Pam Lewis
South Antrim · Democratic Unionist Party · Northern Ireland
“I thank the Minister for her answer. Indeed, I thank her for the assistance that she, as Minister of Justice, gave my constituents Kathryn and Aaron McCollum following the tragic death of their much-loved husband and father. Her assistance was deeply appreciated.”
“I thank the Minister for her answer. I very much welcome the amendment to the Justice Bill on this subject, and I thank my colleagues across the Chamber for the good work that they have done on it. What cost is the PSNI carrying for the seizure, storage and disposal of those vehicles? Is that cost creating a barrier to enforcement?”
“It progresses 18 recommendations from the independent review of charity regulation, with a focus on a more risk-based approach that promotes trust and accountability without placing undue burdens on charities.”
“I welcome the opportunity to speak as a member of the Communities Committee at Second Stage of the Charities (Amendment) Bill. I thank the Minister and the Chair of the Committee for outlining the details of the Bill.”
“The public must have confidence that charitable funds are being used properly, that trustees understand their responsibilities and that there is effective oversight when misconduct or mismanagement occurs.”
“<BR /> <BR />I welcome the streamlining of accounting and reporting requirements. For small charities, administration can be a real challenge and burden.”
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“Can the Minister give a commitment that there will be timely and urgent engagement with the affected patients, given the frustration demonstrated in the past by neurology patients who felt that they were not involved or listened to in that malpractice scandal?”
“I thank the Minister for his statement to the House this morning on yet another health blow to the public in Northern Ireland and much worry for the people who have been involved in these urology cases.”
“We need staff testing to be as frequent as possible. <BR /> <BR />I do not enough have time to finish all my remarks, but I want to say that, recently, I have spoken to people who cannot sleep for fear of not being able to provide for their children at Christmas. I welcome that all Members agree with the motion. Thank you for your time.”
“Over 140 care homes with outbreaks is a damning indictment on the Department's protection of the most vulnerable. We clearly did not act on what we learned from the first wave, if we learned anything, because, sadly, our care homes are under attack from the virus, once again.”
“I appreciate an emailed apology received from the PHA over the completely wrong information that was given, but it is not good enough. At this stage in a pandemic, we are still being given dangerous, incorrect information on isolation. I question, therefore, whether the PR campaign has been ramped up enough to deal with that, because I do not see it. <BR /> <BR />If we become a pilot for mass testing, will the test, trace, isolate and protect programme be able to cope? That is the question. The groundwork needs to be put in place now. If the contact tracing is not fit for purpose, mass testing will not be as effective as we need it to be. <BR /> <BR />It goes without saying that our care homes need a focus, which, to date, has not been here.”
“I pay tribute to the staff who are working on contact tracing. They are doing great work, but there are not enough of them. The service needs additional resource, and that resource should be available by now. We need innovative thinking on ways to improve how we track and trace to make it even more effective. We have known about the issue for a long time, but here we are talking about it. <BR /> <BR />We also know about the lack of awareness of the rules on self-isolating. I was told three times whilst having a COVID-19 test that I could go about my business if I received a negative test. That was after being notified by the StopCOVID NI app of a close contact and being told to isolate for 14 days. Just last week, I heard the same story of several other individuals who were given the same wrong advice.”
“As a net, the holes are too big, and too much is slipping through. I am sure that we all know of examples of someone who has been in close contact but no notification was received of any description, and that is helping the virus spread.”
“<BR /> <BR />What we have, outside of this place, is a health crisis, a mental health crisis and an economic crisis. The health crisis is dominated by COVID-19 but goes far beyond that. It is heart disease, undiagnosed diabetes, suicide and undiagnosed cancer. It is the lack of early intervention that will lead to more health misery. Last week, we marked Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Day. How many today are living with that awful cancer and do not know it? How many cannot and will not get treatment in time to help them? <BR /> <BR />What are we going to do, Mr Speaker? An immediate priority must be to improve our track-and-trace system. Put frankly, it is not up to the job. The mantra has been that it works best with lower numbers. That is a logical assumption, but we have not had low numbers in weeks.”
“What a terrible indictment of the lack of support for those professionals and heroes. <BR /> <BR />This House and the Executive cannot be deaf to the public anger about, and disillusionment with, what they have witnessed from this place in recent weeks. We now face two weeks, at least, of sweeping restrictions, and although the time for asking searching questions and for accountability will no doubt come, it is the job of this place to do better, by coming up with solutions quicker and for those to be more effective, and to avoid the cycle of lockdowns that we all say that we want to avoid but about which we seem to do too little, too late to avoid. That is failing local business, failing workers and failing families. It is simply not good enough.”
“Although we may feel that the past eight or nine months have been challenging for this place, it is nothing compared with the challenges and the physical, mental and emotional strain faced by our nurses and doctors. We owe them a great debt of gratitude. It is a debt that should be repaid, in part, by a pay rise, as advocated by the RCN, amongst others. I urge the Health Minister to work with the Health Secretary to deliver that across the UK. <BR /> <BR />Furthermore, let us not underestimate or ignore the mental health strain on our staff. This has been a hugely difficult time of emotional strain and for having to do things that no nurse has been trained to do. Adequate support structures must be in place. I have heard of nurses who have been working on COVID wards who are now looking for jobs in supermarkets.”
“<BR /> <BR />Members expressed support for the motion, acknowledged public efforts to date and urged everyone to take individual responsibility and to adhere to all the hands, face, space guidance. The Minister also outlined the next steps in mass-testing initiatives and in public messaging, as well as new initiatives for enhanced contact tracing. <BR /> <BR />In closing, I put on record my thanks to the Clerk and the Committee staff for their tremendous work and support given throughout 2020 to date, and I thank the Committee membership for their contributions on the motion this evening. <BR /> <BR />With your indulgence, Mr Speaker, I will say a few words of my own as a DUP MLA. First and foremost, it is important to pay tribute to our staff on the front line.”
“<BR /> <BR />Clare Bailey put the debate in the wider context of the climate crisis, the high-street crisis, long-standing issues of poverty and low pay, and political difficulties. She asked why payments to nursing students have been stopped. Gerry Carroll called attention to the current figures and the particular impact on low-paid workers, and he criticised what he feels is an Executive policy of living with the virus. <BR /> <BR />The Minister responded and acknowledged the impact of the restrictions and the sacrifices that people would have to make. He outlined the rationale for them and his hopes for progress in two weeks. The Minister restated his commitment to mental health, saying that he would keep it front and centre going forward, and acknowledged the work of Health and Social Care staff throughout.”
“Mike Nesbitt referred to the challenge of having a five-party coalition but pointed to the ongoing work to develop a cross-island approach. Dolores Kelly called for the recognition of the importance of consistent political leadership for public confidence. Alan Chambers challenged the suggestion that not enough work was done in preparation for the second surge and flagged the time required to train additional staff. <BR /> <BR />Compliance with self-isolation was raised by Órlaithí Flynn and Paula Bradshaw, who also called for additional support to be made available to affected individuals. Making the point that financial support is not enough, Órlaithí suggested that follow-up calls should encourage compliance. She also underscored the need for wider cross-departmental cooperation to tackle the pandemic.”
“<BR /> <BR />The wide-ranging impact of the pandemic was acknowledged by all contributors, from mental health, which was raised by Mr McGrath, Mr McNulty, Mrs Kelly and Mr Carroll, to the economic impacts and knock-on effects on well-being described by Mr Chambers and Mr Clarke. Órlaithí Flynn referred also to the loss of social connections and the impact of visiting restrictions and missed appointments. <BR /> <BR />Several contributors, including Mr Buckley, Mr McGrath, Mr Chambers, Mr Clarke, Mrs Kelly and Ms Bailey, referred to the political divisions and mixed messaging of recent weeks and months, and many called for a constructive and collaborative approach.”
“The legacy of underfunding of the system was raised by Dolores Kelly, who called for progress on workforce planning and fair pay for nurses, and by Mike Nesbitt, who also recognised progress made under the Minister's leadership. <BR /> <BR />Having joined in the tributes to staff, Mr McGrath raised concerns about staff exhaustion and practical challenges facing workers, such as time and facilities to have meal breaks. Dolores Kelly called for better channels for front-line workers to feed through issues to the Minister and senior figures. Turning to restrictions, Colin McGrath expressed disappointment around progress on bringing down transmission.”
“<BR /> <BR />Paula Bradshaw also expressed concern about the adequacy of resources in the FTTIS system, particularly around asymptomatic testing and the capacity to learn more about the origin of infections and the risks associated with certain types of behaviour. Órlaithí Flynn asked if more could be done to build up our public health approach to reduce the need for restrictions, and Mr Sheehan emphasised the need for learning from international experience, expressing concern about local capacity. <BR /> <BR />Justin McNulty accepted that restrictions were necessary due to the current figures, and Jonathan Buckley raised concerns about the impact on patients awaiting treatment for cancer and other conditions. Alan Chambers countered that much non-COVID work had been maintained in the second surge.”
“All Members who spoke paid warm tributes to health and social care staff, recognising the risks taken, the stress and exhaustion felt and the dedication shown. The Chair acknowledged progress in testing and tracing and put forward suggestions for consideration around increasing the find, test, trace, isolate and support systems. A move to mass and rapid testing was endorsed by many contributors. Colm Gildernew emphasised the need to increase the capacity of the FTTIS system, especially around isolation and support, and he talked about the connection with wider policy such as travel and childcare.”
“Thank you. From now on, I am just going to refer to you as "Mr Speaker", because that will save some time. <BR /> <BR />I support the motion, and I am winding up on it as Deputy Chair of the Health Committee. First, I put on record my sympathy to all of the families who have been bereaved in recent months, whether through COVID-19 or not. We are all very well aware of how difficult it is living with the restrictions, and how much more so it is for those who are living in grief right now. I wish to declare that I have family members working in the health service at this time. <BR /> <BR />I will move to quickly summarise some of the remarks made by Members. The Chair of the Health Committee outlined the interdependent elements of the motion and the evidence taken by the Committee on the impact of vulnerable groups.”
“I thank the Minister for her answers so far. I welcome the fact that the Minister has made £2 million available to support airlines at this difficult time. She will agree with me that more support should be provided by central Government to help with our connectivity, including scrapping APD on short-haul flights, at least in the short to medium term. What emergency support is available for Belfast International Airport — a very large employer in south Antrim — from the Assembly to help in what are dire financial times?”
“I thank the Minister for the statement to the House this morning. We certainly do not underestimate the job of work that the Executive have to do in making these very difficult decisions. <BR /> <BR />For practical purposes, it is simply not possible to increase hospital capacity in the short to medium term. The key factor in that is the supply of staff, as we know. Given the special skill set required, there is a very long lead-in time for that. What is the lead-in time for the training of staff? Was the eight months, between the first wave and now, not long enough to increase staff numbers? Has the workforce appeal not achieved the supply of additional key staff members who will be required to help during this next wave?”
“I thank the Minister for her statement. The discretionary support self-isolation grant is a lifeline for many people who are on low incomes and who are required to self-isolate. I welcome the news that the daily allowance payable has been increased. Does the Minister agree that these grants are crucial for encouraging and enabling individuals to complete their period of self-isolation? Is her Department working with the Department of Health or the Public Health Agency (PHA) to take the opportunity to provide additional information as to what is actually required around self-isolation?”
“Have health planners failed to meet that target for available critical care beds?”
“I appreciate the opportunity to ask this question for urgent oral answer in the House today. I thank the Health Minister for his response thus far. I fully recognise the continual challenge that is faced in the delivery of services in these difficult times, particularly in maintaining staff levels. I also welcome the imminent opening of the step-down facility — Nightingale 2 — at Whiteabbey. <BR /> <BR />The Department's critical care surge plan envisaged being able to cater for the needs of 158 COVID and non-COVID patients in the event of a high surge across Northern Ireland. In recent weeks, the total has reached around 140, which is short of the number set out in the frameworks. If those contingency arrangements have not been implemented in full, why are we hearing reports of hospitals operating over capacity?”
“I thank the Health Minister for his attendance. I also welcome the news that the flu vaccine will be made available to those who are most vulnerable. On 12 October, there were 46 care homes with a COVID-19 outbreak. By 12 November, that number had risen to 143. In all that time, hospitality and close-contact services were closed. It makes no sense that, many months into this pandemic, there is no rapid testing or mass testing of staff in key wards or in care homes to complement the vaccines. That should be a daily occurrence for those key healthcare workers. Regardless of what other regions are doing — I have heard that some care settings in England are carrying out daily testing for staff and visitors — I respectfully ask the Minister why he is not testing healthcare staff on a daily basis.”
“I thank the deputy First Minister for her statement to the House at what is a critical stage of the pandemic. I welcome the new media campaign. I caught sight of an ad at the weekend, and it was very good. <BR /> <BR />Does the deputy First Minister agree that every one of us has the power to control the spread of the virus and that, through taking the most basic of precautions, infection rates can be reduced further, thus allowing non-COVID health services to continue or, indeed, recommence?”
“I thank the First Minister for her answer. It is important that we demonstrate our support for the incredible work that healthcare workers are doing in these challenging times. <BR /> <BR />Does the First Minister believe that the Executive can find a balanced and proportionate way forward over the winter months in dealing with COVID-19?”
“Who will look after the administrative burden of testing in the care sector, given that the independent care sector has said that it cannot cope with the increase in testing, which, in going from two weeks to one week, is, effectively, doubling?”
“That took guts, and guts is what we need to have at this time. We need to have a serious public conversation based on facts, not populism or playing to the gallery. <BR /> <BR />The Budget does not go anywhere near to addressing the needs of our health service. The needs of an older population will further stretch the purse strings, but we cannot ignore that need; we need to meet it. COVID-19 has changed everything, but if any good is to come from it, let it be that it is the catalyst for change that saves our health service before it is too late. I end my comments there.”
“<BR /> <BR />We face a cancer crisis, a diabetes crisis, a heart crisis and a mental health crisis. Those are a few crises among the many in the health service. Add to them our longstanding failure to address the needs of those with autism and other disabilities. If we are honest, we will admit that we cannot do what needs to be done without a radical change in how we do things. We have the Bengoa report and the political endorsement of it. I take on board the comments of Members in the past. I think that it was the Member for South Down Mr Wells who, rightly, said that a problem always arises when it comes to closing a local hospital, for instance, and then we, as public representatives, lose our nerve. That is not always the case. I remember well that my colleague Edwin Poots reduced A&E in his constituency when he was Health Minister.”
“The passing of the Budget Bill is a lengthy process and, by the time the Final Stage is reached, most of us have probably covered the issues that are of importance to us. For fear of repetition, I will, therefore, keep my remarks short. <BR /> <BR />I have sat through debates on the passage of the Budget Bill, and, indeed, through many other debates. Throughout each debate, we see a recurring theme in Members' contributions: the need to transform our health service. Never has that been more acute than it is now in the wake of the devastation that COVID-19 has had on our health service, and the ticking time bomb that awaits us due to the interventions that have been missed. That should tell us that the time for talking has long gone and that the time to transform our health service is now.”
“I thank the First Minister for her statement. We have heard some ideas around boosting the economy. Can the First Minister update us on whether any further novel or innovative ideas for boosting economic activity came up during the discussions with other Administrations?”
“I thank the Deputy Speaker for that ruling. <BR /> <BR />Does the Member agree that it is vital that the Republic of Ireland act in a way that will also protect Northern Ireland when we are dealing with a variant of the COVID-19 virus?”
“I thank the Member for giving way. He has touched on the issue of a potential vaccine, and that is very exciting and very good news. Will the Member agree that the failure to secure his question for urgent oral answer on the new variant strain COVID outbreak in Denmark is a very serious issue? The UK has temporarily closed the border with Denmark, and the Republic of Ireland really needs to do the same.”
“I understand that County Donegal has mink farms but Northern Ireland does not. It is important and necessary that we take steps to protect our population from any potential threat from the new strain of COVID-19. In the absence of a debate in the Chamber, can you advise how the Assembly can urge the Republic of Ireland's Government to also take that precautionary and responsible step?”
“On a point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker, on a different matter. The UK has, rightly, made the tough decision to close our borders, temporarily, to Denmark. Health authorities have reported widespread outbreaks of coronavirus on mink farms, which have spread to some local communities.”
“We need to play our part. I firmly believe that, by following the most basic advice in a long-term way — handwashing, covering our mouth and nose where appropriate, and keeping our distance from one another — we can avoid those draconian restrictions. Those measures will keep hospitals from being overwhelmed. Do not listen to me; listen to anyone who works on a COVID-19 ward or in ICU. Ask them whether coronavirus is real or a hoax. I look forward to hearing the Executive's latest decisions, hopefully, later today, and to debating them in the House in due course.”
“We need to devise very quickly a strategy that allows our economy to continue and that breaks the cycle of lockdowns. We need to find a way in which schools and hospitality can be open, not have a pick-and-choose approach. <BR /> <BR />We also need more help in Northern Ireland. Let us take whatever assistance is available to us from the army. Surely there are many roles it could be assisting with, as it does across the rest of the UK. Testing is just one example, but there is track and trace, helping with infection control, and dealing with the logistics for our health service and of the vaccination programme to come. I welcome today's news about the very positive results from the vaccination programme. <BR /> <BR />I finish by again appealing to all to abide by the restrictions no matter how unfair they may feel.”
“<BR /> <BR />I also urge the Minister to look at what can be done for those in hospital settings getting bad news, possibly not COVID-related, and who are being left to receive that news on their own. Across our constituencies, we have heard of many instances of those who are suffering through loss and through pain. I also think of those who have a deep desire for spiritual guidance in those situations but whose minister of religion is not allowed into the hospital setting. I urge the Minister to look at those issues and see how they can be addressed. We need to find our compassion again. <BR /> <BR />In conclusion, there is a need to give people hope. That is where I welcome the words of the First Minister about learning to live with COVID-19.”
“You cannot plan a wedding in a day, any more than you can plan to reopen a restaurant in a day. I urge timely notice of how we make decisions and of how we inform those who are impacted on. I know that the First Minister shares my view. <BR /> <BR />I want to touch on our health service. It is creaking under the pressure that it faces right now, but it is buoyed up by the incredible staff whom we have and their commitment. I know that we can see this through. Our student nurses are playing their part, and today I call on the Minister of Health to ensure in particular that those student nurses are paid for putting their shoulder to the wheel, just as they did in the first wave.”
“With reference to paragraphs 7 and 8 of the new schedule 2, I have friends and family who work in our hospitality industry and in close-contact businesses such as hairdressers. My heart goes out to everyone whose job and whose dream has been thrown into doubt because of COVID-19. I commend my colleague the Economy Minister for her response. She had led on these restrictions and in supporting jobs and livelihoods, giving hope where people thought that there was none. <BR /> <BR />There are issues in those regulations that money does not fix, however. I look at paragraph 10 of schedule 2 and think about couples who want to get married. All young couples want to be surrounded by friends and family and to celebrate that time together. It is in such cases that we need to ensure clarity on timescales.”
“I worry for Northern Ireland and for its people, its economy and the fabric of our society. <BR /> <BR />In that context, as we look at the restrictions that the Executive have brought in and that will fall on Thursday night — let me make it clear that they do fall on Thursday night — I will largely focus my remarks on the amendment (No. 9) regulations. The restrictions are not aimed at making the situation worse. They are motivated by and designed to steady the ship and to make things perhaps a bit better. They are certainly about giving our healthcare system the space in which to help those in need and to survive the pressures that the health service is facing today. <BR /> <BR />I recognise the sacrifice that we are asking people to make.”
“We meet again in the Assembly to approve regulations after they have been put into effect. By now, we are more than familiar with the process, but that in no way takes away the pain of the impact of the regulations before us. We are in a difficult, unprecedented and dangerous situation as a society, in which the threat to life is real. Let me be clear that the threat to life that I speak of today comes from COVID-19, but it is not the only threat. The threat to life also comes from undiagnosed cancers, untreated cancers and heart disease, to name but a few conditions. It also comes from a mental health crisis that we should be in no doubt will only get worse and will cost lives, with the disease of despair that comes with losing a job and not having the money to support those whom you love.”
“My thoughts are also with those families that have been bereaved throughout this pandemic, whether by COVID or non-COVID conditions. It is certainly a very trying time for families dealing with grief in different ways.”
“I thank the Minister for his answers so far. Minister, no matter how many ventilators you have on order or receive, it does not appear that you have enough trained staff to operate them. Have you asked for army medical assistance, should that be necessary, in order to keep people alive on those ventilators during the worst of this wave?”
“We owe it to our elderly population to give them every protection. We also need to ensure that resources are made available to allow safe visitation in those settings. We know the positive impact on mental health, emotional well-being and people's life that visitation from family members can have. We also understand that many of the people who are in care homes are not there for many years but sometimes for quite short periods. We owe it to them to ensure that the time that they have in their life is of good quality. <BR /> <BR />Those are our challenges today, and a united approach across this House can meet them.”
“<BR /> <BR />Connected to that is the need for support for charities, particularly those for people facing a health crisis. Those charities include Macmillan, Marie Curie, the British Heat Foundation and Chest, Heat and Stroke. Those charities are on their knees, but they provide advice, support and care that we cannot manage without. I urge the Minister to see what he can do to support them at this time in order to ensure that their services are funded and sustainable into the future. I also urge the House to ensure that the test, trace, protect programme for COVID is receiving the resource needed to deal with the demand that is faced by the Public Health Agency (PHA). <BR /> <BR />I back the call from the Commissioner for Older People for Northern Ireland to increase the frequency of testing in our care settings.”
“We need to ensure that lung health is addressed, for example, and that an NI strategy is developed, especially now, given the added impact of COVID-19 and the long-term effects that we now know come with that disease. We have issues with care and supported living and with tackling issues such as dementia. Those must be looked at seriously now. Domestic violence and support for victims' families are also acute issues, and they need to be analysed and the needs for them met. <BR /> <BR />There will also be a legacy from COVID for cancer care, treating heart disease and mental health to name but a few vital areas. That will take significant resource, but we need to recognise that the longer we close services now, the bigger the ticking time bomb. The reality is that early intervention for many will be missed. We need to ramp this up.”
“Key to achieving that will be funding, but also pay that makes foreign climes less enticing. We need to keep our front-line medical staff here to serve their community. <BR /> <BR />There are a number of additional funding areas that the Minister should prioritise. As Members know, I recently held a public consultation on autism. It garnered the largest ever response for a private Member's Bill in the House. That reflects the depth of need and the cry for help from so many people across our society. It is a public priority; it ought to be a departmental priority, too. I trust that the Health Minister will look at behavioural intervention, speech and language therapy, and at training and appropriate support services. There is so little provision for the need. <BR /> <BR />We must never forget the challenges of an ageing population.”
“We cannot continue to spend the vast sums that we have been in the short term. We need to adapt, find efficiencies, restructure and be innovative. We also need to, dare I say it, look at ways of raising revenue. We ought to look at how our GP services are provided, whether reform can make that service better, and examine what positive role pharmacy and our allied health professionals can play in transformation. <BR /> <BR />These difficult days need to be met with resolve, and the resolve that our front-line nurses and healthcare staff have shown should be an example to us. We need to look at pay again. Nurses need the recognition that they deserve. In the context of public-sector pay scales, they deserve a fairer deal. Indeed, we need more nurses and doctors.”
“In the context of rising case numbers and increased hospitalisation, we take comfort in the fact that, in this corner of the Union, we will be supported by our Government. It is not ourselves alone. <BR /> <BR />The Health funding before us here today meets the need and pressures that have been prioritised by the Minister. The Department is expected to spend over £7 billion this year. That is an incredible sum. What is clear now more than ever — it has been clear for some time — is that we need the much talked about reform of our health service if we are to protect our NHS and the service that it provides, free at the point of delivery. The Health Minister has, understandably, been preoccupied with COVID, but I encourage him to press ahead with reform as a way of responding to COVID. COVID is not going away.”