Jo-Anne Dobson
Upper Bann · Ulster Unionist Party · Northern Ireland
“I thank Nichola Mallon for tabling this important question today. I understand that, through correspondence with my colleague Andy Allen, and he articulated this earlier, limited resources and challenges are being cited as the reason. Those are not acceptable reasons for young children to be denied access to a drugs trial.”
“I take no pleasure in speaking on the motion today, but I do so as the Ulster Unionist Party health spokesperson. I wish to focus my comments on, as the motion says, the "grave consequences" for the health of our people of Northern Ireland.”
“The GP crisis, as we know, threatens cover across Northern Ireland. That became abundantly clear given the number of Members who wanted to take part this afternoon. With hundreds of GPs considering resigning, that rescue package can no longer become a reality.”
“<BR /> <BR />I want to turn my comments to the present GP crisis and pay tribute to the work of GP representatives. A rescue plan is needed, but, sadly, one is unlikely to come forward any time soon. Shameful.”
“Minister, this is a desperate situation that has caused real anger in Portadown and has the potential to impact on the health of all patients of the health centre, creating a domino effect across practices. Portadown must be prevented from becoming Humpty Dumpty. What is your response to the anger of the patients in Portadown?”
“Minister, I, like Mr Anderson, have met many of these homeowners, farmers and businesses in upper Bann that have been affected, and livelihoods have been put at risk. Many farmers have been there for generations, and they do fear that it is Groundhog Day.”
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“I welcome the fact that, at long last, we have arrived at this stage. No one will disagree with what the Bill broadly sets out to do: to make sure that Northern Ireland's reservoirs are properly maintained and pose no significant risk to human life or health. However, they will be justified in asking why it has taken so long. <BR /> <BR />Thankfully, over the years, Northern Ireland has taken a fairly common-sense approach to the maintenance of reservoirs; we have avoided the tragedies that were witnessed in other places across the UK in the past. However, I agree that the gaps in the law here needed to be rectified. It is regrettable, however, that, four years on from when we all first heard that phrase "Reservoirs Bill", only now is the Assembly coming to the end of its involvement with the Bill.”
“I thank the Minister for his answer. Does he understand why there is great concern that he saw fit to review and reverse the recent decision by his officials not to allow a temporary increase in year 8 enrolments in a County Armagh maintained secondary school but not to review the same decision in a neighbouring controlled school? Can he assure the House and, indeed, the wider public that this is not a case of preferential treatment, given the media comments by his party colleagues in the area?”
“The problem that this hypothetical can represents is that more lives are lost as key opportunities are missed, and tens of thousands more are forced to wait in excruciating pain, just like my constituent last night, as procedures are delayed and, ultimately, cancelled.”
“Yet, in the likely event of further in-year reductions in October, I have no doubt that some fig leaf will be sought to try to cover the fact that the final 2015-16 Budget was a fundamentally flawed arrangement. The lack of transparency behind the allocations and subsequent savings plans lost whatever little trust people had in the financial accountability of this place. <BR /> <BR />The Finance Minister may think that her concocted £604 million Budget shortfall would have helped her over the line with the so-called fantasy Budget, but even she should know that it is does nothing but kick the can a little further down the road.”
“What were previously considered unacceptably dangerous delays are becoming the norm, and, even still, the work of organisations such as the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service is, bizarrely, not even considered front line, a statement that I understand was attributed to the current Health Minister when he was Finance Minister. <BR /> <BR />Despite the very obvious deterioration in primary and secondary care, the Finance Minister and the Health Minister seem to want to carry on as though it were business as usual. If their attitudes were not so devastating, they would be derisible. <BR /> <BR />I fully agree that the welfare impasse needs to be resolved, but, equally, last year's welfare penalties accounted for only £87 million of an overall £200 million black hole.”
“A £30 million to £40 million black hole already exists, hundreds of millions of pounds of pressures were carried over from last year and savings that are, quite possibly, undeliverable, are expected from our trusts. I simply cannot see how the health service will get through this year without a major and detrimental impact on the quality of care that patients receive. <BR /> <BR />Standing here today, I do not see the leadership required to get our health service through its current problems. Having visited hospitals, I can clearly see that staff in all departments, while working to their limits, are totally demoralised.”
“Considering that Transforming Your Care is still little more than a document in many aspects of the health service, I suspect that some of the savings from the trusts will be attainable. That means that the current £30 million to £40 million funding black hole that officials recently warned the Health Committee about will, quite possibly, be much higher at year end. Given the ridiculous state of our finances, we cannot even consider the Bill in the broader context of June monitoring. The Finance Minister will know that her colleague the Health Minister is bidding for £89 million of additional resources, despite being well aware that it is likely that only a small fraction of that will become available. <BR /> <BR />In the absence of any new approaches, Transforming Your Care is stalling.”
“In fact, the Health Department is forecasting that its pressures for this year will increase to £317 million, up again from £305 million last year. The Health Department also believes that it has identified saving opportunities and cost reductions of £164 million. Of that, the vast majority — £113 million — will come in the form of cash-releasing efficiencies and productivity gains in trusts.”
“Of course, we all remember that that was an outcome that the current Health Minister, in his previous role as Finance and Personnel Minister, blasted as poor budget management and said that it was hugely disappointing. I wonder whether the new Health Minister will be as keen to accept criticism this year as he was to give it out last year. On that point, I ask the Finance Minister to provide an update to the House on the additional scrutiny of our health expenditure that has recently been introduced. I ask that because I have very strong concerns as to whether this year's Budget will add up either. <BR /> <BR />Whilst the final 2015-16 settlement included an additional allocation of over £150 million, that was entirely offset by £220 million of pressures being carried forward from 2014-15.”
“There can be no bigger failure of a Health Minister than one who sits idly by for three years knowing full well that the numbers simply do not add up and then only speaking out after it is too late to do anything meaningful about it. That, however, is exactly what happened last summer when the then Minister finally decided to break ranks. <BR /> <BR />I know that the Budget Bill relates to the remainder of this financial year, but it is important that we do not forget its context. Even before the 2014-15 year, the Health Department ended with a £13 million deficit in 2013-14, despite receiving a further £100 million in monitoring rounds that year.”
“That is just one example of the human impact of budgets failing. I am sure that all Members in the House could recount similar stories. We are sent here to represent those constituents and do our very best for them. Members, the situation is worsening, especially in health. As a leaked document from the Health and Social Care Board recently revealed, increasing waiting times for assessment may result in a delayed diagnosis of a serious or life-threatening condition, with the reduced likelihood of a successful outcome. Those are the words of the board, not mine. <BR /> <BR />It is shameful that people's lives are now being put at risk simply because of budgets being bungled.”
“The spiralling waiting times not only in non-elective surgeries but in key services such as cancer diagnostics and treatments are indicative, and, as every month passes, the situation worsens. <BR /> <BR />I was working through constituency cases last night and wrote to the Health Minister on behalf of a mother of three children who is waiting for a hip operation. In an emotional letter, she wrote to me about the agonising pain. She told me that, with each step, she can hear the bones in her knee grinding and grating against each other. Her GP cannot prescribe her any more painkillers, as she is already taking the maximum dose. She is the carer of her son and waiting in pain is having an impact on her entire family. She fears that it may be a year before she can get her hip replaced, when, a few years ago, it was a five-month wait.”
“I welcome the opportunity to speak on the Budget Bill, and I wish the Minister well in her relatively new role as she tries to get her public finances back under some modicum of control. <BR /> <BR />Much has been said about the precarious state of our public finances. The Health Minister would probably use a word such as "challenging" to describe the situation in our hospitals, but, from the patients' perspective, it is certainly a lot worse than that. The word "crisis" is used maybe too often in politics in Northern Ireland, especially considering that far too many so-called emergencies are often artificially created, but, in this circumstance, the word is more than pertinent.”
“<BR /> <BR />The Bill attempts to update a key element of our existing legislative framework. I have my concerns about certain aspects of the Bill, some of which I have mentioned, but for now I am satisfied that the Ad Hoc Committee and the Department will continue to ensure that the final legislation is informed, effective and best meets the needs of the people it ultimately applies to.”
“<BR /> <BR />In conclusion, Mr Speaker, I too will end with the theme of implementation. The Bill proposes a major transformation of our mental health laws: not just reform for reform's sake. It is essential, therefore, that it is properly implemented both in terms of swiftness and resources. I am fully aware of the funding pressures that the Minister is grappling with; they are probably worse than he envisaged when he had the easier job of giving out the funding. However, the historical underfunding of, and underinvestment in, mental health services are still having a major impact on the wider population across Northern Ireland. Improvements have been made, especially from 2007, but given the scale of the problem, I suspect that it will be many more years before we get to the position we need to be in.”
“Whether we are talking about organ donation or legislating for capacity, complexity and sensitivity are always heightened when children are involved. Nevertheless, whilst the Department may have what it thinks to be a valid reason for exempting children from the Bill, I believe that an opportunity has been missed to strengthen the protections. <BR /> <BR />As has been said, the Mental Health Order 1986, rather than the new system in this Bill, will still apply to children, but the Department has also said that it intends to modify the Order. The proposed changes to the Order should have been brought forward at the same time as the Bill to allow for all the changes to be looked at holistically as well as, importantly, to provide reassurance to those concerned about the safeguards for children.”
“However, my fear is that in the meantime this will only lead to a period of uncertainty while awaiting the outcome of the first test case, so I ask the Minister whether it is possible to elaborate, in the code of practice or elsewhere, on how his Department envisages the term will be applied. <BR /> <BR />Another aspect of the Bill that has already generated quite a bit of debate, especially among organisations engaging with the Ad Hoc Committee, is the proposed exclusion of under-16s. I know that this has been covered by most of the Members who have spoken today. At the moment, I can see why the Department has been keen to exempt young people. I face the same issue with my organ donation Bill, which I hope to introduce to the House very shortly.”
“<BR /> <BR />It is important, too, that this Bill provides protections not only for those who lack capacity to make decisions but for those around them, including their loved ones and medical or legal practitioners. <BR /> <BR />Some of the issues in the Bill will, of course, be more challenging than others. For instance, the term, "effective advance decision", used in relation to refusals of medical treatment, will need to be handled with great care. I am aware that the Departments are of the opinion that it is better for courts to determine the rules with regard to advance decisions.”
“There are a number of other provisions in the Bill that I and my party very much welcome. In particular, we welcome the proposed introduction of a new offence of ill-treatment or neglect of a person lacking capacity. As legislators, we should and must seek to protect the most vulnerable in society. We hear, all too often across the United Kingdom, horror stories of people with serious additional needs being abused, whether in care settings or in their own homes. Thankfully, such incidents are rare in Northern Ireland, but given the scale of poor mental health we face as a society, it is essential that we have robust protections in place.”
“The blanket protections currently in place have not always recognised this, so, again, I welcome the requirements to always assess the level of capacity.”
“There is no doubt that this is a very sensitive area, much like all legislation relating to mental health. However, I trust that the public, along with those professionals who ultimately will have to engage with this legislation, will be satisfied that there are sufficient provisions in place to ensure that people will be given the maximum support to exercise their own capacity. <BR /> <BR />The statutory assumption of capacity must always be to the fore of this Bill and its subsequent implementation. Up until now, whilst the support has been extensive, I do think that, in some circumstances, it will have been too all-encompassing. We all know from our own constituency work that people with poor mental health often cannot be defined or pigeonholed in a single category. Circumstances are often complex, emotional and ever-changing.”
“Whilst I think that the Ad Hoc Committee will be able to perform its role, it is regrettable that the Assembly more generally will have less opportunity to examine this important legislation than it would have had if the Bill had been introduced a year or even six months ago. <BR /> <BR />Nevertheless, there is no doubt about the significance of the Bill and what it proposes. As has already been said, the Bill develops a single legislative framework, in turn completely overhauling a raft of existing mental health legislation and practices. Some people looking in may be concerned that the Assembly, along with two of the largest Departments in the Executive, appears to be passing legislation that seeks to determine whether an individual does or does not have the capacity to make crucial decisions affecting them.”
“As the Ulster Unionist Party's health spokesperson, I welcome the opportunity to speak on this important legislation. However, as already has been mentioned, it is regrettable that it has taken so long for this Bill to come to the Floor, especially as it was proposed as long ago as 2009, following the Bamford review. This delay not only allowed the two Departments to prevaricate as to their own responsibilities, leading in turn to what I believe was an overdue consultation process, it meant that the Bill faces a challenging legislative timescale. As the Chair of the Ad Hoc Committee has already said, the problem with passing it through the House at the latter end of the term is that it will inevitably get caught up in a raft of other Bills, especially after the summer recess.”
“I thank the Minister for her statement also. Looking to the future, what percentage of her Department's savings does she intend to realise from the Loughs Agency?”
“Does the Minister agree that 338 children attending Northern Ireland's emergency care departments for suicidal and self-harming actions or intentions is a shocking statistic? Will he detail specifically what support is available for under-16s with poor mental health?”
“As we know, the Minister announced, to great departmental fanfare two years ago, that she was going to legislate for compulsory BVD testing. Can she provide an update on the latest estimated cost to farmers per applicable animal if the scheme becomes compulsory?”
“I thank the Minister again for his comprehensive answer. Does he agree that a system that awards and, in certain circumstances, removes points would be a fairer way of ensuring that Housing Executive properties were allocated to those in the greatest need and, indeed, the most deserving? Furthermore, does he agree that those with a connection to an area should be given extra points to improve community cohesion?”
“I thank the Minister for his comprehensive answer. At present, the combined cross-cutting effect is not being considered. Following yesterday's debate, which the Minister mentioned, will he now ensure that the issue is brought back to the Executive so that all Ministers are made fully aware of the impact across the Departments? Furthermore, does he agree that transitional funding should be made available to the sector so that it no longer falls foul of government decisions?”
“The actions taken by Belfast City Council, the former Larne Borough Council and the former Omagh District Council have already been mentioned, but I wish to ask the Minister for his assessment of what other local councils are doing to tackle the sale of those products. This is not the first debate in the Assembly on the issue, and I suspect that it will not be the last. It would be a tragedy, however, not only for the family of young Adam Owens but for all the others who have been affected by those drugs, if we were to leave the lobbying to someone else. Change is required, and we must not be found wanting in achieving it.”
“Current drug awareness programmes across our schools must be modernised to reflect these particular drugs. <BR /> <BR />Unfortunately, the task of educating young people about the danger of these drugs is made more difficult because they are widely available from a range of shops, and even takeaways, in towns across Northern Ireland. Putting the tagline "Not for human consumption" on the packaging may help to keep their producers one short step ahead of the law, but, in reality, some young people are now so acquainted with those types of products that they do not even notice that being there. <BR /> <BR />Local councils do have an important role to play in clamping down on their sale and distribution.”
“They may be free to generate pain and misery in return for profit at present, but the gap in the law is starting to close. <BR /> <BR />The previous Government had their expert panel investigate the issue, and I now fully expect the new Government to take the next step and introduce legislation to ban all psychoactive substances. Of course, banning will be only part of the solution. As we know through bitter experience, illicit drugs are still widely available to anyone who is determined enough to go out and look for them. Given the often younger audience that the substances are aimed at, warning of their dangers, especially through education, is essential. The notion that these drugs are legal, safe and something of a thrill must be ended.”
“Taking any substance that has not been properly tested, is made up of unknown ingredients or has not been prescribed comes with major risks. I am sure that I am not the only Member who has asked on different occasions why the Assembly does not just simply ban them. Aside from it being a reserved matter, it has already been said that the people behind the production of the substances are well aware of the only minor tweaks that they sometimes need to make to the ingredients to stay ahead of the law. However, although a flaw in the current law might keep them from being arrested, in my eyes, those who produce the products, knowing that it will often be children and young adults consuming them, are no better than any drug-related criminal.”
“I would like to start by expressing my personal sympathy, and that of my party, to young Adam Owens, who recently lost his life in Newtownards as a result of these substances. It is such a terrible loss of a young life. While he was by no means the first, I suspect that, even more tragically, he will not be the last. <BR /> <BR />Families across Northern Ireland have been ripped apart as a result of these drugs, and we must never forget them, nor the continuing anguish that they are going through. The substances are not safe, and many are not legal. That is why I welcome the mindset of moving away from calling them legal highs, especially as many come with the effects associated with illegal products. <BR /> <BR />The repeated emergence of new psychoactive substances is very worrying.”
“I also congratulate the PHA and management of Harland and Wolff for appearing to act so quickly and decisively on this infection. What is the Minister's assessment of how well prepared our services are to cope with any future outbreaks compared with other regions of the UK?”
“I also welcome the Minister to his new post. Can he provide an update on what discussions his Department has had about incorporating cardiopulmonary resuscitation training into education in post-primary schools? Does he support the British Heart Foundation as it rolls out its free training to schools?”
“I join in welcoming the Minister to her new role. Minister, you may be aware that I have raised concerns and requested appeals on behalf of small businesses across my constituency with your predecessor. The extent of the rise has come as a sharp shock for too many small businesses. What further measures and actions will you take to ensure that this sharp shock does not become a fatal blow?”
“No, I have almost finished my speech. <BR /> <BR />We will also work in the best interests of our country as a whole. In the event of neither Labour nor the Conservatives securing a majority of seats in the House of Commons, the Ulster Unionist Party will not go to Downing Street holding out a begging bowl. Ulster Unionist Party values are not an auction item available to the highest bidder.”
“No matter what the result of the election on May 7 is, whether there is a clear victory for one party or a hung Parliament, the Ulster Unionist Party will not seek to exploit our fellow citizens in the rest of the United Kingdom. A stable Union is the most important result a good unionist should hope for in the election. Ulster Unionist MPs will be responsible citizens of the United Kingdom and will defend, promote and advance the Union at this time of immense uncertainty. While our MPs will seek to do the best they can for the people of Northern Ireland, we will also work in the best interests —”
“Instead of sitting on the green Benches of Westminster, Sinn Féin MPs adopt an approach of sitting on their hands. Would it not have made more sense to take their seats in the House of Commons and engage in debates on issues such as the Budget, taxation and welfare reform? There was a time when republicans pledged "No return to Stormont", yet here we all are. Perhaps one day they may take their seats at Westminster and represent the people who choose to elect them. The work done at Westminster is vital to daily life in all corners of our nation. <BR /> <BR />It is the duty of all the 18 individuals elected from Northern Ireland to go to Westminster to participate fully in debates and Committees.”
“We really must seek to put in place the welfare state we can afford. Since its inception in the post-war consensus of 1945, it has expanded massively and expensively. It should be a safety net and not a lifestyle choice. We should reform all aspects of public services to ensure that we deliver value for money and operate as effectively as possible. <BR /> <BR />It should go without saying that every Northern Ireland MP elected to Westminster should at all times seek to represent and do the best for his or her constituents. It is in the Mother of Parliaments that key decisions are taken on taxation, welfare and defence. That is what makes Sinn Féin's policy of abstention futile. How can you complain about the impact of a policy when you could not be bothered to turn up when it was being debated?”
“The world economic situation meant that austerity was inevitable, regardless of who was in Downing Street. A Labour Government in 2010 would still have had to implement austerity policies. The collapse of the eurozone devastated the economies of the Republic of Ireland, Greece, Italy, Spain and Portugal. The reality we face is that, in a bid to balance the books, there have been cuts in public spending in every English region plus Scotland and Wales, as well as Northern Ireland. We receive a subvention of £10 billion per year in Northern Ireland. The price of the Union is that we share in the national wealth when times are good and carry our share of the burden when times are not so good. <BR /> <BR />With regard to welfare provisions, there is no bottomless pit of money.”
“When the last Labour Government left power, Liam Byrne left a note for his successor as Chief Secretary to the Treasury stating:”
“I am a confirmed and unashamed unionist. It is my firm opinion that, whether we face a hung Parliament or a massive majority for Conservative or Labour, every Member elected from Northern Ireland should, as the motion states, seek at all times:”
“I note what the Minister has said, but the minor improvements in no way excuse the totally unacceptable situation that persists, not least considering that the vast majority of people who are not treated on time are later diagnosed with cancer. Does he think that that is an acceptable situation for the patients, as the disease spreads freely through their body, or their families, who are forced to sit by and watch helplessly?”
“I welcome your enthusiasm, Minister. Thank you for your answer. You will be aware that, in the past, delays in applications for businesses and homeowners led to frustrations and missed business opportunities. What guarantees can you provide that the new system will operate more efficiently than it has in the past?”
“What additional support has the Minister provided to the Open University since devolution?”
“What message does the junior Minister think is sent to under-16s by their exclusion from the proposed goods, facilities and services legislation?”
“Their plans could increase costs rather than decrease them. When you think of the cost that is incurred in moving officers in a greater number of vehicles and increased fuel and travel times, frankly, it does not add up. That is not even thinking of the increased response times that people could face. These proposals are dangerous and totally unworkable.”
“Is that really how that decision has come about? Good work on the ground by police reduces crime, and Banbridge should not be penalised for successful policing. I would also appreciate an assurance that the current teams in Banbridge will be kept in place until at least October and will not be removed before then. <BR /> <BR />As it stands, I understand that the PSNI still does not know how the new proposed system will work in practice with the role profiles and shift patterns for officers. It is also frightening to think that, as Lurgan requires armoured cars, we could have the farce of officers responding from Lurgan and travelling in armoured vehicles and possibly arriving in Banbridge to get into their standard response vehicles to go out on duty and then return to Lurgan in their armoured cars.”
“<BR /> <BR />I appeal to the Justice Minister, if he takes the time to read the Hansard report of the debate, to look at how those radical proposals will impact on the future of policing in Upper Bann; to consider the increased potential for serious road traffic accidents as response vehicles travel further distances across our rural roads to respond to emergencies; and to consider the impact on communities in already isolated rural areas and the damage that will be wielded to important policing work that is under way. <BR /> <BR />I would also appreciate his assessment of the use of the community prioritisation index, which underpins the proposal to centre command in Banbridge and remove operational policing. Two of the key indices are deprivation and crime levels and, when applied to Banbridge, we simply do not score highly enough.”