to the global aerospace sector. For the company to grow in Northern Ireland, that investment in buildings and production is required. It will create 32 new manufacturing jobs at the Bangor factory. We already have eight of those jobs in place. People ask what the average salary is, and I think that it is important to say that the average salary for those jobs is somewhere in the region of £18,687, which I think is very attractive indeed.”
“I thank the Member. I know the interest that he has in creating jobs in his area. It is a very healthy interest, and I welcome that from him. He will have seen that I announced 32 new jobs at Denroy Plastics, which undertakes the design, engineering and contract manufacture of injection-moulded plastic products and components for a broad range of customers, including aerospace, defence, materials-handling, construction, medical and automation customers, right through to the consumer sectors. <BR /> <BR />That particular project is a staged expansion of the production capacity at Denroy's factory, and it will allow it to purchase new equipment to support the industry's growth in the global aerospace industry.”
“The economic benefits that flow socially and economically are much wider than tourism per se and can, in many cases that we have already seen, bring young people in particular into employment. The reality is, particularly for the Member's city but right across Northern Ireland, that, when people come to visit us, they want to come back. Part of our job is to make sure that they come for a short period, stay overnight, see what we have to offer and then put that out as an advertisement to others.”
“It is certainly a very interesting itinerary that the Member offers me. I can assure him that we will take the best practice from those areas, and extensive work has been undertaken. I know the research that the MP brought to me, and, in a meeting with his assistant in Londonderry last week, we were able to build on that. There will be a further meeting. Diary pressures mean that I cannot assure him that I will visit everyone personally, even though I might like to, but I can assure him that we will use best practice from those places and try to translate it into the area. <BR /> <BR />In looking at how we want to grow tourism, the Member is absolutely right.”
“I am delighted to say yes. A number of months ago, the Member of Parliament for Foyle contacted me specifically in relation to City Deal. A further meeting is planned because the work is ongoing. Last week, I was in Londonderry with Mr Durkan's parliamentary assistant specifically to talk about City Deal. The area is ideal for city breaks, and we will look, with Tourism NI, at how we can develop that tourism offering, particularly around city breaks.”
“Come and tell me what help you need from Invest NI to deliver on your business plan". If they do that, the evidence over the last number of years across Northern Ireland, not exclusively in Newry, is that we can create and promote more jobs.”
“I am more than happy to sit down with the Member and look at that particular industrial area. I cannot keep in my head every industrial area that a Member has in mind. <BR /> <BR />I have been very impressed by what Newry has done. I sat down with a previous shadow Chancellor at the Newry Chamber of Commerce and Trade in the last number of years, and, at a lunch, we reviewed what had been done. What I really like about the attitude of many in the business community in Newry is that they ask what they can do and how we can help them. In that sense, the more business plans that are brought forward, the better. It is not for me to stipulate, "I want this industrial zone or that particular area extended." I am saying to the businesses in that area, "Come to me with your business plan. Come to me with where you see development opportunities.”
“I will take just a few of the companies that have invested in Northern Ireland — the Metaverse Mod Squad, RLC and Grant Thornton. I hear from them that some invested after doing a global span, and, in many cases, it was against stiff competition across this island, and they came here because of the skills offered by our young people and the education that we can provide.”
“To attract jobs, we highlight the skills offering that we have, the research and development offering that we have and the assistance that Invest Northern Ireland can give. <BR /> <BR />In the Newry and Armagh area, over the period that I am reviewing, there were 2,275 offers made, which translates to over £53 million of assistance. In excess of £430 million of that was for planned investments, assistance per head was £596 and investment per head was just short of £5,000 — I think it £4,813. <BR /> <BR />Let us go out and tell people about the jobs secured in the last period. I was joking that, in five weeks, I have announced nearly 500 new jobs for Northern Ireland, and I summarised that in three words: thank you, Arlene. There is a real interest in investing in Northern Ireland.”
“So, in specific areas, we can show where work is progressing. If anybody comes to me with proposals for working together that will create more jobs in Northern Ireland, they will have an open door.”
“We have been working extensively with a number of bodies, and I will work with anybody if it is about improving and sustaining jobs in Northern Ireland. A number of our companies do business both in Northern Ireland and the Republic, and I will work with them to create jobs in Northern Ireland as much as I possibly can. There are quite significant offers of assistance from Invest Northern Ireland for specific areas. Over a period, we had 2,339 offers out. We put in over £100 million of assistance that was offered. There was a planned investment of £430·9 million. That was assistance per head of some £1,151 and an investment per head of over £5,000.”
“Anybody who has anything that can improve on investment to work with specific areas will receive an open door in DETI if it is about creating and promoting jobs.”
“<BR /> <BR />If the Member wants to encourage people in that area to come to us, they should come with a business plan to see how worthwhile that is, and they should look at what has been achieved over the last four years, because there has been some quite spectacular progress. Up to August 2014, Members of the House proudly boasted that we had more foreign direct investment per capita than any other part of the United Kingdom outside London. In August 2014, those figures were surpassed. In the past year, with our population of 1·82 million, we can proudly boast that Northern Ireland today, per head of population, has more foreign direct investment than any other part of the United Kingdom.”
“I am happy to look at any proposals that come to me from any part of Northern Ireland to see what we can do to promote and create jobs and, very often, to sustain jobs in particular areas. I was in the north-west when the 100 new jobs were announced, and we will continue to look at what support we can give and what support businesses are asking us for. It is a two-way process. It is not just about our supporting businesses but about businesses coming to Invest Northern Ireland with a business plan specifying the help they need and our working alongside them and supporting them.”
“Yes. I was enjoying that run-through, Mr Speaker, but, sadly, it came to quite an abrupt end. <BR /> <BR />There is information on DETI projects and the specific roll-out plans for the Northern Ireland broadband improvement project. That is available on the NI Direct website. It includes a postcode checker, which enables constituents to identify when work is due to be completed in their area. As information on the superfast roll-out programme becomes available, it will be posted to the NI Direct website. In the meantime, a fact sheet and frequently asked questions are available on the DETI website. A fact sheet specific to the Northern Ireland broadband improvement project has, I understand, been distributed to all MLAs. It is also available on the website, as is the fact sheet and FAQs on the superfast roll-out programme.”
“However, I am happy, if the Member wishes to join the meeting, to see what we can do about improving the extent, quality and reliability of services where the market has not provided, or where there is a lacuna in the service.”
“The Member raises important points. Some of the reasons why we have done what we have done is to do exactly what he has asked us to do. It is important to realise exactly what DETI can do. We have the powers under the Communications Act 2003 to make investments that are important to Northern Ireland. We can improve the extent, quality and reliability of telecoms — networks and services — where the market has determined that it is not financially viable to do so. We cannot specify a particular technological solution. To do so would bring us into breach of the European Commission's state aid regulations. We cannot compel network operators to invest in particular areas or deliver services at particular prices and we cannot interfere in disputes between service providers and their customers.”
“I am certainly happy to meet a delegation to tell it what we have done and what we intend to do. I will let them know where we are, particularly with our survey and about any areas of particular difficulty that we need to look at again.”
“I am certainly more than happy to meet the Member. As he knows, I used to work in that particular area and have a deep love for it. I am more than happy to meet Members, as the diary allows, whenever I possibly can, so that they can hear, at first hand, what we can do. <BR /> <BR />We look towards alternative provision where we can. Satellite broadband services can offer products with download speeds of 20 MB per second and wireless broadband, which we supported under the broadband fund. That led across Northern Ireland to extensive deployment of high-speed fixed wireless broadband networks. Services with download speeds of up to 100 MB per second are available across many parts of West Tyrone. As the Member knows, service is dependent on the line of sight from the infrastructure to the premises.”
“Until it has been completed, it will not be possible to be specific about exactly which premises will benefit from the upgrades. Further details will be published on NI Direct as they become available.”
“In February 2014, my Department awarded a contract to BT for delivery of the £23·6 million Northern Ireland broadband improvement project (NIBIP) that will bring more choice and improved broadband speeds to over 45,000 premises across Northern Ireland, including in rural areas of West Tyrone, by 31 December 2015. <BR /> <BR />Recognising that NIBIP will not deliver superfast broadband to all premises, on 27 February, my Department also contracted BT to deliver the superfast roll-out programme, which will deliver superfast broadband services to a further 38,000 premises across Northern Ireland, including in many rural areas of West Tyrone, by 31 December 2017. That £17·1 million project has commenced with an extensive survey and design process. It will take several months to complete.”
“If we look at the huge success that Invest Northern Ireland has had over this period, we see that, when businesses do that, they produce spectacular rewards, not only for them but for the targets that we have set for them.”
“Certainly. I am happy to take up that offer. Indeed, I think that the Member of Parliament has already made a request to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment to visit the area, and I am more than happy to accompany Mr Campbell, Mr McQuillan and anybody else from the area — Mr Dallat, Claire Sugden and Mr McMullan. <BR /> <BR />In this particular area, it is important for all of us to understand that it is the businesses that make the investments and create jobs; it is not Invest Northern Ireland. Therefore, the support that we offer to businesses is demand-led. I ask Members of those constituencies to speak specifically to businesses in their area, because we are looking for businesses to approach Invest Northern Ireland with a business plan.”