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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“It has provided a vital and fundamental role in ensuring that people can easily engage and participate in and contribute to the process. I have no doubt that, without the Electoral Office for Northern Ireland, we would not have the same number of people registered to vote, nor would elections be managed as efficiently and as impartially. <BR /> <BR />I was, therefore, greatly concerned to learn of the plans to close the six regional offices that have provided such a vital community service to so many. I believe that, if those plans proceed, we will see a decrease in voter registration, a lack of access to electoral identity cards, a fall in those participating via postal or proxy voting and, ultimately, an increase in voter apathy.”
“I support the motion and would like to thank my party colleague Paul Frew for bringing it to the House. <BR /> <BR />Each and every one of us in the House is here as a result of the democratic process. We have been returned by our peers to represent the public interest and ensure that their voices are heard in the development of legislation. I for one — I am certain that I am not alone — am extremely grateful that we have the privilege of living in a democratic society, and I recognise how fortunate we are that we have that freedom. <BR /> <BR />Since its inception in 1972, the Electoral Office for Northern Ireland has been integral to facilitating the democratic process for the residents of Northern Ireland.”
“I thank the First Minister for her BIC statement. Will she elaborate on what business was discussed around the member Administration priorities?”
“I am aware of the difficulties surrounding legal aid, which have gone on for some time and for which there is no easy fix, but we must look as a matter of urgency to resolve those issues to ensure that the already diminished budget is not put under any further pressures. I look forward to ensuring that we access the £32 million Fresh Start security funding for the PSNI and overseeing that it is allocated in a prudent, inventive and sensible manner to maximise its potential. I support the Supply resolution and Main Estimates 2016-17.”
“The capital underspend of £1·2 million represents 2·7% of the budget. Those figures are encouraging and illustrate that the Department has worked hard over the past financial year to identify proactively and manage emerging underspends, in order to ensure that the budget is utilised as fully as possible to support the delivery of its priorities and objectives. <BR /> <BR />I conclude by adding some very brief remarks as a Member from the Democratic Unionist Party. The Department has shouldered some extreme budgetary cuts. We must ensure that we look for innovative ways in which to safeguard it from any further constraints, which, if they were to transpire, I fear would have an inevitable negative impact on front-line services.”
“It will need to be monitored closely. <BR />I turn briefly to the capital budget. Again, the Department has had to prioritise its spend in the area. The overview briefing by the NI Prison Service to the Committee on 9 June highlighted a range of capital initiatives that needs to be progressed to assist its reform programme. The PSNI also has a range of capital requirements. Further decisions will have to be made in the area. I am sure that the Committee will wish to assess the capital priorities as part of the ongoing budgetary process. <BR /> <BR />Briefly, on the Department of Justice's 2015-16 provisional out-turn figures, its non-ring-fenced resource DEL underspend of £10·6 million represents 1% of the budget. Of that, the PSNI underspend accounted for £3 million, which represents 0·4% of its total budget.”
“Despite the Executive allocating £15 million in the 2016-17 Budget to the Department in recognition of the ongoing pressures that it faces with legal aid, additional pressure is already emerging. Given the plans that are in place to address the backlog of Crown Court cases that have arisen as a result of the action taken last year by solicitors and barristers, there is potential for that pressure to increase during the 2016-17 Budget period. The Committee will undertake work on legal aid policy and legislation over the coming months and will wish to monitor and take account of the budget impact and pressure in that area as well. <BR />There is also the potential for significant pressure depending on the outcome of test cases on fine-default imprisonment, which the Department of Justice does not have the capacity to fund.”
“In my view, the Department needs to move to implement those and other new approaches swiftly so that the same or better outcomes can be achieved for the public at less cost. It is also essential that the Department develop robust plans and programmes to enable it to access funding that is available from the Fresh Start Agreement to assist with, among other things, legacy-related pressures and tackling paramilitarism. <BR /> <BR />The main pressures emerging at this early stage of the Budget cycle for the Department of Justice relate to the NI Prison Service staff and pay pressures; the NI Courts and Tribunals Service fine-default hearing costs and the shortfall in income; and the perennial problem of the cost of legal aid.”
“The development of the Executive's Programme for Government provides the opportunity to do that and to ensure that the available budget is spent to best effect and achieves maximum impact. It also provides an imperative to identify proactively new ways of working to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the justice system. The previous Justice Committee produced a report titled 'Report on Justice in the 21st Century' at the end of the previous mandate that included a range of recommendations for innovative approaches, including the use of problem-solving court solutions to address offending behaviour and reduce reoffending and the use of online dispute-resolution mechanisms for low-value civil claims.”
“However, it is clear that the Department of Justice faces substantial challenges in this year's budget, and that pattern is likely to continue for the foreseeable future. <BR /> <BR />Clearly, identifying priorities is imperative in this type of budgetary climate.”
“The Committee is due to receive a more detailed briefing on the Department of Justice budget at our meeting this week, and I have no doubt that, following the meeting, Members will wish to schedule regular updates on the budget position, the various monitoring rounds and the development of the draft budget for 2017 onwards. <BR /> <BR />The Department has continued to prioritise front-line policing and other front-line areas as far as possible in this year's budget, with the aim of protecting outcomes for the public and funding to the voluntary and community sector and the policing and community safety partnerships. I am sure that the Committee will be supportive in its approach in common with previous Justice Committees.”
“I am pleased to speak in support of the Supply resolution for the Northern Ireland Main Estimates 2016-17, which grants the Department of Justice the resources to enable it to fund its responsibilities and priorities. <BR /> <BR />As the Justice Committee has not yet had an opportunity to scrutinise the Department's budget in detail, I will, of necessity, keep my remarks short. We have received some general information on the key budget allocations for 2016-17 and the pressures and challenges faced as the result of a reducing budget allocation. We have also had sight of the Department's June monitoring round return.”
“— as well as Roy Beggs of the UUP and George Robinson. Just in finishing, I thank Members from across the Chamber for their support for this important motion.”
“<BR /> <BR />Lord Morrow of the DUP commended those who tabled the motion and welcomed the agreement across the Benches. He wished the Justice Minister well in her role. He spoke about cases coming before the courts in Fermanagh and South Tyrone and the use of cannabis, which, he said, was a gateway to other drug usage. He talked about how drugs had the potential to impact negatively on the body and spoke of a pilot scheme called Breakthru in Dungannon, I think. He invited the Minister to visit that programme. <BR /> <BR />I move on to other contributors. Daithí McKay of Sinn Féin was supportive, as was Sydney Anderson of the DUP —”
“Mr Doug Beattie of the UUP was fully supportive of the motion and amendment. He spoke about the focus on prevention and the need to involve all Ministers in dealing with the issues. He said that the problem with illegal drugs is that taking them is today socially acceptable. He also spoke of his experience of the cannabis fields in Asia. He mentioned that he thought we would be better off in Europe to tackle the drugs issue. <BR /> <BR />Trevor Lunn of the Alliance Party supported the motion and amendment, though he preferred the wording of the amendment. He spoke about cross-departmental issues and in particular education. He mentioned that prescription drugs were a bigger part of the problem and referred to paramilitary groupings and criminal gangs and their responsibility for those illegal drugs.”
“She shared the testimonial of Aaron Fox — I hope I have got the name right — and the call from his parents to act on this subject. <BR /> <BR />Michaela Boyle from Sinn Féin spoke about the scourge on society of illegal drugs and young people abusing alcohol. She talked about the crime, domestic violence and rape that is associated with that abuse. She spoke about early intervention and of awareness being key and said that proper help in prisons was needed. She said that crime figures for the Strabane district council area had increased in 2014-15 and that there was a rise in recorded drug possessions. She welcomed the increase in arrests. She said that more collaborative working was needed and that the public needed confidence in the justice system, especially for those who felt let down by the courtroom.”
“<BR /> <BR />Next, Nichola Mallon from the SDLP moved the amendment. She said that the issue was of grave concern to her constituents in North Belfast and that she had witnessed the difficulties that families were suffering, the painful battle and the anguish of drug addiction. She commended the DUP for tabling the motion on illegal drugs and said that the Minister had a key role to play and that more needed to be done by the PSNI and the Justice Department. She spoke of the misuse of prescription drugs and the need for Health and Education to have a greater role. She praised those in the statutory and community and voluntary sector and spoke of the referrals to CAMHS and the pressure there. She spoke of the immense human and financial cost of drug misuse and about mental health and well-being.”
“<BR /> <BR />Paul Frew, who proposed the motion, stated that it was an important debate. He talked about the devastation that drugs cause for society and families. He was supportive of the amendment and the holistic approach that it offers. He talked about drugs being illegal but also addictive and the need to tackle those at the top of drug-dealing, whether it is paramilitaries or not. He talked about drugs being endemic in our society and even in prison. He mentioned that £73,000 is the cost to keep someone in prison for a year and spoke of all the other crimes connected to drug crime. He invited the Minister to visit Railway Street addiction service and mentioned the Hope Centre in Ballymena, speaking of the valuable supportive work that it does and about the fight not to reduce the funding for this specialised unit.”
“The longer we accept this status quo, the more we condemn our young people to remain trapped in these unholy environments where drugs are a currency and criminality is a character reference. <BR /> <BR />I look forward to the Justice Committee being able to look into these areas in much more depth and to scrutinise the organisations and strategies that are responsible for ensuring that drugs and the misery that they cause can be given the highest possible priority. <BR /> <BR />I turn now to the comments from other Members in the debate. As one of the named proposers of the motion, I am pleased to see the united force behind the motion and, indeed, the amendment. I fully support the amendment also. It is a good day when you see the Assembly agreeing across the board on such a vital subject.”
“<BR /> <BR />I believe that that sense of injustice in communities is further highlighted by the obvious link between drug-related crime and paramilitarism. It is a further sense, if you like, of one rule for one and another rule for the thousands of decent, law-abiding citizens, while paramilitary organisations appear to rule communities without fear of interference from any aspect of the criminal justice system. Northern Ireland seems to be perhaps more gripped by paramilitarism and its never-ending criminal empires than ever. Every person in every community knows who the leaders, dealers and suppliers are. I accept that people are reluctant to name names, but that, in itself, cannot be an excuse for a lack of police action in tackling this scourge once and for all.”
“Of course, that is in no way to minimise motoring offences that are truly shocking in nature; no one would seek to minimise the impact of those. However, I want to make the broad point that the criminal justice system must continually examine its priorities to ensure that they are in line with what the public want to see in terms of proper social justice for those who find themselves victims of criminality. It is important that the public have confidence in the system. My fear is that the public, who are shown a zero-tolerance approach for minor parking or bus lane misdemeanours, are then told by the same criminal justice system that there is nothing to be done for the victims of theft or criminal damage to their property, which results in a greater sense of injustice and a further loss of confidence in the police.”
“I make the point again because, in the briefing pack, the surveys indicate that the vast majority of people believe that the resources of the police and courts would be better spent on dealing with the antisocial behaviour and criminality often fuelled by drugs or the need to finance the supply of drugs rather than putting thousands of motorists through courts for what may be deemed minor offences in the overall scheme of things.”
“Whilst I am somewhat reluctant to base my argument on statistics alone, the broad point that I am making is that perhaps it is time for the Government to look again at its priorities in awareness, given the continued volume of motoring-related incidents going through the courts. <BR /> <BR />A secondary point in relation to that area is that, in terms of motoring and the courts, there are some who might think that the ordinary motorist is already subject to enough forms of scrutiny and penalty opportunities, where even the most basic mistake by a driver leaves them facing immediate financial and possible criminal penalties.”
“I will approach the debate from that perspective, and I trust that members from other Committees will highlight some of their own areas of interest and expertise in relation to heath and communities in particular. <BR /> <BR />I will look at a couple of issues that are worth observing in terms of the overall approach of government towards drug-related crime. I was interested to note some of the statistical research in the briefing pack provided for the debate; it seems to indicate that the majority of cases going through the court system relate to motoring offences. I suggest that, in terms of government spend on public awareness, spend since devolution on motoring-related schemes such as speed awareness is probably higher than most other types of campaigns.”
“I congratulate you, Mr Deputy Speaker, on your new role. I also congratulate the Justice Minister on what will be a challenging but vital role in the Assembly. <BR /> <BR />It is apparent that no one in the House disagrees with the intent of the motion. That is not surprising, given the seemingly never-ending cycle of drug-related tragedies that afflict our communities daily. Before I make some points in relation to the overall strategy of the Department and the broader criminal justice family, I convey my sympathies to all the families that have been affected by drug-related issues. I hope that, by highlighting some issues in the debate, those families will be reassured that the Assembly is serious in its intentions to look at how awareness can be raised and how more support can be offered by way of intervention.”
“<BR /> <BR />I note that the consultation on the Programme for Government framework is open for eight weeks in total and that it closes on 22 July. I hope that interested parties, of which I am sure there are many, take the opportunity to make their voice heard. I also welcome the fact that an online survey is available, which should provide a simple and very quick way of responding to the framework. <BR /> <BR />I will leave my comments at that for now and look forward to the consultation responses and, indeed, the outworkings of this ambitious draft Programme for Government framework. I support the motion.”
“There are 14 proposed outcomes and 42 indicators in this document. The very many issues listed as indicators include reduced crime, increased healthy life expectancy, improved quality of healthcare, improved support for adults with care needs, improved educational outcomes, reduced economic inactivity, reduced poverty, increased competitiveness of the economy, increased shared space, reduced reoffending, improved mental health and an improved supply of suitable housing. Those are just some of the indicators provided in the framework. All are of great importance in their own right, and I am sure that each of the 108 MLAs would acknowledge them as important to the vast majority of people who live in Northern Ireland.”
“The framework sets out the direction of travel to include providing the opportunity for people to have their say on the framework, engaging with the stakeholders about the actions needed to help to deliver on the indicators, the building of action plans, the coordination of the Programme for Government with the Budget process and, finally, the agreement of the Programme for Government along with the Budget and investment and social strategies by the end of 2016.”
“<BR /> <BR />There is much work to be done now, with the Executive focusing on seeking views from this draft Programme for Government framework, which is setting the direction of travel for this establishment in this five-year term. I believe that the approach of focusing on outcomes and using indicators to demonstrate the changes desired and the measures to let us know that we are succeeding is a good starting point to deliver the changes that we would all like to see in Northern Ireland.”
“I rise as a member of the new Committee for the Executive Office to speak on the draft Programme for Government, and I welcome the opportunity to speak on what is, effectively, the ambition that our Executive have for our society as a whole. Let us face it, the big issues are the day-to-day and bread-and-butter issues that affect each and every one of us on the ground. It is important that those are looked at with a view to making life better for us all as a society. I welcome the recognition by the Executive that a different approach is needed and that this Government needs to work across boundaries, organisations, groups and communities for the common good. Engagement with local government, the private sector and not forgetting the voluntary and community sectors, which do so much, is vital if we are to make the improvements necessary.”
“Yes, Mr Speaker, I am willing to take up office.”
“I take this opportunity to thank the Minister for the good job that she has done in her term of office. Given that this is her last Question Time, I wish her all the best. I thank the Minister for her answer. Will she advise what the findings of the feasibility study were and what discussions her Department has had with Belfast International Airport as a result of those findings?”
“I also note that the Minister has not felt able to draft regulations on the setting up of a panel of solicitors at this stage. <BR /> <BR />I regret that our party is unable to support the motion.”
“Let us not forget the real potential that we could have 11 variations of equality schemes across Northern Ireland.”
“That was the wording of the Act, which talks about:”
“I thank the Chair for outlining the Committee's deliberations on this regulation at Committee. It is important to state at the outset that my party is concerned with this regulation — so much so that it tabled a petition of concern on the matter. The DUP would have preferred to have seen the original wording from the Bill replicated in the regulations, so as not to move away from the intention of the Bill in relation to the call-in procedure. I understand that the revised regulation was drafted on the back of legal opinion, but the DUP is not satisfied with the move away from the wording to test the legitimacy of the call-in where it would:”
“There was certainly concern expressed about the fairness of that situation, and Mrs Overend rightly expressed her concern that CCMS may be at an advantage and possibly have two bites of the cherry. I am content, however, with the clarification provided by the Department that the role of a support partner is not of less importance than that of a statutory partner. Whilst parts of this order are not ideal, the DUP does not have a desire to stop it going through at this stage, but we will listen to the full debate today before making a final decision.”
“First of all, I thank the Chair for outlining in detail how the proposed order has been dealt with at Committee. She outlined that very thoroughly — and I thank her for that — so I will not prolong this debate today. <BR /> <BR />The Committee was concerned that the Departments are not to be named in the order. There was certainly worry expressed about not having buy-in from the other Departments and what that might mean by way of delivery for community planning, although it was noted that all Departments are committed to the community planning principle. <BR /> <BR />Mrs Overend, in her time on the Committee, had raised a question about the rationale for CCMS being included, at its request, as a statutory partner, given that it is already represented through the Education Authority.”
“I rise as the DUP lead on the Environment Committee to speak on the Draft Local Government (Community Planning Partners) Order (Northern Ireland) 2016.”
“Most importantly, I thank the stakeholders who contributed so well to our review of river pollution.”
“Whilst much good work is already being done, we cannot be complacent. To do so would risk the vital ecosystems of our rivers and lakes. <BR /> <BR />In case I do not get another opportunity to do so, I want to wish Alban Maginness and our Chair, Anna Lo, all the best in their retirement from the House. We have worked very well as a Committee and a lot of that is down to the terrific Committee staff that we have had. I know that we have certainly burdened them with more than their fair share, particularly during the last lot of months of the mandate; so they have to be commended for the terrific work they have done. I also thank the Minister and the departmental officials who have worked with us on all the issues and have been most helpful and engaging throughout. That is recognised and appreciated.”
“It is also vital that we quickly identify the causes of pollution, whether they are from agricultural, industrial or individual sources. Whilst businesses are required to keep inventories of harmful chemicals, a possible solution might be to require them to report their chemical inventories to the NIEA. This might assist in speeding up the identification of the source and the composition of pollution incidents. <BR /> <BR />In conclusion, I would like to thank everybody for their contributions. I hope that the incoming Committee builds on the preliminary work that has been undertaken by this Committee on this important topic. I urge the Minister to engage with officials — I know that he has done — and stakeholders to address other measures that can be taken to tackle the issue.”
“Lough Neagh is a significant breeding and spawning ground for fish such as pollan, Atlantic salmon and European eels and is home to kingfishers, sand martins, otters and bats among other species of flora and fauna. <BR /> <BR />Pollution on the scale seen in South Antrim is sure to affect the delicate environmental balance of the area for many months or even years to come. It is clear that the key to helping to prevent those environmental crimes is to impose swift and stringent deterrents on offenders. As Departments restructure in the next mandate, we must ensure that there is greater interdepartmental working, particularly with Justice, to make sure that the appropriate penalties are put in place and efficiently enforced.”
“As we have heard, during the last five years, 20 incidents have occurred, six of which happened in 2015 alone. Those incidents have devastating effects on local angling groups, many of whom have worked tirelessly to restock the rivers following previous pollution incidents and to ensure that the environment is conducive to aquatic life. <BR /> <BR />Given that the Glenavy, Sixmilewater and Three Mile Water rivers are important tributaries to Lough Neagh, the pollution of the river systems has huge implications for the whole of Northern Ireland. As we all know, Lough Neagh is a vastly significant ecosystem and the wider implications of fish kills and pollution incidents cannot be underestimated.”
“One such environmental issue that I have spoken about at length during the mandate, particularly during my tenure on the Environment Committee, has been the problem of river pollution. Due to time constraints, it became clear that we would be unable to hold a full inquiry into the matter, but I was pleased that the Committee agreed to give greater consideration to the area and attempted to come to some workable solution in the limited time frame. The stakeholder event held on 18 February sought to hear views on issues, including monitoring, pollution causes and, most importantly, fines and penalties. <BR /> <BR />By now, you will be aware of the work that I have done in my constituency of South Antrim, which has suffered the greatest incidences of fish kills in Northern Ireland.”
“Mr Alastair Patterson said that there are rivers that are very polluted and that there were too many pollution incidents. He referred to certain rivers being polluted repeatedly by single offenders, and we all know some of those. He said that most pollution incidents are avoidable and that more work is required to understand and tackle pollution from septic tanks — and we have touched on that already. He asked the Minister to look at the work being done to address that and commended the report. <BR /> <BR />I will move on to some of my comments. Environmental issues are often on the periphery of what we deem to be important in the matters discussed in the House. Whilst we focus on other essential topics, the importance of our environment all too often falls between the cracks — we know that.”
“He praised the Committee event in February, which he did not make it to. He also stated that, on fines and enforcement, courts need to take pollution incidents more seriously and that polluters need to pay. I think that is a very important point.”
“He had concerns about the inconsistencies in prosecution and said that those involved in a number of incidents were treated differently. He also suggested a three-strike rule. <BR /> <BR />Mr Barry McElduff said that the new Committee should take a fuller look at river pollution. He raised fish kills in his local river, Strule, and asked how many of them could be attributed to government agencies. <BR /> <BR />Young Alban Maginness said that a lot of the good work done on river pollution could be attributed to the European Union. He talked about the possibilities of what the new Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs could do. He said that around 68% of failures are due to agricultural pollution. He proposed that an independent environment agency would be a good idea.”
“There are many innovative approaches that the Executive can adopt to further reduce pollution, and the Committee urges the Minister to engage with his Executive colleagues to establish and agree how better that might be achieved. <BR /> <BR />I will now refer to Members' contributions. Paul Girvan talked about how this had come on the back of a number of pollution incidents in rivers that feed into Lough Neagh. He talked about the opportunity to move forward with a joined-up approach to tackling pollution. He said that there was a wealth of experience in the voluntary community that we should all capitalise on. He said that a number of sewage treatment works cannot handle the day-to-day task they were created for.”
“<BR /> <BR />The Committee recognises that more work is required in the following areas: implementing the measures in the river basin management plans in a timely manner; understanding the opportunities from cross-departmental working; understanding effective measures in pollution prevention, for example, greater understanding of schemes to replace septic tanks and sustainable drainage systems; improving education and raising awareness, locally and nationally; developing partnership approaches to improve monitoring efforts and testing new technologies; and liaising with the Department of Justice to discuss how fines and penalties can be used to act as a deterrent and to reflect the severity of the crime.”