Mark Durkan
Foyle · Social Democratic and Labour Party · Northern Ireland
“That review involved an extensive engagement exercise with charities, regulators and funders, aimed at creating a more modern and proportionate regulatory system.”
“When the review was commenced in 2021, many organisations were still in the midst of responding to the pandemic. Since then, they have faced a succession of new and evolving challenges. The ending of European funding programmes, on which so many in our communities relied for decades, has left a significant gap.”
“<BR /> <BR />The broad principles behind the Bill are sensible. The changes will modernise charity regulation, strengthen the Charity Commission's ability to intervene where misconduct or mismanagement occurs, improve information sharing and, importantly, reduce unnecessary red tape, particularly for smaller charities with limited adminis…”
“I welcome the opportunity to speak today. Before turning to the detail of the legislation — there will not even be that much detail in the debate today at Second Stage — I pay tribute to our charity sector. Across every constituency, charities provide support that changes and saves lives every single day.”
“<BR /> <BR />Whilst the SDLP supports legislation that removes unnecessary bureaucracy, we should not kid ourselves that administrative reform alone will secure the future of charities and organisations in the voluntary and community sector.”
“I thank the Minister for giving way. Like other Members, I welcome the fact that we have reached this point. There seems to be consensus among Committee members and, I am sure, all Members that the introduction of these measures will save lives, which begs the question of whether the 10-year delay in introducing the measures had an opposi…”
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“I thank the Minister for bringing the regulations to the House. We welcome them and the extension of mitigation payments to shield people here from some of the more savage aspects, as Ms Ferguson described them, of the Welfare Reform Act, designed by the Tories in Westminster and rubber-stamped by a majority of the MLAs in the House. <BR /> <BR />We welcome the mitigation package agreed here back then and now extended. It has certainly protected people. However, excuse me, if we do not do cartwheels and do not particularly feel like celebrating. We are really giving people a sticking plaster after leaving them vulnerable to Tory cuts. We also lament the time that it has taken us to get here and the fact that the extension cannot be for longer. However, we support any initiative or measure to protect people here, and we support the motion.”
“Time is of the essence, and I am very grateful that the Minister has accepted that we cannot wait for or rely on Westminster to implement this essential reform. Her action is welcome, but it is important to acknowledge, as she has, that this move is a stepping stone. We must do more. <BR /> <BR />I pay tribute to all the individuals, families and organisations who have campaigned tirelessly for this crucial change, and, as I have already said, I regret that many people involved in that campaigning will not see the benefit of it. The change has come too late for them. However, the Bill's passage demonstrates that, together, we can achieve a more compassionate welfare system. This, as I said, is a good example of how. We support the Bill.”
“For those individuals, that precious time should be focused on being with their loved ones, yet the unscrupulous nature of welfare reform, which the SDLP voted against, warning of such grim actualities, forced an added burden on people at an already extremely difficult time. <BR /> <BR />The delay in accessing payments has a unique impact on individuals with a terminal illness, given that time is a luxury that they have not been afforded. The extension of the life expectancy criteria in the legislation to 12 months is welcome, but, sadly, that change will have come too late for some. Subjecting people who have a terminal prognosis to a six-month rule for access to benefits is, and has always been, cruel.”
“The Bill is a welcome and necessary forward step. First, however, I lament the fact that such vital legislation has taken so long to progress and, secondly, that the failures of the current welfare system necessitated that this work be done in the first place. <BR /> <BR />Bound up in its excessive bureaucracy, with complexities and lengthy delays, the system fails in its intended purpose of supporting some of the most vulnerable people in our society. That red tape has been most visible in the callous six-month rule for terminally ill welfare claimants. It is despicable that people with a terminal illness were ever put in a position in which they had to spend the precious time they had left battling for support.”
“I thank the Minister for his statement. Given the amount of money that now appears to be sloshing around, how does he view the bid in the last monitoring round for £55 million to reinstate the universal credit uplift? How seriously did Departments look for money when the Minister made that request?”
“In the here and now, however, it is important to acknowledge that parenting can be overwhelming and to remind parents to take care of themselves. Putting your mental health first is not selfish: it is essential.”
“For many families, the fallout of the pandemic has hit harder, whether that means struggling with the rising cost of living or grieving the cruel loss of a loved one. Expectant parents have had to contend with restrictive hospital visiting rules, in some instances being left without the crutch of their partner or family member. New parents still await the implementation of the perinatal mental health strategy and the support services therein. Raising children has never been more challenging. <BR /> <BR />As elected representatives, we have a responsibility to address those concerns, to improve support for parents, to create a fairer welfare system and to improve access to mental health support services.”
“Most parents and guardians have done their best to create a balance between work, home and school life. Without the practical support networks that we so often take for granted, parenting has never been harder, and single parents have shouldered a particularly heavy burden during the lockdown period. Many would agree that the old adage, "It takes a village to raise a child", has never been more keenly felt. <BR /> <BR />That sense of chaos has filtered out beyond lockdown, however. The "new normal" still feels pretty alien. Children are dealing with the ever-changing COVID rules in schools. Playground chat has morphed into talk of much more serious matters, and bedtime routines, at least in my house, are a distant memory. Family life in general has been turned upside down.”
“Being a parent is a blessing, but it is not always easy. It is one job role that maybe you are never truly prepared for, and, rewarding as it is, parenthood is not all sunshine and rainbows. Having little eyes always watching, looking for guidance and relying on you to restore a sense of calm during trying times is tough, and parenting over the course of a pandemic, when adults have just as many anxieties and questions as children, has been no mean feat. Today, in the run-up to Parent Mental Health Day this Thursday, 27 January, I pay tribute to parents, carers and guardians and remind them to take time to nurture their own well-being and to make their mental health a priority. <BR /> <BR />The events of the past two years have been the most challenging in living memory.”
“<BR /> <BR />We recognise the urgent need for the passage of this legislation in order to protect the 36,400 households that have been mentioned, but we wholly regret how and why the need for this legislation has arisen. We will, however, support the Bill.”
“The determination to exculpate themselves outweighs the desire to do the right thing for the people whom they have been elected to represent. Once again, people are left wanting, where stability and faith in their Government are concerned. They are sick and tired of doublespeak. The Minister speaks often of her promise to protect the most vulnerable, while returning millions of unspent funds allocated for welfare mitigations, as ordinary people are plunged deeper into poverty. <BR /> <BR />I recognise that we have had a truncated mandate and that we have had a global pandemic to deal with. I have commended the Minister and her Department on their efforts in that regard. However, we have had plenty of time to do much more to protect people.”
“The time and effort placed in perpetuating mistruths and spin would have been better spent in progressing this legislation and the other legislation that the Minister will bring forward to close those loopholes. That people have been left to sweat until the last possible moment before mitigations are extended is unforgivable but, once again, unsurprising. <BR /> <BR />As I alluded to earlier, in my view, the bedroom tax is almost a perfect microcosm of how the Executive work or do not work and typifies the dysfunction of Sinn Féin and the DUP at their heart. Almost every issue morphs into a tug of war between those parties to further their own selfish agenda focused on political power for their own parties, rather than power for the people.”
“Rather than own up to the hypocrisy and stinging irony of their actions, leadership here has the audacity to roll out tired slogans to "bin the bedroom tax" and to champion their own heroic efforts in bringing forward long-overdue protections for people from the same tax that they vowed would never reach our shores. Representatives from the Minister's party publicly stated — I quote — "categorically, without reservation, unambiguously" that that tax would not come to pass, despite their having voted to bring it in. <BR /> <BR />No amount of political spin can hide that reality. As a result of those actions and inactions, around 1,200 households currently lose out on payments through loopholes in welfare mitigations.”
“It will return to haunt people who cannot afford to pay it. Creating another cliff edge kicks the issue further down the line. I acknowledge the efforts that the Minister has made to avoid that cliff edge, but it creates a problem for another Minister, another Executive. It is something that they will have to contend with. It is not only irresponsible; it is a complete dereliction of duty with far-reaching implications for people on the ground. <BR /> <BR />The Minister's party and her partners in the DUP created the cliff edge when it suited them. Now they warn people about the consequences of their decision. I am not alone in finding that a wee bit crass.”
“The extension of mitigation payments when this legislation goes through, specifically in relation to the social sector size criteria, or the bedroom tax, is welcome, although I lament the time that it has taken to reach this point. We have been calling for action on this issue for two years, as other Members have mentioned, but no one has yet mentioned the three years that were wasted as a result of the political stalemate that left us without these institutions. <BR /> <BR />The Bill will help vulnerable people who need it, but only until March 2025. The Minister herself has acknowledged that the legislation before us is, in essence, creating another cliff edge. What really would have helped people was voting against welfare reform and the bedroom tax in the first place. The bedroom tax has not gone away.”
“Despite those warnings — not just from us but from the Cliff Edge Coalition, as has been cited, and many of the partners in that coalition, who were particularly vociferous as we stood up against the Welfare Reform Bill — Sinn Féin, the DUP and Alliance voted to hand welfare powers over to a Tory Government that proceeded to — and will, if they get away with it again — subject our people to the worst of Tory austerity. <BR /> <BR />While some here will, no doubt, begrudge me raising this fact time and time again, I do so in order to highlight the complete absurdity of the position in which we find ourselves today and in which we will find ourselves again.”
“I must apologise: my camera is working. <BR /> <BR />I welcome the opportunity to speak on the important issue of welfare supplementary payments, the chaos that is welfare reform, and its messy implications and repercussions, of which, I fear, we have not heard the last. We stand here today on a rescue mission to salvage what we can and clear up the remnants of the damage that was imposed on vulnerable people here at the hands of the Tories, but facilitated by the Executive. <BR /> <BR />For years, the SDLP has warned of the harm that welfare reform would inflict on people across the North.”
“<BR /> <BR />We recognise the need for speed today in order to protect over 36,000 households from being subjected to the worst of Tory social reforms under the bedroom tax. In that vein, we support the use of accelerated passage to ensure that people do not bear the brunt of the Executive's failure to act in a timely manner.”
“We warned then that putting those measures in legislation would leave vulnerable people exposed, regardless of what temporary mitigation measures might be put in place. It is a wee bit ironic that the parties that voted for those reforms and cuts are today arguing about how best to mitigate their impact. <BR /> <BR />The bedroom tax is the perfect microcosm of our Executive and the complete dysfunction at their heart. The DUP and Sinn Féin leadership is failing our people, who have become collateral damage, as they engage in sham fights over mitigations. The Minister alluded to — I know that this is not for this debate, but we will come on to it before too long — the loopholes that she is intending to close before the end of the mandate as well.”
“The Minister may well argue that she had no choice in the matter and cite her well-documented and well-publicised struggle to have mitigations legislation tabled on the Executive agenda, but she cannot ignore the fact that we are now trying to do this at the eleventh hour. As I said, for two years, the SDLP and others have been urging that action be taken on this crucial legislation. While we have heard a lot about it, we have not yet seen the necessary action. We are glad, however, that we are now going to see that. <BR /> <BR />Also, we cannot allow people to forget, as much as others would like them to, that Sinn Féin, DUP and Alliance MLAs lined up to hand our welfare powers to the Tories, knowing full well that it would mean that people here would have their support cut and fall victim to the bedroom tax.”
“We have been calling for this legislation for two years. That is not hyperbole. We have been calling for it since the Committee was formed two years ago. The fact that it is coming forward only now suggests that the Executive's approach to welfare mitigations to date has been nothing short of lackadaisical, to be honest. <BR /> <BR />Will the Minister join me and others today in lamenting the use of accelerated passage, as it is a suboptimal route? Although we reluctantly accept the need for it this late in the day, the reality is that we should never have been presented with a situation where it is required in the first place.”
“You will be relieved to hear that my camera does not seem to be working, so you will have to bear with the voice alone. <BR /> <BR />I recognise the urgency of the matter before us, and I recognise the incalculable harm, the increased household poverty and the financial repercussions that not extending the mitigation would undoubtedly bring. The Minister recognised that urgency this morning.”
“This is, as others said, a great example of cross-departmental collaboration and work with the council and the community. Will the Minister undertake to continue to work with other Departments to ensure delivery for our rural communities?”
“I thank the Minister for her action. I was delighted to hear the announcement about her approval of the final piece of the funding jigsaw for that project, which has been years in gestation. Now we just have to put all those pieces together.”
“I thank the Minister for her answer. Many in the Chamber, including her, will have been subjected to abuse, far beyond what might be acceptable as political rough and tumble, from cowardly, faceless bullies. While it is never acceptable, it is fair to say that it reached an all-time low with the recent targeting of Diane Dodds, and we offer her our support. While acknowledging that telecommunications is a reserved matter, will the Minister outline what measures her Department is specifically undertaking in order to support and enhance online safety?”
“<BR /> <BR />I echo the Chair's commendation of and gratitude to officials, both departmental and Committee, as well as our helpers in the Bill Office. They are much more than that; they were like part of the furniture with the Communities Committee. <BR /> <BR />While the legislation is, it is fair to say, fairly non-controversial compared with other issues with which we will grapple, it is a good example of how Departments and Committees should work together. We support the amendments.”
“I very much welcome this work, which will bring certainty and stability to the charity sector. It was always my intention to keep my comments brief, but the Minister, the Committee Chair and my colleagues on the Committee gave such a comprehensive overview of the amendments and the rationale behind them that they will be even briefer. <BR /> <BR />I reiterate our appreciation of the charity sector and the invaluable role that charities play in our communities. It has never been more so than in the past couple of years. Therefore, it is important that we take every step that we can to ensure that their good work is not hampered by an overly onerous bureaucratic process. That is the intention behind the Bill, which we support.”
“I thank the Minister for his statement and answers thus far. Mr Irwin said that his constituent was very grateful for the advice that he received from your Department, Minister. Will any financial support be available to affected businesses, and, if so, how quickly will that be made available to them?”
“I welcome the news that cross-departmental work is going on in an attempt to alleviate the worst of the poverty that people are encountering this winter. There are plenty of questions that I could ask, and that people will ask. Is the design of the scheme dependent on the contributions from other Departments? Has the Minister, or any Minister, explored the possibility of extracting contributions from utility companies towards that?”
“We should also take a wee moment to think of all those who have campaigned for the change but are no longer with us. Their courage will reduce the suffering of others. <BR /> <BR />I appreciate the opportunity to speak today, and I hope that the Bill marks the first step towards a fairer and more compassionate social security system — a system that supports those who need it when they need it and does so with dignity.”
“For them, a six-month extension will not make much of a difference, sadly. <BR /> <BR />As outlined, the special rules will see fast-track access provided over five social security benefits and will enable provisions that will remove much of the unnecessary worry-inducing bureaucracy. We cannot wait for Westminster to implement this essential reform for terminally ill people. That would take at least two years, if it ever get round to doing it at all. The measures need to be delivered without delay, and we welcome the fact that action has been taken by the Minister here and now to ensure that that happens. I commend her for taking that action. <BR /> <BR />At this point, I pay tribute to Marie Curie and the other organisations and advocates that have campaigned fervently for years to bring about this necessary change.”
“It is despicable that people with a terminal illness have ever been put in a position where they have spent the precious time that they have left battling for support. The special rules for terminal illness (SRTI) will, I hope, help to alleviate some of that stress. <BR /> <BR />Extending the life expectancy criterion to 12 months is a welcome move, but it is important to acknowledge, as the Minister has done, that that is merely a stepping stone. We can and must do better. I ask the Communities Minister to take a leaf from the Scottish Government's book and consider permitting clinicians to make the call on determining whether patients are terminally ill, without worrying about arbitrary time limits. For example, people living with motor neurone disease, MS or other life-limiting illnesses will not obtain a better prognosis.”
“How can anyone reasonably conclude that we have a system with people's best interests at heart when what we have lacks any heart at all? These requirements, alongside the six-month life expectancy rule, have caused incalculable harm to people across the North. It is cruel, and it should have been scrapped a long time ago. <BR /> <BR />I acknowledge, as we did in the earlier debate, that time is of the essence with regard to the Bill, so, while accelerated passage is not ideal, it is the only option for fast-tracking this vital legislation. The six-month life expectancy criterion has unfairly excluded many dying people from access to support, adding pressures at an unimaginably distressing time.”
“We were vocal in our opposition and warnings about the policy back in 2012 and have remained so. Our track record bears witness to our role as the resistance against welfare reform and its cruel implications. Rather than creating a system that encourages people into work, where possible, we have one that penalises those most at risk. <BR /> <BR />The delay in accessing payments has a unique impact on individuals with a terminal illness, given that time is a luxury that they are not afforded. In the words of one case study from research provided by Marie Curie:”
“It goes without saying that the current welfare system is bound up in excessive bureaucracy. With its complexity and lengthy delays, it fails, in the first instance, in its intended purpose of supporting some of the most vulnerable in our society. That red tape is perhaps most evident in the callous six-month rule for terminally ill welfare claimants. <BR /> <BR />Receiving a terminal prognosis does not bear thinking about, yet, for many people, living or dying with one is their daily reality. For those individuals, their precious time should be focused on being with their loved ones, yet the unscrupulous nature of welfare reform — the SDLP voted against it and warned of such grim eventualities — imposes an added burden at an already extremely difficult time.”
“I support the granting of accelerated passage to this piece of legislation. We are all in agreement that accelerated passage is not the best or desirable way to do things. The Minister said that she would use it "only in exceptional circumstances". I think we can agree that the circumstances, the times we are in and the importance of the legislation are all exceptional. We fully recognise the need for speed in order to get the Bill through the Assembly. We support it.”
“Can you give any examples of such projects and say how much they cost and what we could learn from doing something like them here?”
“I thank the Member for giving way. Is he suggesting that Sinn Féin is not only not opposed to hunting with hounds but not averse to running with hares?”
“The thousands of families on waiting lists do not have time to wait. We call on the Minister to act now.”
“Families are rendered homeless for myriad reasons, such as overcrowding, affordability, family breakdown, disability or poverty. We cannot tolerate a system or a society that fails people so badly. <BR /> <BR />The Department for Communities acted swiftly and decisively to ensure that no one slept on our streets during the pandemic, and it deserves huge credit for that, as do the tremendous organisations across the North — Ms Ferguson mentioned a few — that are dedicated to tackling homelessness. However, there is more to doing that than simply putting a roof over someone's head. Supporting People projects should be funded more to help to address the deeper-rooted issues that cause chronic homelessness. We have heard plenty about the Minister's radical housing transformation plans, but, sadly, we have not seen much of it in effect yet.”
“Nobody should have to sleep on the street, call a hostel room their home or have their family scattered across several locations while they languish on a list. <BR /> <BR />The impact of homelessness is not only damaging people now; it is risking their future opportunities. We cannot accept that as normal, but it is. This year, from July to September, over 4,000 households presented as homeless, and nearly 2,500 of those were deemed to be in priority need. However, homes were only sourced for 122 of those applicants. That leaves over 2,000 families or households in priority need being failed, not just by a lack of stock but a lack of strategy and ambition. We must never lose sight of the human stories behind these statistics.”
“As we have already heard, this is Homelessness Awareness week. This year's theme is Start the Conversation, so it is appropriate to have the conversation here today to remind us of our duty as MLAs and the work that we have to do to eradicate homelessness. <BR /> <BR />Homelessness is an issue that can hit anyone anywhere. The average person is just two pay cheques away from homelessness. Many people walk a very fine line and live from payday to payday, and that tightrope has become even more precarious due to the pandemic. It was also during the pandemic that the importance of having somewhere to call home was never more pronounced. Access to a safe and secure home is the foundation that people build their lives on.”
“I thank the Minister for his answer. COVID-19 has brought with it a plethora of problems, and many of them have been felt more acutely in our rural communities than elsewhere. Will the Minister detail any work that is ongoing between his Department and the Department for Communities on assisting rural communities, which often fall between two stools when it comes to their being able to draw down public funding to run community projects and to tackle isolation and many of the other problems to which the Minister alluded?”
“I welcome that engagement between the Minister and his counterpart in Dublin. Cross-jurisdictional collaboration and coordination will be vital. On that point, it is my understanding that there have been letters from the First Ministers of Scotland and Wales to the Prime Minister seeking an urgent COBRA meeting to establish that coordinated approach across regions. Where are we in that? Has the Minister spoken to the First Ministers here to see whether they will take similar action?”
“I just fear and feel that we are looking at another missed opportunity to help people in need.”
“If those tools do not exist, we should look to develop them. That is the legislation that I would rather be debating today, and I have no doubt that the Committee will look at that. Instead, the Bill seems to be as much about protecting the Department as about protecting people. That is hugely regrettable, given the precarious financial situation that so many homeowners find themselves in or will soon find themselves in. <BR /> <BR />The comprehensive legislation has not been tabled in this mandate. I implore the Minister to act on her pledge to protect the most vulnerable and consider bringing forward a mortgage rescue scheme. People have already waited too long and face too much uncertainty. They need the support now more than ever. We certainly support the broad principles of the Bill.”
“Ulster University's Economic Policy Centre was commissioned to research the establishment of a mortgage support scheme. Has that research been completed, will it be published, or is the Minister in a position to tell us any of its findings or recommendations? <BR /> <BR />Given the cruel cut to universal credit, the end of mortgage payment holidays and the clear shortcomings of the SMI loan, what safety net is in place for homeowners? What meaningful assistance will the Minister and her Department put forward? Essential reforms must be made to SMI if it is to provide any real assistance to struggling homeowners. We have to prevent people from falling into more debt and save more families from homelessness and the plethora of problems that comes with that. We need to use every tool at our disposal to do so.”
“<BR /> <BR />The financial impact of COVID-19 has exposed the vulnerabilities of homeowners, who were provided with minimal assistance and placed at a greater risk of homelessness as a result. Initially, the Communities and Finance Ministers advised that mortgage support was a matter for Westminster. At the height of the pandemic, in response to my Assembly question to the Minister's predecessor and party colleague, Carál Ní Chuilín, I was advised that the SMI and the universal credit uplift were already in place to support people struggling to make mortgage payments. That position softened somewhat as the Minister came under a bit of pressure, maybe, to provide support. She has indicated to me on several occasions that a mortgage rescue scheme is under consideration.”
“Maybe I should say that I was relieved, given several indications that I received from the Minister that she was reconsidering introducing the benefit or, at least, bringing forward new support for people struggling to pay their mortgage. I have consistently appealed for improved financial support for homeowners who have struggled to keep up with mortgage payments throughout the COVID pandemic, given the fact that Northern Ireland has a greater proportion of homeowners in poverty than anywhere else across the UK. In fact, we have twice as many households behind with their mortgage payments, according to research from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation — a position that has, more than likely, worsened over the past 20 months, given the economic consequences of the COVID crisis.”
“I acknowledge the fact that that was introduced by the Tories as an element of the Welfare Reform and Work Act 2016, but it is important to note that that was not merely foisted on us in a vacuum; rather, some parties in the Assembly gave the Tories the power to do it. Rather than providing low-income and struggling households with mortgage interest costs via a benefit, the process was made more complicated and less accessible and was converted to that of a loan. <BR /> <BR />I have to admit that, when I heard that legislation was coming on mortgage support, I got rather excited, and that does not happen often here.”