Gordon Dunne
North Down · Democratic Unionist Party · Northern Ireland
“<BR /> <BR />As has been acknowledged, stalking is a unique crime, and perpetrators often have obsessive behaviours that can develop over time and be difficult to deal with properly. They are often evolving behaviour traits that start at an early stage and can turn out to be very sinister over time.”
“I, too, welcome the opportunity to speak on the Second Stage of the Protection from Stalking Bill. The moving of this Bill to the Second Stage in its legislative journey is timely and complements the recently completed passage of the domestic abuse Bill.”
“That will support the PSNI and increase the tools available to it and will enable early police intervention, pre-conviction, to address stalking behaviours to protect victims from more serious harm. That intervention will equally be able to be made post-conviction to prevent further stalking.”
“I know from engaging with the PSNI in my North Down constituency that they very much share the view that additional measures and resources are needed to tackle the problem across our local communities. It is widely recognised that our laws in this area need to be strengthened.”
“Part 1 of the Bill rightly prioritises that to improve the operation of the justice system and, ultimately, to better support victims. It is important to ensure that stalking conduct does not fall between the cracks because of poorly drafted legislation or a lack of awareness by those responsible for its implementation.”
“I thank the Minister for his statement. I welcome your commitment on rates for businesses, which will continue into the new financial year. Will you take some responsibility for the build-up of underspend? Several bids from the Department for the Economy were undercut and not fully funded.”
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“That needs to be recognised and captured in the legislation. <BR /> <BR />I very much welcome the progress to date on such an important issue and look forward to further progress on the Bill in the months ahead and through the work of the Justice Committee.”
“<BR /> <BR />As has been acknowledged, stalking is a unique crime, and perpetrators often have obsessive behaviours that can develop over time and be difficult to deal with properly. They are often evolving behaviour traits that start at an early stage and can turn out to be very sinister over time. <BR /> <BR />We live in a digital age, as has been mentioned throughout the debate, and, unfortunately, that often presents many opportunities through the use of technology for stalkers to target and harass victims through new forms of communication and cybercrime, all of which increases the stress and impact on victims. During lockdown and the restrictions that we have gone through, people are spending more time online and increasing the risk. Unfortunately, that has led to an increase in cybercrime, which can be a form of stalking.”
“That will support the PSNI and increase the tools available to it and will enable early police intervention, pre-conviction, to address stalking behaviours to protect victims from more serious harm. That intervention will equally be able to be made post-conviction to prevent further stalking. I also welcome the commitment in clause 11 that courts will have the power to impose interim SPOs to provide immediate protection for victims while the main application is being determined. That will reduce any immediate risk of harm. There is also a need to ensure that information is recorded and shared between the PSNI, courts, justice agencies and various jurisdictions, particularly in instances in which stalkers move between areas to carry out their crime.”
“Part 1 of the Bill rightly prioritises that to improve the operation of the justice system and, ultimately, to better support victims. It is important to ensure that stalking conduct does not fall between the cracks because of poorly drafted legislation or a lack of awareness by those responsible for its implementation. Stalking was made a specific criminal offence in England and Wales in 2012, and, in January 2020, police in England and Wales were able to apply to the Magistrates' Court for stalking protection orders, which usually remain in place for up to two years. I very much welcome the second part of the Bill, which will introduce SPOs here.”
“I know from engaging with the PSNI in my North Down constituency that they very much share the view that additional measures and resources are needed to tackle the problem across our local communities. It is widely recognised that our laws in this area need to be strengthened. The Bill gives the opportunity to build on the current Protection from Harassment (Northern Ireland) Order 1997 and bring us into line with the rest of the UK. <BR /> <BR />As with any legislation, it is important to hear from victims and to listen to and engage with those who work on the front line in supporting those who have suffered and continue to suffer from stalking. The best way to deal with the issue is by making stalking a specific offence.”
“I, too, welcome the opportunity to speak on the Second Stage of the Protection from Stalking Bill. The moving of this Bill to the Second Stage in its legislative journey is timely and complements the recently completed passage of the domestic abuse Bill. The stalking Bill builds on strengthening our laws to deal with the evil crimes that continue in all areas across Northern Ireland. I commend the departmental officials and Committee officials for their work to date on the Bill and the victims and victims' groups who have helped to shape the Bill so far. I know that there is considerable work still to be done. <BR /> <BR />The need for action and a strengthening of the law was very much the theme of the responses to the consultation that was launched in November 2018 and closed for responses two years ago, in February 2019.”
“I thank the Minister for his statement. I welcome your commitment on rates for businesses, which will continue into the new financial year. Will you take some responsibility for the build-up of underspend? Several bids from the Department for the Economy were undercut and not fully funded. For example, we have been pushing for support for directors for some time. The bid was very much underfunded, and, as a result, £1,000 was offered for directors from March of last year. I understand that that sum has now been increased significantly. Would it be fair to say that you were too slow and too tight with the money?”
“We are all concerned about that. More needs to be done to support prison staff and to increase the efficiency of the workforce.”
“I thank the Minister for her statement. We appreciate the effort put in to address the issues. We all appreciate the good work of the Prison Service as staff carry out their business against the ongoing threat and the risk from COVID-19 in the workplace. <BR /> <BR />Recommendation 12 focuses on HR and occupational health support. Does the Minister recognise the need for further investment to save? We are all concerned about the sickness level. Recommendation 12 mentions that sickness absence is:”
“<BR /> <BR />We are all agreed that the progression of the Bill has significantly increased public awareness of the importance of reporting domestic abuse. It will help to give victims a voice if they know that that support is there and that the law can protect them. I very much welcome the progress to date on such an important issue, and I look forward to the Bill receiving Royal Assent as we seek to support victims of domestic abuse, so many of whom, sadly, continue to suffer in silence.”
“<BR /> <BR />As highlighted in the various stages of the passage of the Bill, with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the lockdowns and the various restrictions that have been in place, we have, unfortunately, seen an increase in domestic abuse. That increase has, sadly, reinforced the fact that, as already mentioned on a number of occasions, home is not always a safe place for everyone and that timely action is needed. For example, on Christmas Day and Boxing Day just past, a total of 250 domestic abuse calls were made to the PSNI. Indeed, it is alarming that 31,857 domestic abuse incidents were recorded in 2019-2020, which is the highest level since that form of recording began 15 years ago. There has been a shocking 52% increase in incidence during that time.”
“<BR /> <BR />I welcome the 'Ask for ANI' scheme — that means action needed immediately — which has been announced by the UK Government since Consideration Stage. Indeed, it was announced just last week. That will enable victims of domestic abuse to discreetly seek help through pharmacies. It is a very positive example of a practical support measure. I have tabled questions for written answer to the Justice Minister and the Health Minister to see whether that scheme could be rolled out further to include all our community pharmacies and other local community services and facilities, such as shopping centres, community resource centres and even other sectors such as close-contact service providers.”
“<BR /> <BR />Despite all the challenges and the range of opinions that were reflected during the passage of the Bill through the Committee and the House, there has been a common desire from the Minister and right across the House to strengthen our domestic abuse legislation. The Bill will better reflect how widespread and appalling that abuse can be right across Northern Ireland. It will provide support to victims of domestic abuse and, ultimately, will bring more offenders to justice. The Bill also recognises the evolving nature of domestic abuse. It rightly recognises that not all domestic abuse is physical. Crucially, it captures the impact of controlling and coercive behaviour as a form of domestic abuse.”
“I put on record my thanks to everyone who contributed to the Bill, particularly the many victims and victim support groups who gave up their time to present to the Justice Committee on various occasions. Those groups worked closely with officials whilst continuing to provide the lifeline of support for victims, often on a 24/7 basis. <BR /> <BR />I also acknowledge the work of the Justice Minister; our Committee Clerk, Christine Darrah; Stephanie Mallon from the Bill Office, who gave us a lot of good information on a very regular basis; and the departmental officials. I cannot forget the Committee Chairman, Mr Paul Givan, of course, who also did a significant amount of work on the issue.”
“I, too, welcome the opportunity to speak today at the Final Stage of the Domestic Abuse and Civil Proceedings Bill. I guarantee that I will not speak for as long as the Member who spoke previously did. <BR /> <BR />A vast amount of work has been done in getting to this Final Stage. The Bill certainly received significant scrutiny — I think that we are all very well aware of that — and detailed consideration by the Justice Committee. I very much welcome the significant steps forward that have been made on such an important piece of work, particularly during 2020, given all the challenges that we had with the pandemic, which continues to be with us all.”
“The Minister has already mentioned the problem experienced by steel importers and the severe impact that that is having on the manufacturing and construction industry. What progress has been made on the issue to date? Ironically, the steel will probably have originated in China.”
“I welcome the commitment in amendment No 7 to a report on the availability and affordability of legal aid. Unfortunately, many victims of domestic abuse are unable to access legal aid. That can sometimes be as a result of complex financial arrangements with their former partner, and that can often deny the victim much-needed support through very difficult proceedings. That can sometimes result in the perpetrator getting better support than the victim; that is wrong and needs to be addressed. I welcome the long-awaited progress to date on such an important issue, and I trust that we will continue to see more progress made as the House seeks to further support victims of domestic abuse, many of whom, sadly, continue to suffer in silence.”
“<BR /> <BR />The introduction of measures to protect a person from abusive behaviour, as outlined in amendment No 2, will be another positive step forward, and I believe that there is a desire for the PSNI to be required to deliver progress in the area. That desire for progress was also reflected at Committee Stage by various stakeholders, with many feeling that there was a need to strengthen protective measures for abuse victims beyond non-molestation orders, which many believe do not go far enough to protect vulnerable victims. <BR /> <BR />I also welcome the public consultation that the Minister launched earlier this month to enhance legal protections for domestic abuse victims and ensure short-term protection from all forms of domestic abuse. There has been considerable debate on the potential costs of legal aid.”
“Education providers can now be much more than just a formal school arrangement, and the widened approach in amendment No 1 allows a level of flexibility to include a non-school body that provides education or training of any kind, including in preschool and college settings. Education settings can play a valuable role in supporting children and young people through what can be very difficult days. That information-sharing, however, will have to be carried out in a very sensitive and professional way in order to ensure that the child is not made to feel more vulnerable, and that should help schools better understand the individual circumstances and needs of families that may be experiencing some form of domestic abuse.”
“That is a very alarming development, and that statistic, along with the revelation that domestic abuse now accounts for 19·1% of all crime recorded by the PSNI, is further recognition, if it were ever required, of the need to strengthen our domestic abuse laws. It also very much reinforces the need for action, which was so clearly and passionately presented at our Committee evidence sessions by many stakeholders, including victims and victim support groups, which are so often at the coalface of tackling this most cruel and horrific form of abuse. <BR /> <BR />I believe that amendment No 1, which will widen information-sharing with schools, including in preschool settings, is a positive step forward and something that should help to protect children who may have inadvertently become victims of domestic abuse.”
“The Bill also introduces important and timely measures to support children, who are so often innocently caught up in domestic abuse situations. Children can sometimes be the forgotten victims of domestic abuse and can be used and abused so tragically in unfortunate situations. Sadly, that is becoming an ever-growing problem in society. Since Consideration Stage, we have heard the shocking figures that were released by the PSNI to the BBC on 26 November. They showed that, since 2015, six women in Northern Ireland have been murdered despite previously reporting their violent partner to the police.”
“I believe that that is the desire, and that was certainly reflected right across the House at Consideration Stage in November. We must remain committed to and focused on ensuring that the legislation fully covers all potential forms of abuse so that it can be dealt with effectively and efficiently, and the Bill rightly recognises that domestic abuse today can be so much more than physical abuse.”
“I welcome the opportunity to speak at Further Consideration Stage. Considerable work has been done to get the Bill to this advanced stage, and I welcome the significant steps forward on such an important piece of work. We share the regret, as expressed by victim support groups, that the Bill did not reach Further Consideration Stage last week. It is important, though, that we get this legislation right. Today, I am glad that the Assembly has the opportunity to advance this important legislation. <BR /> <BR />We all share the aim of strengthening our domestic abuse legislation to better reflect how widespread this appalling abuse is across Northern Ireland, to better support victims of domestic abuse and to bring more offenders to justice.”
“I thank the Minister for her answer. Will the Minister outline the rationale for the decision not to open the scheme to taxi operators? I am talking not about drivers but about operators. Will she give a commitment to meet the operators to discuss the circumstances that they now find their businesses in, which are most difficult during the COVID crisis?”
“I thank the Member for her statement. We all recognise the need for continuous support to help business recovery during the pandemic. Those of us who have been around for a while recognise the good work of InterTradeIreland, but what is being done to ensure that there is no overlap in the efforts of InterTradeIreland and Invest NI in supporting businesses?”
“I thank the Minister for her statement. We are all very much aware of the challenges faced by the tourism sector in 2020. What more can Tourism Ireland do to bring life back to our major tourist attractions such as Titanic Belfast, the Ulster Folk Museum and the Antrim coast and, of course, to get tour buses back up around Stormont to see what goes on?”
“I thank the First Minister for her answer. I welcome the support for our veterans, who have given so much for our country. How does the First Minister respond to the announcement earlier today by the Secretary of State to mark the centenary of our great country of Northern Ireland, which is part of New Decade, New Approach?”
“It was only last year that Northern Ireland demonstrated to the world that we could host top-class, world elite events such as The Open at Royal Portrush with great success. We look forward to building on that legacy and hosting such premier events through event tourism in the near future. <BR /> <BR />We need to get the balance right. COVID-19 has not yet gone away. We need to adapt, and we look forward to the reopening of non-essential retail, close-contact services and parts of our hospitality sector on Friday. I wish them well as they seek to reopen safely in the coming days. I commend the Minister for her ongoing efforts during what has been a very challenging year. I know that she is fully committed to, and focused on, supporting our economy as it rebuilds and recovers in the days ahead.”
“The workplace has been transformed, and businesses, schools and residents are even more dependent on good-quality broadband coverage to stay connected with friends, family, customers and employers. It can also open up global doors for local businesses to expand. <BR /> <BR />Town centres and tourism are another two key areas that have been greatly impacted by the pandemic, and, as they recover, there will be many challenges ahead for our high streets and our tourism sector. There has undoubtedly been an adverse impact on many young, part-time, lower-paid workers in the retail, hospitality and tourism sectors, and it will undoubtedly take time to rebuild and recover. However, there are opportunities that we must embrace.”
“Our airports are operating at a reduced capacity of around 20%, which is hard to believe, and that will ultimately have a knock-on impact on staff and, indeed, on the wider aerospace sector, which is a valuable local employer that supports thousands of jobs directly and through the local supply chains. <BR /> <BR />As has been mentioned, digital connectivity is another key theme of the report, and it was encouraging to meet Fibrus on Friday to learn more about its exciting plans to roll out fibre broadband right across Northern Ireland. That £165 million investment contract was made possible by the DUP confidence and supply agreement, which I take great pleasure in highlighting. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for this investment.”
“The medium-term recovery plan, 'Rebuilding a Stronger Economy', which was published in June by our Minister, rightly prioritises decisive interventions to sustain and support our economy over the next 12 to 18 months and beyond. <BR /> <BR />One of the key themes of the inquiry was transport infrastructure, including the importance of air connectivity. Indeed, as has been mentioned, the Committee had a very useful Zoom meeting this morning with our three local airport chief executives. In fact, there was a stark highlighting of the global challenges from the reduction of air travel.”
“The micro-inquiry on our economic outlook has been a useful opportunity for stakeholders to have their say on what the key priorities for economic recovery should be. There are six main themes in the report that stakeholders felt were central to a strong recovery, and they are absolutely fundamental. We must acknowledge the significant financial support that has already been delivered to businesses this year, with the various local funding schemes initiated by our Economy Minister, through her Department, complementing the various financial support measures from our UK Government, including one year's rent relaxation for many businesses. Those measures have been a lifeline to thousands of employees and employers in every corner of Northern Ireland.”
“I, too, welcome the debate this evening. It has been very constructive. <BR /> <BR />The global COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound and unprecedented impact on our economy and employees right across Northern Ireland. The latest Office for Budget Responsibility outlook report, which was published, in November stated that the UK economy will shrink by 11% this year. The largest drop in over 300 years is a stark reminder to us all of the challenges ahead. However, there is room for optimism as we begin the long road to recovery, particularly with the vaccine development, as a number of Members mentioned earlier, and we will all have seen the encouraging images of the vaccine roll-out that started today. We must embrace this opportunity to promote confidence, especially in our economy.”
“I thank the Minister for her answer. Can she assurance us that, under the Litter (Northern Ireland) Order 1994, the NIEA will use its influence on local councils to ensure that public footpaths and roadways are clean and safe for all road users? There seems to be a reluctance by some councils to clean public footpaths on roads where there is extensive traffic.”
“I also pass on my best wishes to the Agriculture Minister, Edwin Poots. I got a message from him today saying that he is receiving great service, so he appreciates the health service to which he contributed as Minister. <BR /> <BR />I thank the Minister for her answers. I welcome the great news and the opportunities for the agri-food sector in Northern Ireland. Can she give the House an assurance that incoming products to Northern Ireland will continue to meet the required high quality standards?”
“I thank the Minister for her statement. We welcome the commitment in the joint agency task force that tackling human trafficking is one of the six priority areas. However, there is real concern about the very low number of convictions secured for human trafficking offences, with only nine individuals prosecuted for trafficking and four convictions secured. What more can be done to tackle human trafficking on a cross-border basis?”
“I think that we all share the pain and the loss of Debenhams and Arcadia and the potential loss to our high streets. Does the Minister recognise the real threat from the internet? I think that we are all guilty of it and we all must admit that we use the internet too much for purchasing, and that is a real risk. What can be done to address that issue, and what further support can be given to the high street? I understand that you are bringing forward a voucher scheme.”
“I thank the Minister for her detailed answer. There is a need for justice for all innocent victims of violence. Does she concur with Stephen Farry, her party's MP for North Down, who supported the Finucane inquiry and said that a public inquiry was warranted in that case?”
“Can the deputy First Minister elaborate on the need to support businesses — for example, those on the high street and those in the tourism and hospitality sector, such as hotels — that are hardest hit and really are in need of support through recovery?”
“<BR /> <BR />There is a role for education in a future strategy to encourage energy efficiency through focused education. We now have the green light for the development of the North/South interconnector, which went through in September. That will help to improve network stability and security of supply for energy users in Northern Ireland. <BR /> <BR />I look forward to hearing from the Minister, and I know that she is committed to bringing forward a fit-for-purpose energy strategy for Northern Ireland.”
“I believe that that will work within the existing network and will produce cleaner and more efficient energy. Hydrogen energy has also been described as the main driver for decarbonising the global economy. We have an opportunity here to become a world leader in hydrogen production and technology. Wrightbus is involved in development work on hydrogen buses, and I understand that Dublin is slightly ahead of us — it is hard to believe, but that is true — as it is trialling hydrogen buses. That presents an exciting opportunity for Northern Ireland. However, it will require significant investment, and I know that the Prime Minister has committed to investing in this new technology. There is the potential to create many jobs in hydrogen technology, in the aerospace industry and in advanced materials sectors and supply chains.”
“Suppliers such as Phoenix Natural Gas continue to encourage uptake within the greater Belfast area, which ranges from 30% to 60% where networks exist, and gives consumers more value and cleaner energy. Approximately 70% of households across Northern Ireland still have oil-based heating systems, and the current price of home heating oil is relatively cheap in comparison with just a number of years ago as it has an average price, as I understand it, of £235 for 900 litres. It is important to have a mix of energy sources to ensure that no one is left in fuel poverty and to ensure that costs are kept competitive for domestic consumers and businesses. <BR /> <BR />I recently had a discussion with Phoenix Natural Gas about the use of hydrogen to replace natural gas.”
“<BR /> <BR />There are, of course, drawbacks with wind energy as wind is not consistent, and many wind turbines are producing surplus amounts of energy, which could be transferred to battery storage units for later use or to be fed into the grid system. However, there are many major challenges in getting sufficient battery capacity to deliver that. <BR /> <BR />Connections into the grid continue to be a challenge for wind turbines due to weak infrastructure in some parts of the country. There is a problem with most of the generation being in the west of the Province while there is greater demand for supply in the east of the Province. <BR /> <BR />The gas network needs further support. More needs to be done to encourage consumers to connect to gas.”
“While having a strategy in place to ensure that we have a sustainable energy future is important, it is paramount that our short-term challenge is to ensure that energy is affordable. The manufacturing sector has huge challenges with energy costs. Its high energy costs are very challenging for the sector in being able to compete globally in the world marketplace. <BR /> <BR />Wind energy has been the main source of renewable energy in Northern Ireland, which we all seem to be proud of, and it has achieved its renewable target of 40% by 2020. That was heavily incentivised through the renewables obligation certificates (ROCs) scheme, which has now closed. However, I question the total cost of the scheme, which providers have been tied into with 20-year contracts.”
“As a member of the Economy Committee, I welcome the opportunity to speak on this important issue. <BR /> <BR />There is no doubt that energy affordability and security of supply are key issues, and we must ensure that they are kept high on the agenda. The cost of electricity to consumers continues to be a real challenge to domestic and commercial energy users. Energy has been an important issue in the Committee for some time, and the micro-inquiry has been an opportunity for stakeholders in the sector to have their say and to engage on this important issue. <BR /> <BR />The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has presented unprecedented challenges for businesses and domestic consumers.”
“The Minister will be aware that legislation on domestic violence went through the House last week. That was long overdue, and we really welcome it. Will the Minister advise the House on her views on special paid leave for victims of domestic abuse?”
“I thank the Minister for his statement. We all share the pain of those businesses, small or large, that are feeling the impact of COVID at this time. A set of bids was submitted by the Minister for the Economy, and they are detailed in your statement. It is very welcome that £20 million has been allocated to the manufacturing sector, and I understand that the money will be on top of any business relief. Will that funding run through until the new financial year that begins in April 2021?”
“I look forward to hearing from the Minister, from whom we have heard quite a bit, but I look forward to that as, finally, we seek to support victims of domestic abuse, many of whom suffer in silence.”
“<BR /> <BR />Prevention and early intervention are crucial, and domestic abuse can have an impact even on unborn children. Research has identified that domestic abuse is an adverse childhood experience and a contributing factor to a wide range of issues, such as educational underachievement, which our Education Minister, Peter Weir, very much recognises and is working to address through a partnership approach in his Department. Children are often the unseen victims of domestic abuse, and those who are the victims of domestic abuse can suffer from a wide range of long-term mental, emotional and physical effects. <BR /> <BR />I welcome the progress to date, and I trust that we will continue to see further progress through the House.”
“The fact that we are the only part of the UK that does not have non-physical abusive behaviour, including coercive control, as a criminal offence, limits the powers of the PSNI to tackle the problem effectively. <BR /> <BR />Operation Encompass was discussed extensively by the Committee. That provides the option of notifying schools when domestic abuse incidents have taken place the night before in a child's home. That tool has the potential to support children who may have directly or indirectly witnessed a form of domestic abuse. However, those notifications would have to be carried out in a sensitive and confidential manner to ensure that children are not further victimised through, perhaps, peer bullying in the classroom, should the PSNI notify the school in a non-discreet way.”