Paula Bradley
North Belfast · Democratic Unionist Party · Northern Ireland
“I am especially grateful to all the women who, especially in my first mandate here, were a constant support and encouragement to me as a new MLA. Nothing ever prepares you for this role, but many inside and outside this Building are the glue that holds it all together.”
“I thank them for their support, especially over the last week, with the phone calls, emails, cards and flowers, but, most of all, for allowing me to be part of their lives, sometimes at the most difficult times. Secondly, I want to thank my party, of which I have been a member for 20 years.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. I will try my very best to get through these three minutes without tears in my eyes, though I doubt that that is going to happen. <BR /> <BR />I will begin by thanking you, Mr Speaker.”
“After much discussion with officials concerning the objectives of the Bill, the detail of an SMI loan, the process of registering and removing the statutory charge and how and when an SMI loan is repaid, the Committee was content with the Bill as drafted. <BR /> <BR />I welcome the Final Stage of the Bill.”
“I welcome the Final Stage of the Bill. It is probably the shortest Bill that the Committee considered, but it is no less important, as it aims to protect owner-occupiers in receipt of an income-related benefit from the threat of repossession.”
“I know that I have caused a few headaches over the past two years, but you have always delivered week in, week out and put the needs of the Committee first and foremost. You have made my role as Committee Chair so much easier. For all that you have done, I am truly thankful.”
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“The Committee received a briefing on homelessness, and it was able to say in the Assembly that no one was homeless. That was very much down to those agencies and groups that work under Supporting People. We have not seen an uplift in the Supporting People budget that matches inflation in many years. The Minister is well aware of that, as are Members. Every time that we have a Budget debate and I have to speak, I always mention Supporting People and the need for an uplift for it. <BR /> <BR />We talked about strategies, and another issue that I want to mention before closing is the sign language strategy. I know that it is some way away because we have to go through it in great detail.”
“Ultimately, we need a draft Programme for Government so that we can consider the link between the proposed outcomes and the budgets that are allocated against them. Without that, we stand accused of a lack of strategy and vision and of reacting rather than planning. <BR /> <BR />I will make a few remarks as the Communities spokesperson for my party that I have not already made in my Committee speech. I will make just two points. The first is on the Supporting People budget. The Minister is well aware, as are Members, of the good work that is done through that for our older people, those with disabilities and those with mental health and homelessness problems. During the worst months of the COVID pandemic, the Supporting People scheme went over and above in the work that it did.”
“<BR /> <BR />Although the COVID response has taken much of the Committee's time, it is keen to pursue the New Decade, New Approach (NDNA) commitments and has been keeping in regular contact with the Minister on key NDNA priorities; for example, the regional and subregional stadia programmes and the development of social strategies. The Committee is, naturally, a great supporter of the proposed social strategies and would like to see the required funding to ensure that they are developed as soon as possible. <BR /> <BR />We should not show lack of ambition in our planning, but, regrettably, our ambition has been tempered by our finances and the primacy of the ongoing COVID crisis. In addition, the elephant in the room is the absence of a draft Programme for Government.”
“Sadly, we are creating new jobs in DFC to deal with the massive unemployment that is predicted to result from COVID. <BR /> <BR />The Committee expressed concern recently about lack of sufficient funds for labour market interventions. That brings me to the new welfare reform mitigations. The Committee noted the very large sums of money that the Department put down in its budget for each of the three years of the 2021-24 exercise. There is over £147 million per year as a place finder for new welfare mitigations. The Committee looks forward to hearing from the Minister soon on the review of welfare mitigations and those spending plans.”
“The Committee fully supports that bid to facilitate the purchase of an additional 500 homes in order to meet the increased demand for the co-ownership scheme. However, I have heard informally that the October monitoring round is delayed. If that is the case, I ask the Minister where that leaves the funding for co-ownership housing. <BR /> <BR />I cannot speak without highlighting the Committee's concern over the predicted 100,000 job losses as a result of the pandemic and the huge number of people who might soon find themselves in receipt of universal credit (UC). Indeed, the UC caseload has doubled so far, and the Department is employing close to 1,000 fixed-term contract staff to deal with the increase in social welfare claimants.”
“On 30 September, the Committee had a very informative briefing from departmental officials on COVID allocations, the October monitoring round and the Budget 2021-24 exercise. Affordable housing is an ongoing concern for the Committee, as it is for all of us, and we were pleased to note that the legislation to reverse the decision of the Office for National Statistics (ONS) to classify housing associations as public bodies gained Royal Assent on 28 August. That will allow the Northern Ireland Co-Ownership Housing Association to again qualify for financial transactions capital (FTC) funding, and it has been agreed with the Department of Finance that the Department for Communities will bid for £13 million FTC as part of the October monitoring exercise.”
“The Committee has pushed hard for financial support to help the culture, arts, heritage and sports sector. Recently, we were delighted to help to secure the remaining £29 million of the arts package. The Committee now wants to see that money spent quickly to support venues and performers. <BR /> <BR />However, just last week, the Committee was alarmed to hear of the looming financial crisis facing our football league clubs. They are employers, from footballers to coaches, to administrators and more; they are also community and social hubs that have played a vital role in the COVID-19 community response. The Committee supports their call for an emergency hardship fund for such clubs.”
“The Committee was pleased to hear from SOLACE of the good working relationship between councils and the Executive and that financial packages of well over £60 million have been secured to date from DFC alone in respect of lost income and emergency expenditure. The Committee also supports the call for a sustainable, co-designed financial model for local government so that councils can be part of the COVID-19 recovery in all our communities. <BR /> <BR />Throughout the pandemic, the Committee has heard and seen the difference that arts, culture and sports, and the opportunity to take part in them, make in our communities. It is focusing its efforts on supporting those sectors to survive the crisis so that they can thrive again and continue to play their part in the overall well-being of our society.”
“To that end, the Committee started this term with a strategic planning day to refocus its efforts on where, within its substantial remit, it can make most impact. In the coming months, it will support and scrutinise the Department as it is faced with the prospect of prioritising expenditure across a multitude of areas, all crying out for resources. <BR /> <BR />The Committee has worked closely with the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives (SOLACE) over the past six months to better understand the extreme financial concerns of our local councils as they struggle to continue to deliver essential services in this financial year and beyond and to maintain jobs and leisure, sports, community and arts services.”
“I welcome the opportunity to speak on the Budget (No. 3) Bill and to highlight the areas of financial impact and concern that the Committee for Communities has been focusing on in recent months. In March, I assured the Minister of Finance that the Committee for Communities would work closely with the Department to achieve all that it could within its remit, whatever its budget allocation. That remains the Committee's position. <BR /> <BR />The Committee is fully supportive that the request for resources corresponds with the Department's main programmes: welfare, employment, local government, housing regeneration, culture, arts and sports. However, the Committee does not just want to press for more money for each and every area without understanding the underlying issues and pressures and looking at costed options.”
“I thank the Minister for his answer. Following on from that, we all know that the rates are based on the estimated penny product. SOLACE also mentioned, in its briefing to the Committee, protecting that for it going forward because it is worried about clawback when the figure becomes a reality. SOLACE has asked for that for two or three years, but will the Minister give an assessment of that for the year ahead?”
“First Minister, I want to go back to the issue of education. Can you share with us any of the evidence that the Executive were shown around the risk? Are there any other ways of mitigating that risk? As an MLA, I have received emails from headmasters and headmistresses from various schools wanting to know why they are having to have this extra week. You mentioned SEN. How seriously was the balance taken with special educational needs schools and children, given the fact that many of those of children need that stability and need structure in their lives?”
“I thank the junior Minister for a very fulsome answer. Will he provide details of phase 2 of the project?”
“It is difficult for applicants to have that conversation knowing that they are applying under special rules, and it adds an awful lot more burden, impact, stress and strain to whatever their diagnosis might be. <BR /> <BR />I was reading through the information pack and, in particular, the Marie Curie report on the cost of dying. It is beneficial for anyone in a decision-making role, whether that be us as legislators or those who process the applications, to read the very real impact of a diagnosis of terminal illness. If, as an Assembly, we can do something to reduce that burden and stress, at the very least, we must. I support the motion.”
“They did not know whether someone was going to live for six months or six years with their diagnosis, but we knew that that diagnosis, whatever it might have been, would cause that person life-limiting consequences. <BR /> <BR />Most of my personal experience is of dealing with that when working on the oncology ward. However, there were occasions when we worked on general medical wards where people had respiratory problems such as COPD, dementia, MND and other conditions that we knew would impact their lives straight away. They could not afford to wait for unnecessary assessments and the constant questioning as to why they required that money. It is cruel. It is difficult for practitioners to have those conversations.”
“"Why is it only one page?" or "Why is it double-sided?" or "Why is it not that big booklet that you have?". Then, you had to explain that it was a DS1500 form for when special rules applied: it was for people whose life was limited. That put the people doing the work that I did in a really uncomfortable position. It also put the patients, their families and the consultants in a really uncomfortable position. <BR /> <BR />At that time, we had ward rounds and ward meetings, where we discussed a patient's diagnosis and what their future was. It was very difficult for consultants to make the decision to say, "Yes, absolutely. We need to complete that application", because they were unable to see into the future.”
“Kellie also mentioned the DS1500 and how cold and unnecessary it was. I remember that, around that time, I completed numerous DS1500s in my role. The forms were kept in a locked cupboard in the hospital social work team's room, and when you saw in the medical notes that the consultant had written, "Social worker needs to bring over a DS1500", it gave you a chill because you knew that someone was near the end of their life. I remember having to fill those in many times. <BR /> <BR />The Member said that it is cruel and unnecessary. I remember sitting with families and patients, telling them that I was applying for disability living allowance or attendance allowance on their behalf and needed to complete a form. Nine times out of 10, they said, "That's good. That's great. Thank you very much". The odd one asked.”
“<BR /> <BR />When I was working in the Ulster Hospital social work team, I used to be amazed at the number of people with a dementia diagnosis who had been living at home, alone or with family, who had never claimed a benefit in their life but had got to the stage of requiring private nursing home care. As part of my role in the social work team, I had to complete financial assessments. When we looked through the financial assessments for someone who was self-funding, we automatically looked to see if they were getting attendance allowance, but many people, especially those living with illnesses and diseases such as dementia, did not think of those things at the time.”
“I thank the Members who tabled this worthwhile motion. We on the DUP Benches will support it. <BR /> <BR />In Mrs Armstrong's opening remarks, she talked about this cruel rule. It certainly is very cruel and unnecessary. There are unnecessary assessments that bring added burden at a time of great concern, stress and anxiety; a time of not knowing what the future might look like; a time of increased spending, perhaps, and, for some, a reduction in income. For many, this will be the first time that they have encountered the welfare system and the minefield of completing an application for PIP and attendance allowance.”
“The Pension Protection Fund operates across the UK and provides an important safety net for members of defined benefit schemes. The regulations provide that, during any period in which such a moratorium is enforced, the creditors' rights of the scheme trustees or managers are to be exercised by the Pension Protection Fund in certain circumstances, after consultation with the scheme's trustees or managers. <BR /> <BR />The Committee notes that the regulations make provision for Northern Ireland corresponding to that already contained in regulations made by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in relation to Great Britain. The Committee is content to recommend that the Assembly approve the regulations.”
“The Committee considered this statutory rule at its meeting on 9 September. As the Minister has said, the statutory rule provides specific protection for pension schemes and the pension protection fund during a moratorium in accordance with the Insolvency (Northern Ireland) Order 1989.”
“They did not reflect changes in policy but were required to omit references to the Scottish Parliament from the Bill to reflect the decision of the Scottish Government not to proceed with the LCM. <BR /> <BR />At its meeting of 8 July, the Committee agreed in principle to the extension to Northern Ireland of the provisions of the Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal) Bill as contained in the amended clause 5 and schedules 2 and 3 through an appropriate legislative consent motion. The Committee was therefore expecting the amended motion and was briefed on it by departmental officials at its meeting on 16 September. At that meeting, the Committee agreed to support the amended motion. Therefore, on behalf of the Committee, I support the motion.”
“Some members noted their general uneasiness with the use of LCMs in principle rather than bespoke Assembly legislation. It is not the way that we would prefer to deal with legislation, but we recognise that it is necessary in this instance. I welcome the inquiry by the Committee on Procedures on the use of LCMs, and I am sure that the Committee for Communities will offer its view in due course. <BR /> <BR />The Committee then noted a draft legislative consent motion at its meeting of 1 July 2020 but recognised that, as a result of the Bill's being amended at Third Reading, the motion would also likely change. The Committee was also briefed on the amendments to the Bill, which were made in the House of Commons on 30 June.”
“However, the Department assured the Committee that the Bill does not deal with the specifics of social security benefit but rather gives the Assembly the powers to make regulations in respect of social security coordination following a future agreement between the UK and the EU.”
“<BR /> <BR />Members were assured that the devolved competence of the Assembly would be respected and that future subordinate legislation would require the approval of the Assembly. That is, of course, to be welcomed. There was some concern initially that giving Westminster the power to legislate on our behalf might somehow constrain the ability of the Assembly to legislate on social security matters. Therefore, during consideration of clause 5, members asked the Department about the viability or advantage of taking forward an Assembly Bill on these matters rather than agreeing to a Bill being taken forward by Westminster.”
“Clause 5 — consequently, schedules 2 and 3 to the Bill — was therefore the key clause for Committee consideration. <BR /> <BR />At its briefing on 11 June, the Committee was advised that the Executive had agreed to proceed with a legislative consent motion on this issue. Notwithstanding what I have just said regarding immigration and free movement of persons, the Committee recognised that the retained regulations are a complex mix of excepted and devolved matters and that a joint approach to amending the regulations — that is, between a Minister of the Crown and the NI Assembly — therefore offers the potential to amend the law in a coherent way. That is what the Bill will allow should the motion be supported today.”
“Members will undoubtedly have their own views on the specific issue, but it is important to emphasise that immigration and freedom of movement are excepted matters under schedule 2 to the Northern Ireland Act 1998 and, as such, the Assembly has no powers to amend those laws that pertain to immigration and freedom of movement. However, the Bill will protect the status of Irish citizens in UK immigration law once free movement rights end. <BR /> <BR />As social security is a devolved matter, the NI Assembly does have a role in considering the social security coordination regulations, and that is really the focus of the memorandum. In particular, clause 5 of the Bill will introduce powers to enable Westminster and the Assembly to amend retained EU law governing social security coordination post EU exit.”
“The Committee thanks the Minister for bringing this motion today. I am sure that all Members will have read the Committee's report, which was published on 8 July 2020, on the legislative consent memorandum on the Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal) Bill, but, just in case, I will provide some background and update Members. <BR /> <BR />The Committee was briefed by the Department on the main purposes of the Bill and on the legislative consent memorandum on 11 June 2020. The primary purpose of the Bill is to end the EU's rules on free movement of persons in respect of the UK at the end of the transition period, thereby bringing EEA nationals and their family members under UK immigration control.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. You noticed me bobbing up and down several times. I thank the Minister for her answers so far. Indeed, the money is very welcome. Certainly, as a Committee, we have been lobbied now for what seems like months for that money to become available. The Minister mentioned people who have never received a penny and have had nothing from any funding stream. How quickly are we likely to see that money begin to be rolled out?”
“As a shopper, I am becoming increasingly aware of the overuse of single-use plastics and of aluminium cans that we use every day. We all have a responsibility there. <BR /> <BR />I notice that Scotland is to introduce a deposit return scheme (DRS) by 2022. When are we likely to see something similar in Northern Ireland?”
“I thank the Minister for her answer. On the second point that Mr Frew made about the Domestic Abuse and Family Proceedings Bill, we know that at Westminster children are part of their domestic abuse Bill. We also know that, for many parents out there, there is good reason why an absent parent should not be seeing their children; there certainly is good reason behind that. However, for many there is no good reason. Will the Minister look at that in the domestic abuse Bill? Not seeing their other parent is abuse against a child.”
“<BR /> <BR />Dementia is something for our entire Executive and not just our Health Minister. I am sure that someone else will mention it later, but we all know the figures for how many people will be living with dementia in Northern Ireland in the years ahead and the money that it will cost to manage that. We need to put efficient plans in place now to deal with that.”
“We still have to make a difference to people's lives because we want people to have healthy lives. We want them to live longer, but we need to put that support in place not only for the person living with dementia but for their carers and the amount of unpaid work that they do. Without them, our health service would fall absolutely to its knees. <BR /> <BR />Just before I finish, I want to say that good work is being done; it is not all negative. Last year, the Northern Ireland Housing Executive was awarded Dementia-friendly Large Organisation of the Year in Northern Ireland by the Alzheimer's Society. That is something that we should shout about and be proud of. That organisation took it on itself to do the training and to recognise that, when it sends someone out to someone with dementia, they should deal with them in the right way.”
“I saw at first hand the lack of services in place for those people, the lack of respite and the lack of care provision. I saw a fact somewhere in all that paperwork about care costs in Northern Ireland. It said in my paperwork that £120 million was spent in 2019 on healthcare, £340 million was spent on social care and £350 million was spent on unpaid care. <BR /> <BR />I have been here since 2011, and we have had various policies and strategies where we have looked at dementia and pathways for dementia, and we still come up short. Our Health Minister is not with us this afternoon; he is in a meeting. I know that it is not a new problem, but it has landed on his table. It has been around for years, and it is something that we still have to grapple with.”
“I have spoken to many friends and family who said that they had to make judgement calls during COVID-19 to go and visit their parents. They knew that, for some of their parents and elderly relatives, the social isolation and lack of confidence would play a major part in how they would come out the other side of COVID-19. Many families have had to make those judgement calls and have done so for the right reasons. <BR /> <BR />Many Members were probably glad to hear that I had left the Health Committee. I liked to wax lyrical about my life before I became an MLA, but I will just mention it a little. Before I was an MLA, I worked for our wonderful health service, and I am proud to say that I worked for it. I worked in elder care and had many wonderful experiences, especially with people who were living with dementia and their families.”
“<BR /> <BR />Over the past six months, the impact of COVID-19 on people living with dementia has been devastating. We also know that, in Northern Ireland, over 30% of those who have died had dementia mentioned on their death certificate. I do not have the statistics — others in the room may well have them — to say how many of those deaths were in care homes and how many were in their own homes. There are issues, and those are maybe for another day and another debate for the Health Committee when we look at care homes and how COVID-19 manifested itself and some of the failings around that. <BR /> <BR />During COVID, social isolation has been a major factor for many people suffering or living with dementia, not only those living in private nursing homes or residential accommodation but all those living at home.”
“I have happy and sad memories of my granny and the effects that Alzheimer's and dementia has on people. <BR /> <BR />Most of us in the Chamber will have some experience of Alzheimer's or dementia in our lives. When you look at the statistics for Northern Ireland, it is clear that we are all bound to have some experience of it. We want to highlight this special day with today's motion. We want to highlight World Alzheimer's Day, but we also want to encourage not only our Health Minister but all our Executive to do whatever they can to promote living well with dementia. As I said earlier, people in any age group can get it. People who are working and bringing up families have diagnoses of Alzheimer's. None of us know what is ahead for us.”
“I remember then, as a teenager, my granny was diagnosed with vascular dementia. I saw this fun-loving woman with a bit of devilment in her change dramatically. My granny was really fortunate because she came from a big east Belfast family. She had four daughters, four sons and numerous grandchildren, so we were really fortunate that we were able to keep my granny at home. We were all able to look after her. We all had our days that we had to spend with her. I remember all those. We laugh about some of the stuff that she did and some of the memories that we have. She was always just wanting her ma. She just kept saying to me, "Where's my ma? My ma will be looking for me. Where's my ma?", but then she thought her ma was my auntie because she lived with my auntie.”
“I come from a really matriarchal family, and she was the east-Belfast woman, the matriarch of the family, who did everything for us. I have so many fond memories of my granny and, every Saturday, having to walk the Newtownards, Cregagh, Castlereagh or Woodstock roads, and that was done on a monthly cycle, especially to go and look at all the handbag shops.”
“I remember seeing that as a child and not fully understanding what it was. I saw that my aunt needed help going to the bathroom or needed help to be fed. At that time, as I say, I was a child, just approaching my teenage years, and things were not discussed in front of us in our house. My mum and dad never openly discussed those things, so I never really knew what was going on. However, what I do remember was that, when my auntie died, she left behind two very young boys without a mummy and their daddy without a wife. So that just shows, yet again, that Alzheimer's and dementia can hit at any age. <BR /> <BR />As I moved further on, I remembered my granny Browning, who was fun-loving and full of mischief. She kept the whole family going.”
“I hope that, through this debate, we can reduce some of the stigma and we can talk openly about how we, as an Assembly, want to bring about changes when it comes to dealing with people with dementia. <BR /> <BR />I am not going to come off with too many facts and figures; I will leave that to people who are better than me at that. However, at present, there are 22,000 people living in Northern Ireland with dementia. That is a scary figure. <BR /> <BR />When I was looking through all of the packs of information that we received, something struck me as I read that. It brought back to me a very early memory. When I was a child, I had an aunt who died of dementia when she was in her early 40s. She would have been in her late 30s when she first had the signs of Alzheimer's. It was actually a very rare genetic form of Alzheimer's disease.”
“Thank you Mr Deputy Speaker. Apologies for not moving it first and then sitting down in my place. I have to get used to doing that. <BR /> <BR />I just want to start by saying thank you to the Business Committee for allowing this debate to take place today and to all the parties that signed the all-party motion. <BR /> <BR />I first met Martin Riley and Michael Keenan from the Alzheimer's Society back in February, and we had a discussion about bringing a motion to the Assembly around May. Then COVID hit, and we are where we are now. I am glad to say that this debate is taking place on World Alzheimer's Day, and what is even more special is that the strapline for this year is, "Let's talk about dementia".”
“I start by thanking the Business Committee for allowing this debate to take place today —.”
“<BR /> <BR />The Bill is key to ensuring the full regulation of master trusts that operate in Northern Ireland. Therefore, it is essential that the Committee carries out robust scrutiny of the Bill, which contains 45 clauses and three schedules. That means that it needs to extend the Committee Stage. <BR /> <BR />At its first formal meeting after summer recess on 9 September, the Committee agreed to request an extension to the Committee Stage until 29 January 2021. That will allow the Committee for Communities to complete its scrutiny as fully as it can and within an achievable time frame. I commend the motion to the House.”
“As the House will be aware, the Pensions Schemes Bill passed its Second Stage on 7 July 2020, and it was then referred to the Committee for Communities for its Committee Stage. At its last meeting prior to the summer recess on 8 July, the Committee agreed to issue its call for evidence, which went out on 5 August. <BR /> <BR />Without going into the detail of the Bill, it is worth advising Members that it seeks to introduce a regulatory regime in Northern Ireland for a form of occupational pension schemes called master trusts, in order to address a legislative gap. A similar provision was made for England, Scotland and Wales in the Pension Schemes Act 2017. Following the summer recess, the Committee began its consideration of the Bill, but it still has to undertake a number of tasks.”
“Can the deputy First Minister give us any update on the progress of the Ulster canal?”
“I thank the Minister for her answers so far. The Minister said that automation was to decrease confusion. However, I think that it has increased confusion, particularly among older people. My father has done my head in over recent weeks about his MOT certificate. People are used to seeing a certificate; it is called an exemption certificate. Many people have phoned my office saying that they were unaware that their MOT had been changed again. So, will the Minister look at the issue again for those more vulnerable people who may not have online access or who cannot navigate the system?”
“I praise my colleagues William Humphrey, Councillor Kingston and Councillor Verner for the proactive and timely work that they have done. <BR /> <BR />To follow on from your answer to Mr Humphrey, Minister, do we need to look at having stricter laws and higher fines throughout Northern Ireland when it comes to illegal dumping, which has been extremely prevalent during the COVID-19 period?”
“In her original answer, the deputy First Minister stated that there were issues yet to be resolved, one of which was the designation. Given that the Justice Minister has said that she would step in to oversee it, why have we not yet seen a Department designated to roll the scheme out?”
“Again, that has to be welcomed. It will enable people to get more from their hard-earned savings. <BR /> <BR />Overall, the Bill is designed to safeguard workers' pensions and to ensure good governance. The Committee is supportive of the Bill's principles and looks forward to considering it further during Committee Stage.”