William Humphrey
North Belfast · Democratic Unionist Party · Northern Ireland
“On a point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker. I listened intently to all the contributions in the debate, and I have to say that there was a fair degree of hypocrisy in some of the things that I listened to.”
“On this Commonwealth Day, I commend the Minister, in her absence, for her programme. Earlier today, we planted a tree to mark Her Majesty's platinum jubilee close to Lord Craigavon's tomb. Are there plans for the jubilee celebrations across our education sector to be extended to uniformed organisations?”
“I am grateful to the Minister for giving way. I thank her for her candour to the House today in setting out clearly and very explicitly the dangers that this bad, and badly drafted, Bill will have for education in Northern Ireland and the ramifications for our young people.”
“Thank you very much. Only last night, I had a conversation with the chair of a board of governors. I have also met school teachers and principals. Quite frankly, I am rather perturbed by what the Member is saying.”
“I am grateful to the Member for giving way. He and other Members have made the point that the Bill will lead to discrimination. Does the Member agree that there is no such thing as positive discrimination?”
“The Member makes a very valid point. Earlier today, we debated the Climate Change (No. 2) Bill. A number of people who opposed the Minister's Bill made the point that it took so long — over two years — to get to today, yet they want to rush this Bill through. The same parties that made those points have accepted that this Bill is flawed.”
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“I speak as a Member for North Belfast, but I am a governor of two schools in the greater Shankill. I declare an interest in respect of both of them. I welcome the debate and thank the Member for securing it. <BR /> <BR />Before coming here, I spoke to the principals of some of the local primary schools. I pay tribute to the principals' group in the greater Shankill for the work that it has done and the leadership that it has given. I commend teachers, governors, parents and, of course, the young people themselves for the results starting to emerge from the area. Clearly, improvements are happening there that I very much welcome. They told me the three things that they see as important: the continuation of funding for targeting social need, the effects of social deprivation and social difficulties. Of course, I agree with that.”
“Such actions have to be condemned across the House. I am glad that they were.”
“The attack is a sad reflection on the city. This city, nationally and internationally, was damaged reputationally by that vile and evil attack in the City Cemetery.”
“I do not have time. Sorry. <BR /> <BR />As I mentioned, tonight is Yom Kippur: the Day of Atonement. The evil people who took part in the attack in the City Cemetery, daubed graffiti on the synagogue and sent threatening emails to members of the Jewish community, including the rabbi, need to atone for their evil actions across not just Europe but this United Kingdom. We must stamp out anti-Semitism. I and my party will continue to stand firm in support of Belfast's small but growing Jewish community. They have provided so much to this city's cultural, political and, most importantly, commercial life, and they continue to do so. The Jewish community is valued in this city. I am greatly privileged to represent the Jewish community in North Belfast, where the synagogue is placed, and I regularly visit there.”
“The Member is quite right: people take part in so-called pro-Palestinian rallies, but they turn out to be anti-Israel rallies. I am not here to speak about the whats, wherefores and "whataboutery" of Israel; I am talking about the indigenous Jewish community in this city.”
“I have invited the Chief Constable to visit the synagogue. I have invited the First Minister of Northern Ireland to join me —”
“Having spoken to the rabbi on two occasions, having met, along with the Belfast Lord Mayor, the Belfast Jewish Council in the City Hall, and visited the synagogue recently, I have to say that the Jewish community in this city is very fearful of attack. <BR /> <BR />The debate that took place in the Guildhall, Londonderry last week was mentioned. Without question, parties who voted for that motion have to take responsibility for raising anti-Jewish tensions in Northern Ireland. I have spoken to members of the Jewish community who have told me that that is exactly the case. They are friends of mine, and I know it to be true. <BR /> <BR />In making good the damage at Belfast City Cemetery, I have met the director of parks for Belfast City Council and the local police in north Belfast.”
“<BR /> <BR />The graffiti recently daubed on the synagogue and in Belfast city centre was absolutely sickening and harked back to the 1930s and Nazi Germany. Sadly, these attacks followed the removal of the Chaim Herzog plaque from a building on Cliftonpark Avenue. The plaque was removed for its protection. There was an attack on a mural in Northumberland Street that praised an Ulsterman who worked with the Israeli defence forces. Also, in August of this year, in an awful and evil attack on the Jewish sector of Belfast City Cemetery, 13 headstones were damaged by a mob carrying bricks, rocks and hammers.”
“<BR /> <BR />The Community Safety Trust, members of which I met some months ago, has produced the following statistics: in 2014, there were 1,179 anti-Semitic attacks in the United Kingdom; last year, there were 924 similar attacks. There have been anti-Semitic attacks on Jewish Members of Parliament Ruth Smeeth and Luciana Berger. Anti-Semitic racism is the oldest type of racism that exists. Sadly, it is not just on the European continent, and is not just on the mainland of our United Kingdom. The synagogue is in my constituency, and Members will be aware of Rabbi David Singer speaking very recently of the evil anti-Semitic phone calls and emails that he, as the pastoral leader of the old and established Belfast Jewish community, has been receiving.”
“I speak not as a member of the Executive Committee but as a Member for North Belfast. <BR /> <BR />The Belfast Jewish community continues to make an important and valued contribution to the life blood of Belfast. At sunset tonight, Jews across the globe will celebrate Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. Across Europe, synagogues will have armed guards because of the risk of attack on those places of worship. In the past few years, deadly attacks on kosher shops in Paris, a synagogue in Copenhagen and a Jewish museum in Brussels have occurred. In the United Kingdom, Jewish schools have guards and bombproof windows.”
“I thank the Minister for her answers so far. Minister, do you believe the two restorative justice organisations you mentioned in your answer, although not by name, are making a difference? Can there be stronger linkages between those organisations and the police?”
“I am pleased to hear the Minister say that. He will be aware that tremendous investment is required in deprived areas such as the Lower Falls and Sandy Row. Will he agree to work with Ministers across the Executive and Belfast City Council to ensure that the investment that he talked about and other investments in the area will go towards making people's daily life there much better?”
“I think that the only way that we can tackle this is if there is a round-table approach and a joined-upness across government and with the councils and police. Would the Minister welcome such an initiative?”
“I am grateful to the Minister for giving way. I agree entirely with the Minister on that very point. A number of Members referred to the police: the police cannot tackle and address this on their own, because there is an issue of resource and enforcement and so on. I welcome the Minister saying that he had a joint meeting with the Minister of Justice on the issue.”
“I thank the First Minister for her answer. Given the First Minister's meeting last week with the Chinese consul to Northern Ireland, has the Brexit vote and the determination of the British people across this United Kingdom had any negative effect on her discussions?”
“I thank the Member for giving way. I have sympathy for the point that the Member makes. However, does the Member agree that, ultimately, the responsibility lies with the parents to ensure that those young people are using scramblers in a responsible way? Obviously, police are in the equation but, as you well know, police are always under huge pressure in terms of their time and resource. As with all crime, they have to respond with the resource that they have available to them.”
“— is Valerie Armstrong. I appeal to the House to support the motion. Let us get a joined-up approach and make sure we get legislation that is practical and will make a difference and protect lives.”
“Since being elected as a public representative, I have attended the funerals of two young people, one as young as four years old, who were killed on scramblers. One was in the mid-Shankill, and the other young fellow came from Glenbryn in Ballysillan. He was only 14 years old. <BR /> <BR />Of course, the incident and the accident — and I am mindful of what you said —”
“<BR /> <BR />The other issue, of course, is the police. The police are not allowed to chase someone on a scrambler or quad in a built-up space because of the potential for an accident. Only last year, a similar scenario unfolded across the way from my office, when someone came out of Woodvale Park. I mention Woodvale Park because my office overlooks it, and I worked hard with the local community to secure over £2 million for Woodvale Park. Two new pitches that were put there — that are, thankfully, now being used by local football clubs — have been damaged by the use of scramblers. <BR /> <BR />There is an absolute need for a joined-up approach and a round-table discussion. I would very much welcome and support such a call.”
“The Assembly working with councils would be a vital move forward because so much of this illegal activity happens on council facilities, not just in this city but across Northern Ireland. <BR /> <BR />If I may speak as a Belfast representative, it is important that Belfast City Council looks at the possibility of establishing a facility for scramblers and quads. I remember a number of years ago, when I was a member of Belfast City Council, working with young people who were using skateboards. A skateboard park, built under the flyover at Lagan Bridge, took them away from using other public spaces and stopped them from being a nuisance and allowed them to take part in legitimate activity in a designated area. That is the approach that should be taken. Therefore, there needs to be a joined-up approach.”
“<BR /> <BR />It is vital that we strike a balanced and reasonable approach between protection and responsible usage. The focus of the House has to be on the protection of life and reducing injuries, particularly serious injuries, reducing road traffic accidents, protecting public amenities and preventing the destruction of our parks. It is not about making scramblers illegal but making those who use them more responsible. In most cases, it is for the parents of those who use scramblers to be responsible and adhere to the law because it is about protecting everyone. <BR /> <BR />There is, absolutely, a need for a joined-up approach on this issue. From my perspective, as the DUP spokesperson on this issue, I welcome the motion, and the Democratic Unionist Party will support a review of the legislation.”
“Like the proposer of the motion, I receive quite a number of phone calls to my office on this issue, in particular from the expanse of Glencairn Park. The issue there is that some people, particularly elderly people, are frightened when they hear scramblers and the noise pollution that comes from them. <BR /> <BR />There is a clear danger on the road to the person using the scrambler, to the person walking on the footpath and, of course, there is a danger for other people in the traffic. There is considerable damage caused in the churning up of parks and pitches. Belfast City Council has spent a considerable number of millions of pounds over the last number of years under its strategy of putting new pitches in place. Unfortunately, some of those pitches have been damaged by scramblers.”
“I rise as Chair of the Committee for Infrastructure, but the Committee has not met to discuss the issue and has not taken a position on it. These views are entirely my own. I should make the House aware of that. <BR /> <BR />I agree with much of what the Member who moved the motion to the House said. I welcome the opportunity to debate the issue. For me, it is not about preventing people from enjoying scramblers or quads but about using those vehicles in a safe and responsible way and striking that balance.”
“I am grateful to the Member for giving way. She has twice made that point, but I ask her to desist from labelling everyone with that sort of behaviour when they are on the Continent. The Member will know that the Northern Ireland supporters and the Republic of Ireland supporters both received awards. They may have consumed some alcohol, and I was there at one of the games and saw it being consumed, and I may have consumed some myself. They did not behave in the way that the Member has just outlined to the House.”
“I am grateful to the Member for giving way. To be fair, I do not think that the huge deficit in the investment required in infrastructure across Northern Ireland and, in particular, in roads, the issue that we are dealing with, has been the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Executive since this place has been established. Surely it is because of years of lack of investment by Her Majesty's Government because money and valuable resource had to go into providing security in Northern Ireland. Will the Member accept that point?”
“We look forward to working with the Minister on a regular basis around it. <BR /> <BR />I would also make the point that Members need to remember that, regarding investment and infrastructure, over 40 years of a terrorist campaign money obviously had to go into providing security for the people of Northern Ireland.”
“Officials were asked if they could give details of how much additional money is being distributed per constituency for road maintenance. They indicated that it was too early to come up with that detail but that money would be shared proportionately across the region, particularly to address areas where there is greatest need. <BR /> <BR />The Committee also raised road safety issues surrounding the failure to cut the grass at major junctions and the fact that, in some areas, local people have to cut the grass back themselves. The Minister said he would engage with officials on innovative and technical solutions to those problems and cited the use of the farming community during the snow in recent years. The Committee hopes that the Minister for Infrastructure will continue with that engagement.”
“During the briefing, the Committee asked the Minister if he would be going to the Executive for additional funds to deal with road maintenance. He advised that road safety is his Department's statutory obligation and that he was looking for further finance to go into the area. Officials pointed out that the Department had reduced the inspection frequency for potholes, that some of the lower categories of defects are not being repaired, simply because there is not enough money at present, and that, if further money comes through the system in monitoring rounds, the service will be ramped back up. <BR /> <BR />When the issue of programme repairs was raised with the Minister, he said that it was ongoing but it was about prioritisation and utilising whatever money the Department had to get best value out of it.”
“The example was given of a C-class road that was checked every nine months. That means that, if a pothole is below the threshold today, it would not be checked again for another nine months and would then be a major pothole. The Minister pointed out that in rural areas such as south Down, Strangford and south Armagh the road infrastructure may not be what it is in other places. He also acknowledged that the sense of isolation in rural communities needs to be addressed and that he would do what he could within his budgetary constraints.”
“Members from rural constituencies pointed out that such are the delays in patch work that it is a false economy, costing the Department more to put it right in the long run. Indeed, one member quoted the House of Commons Select Committee that identified that reactive works cost as much as 10 times more than planned maintenance programmes.”
“The officials also pointed out that, in 2015-16, a roads overspend was only averted through an in-year monitoring round allocation of £16·5 million and that there is a continuing pressure on the Department's road maintenance budget. The officials pointed out that Transport NI will not be fully funded in the 2016-17 year to meet instant requirements for road maintenance, including a winter service. The Department said that it had been able to identify the funding of around £15·5 million in 2016-17 to help to fund that service, mainly through staff savings and reductions in the street lighting energy contract. However, a funding gap remains in Transport NI's ability to fund its maintenance service. <BR /> <BR />The Committee asked the Minister to ensure that rural roads have a fair allocation of the road maintenance budget.”
“The officials said that the Department calculates this figure regularly so is well versed in how the figure should be brought forward so that the Department is constant in its workings and costings. The officials admitted that the backlog is getting longer and that the cost is increasing. <BR /> <BR />During the finance briefing on 15 June, the officials outlined that they were coping with a £21 million budget reduction. However, this had been offset by a £20 million addition to the budget, which was primarily for road maintenance. Officials acknowledged to the Committee that, in recent years, the Department had been spending less on road maintenance. The Minister and his officials advised the Committee:”
“I welcome the opportunity to speak as Chair of the Committee and to outline the Committee for Infrastructure's consideration of views on the financial issues relating to road maintenance. This is a matter that the Committee took up with the Minister on his first briefing to the Committee, on 8 June 2016, and again with the director of finance at his briefing to the Committee, on 15 June. During the briefing, the Committee sought clarification on the £1 billion estimate for the infrastructure deficit in road maintenance. The Minister and his officials explained that the £1 billion figure comes out of an estimate of the total that it would cost to invest in the current road infrastructure to bring it all up to the requisite standard.”
“I am grateful to the Member for raising Mr and Mrs Atkinson's situation. I have visited their home, and I know the Member has previously been in touch as Deputy Chairperson of the Committee for the Environment. This has caused considerable distress and anxiety to Mr and Mrs Atkinson, and I welcome the Member raising it in the House this morning.”
“I thank the Minister for his answers. Minister, these figures represent an improvement in the situation. Historically, the disparity between Ulster Scots and Irish was 8:1. However, the disparity still exists, and you addressed that in a number of answers. May I encourage the Minister to work with the chief executive of the Ulster-Scots Agency, Ian Crozier, and his chairman, Tom Scott, to try to eradicate this disparity, which is not acceptable, and deliver, as others have failed to do, cultural equality in Northern Ireland between Ulster Scots and Irish?”
“I thank the Minister for his statement. As someone who uses the Lagan canal walkway and towpath, I ask what progress was made on funding mechanisms for the development of greenways along the Ulster canal.”
“— it is life-limiting for them. I appreciate that there is extra resource. Will the Minister do what he can to address the issue? It is simply not good enough.”
“This is affecting people negatively in Northern Ireland. If people really need to be able to park in a disabled space —”
“I thank the Minister for his comprehensive answer. Minister, you will be aware that I wrote to you as Chair of the Committee last week. The Committee discussed this, and there was unanimous agreement on the unacceptable situation that prevails in Northern Ireland. A constituent of mine, Elaine, who wrote to me, actually submitted her application on 4 August but has been told that she will not get it until 17 November.”
“I thank the junior Minister for her answer. Will she expand on the £45 million investment and the larger investments that there will be in community infrastructure and capital investment? Is there a timescale for the completion of the investment, which I welcome? Both areas are hugely deprived and are in much need of that investment.”
“Will the Member state to the House exactly what effect the Brexit vote has had on the economies of the towns she has mentioned?”
“I appreciate the Member giving way when the Member for West Belfast who gave incorrect figures to the House that misled it would not. <BR /> <BR />To put the record straight, I have to say that the figures across the four Housing Executive offices in North Belfast are not 75% or 80% but 50:50. The point that I will make is simply this: in supporting what the Minister said, where there is need, my party is absolutely committed to addressing that need, regardless of anyone's background, religion or creed.”
“First, I congratulate the Minister on facilitating an excellent event at Titanic Belfast last night for the green and white army to round off a fantastic and memorable campaign for the Northern Ireland team. Even the most senior members of the green and white army enjoyed it. <BR /> <BR />How much money has the Minister's Department recovered from people who are guilty of fraud?”
“I thank the Minister for the announcement. Any announcement on improvement to infrastructure in Northern Ireland is to be welcomed. Is this additional money to the £5 million that he announced yesterday, which was to enhance road maintenance service? Are there any particular areas in Northern Ireland that he plans to target with the £10 million investment?”
“I thank the Member for giving way. I pay tribute to Alan Waite and the people who work on that project. Does the Member really think that the speech that she has just delivered provides him, his colleagues and the young people on the project with any comfort? Is she not raising fears as her colleague to her right did when she was speaking? We should be playing them down and giving people certainty and surety, not raising people's concerns.”
“Mr Speaker, I am pleased to take up office as nominated.”
“The Irish language is what I am talking about.”
“On a point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker. My North Belfast colleague Nelson McCausland and I directly asked the Minister about the level of funding that will be put in to the new Irish language academy, and the Minister failed to answer those questions. Is that good enough in this House?”
“I thank the Minister for her statement. I welcome the creation of the Ulster-Scots hub, but I share the view of my colleague from North Belfast that the Ulster-Scots academy needs to be community-centred as a resource to build capacity and competency in that community. <BR /> <BR />I see that the structure for the Ulster-Scots academy is set out clearly in the Minister's statement. I want to ask the Minister about the Irish academy. Where will it be centred? What will its structure be? How much will be spent on the development of that academy as it goes forward?”
“I thank the Minister for her statement. I apologise to the House for being late: I was at the ETI Committee, and the ETI Minister was in attendance. <BR /> <BR />The Minister talked in her answers about inequality. She will agree and has said in her statement that the inclusivity of these services across Northern Ireland is vital. How can we ensure, when we come to the delivery of the services after the consultation, that inclusivity is the reality across the community and across the country?”