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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“I do not think that any of us could ever have imagined the situation that we find ourselves in, in terms of the threat of the virus and the subsequent financial pressures associated with it; it is truly unprecedented. Our health service, throughout this year, has been on the front line in the battle to save lives and to make budgets work. The strain on the health service funding envelope has left it coming apart at the seams. To meet the demand, we all need to recognise that we would not be able to face the pandemic without the financial support and monetary might of our Government at Westminster. If there were ever a time to acknowledge the benefits of the Union, it is now.”
“If we could only get back to taking those basic actions, we would likely not need these draconian measures in order to keep the virus under control.”
“We will not have the luxury of choosing which services can go ahead if our health service is flooded with COVID patients and staff are required to leave their normal day job in order to cope with the reopened Nightingale facility. We owe it to every member of our health service staff to respect and follow the law and guidelines to the letter whether we like it or not. We have a personal responsibility, and we have the power to control what happens in two or three weeks' time. We can prevent people becoming infected and prevent those who are so vulnerable becoming critically ill or losing their life. <BR /> <BR />How many times must it be said? We all know the message inside and out. We must stay apart, practise good respiratory and hand hygiene and wear a face covering in the appropriate places.”
“Faith is important to so many people; indeed, at this time of uncertainty, a place of solace and comfort is what we all need. I welcome the continued opening of churches and trust that that can continue. <BR /> <BR />Sadly, things have moved on so much since the regulations were imposed, given the number of cases and the loss of life, and we are now in a much worse place. We need to analyse publicly what works and what does not work in tackling COVID effectively. None of us should hide from that. Those whom we ask to sacrifice everything deserve it, and, ultimately, it will help us to gain public support and beat COVID-19. <BR /> <BR />As I have done all along, I fully support the regulations. As I said last week, the measures are not welcome, but they are absolutely needed in order to keep our health service from being overwhelmed.”
“It would be useful to have that information to ensure that postal addresses, in particular, are collected. I am sure that the regulations will be used in the near future — hopefully, that will happen when we come out of the next four weeks — and it would be good to have those postal addresses to help to enforce the restrictions on households and on the number of households that can sit at one table in those establishments. <BR /> <BR />The other matter that I want to mention is places of worship. They remain open, with specific exemptions in place for their continued opening, and I welcome that. While primarily places of worship, our churches also provide places where issues like social isolation and mental health challenges are alleviated.”
“My heart breaks for those people. They went above and beyond, and, on Friday, they were told that that was not enough. We need to explain to them why the measures that we are discussing today have not been enough. We owe them that. Some will never reopen, and people will be unemployed as we approach the festive period. We need to support those who have been so badly impacted. <BR /> <BR />At this point, I would like to raise a small issue about the regulations, and that is the collection and sharing of contact information. The Chair of the Health Committee outlined much of what has been discussed by the Committee recently, but, when I asked a question of Nigel McMahon, he confirmed that the contact information to be supplied was not specified in law.”
“Like most Members who are tasked to speak in these debates, I almost feel that the regulations apply to something that is a distant memory. Such is the nature of how things have moved on since the rules were in place, certainly in the context of where we find ourselves today, which is much more restrictive than what is in the amendments. <BR /> <BR />I want to briefly focus my comments on two aspects of the regulations. The first is our hospitality trade and, specifically, our public houses. Today, those businesses are closed. The regulations are a reminder of how much we have asked of those businesses in recent days. Aspects of their businesses have been taken away, there are restrictions on what they can do and demands have been made about how they manage their patrons. Yet, despite all that, we find that their doors are closed.”
“I thank the Minister for his answer. This is a fast-moving situation, so your response has almost already exceeded the question. Has the Minister made any assessment of the budgetary needs, particularly for the Department for the Economy, should the current four-week restrictions on many business sectors be extended further or extended in a more localised context?”
“I wish to place on record my condolences to all the families who have lost a loved one through this hateful virus. I appeal to everyone to follow the law and the guidance to the letter to avoid more preventable deaths. <BR /> <BR />I thank the First Minister for her statement, which is not welcome but is entirely necessary. What advice is now available for those who were previously shielding? Can the First Minister give an update on the utilisation of the Belfast City Hospital tower block facility? Will there be childcare provision in schools for front-line key workers, in particular healthcare workers?”
“However, I respectfully ask the Heath Minister what preparation he and his Department have made to deal with bed capacity, in particular, given the ongoing crisis in our healthcare system. We have known about this since early this year, and it would be good to hear what exactly he has done in preparation for what we knew was coming in a second wave. It is vital that a way is found to ensure that essential healthcare can continue, as highlighted by the Royal College of Surgeons last week, to avoid preventable non-COVID deaths as well as COVID deaths.”
“I encourage whatever actions are needed to keep our health service open, from GP services to surgery and from scans to chemotherapy and physiotherapy. We need our health service functioning for all who need it. We cannot shut down like before and leave the sick to get sicker, with a prognosis of deterioration. To do so would be seriously wrong. I therefore respectfully suggest that we look at requesting army medical support, if that would bolster our health service and keep vital elective care, including cancer operations, going in the second wave of coronavirus. <BR /> <BR />At this point, I thank the Minister, the Executive, the Chief Scientific Adviser and the Chief Medical Officer for their continued effort in what is an unenviable task.”
“Key to finding a balance is driving home the key messages: wash your hands; wear a face covering; socially distance; and, if you have symptoms, self-isolate and book a test. Follow the regulations, and follow the guidance. Too many times in recent weeks, I have been told of examples of people with symptoms or who are awaiting a result being out and about in public spaces. That is simply wrong. I say this: "Stop it and wise up, for your actions prolong this period of public health risk and economic turmoil". <BR /> <BR />We need to monitor the impact of the regulations closely and decide which elements work and which do not. We also need to keep as a priority in our considerations mental health and the desperate loneliness that isolation brings.”
“The latest note of caution sounded by my colleague the Economy Minister should serve as a warning to us that restricting businesses must be a measure of last resort. Of course, it goes without saying that lives need protecting, but we must learn to do that while protecting livelihoods. How do we expect businesses to survive? How do we expect employers to keep paying employees when the cash simply is not in the takings? To be blunt, how can we expect the Government to keep picking up the tab? <BR /> <BR />We need to learn to live with COVID by protecting people's health but also by protecting society, jobs and family incomes. We need a balance. Each of us, individually, has the power to provide that balance.”
“It is against our nature to let people stand at the door and not bring them in and offer them a cup of tea and a chat, yet it is just that sort of natural daily occurrence that, we are told, spreads COVID, so we have to say no. I welcome the bubbling concept. It is especially good for those who are single and live on their own, for whom recent months have been a lonely and difficult time. It is vital that particularly those who have care needs can bubble with one other household. Bubbling is to be welcomed. <BR /> <BR />The regulations also concern business. Who amongst us has not been inundated with calls and emails from businesses that are quite simply fighting to keep their doors open? It is a deeply worrying time.”
“I also put on record my condolences to the families of those who have lost their life in recent days. Unfortunately, that will continue as time goes on. <BR /> <BR />The regulations represent another attempt to get ahead of the virus and control the spread amongst our community. In recent days, we have seen the number of new positive cases rise to over 1,000 a day. That is a worrying trend. It reminds us all how the virus transmits so quickly. It should serve as a daily warning alert to follow guidance, and that is what we have to do. We need to do the right thing. <BR /> <BR />We were told that much of the transmission was happening in households, and hence the regulations before us today were adopted. We all struggle with the restrictions on letting people into our home. The Ulster people are hospitable people.”
“We have the power within us to do what is right. We have an individual responsibility to set an example and to adhere to and promote the rules and to call out wrongdoing regardless of where it comes from. The next weeks and months will see more families broken-hearted and more families added to the 585 who have already been affected. Let us all commit to doing what we can to make sure that as few families as possible have to go through that trauma.”
“<BR /> <BR />I will take this opportunity to again highlight the importance of hands, face and space. We all know it, but we still need to be told to wash and sanitise our hands regularly, cover our faces where social distancing is difficult or not possible and keep space from others. Those are the most basic measures that allow life to continue in a pandemic, and if we do not follow those simple measures we will see our health service being overwhelmed, which will put an unbearable strain on our healthcare workers while they do their absolute best to take care of us all. Let us stop the selfish nonsense of knowing more than scientists and health experts. We must find a way to allow our children to have an education and our businesses to survive.”
“The GAA is to be commended for its very charitable role in responding to the need of the community, and I am very happy to acknowledge that. However, that good work does not excuse the blatant flouting of life-saving rules and regulations, and I am glad to see that the GAA is taking some action over those regulation breaches. We hear much about leadership, and I would like to hear the leadership of Sinn Féin say that those activities are wrong and to condemn them. Of course, you cannot condemn people for doing what you do yourself, and the deputy First Minister and Members opposite unfortunately sent out a message that the restrictions could be ignored and that nobody would tell them what to do or how to behave. Today, we see the consequences of their actions, with the daily positive case count rising.”
“We have more localised restrictions, and I commend the people in those areas for their adherence to those measures. Personal sacrifice for the greater good has been the action of the majority, and we thank them for that. I welcome that the soft-play areas have opened for all the good reasons outlined by junior Minister Kearney today. <BR /> <BR />We still have that minority who think that they are above the regulations and the guidance and that their interests trump all else. The pictures that appeared in recent weeks from GAA activities more than once were, quite simply, scandalous. In Dungannon and Bellaghy, we have seen the sacrifice of many of the people in those areas being mocked by crowds at games and in post-match celebrations. That is wrong.”
“<BR /> <BR />We find ourselves in a very concerning situation, and I am sure that all of us shared the shock that was expressed by the Health Minister when we heard recently that there were almost 1,000 positive COVID tests in a single day. The vast majority of people across Northern Ireland have sacrificed so much in the last six months in order to curtail the virus, yet we now find ourselves in a position that is, quite frankly, alarming. <BR /> <BR />The restrictions introduced for indoor gatherings, outdoor gatherings and a range of other areas are necessary. They are not a choice; they are a necessity. If we are able to control the spread of the virus and to protect our elderly and vulnerable, it is simply the right thing to do in order to stop the wrong thing happening, which is lives being lost.”
“Mr Principal Deputy Speaker, it is good to have you back in the hot seat. Be in no doubt that if you need another lift to hospital and to be told what to do, I will be there for you. I should add that I wore my mask when I took him in the car because we could not socially distance. <BR /> <BR />Obviously, the rule amends the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (No. 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020 by removing soft-play areas from the list of businesses, services providers and premises that are subject to closure. We are, of course, all aware that we are debating these regulations after the events have taken place. It is well-documented why that is the case, which is the nature of the emergency health regulations.”
“I thank the Minister of Health for his statement. He mentioned workforce shortages as a key problem. Will he update the House on the retention of those recruited from retirement etc earlier in the year and on any further plans to address recruitment in the short term?”
“I thank the Finance Minister for his statement. Obviously, COVID-19 has created unprecedented challenges for the Budget and particularly for the Health and Economy Departments. The Minister may be aware that the Royal College of Surgeons made a call asking for the ring-fencing of beds in order to allow essential surgery to continue through future waves of COVID-19. What plans does the Minister's Department have, in conjunction with the Health Department, to ensure that the necessary funds are in place to allow that essential surgery to continue and to address waiting lists as we go into the future?”
“Minister, is your Department looking at the possibility of pooling testing? We heard an example of that in the Health Committee recently from a professor in Hong Kong.”
“I thank the First Minister for her statement to the House. It is concerning that we have had over 1,500 new cases in the past week, so I welcome the clarification on closing times for establishments that serve alcohol and the inclusion of weddings. Minister, would it not be more appropriate for the Minister of Justice to take part in the enforcement group that has been set up?”
“Early intervention is proven to help those children and young people and we need to make sure that intervention is, indeed, early, and that it allows that potential to be fulfilled socially, educationally and in employment. We support the motion.”
“<BR /> <BR />Audiology appointments need to be ramped up. We need testing back on track and we need our health service at large to get back to face-to-face appointments because virtual appointments simply do not work in this case. We also need to be aware of the new challenges that are faced by our deaf community. The prevalence of face masks in society now poses a real challenge in communication for those who lip-read. I commend my colleague, the Education Minister, for factoring that into his decision-making on masks in schools. Society at large needs to take similar cognisance of that. <BR /> <BR />Like so many areas of the health service, we need a speedy return to service in this particular field.”
“<BR /> <BR />Across Northern Ireland today, there will be parents who are sick with anxiety about the health and welfare of their children who need intervention to address deafness. As each day goes by, the despair grows greater for some, and we simply cannot allow that to continue. For the sake of health, education and employment outcomes for those who are affected by deafness, we must focus on getting appointments back and meeting the need. The figures show that education outcomes are not as high for children who are deaf and none of us should accept that. Rather, we should be asking why and then setting about addressing that inequality. The reality is that early intervention is proven to help deal with that imbalance. That is why the motion and the call to action are so important.”
“I thank Members opposite for bring this very important issue to the fore and for securing this motion today. <BR /> <BR />If we were to make a list of impacts of COVID-19 we would be here well into the night, but when it comes to prioritising and rectifying those impacts, difficult decisions have to be made. Certainly in our health service, faced with wide-ranging disruptions, that is not an easy task. <BR /> <BR />Last week the Executive announced the intention to redress the crisis in cancer care, and that is right: it is life or death. I very much welcome that focus, but we must recognise quality of life impacts too, and the life opportunities impacted upon, and that is why I believe today's motion is so important.”
“What reports have been received in the past week about activities in the Holylands area?”
“I thank the Minister for his statement. Given the need to change the way in which we operate during a pandemic, particularly in the health service, will any money being held centrally be ring-fenced for the much-needed health service transformation?”
“The families need answers, the trust needs them, the wider health service needs them, and we need them. I thank the Minister for his action and await the outcome of the investigation. I trust that there will be the very minimum of delay in going forward with the SAI investigation.”
“The virus will be with us for some time, and we need to protect our hospitals and care homes in order to save lives. We need staff to be diligent, we need the public to be diligent and, as legislators, we need to ensure that they have the resources and the support to be diligent. <BR /> <BR />There are serious questions that need to be answered in this sad case; that is very clear.”
“<BR /> <BR />I urge the Minister to proceed with haste and to ensure that the investigation is swift and thorough. There is also an important point to make. Let us also remember that there are considerable numbers of staff who are also broken-hearted, anxious and deeply moved by what has happened to patients in their care. I know that many nurses, doctors and, indeed, those who work in the haematology ward will be deeply distressed by the loss of their patients. Their dedication to their job is second to none, and their awareness of the need for impeccable infection control is also clear. <BR /> <BR />We need to be measured in what we say this evening. We all want answers. However, we need to reinforce the public health messages that can save lives whether that be in a hospital ward, an office, a restaurant or at home.”
“First and foremost, we must remember that at the heart of the debate this evening are broken hearts and grieving families. My sympathies go to all those who have lost family or friend in Craigavon, Daisy Hill and, indeed, beyond. <BR /> <BR />I am also cognisant that we await the outcome of the action taken by the Minister in announcing a level 3 serious adverse incident inquiry. That is the right route for the Department to take. It is best to let that investigation determine what exactly happened and what the failings were, and then we can learn from that. There is clearly a problem here, but rumour and innuendo serve no purpose in establishing concrete fact. Facts are needed so that they can be acted on, the unanswered questions from families answered and the lessons learned.”
“I, too, have been inundated with queries about the NI-wide restrictions that come into effect at 6.00 pm tonight. Given the volume of criticism and the talk of confusion and mixed messages, will the Minister explore new ways of communicating the message on a country-wide basis and explaining the logic and the science behind every decision that is made?”
“I thank the Member for giving way. Is he saying that schools should not be open, that the economy should not be open, that the health service should not be open and that we should all stay at home and wait for the virus to pass?”
“— but the responsibility for actions during the pandemic falls across the Executive, all Ministers and the House. Does the Member agree that it would be more useful to ask people to keep sharing the message, because it changes daily, as we understand it must, to deal with the pandemic? The most useful action, today, to address the confusion, would be for the deputy First Minister to apologise for her actions at the Storey funeral, show the public that it was the wrong thing to do, prove and show that she is sorry, and for other Members to do the same, and to say that the right thing to do is to abide with the regulations and guidelines.”
“I thank the Member for giving way. We are getting very defensive over the Health Minister — I have certainly defended him much over the past number of months —”
“I urge the public to continue to follow the guidance; if we all do our bit, we can stave off the worst that the virus can do to our community, not just in relation to individual victims but in terms of wider societal harm.”
“The flaunting of the law, whether it is by the deputy First Minister at the Storey funeral, by triumphant GAA supporters invading a pitch in Dungannon or by students who believe that they know better, partying in the Holylands, the public are watching to see that the law is enforced. Failure to do so will further erode public adherence to the rules, just as those scandalous events have done. <BR /> <BR />As the Minister, the Chief Scientific Adviser and the Chief Medical Officer have said, we are once again facing a key period in the fight against COVID-19. Whilst prioritising that battle, we must not lose sight of the need to keep Northern Ireland open, to keep our health service open and to keep businesses and society open as much as we possibly can. That is a fine balance and not an easy one.”
“In addition, I want to ask the Minister to confirm that households may "bubble" with one other family and to make clear what that means in practice — that it is not just for those who live alone, but covers, for example, my ability to "bubble" with my parents. <BR /> <BR />Adherence to the guidelines is vital if we are to combat the spread of the disease. We need to work with people as much as possible and, where common sense can apply, we ought to apply it. That is asking a lot of people who are already very weary, who crave normality and who are worried about family, finances and futures. If we are expecting the public at large to adhere to the guidelines, then those who breach them must be dealt with by the rule of law.”
“I know this is a source of great frustration for people and I urge the Minister to do all that he can to evidence to the public the need for the restrictions and to ensure that they are lifted at the earliest possible opportunity. They must not go any further than is absolutely necessary. <BR /> <BR />I welcome the allowance that a family of six who live under one roof will be allowed to meet a smaller number of people from one other household. It is right that children aged 12 and under, with evidence that they rarely transmit the disease, are discounted from that party of six figure. We ought not to discriminate against large families and we should adopt a similar common-sense approach, as has been the case in Scotland.”
“<BR /> <BR />Obviously, for our business community, this remains a challenging time. I think specifically of those who operate wet bars, soft play areas and those in our arts, travel, tourism and hospitality sectors. We need to look at what we can do and what we can ask our Government at Westminster to do to support those industries, as we know that, in the short term, for many, the difficulties of recent times will not ease. <BR /> <BR />I want to mention one specific area of the regulations and the current situation. There has been much focus on the so-called lockdown of certain areas and, from today, that will apply to all of Northern Ireland. This is not lockdown.”
“It is useful to have had that more technical Committee scrutiny detailed by the Committee Chair. I have no intention of repeating what has been said. <BR /> <BR />We have come a long way since the last time we progressed regulations through the House. It is worth reflecting on some aspects of the journey that we have been on recently. First, I pay tribute to our schoolchildren, school leaders and staff. It has been a difficult six months, but, as a society, we all felt that a little bit of normality had resumed when we saw the kids walking to school with their school bags on and when we saw the first day photographs on social media of children in their fresh uniforms. Our prayers are for their safety, that they can catch up on the valuable time lost in their education and enjoy the company of their classmates.”
“I thank the Minister for his attendance this evening on this important matter. Of course, our thoughts are with the five families and their friends, who have now been thrust into grief prematurely. <BR /> <BR />Minister, can you confirm whether you will expedite as far as possible the timescale for the completion of the serious adverse incident review to help restore public confidence and implement stringent safety measures to protect staff and patients at Daisy Hill Hospital?”
“Their role is vital in not just providing care but in maintaining that independence and home living that so many dementia sufferers value so much. The demands on those people are significant, and it must not be forgotten that while there is a physical demand, there is also a significant mental and emotional demand. Therefore, we must ensure that a blanket of support is around our carers, and I urge the Minister, who, I am glad to see, has arrived from the Executive meeting, to look specifically at how carers right across society can be better supported and recognised. <BR /> <BR />My colleagues will address other aspects of this pressing issue, but I cannot press enough the need for action now. The patient must be first, and the families and carers must be supported. I support the motion.”
“We are currently using a 10-year-old strategy, but as we are now learning daily, science and treatments change and data and research can revolutionise how we care for people and secure better outcomes for patients. <BR /> <BR />We need to look at substantial investment in this area of care. By 2040, we could be looking at a cost of £2·3 billion. To help to achieve that, it is vital that longer-term reforms are interlinked. Those include the review and reform of Northern Ireland's Health and Social Care and of independent nursing and residential care homes, taking due account and cognisance of the dementia needs that are in our communities. <BR /> <BR />We must also provide the support and recognition that our unpaid carers are due and deserve. Those heroes, and they are heroes, must be supported and not taken for granted.”
“While statistics indicate that just shy of 15,000 people here in Northern Ireland have a diagnosis of dementia, that number could be much more and even be as high as 22,000, which the Member who moved the motion mentioned. Each of those people represents a loved one, a family and a duty of care. While that represents a huge challenge, according to the LSE, the problem could be much bigger come 2040, when it estimates that we could have a 95% rise in cases and some 43,000 people suffering from dementia. <BR /> <BR />What we are doing now simply will not meet the need and the challenges that we will face with such a potential rise in cases. Therefore, we need to look at a new strategy. We need to look at it now in order to meet that growing demand by 2040.”
“I support the motion. I thank Members from across the House for tabling the motion for debate on this particular day, which is, of course, World Alzheimer's Day. <BR /> <BR />For any of us who have watched someone with dementia and the dementia progress over time, the motion really resonates. While many illnesses, whether they are cancer or COVID, are cruel, dementia is just that: it is cruel. It is cruel on the sufferer and cruel on their family and their loved ones, and it is hugely challenging for those who are tasked with caring duties. <BR /> <BR />We have a problem here in Northern Ireland, and that is the rising prevalence of dementia.”