Stewart Dickson
East Antrim · Alliance Party · Northern Ireland
“Thank you, Minister, for your answer. Minister, you will have noted that the Government recently announced a VAT cut for some family expenses for a range of activities over the summer. That is perhaps a change.”
“Many do not know how to apply; others do not even realise that the opportunities exist. If the process itself is a barrier to participation, it is really not open to all.”
“I was born in 1950 in Thorndale House, which was one of the homes that is named in the legislation. I was born to married parents, and Thorndale House was a maternity home. It was where you went to have your baby in 1950 on the Antrim Road. My mum and dad went there, I was born and, a few days later, I left with loving parents.”
“I agree with Mr Brett: amendment No 6 is important because it will deal with persons who refuse to provide information or evidence to the inquiry. Amendment No 8 to clause 20 is a tidying-up amendment that will allow the Committee to make interim reports, which will be of benefit to the inquiry process.”
“That is why I want the inquiry to succeed and why it is vital that it succeeds. That is why it is important for us to see that cruelty in the full glare of a public inquiry. That is why it is important that the scheme goes through without further delay. <BR /> <BR />Finally, I place on record my thanks to the Committee Chair.”
“The Assembly faces stark choices, and agreeing the draft Budget as it stands is not a silver bullet, nor is it sustainable for us to continue in the absence of a Budget. It is vital, therefore, that we break the cycle of crisis and collapse that has been destroying our public finances.”
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“<BR /> <BR />Two weeks ago, we spoke in the Chamber about our micro-inquiry into energy. Northern Ireland has the potential to be a world leader in clean energy. We must ensure that it is affordable and, of course, that there is always an adequate supply. The North/South interconnector will play an essential part in that, as will generating and storing electricity as part of our future capacity.”
“The Nordic countries have much more flexible workforces because of their attitude towards childcare. If we are to be serious about equality and improving the opportunities that are available to all, we need a radical approach to that as well. <BR /> <BR />We need to look to our transport infrastructure. Certain areas of our trunk road network need development. One such place is the York Street interchange, which is a source of frustration to many of my constituents in East Antrim. Beyond that, however, it is a vital hub for goods and supplies traversing a great part of Northern Ireland through that part of Belfast. We need to resolve that problem soon. Our railways need to be part of our future by offering a clean, convenient and cost-effective way of travel.”
“We also have great opportunities to build on our successes. The fintech sector is one such example, but we should not put all our eggs in one basket. <BR /> <BR />Secondly, we need to look at skills and employment issues, which will be key. The Minister knows that well, and the Department has done well to roll out skills opportunities for those affected by the pandemic. However, it is regrettable that, unlike in other European countries, there has never been a culture of support for lifelong learning in Northern Ireland. Once people left school, that was it. Investing in people and their skills should be our most important asset. I would like to hear from the Minister this evening what she is doing to strongly encourage employers to invest directly in upskilling employees. Childcare needs to be revamped.”
“The first is technology and digital infrastructure, and 2020 has shown us the possibility of working remotely. More has been done online, but not everything. Day-to-day social interaction is a vital part of what we do. Collaboration, innovation and those idle moments chatting in a staff room have social as well as economic value in our lives. We are tackling digital exclusion, which, I know, is a Department of Finance responsibility, but it is more important that we address our telecommunications problems. <BR /> <BR />Project Stratum, which other Members mentioned, is due to begin immediately, and I hope that that will result in major change, particularly for rural residents and businesses. Connectivity has the potential to revive areas of depopulation, especially if many will not need to go to the office as much as they did in the past.”
“Before I start, I place on record my thanks to the Committee staff who worked on the report and to those who responded to it and helped to develop it for us. <BR /> <BR />It has been a very difficult year for Northern Ireland. We are no strangers to economic hardship, but the circumstances of this particular downturn are unlike any that we have seen before. COVID-19 has put many plans on hold but we cannot put the work of planning for the recovery on the back burner. We must consider what sort of recovery we want to pursue and how we can build a better economy out of all of this. Today, with the start of the vaccination campaign, we have a glimmer of hope on the horizon, and even better news is that the second vaccine is coming on stream. <BR /> <BR />Our report raises six key themes, and I would like to speak briefly about each of those.”
“Minister, can you explain why the school restart fund does not apply to special schools? Is the failure to apply the fund to special schools an act of discrimination against special schools?”
“Thank you very much, Minister, for indicating your strong priority for victims of domestic violence in the future. Do you agree that there were disgraceful scenes in the House earlier today, when the Chair of the Justice Committee attempted to derail important domestic violence legislation, and that that will exacerbate the situation that you find yourself in?”
“Minister, key and crucial to any redundancy situation are negotiations with trade unions. I was shocked to hear Paddy Lillis, the general secretary of the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers (USDAW), say today that neither Debenhams nor the administrators had engaged in any discussions with that union about potential redundancies in this company. Will you take that up with the Business Secretary tomorrow and encourage him to ensure that Debenhams and/or the administrators stand up to their legal obligations to consult the trade unions? While the focus is on Debenhams today, let us not forget those who have been excluded in other areas with regard to employment matters.”
“Minister, I warmly welcome your statement and, indeed, your reference to the all-party group on social enterprise, which has been lobbying for a lot of what you are proposing today for some eight years. Following on from Mr Nesbitt's question, you already have on-the-shelf legislation ready to run to deliver a social value Act for Northern Ireland. We will, in many ways, be playing catch-up with the other four nations of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, where social value legislation is well embedded. It is slightly disappointing to hear that that may not be achieved in this mandate. In your statement, Minister, you said:”
“I welcome that flexibility and the recognition that to have fixed dates would not be an appropriate way forward. For that reason, issues of timing are more appropriately dealt with, as I have said, through Standing Orders. <BR /> <BR />We have no objection to clause 12, which requires the First Minister and the deputy First Minister to bring a biennial report to the Assembly on the functioning of government. As with so much of the Bill, real change will come through the implementation of the Coghlin report and through changes to culture and accepted work practices. At the end of the day, you can take a horse to water, but you cannot make it drink.”
“There is, however, a need for flexibility around the timing; indeed, we have seen that this year with the unprecedented disruption caused by the pandemic. For that reason, we feel that issues of timing are better and more appropriately dealt with through Standing Orders, where they can be ruled on by the Speaker's Office.”
“Amendment No 21 would put into legislation a requirement for Ministers to provide information to the Assembly and its Committees. Amendment No 23 concerns the timing of in-year monitoring processes. The Good Friday Agreement, enacted by the Northern Ireland Act 1998, gives Committees the power to call for persons and papers. The power to require attendance at Committees is included in section 44 of the 1998 Act, and we simply cannot see why it is believed that further legislation will make any tangible difference, but we will wait to be persuaded before voting on amendment No 21. On amendment No 23, the in-year monitoring process is extremely important, and Members must be able to scrutinise it fully.”
“We would like to hear more from the Minister of Finance about their powers and the terms of their appointment. We believe, however, that it is important that the new Commissioner for Standards be supported in what is a separate and additional role to that which she currently holds for Members of the House. On that basis, we are minded not to support clause 5, which brings the conduct of Ministers and the ministerial code directly under her remit. We are keen to get the necessary assurances from the Minister of Finance about the establishment of a panel to investigate ministerial conduct and that establishing it will be properly and completely fulfilled in line with the recommendations of the Coghlin report. <BR /> <BR />I turn now to amendments Nos 21 and 23.”
“<BR /> <BR />Since the return of power-sharing earlier this year, the Minister of Finance has, through the Executive subcommittee on the RHI inquiry, pledged to the House to establish a three-person panel, including the Assembly Commissioner for Standards, to investigate breaches of the ministerial code. With the subcommittee due to report its final recommendations before the end of the year, we will hold the Minister of Finance accountable for ensuring that the panel is swiftly established; indeed, we would very much welcome an update on its progress from him to the Assembly during this debate. We do not expect that other members of the panel need to be commissioners; rather, they should be people of rigour, independently appointed and with the ability to act.”
“The need to reform and, ultimately, remove the petition of concern as a block to censure of a Minister for contravention of the ministerial code and, indeed, of Members when they may have committed misdemeanours is something that we as a party sought to achieve prior to the re-establishment of the institutions and is that we will continue to press for. <BR /> <BR />In the lead-up to RHI, some Ministers, at times, showed complete and unacceptable disrespect for the Assembly and its scrutiny function. We fully recognise that there is a great deal of work that needs to be done in that regard. Multiple examples of that disrespect were highlighted by Sir Patrick Coghlin in his report, and we support the implementation of the recommendations designed to redress that.”
“Apologies, Mr Deputy Speaker, if my name was not in front of you. I will speak on behalf of the Alliance Party on the amendments in the second group, which are on ministerial accountability to the Assembly. <BR /> <BR />That Ministers are accountable to the Assembly is indeed a fundamental principle of our devolved Government. We believe that Ministers should be held accountable for breaches of the ministerial code and that Members' questions and requests for briefings and papers should be responded to fully and promptly.”
“The Minister will appreciate that some of the very best local procurement is done through social enterprises. What action is your Department taking? You have already promised some social value legislation for Northern Ireland. How quickly can we see that on the statute book, and will it happen within the life of this Assembly?”
“Thank you, Minister, for your answer. You are responsible for assessing bids from other Departments and then issuing that funding. It is therefore incumbent on you to ensure that that money is spent, spent well and spent before the end of the financial year. In light of the lateness and lack of ambition of other Ministers, what action is your Department taking to ensure that money that is bid for from you and approved by you is spent appropriately?”
“I thank the Minister for his answer. I very much appreciate the difficulties that his Department has had during that time, and I very much welcome that it is now back on track to make these decisions. I particularly welcome the one on Carrickfergus Central. <BR /> <BR />In respect of Seaview, you will appreciate that it is less than three miles away from an already successful integrated primary school that is celebrating 20 years this year. How does the Minister see the development plan proposal, bearing in mind that there are two villages less than three miles apart?”
“Thank you, Minister. I have been listening to the debate this morning, and I have some concerns and interests around the future of the agricultural policy, as you described it in the statement, particularly around the areas of resilience, increased productivity, environmental sustainability and improved resilience. How do you believe that that can be achieved without the support of the European Union, without the ability to sell goods into the European Union, if that becomes a difficulty and a Brexit deal cannot be done, and, indeed, without the support of the common agricultural policy?”
“My understanding is that the provision will not apply to cases already in progress, nor, indeed, retrospectively, so there will be no unexpected changes for those progressing through the system at the moment. <BR /> <BR />In closing, I welcome this legislation, which builds upon previous legislation brought forward by former Minister Ford. It takes a clear step towards reforming a part of our justice system that is antiquated and that does not deliver for the defendant, the victim or the taxpayer. It will speed up our justice system. It will ensure that the rights of all are respected and, in doing so, maintain and build vital confidence in the system and in how it will deliver for the people of Northern Ireland.”
“Of course, when we are reforming our justice system we must always consider the balance between the fundamental right of the defendant to a fair trial and the rights of victims and witnesses. This Bill achieves that. The eventual end of the committal proceedings, including pre-trial oral evidence, has been seen in England and Wales as not having a negative impact on the delivery of justice. In fact, the justice system moves more swiftly there. We must also remember that delays to justice have implications for defendants and their right to a fair trial in a reasonable period, as outlined by article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights.”
“Again, it is welcome that the Minister is taking action on this New Decade, New Approach commitment, as we are all still waiting for progress on many other aspects and in many different areas in the Executive. <BR /> <BR />I recall that the 2015 Justice Act contained provision for direct committal in certain circumstances for guilty pleas. However, following engagement and identifying the complexities and risks inherent in this, the system will be simplified to be based on the case. That is a sensible and more workable way forward. Nonetheless, the Bill allows for magistrates to speed up the process in certain circumstances where there is an indication that the defendant wishes to plead guilty by ordering the necessary reports for the Crown Court.”
“This Bill represents a step forward in that regard. <BR /> <BR />Finally, a commitment in 'New Decade, New Approach' states that:”
“It noted the progress made in the 2015 Act to remove the process, and ultimately made the recommendation that:”
“<BR /> <BR />In 2018, the Audit Office published 'Speeding up justice: avoidable delay in the criminal justice system'. This report highlighted a number of challenges facing our justice system. One of the most notable was the committal process. The report commented that the committal process is:”
“so as to allow for direct committal. <BR /> <BR />Then, the Gillen Review's 'Report into the law and procedures in serious sexual offences' called for similar reform to the system. Specifically, Mr Gillen called for direct committal arrangements to be made for serious sexual offences. These would have the effect of speeding up justice, reducing costs but, most importantly, reducing the potential for additional stressful and traumatic experiences that committal hearings can cause for victims. Reform is clearly needed to ensure that victims have a better experience of the justice system than they currently have. Committal causes impacts for the victims of crime, the slowing down of committal proceedings, and the slowing down of justice. However, it is also important that we consider the costs associated with this system.”
“Of course, the intervening period of Assembly hiatus has put this off. I would like to, again, thank the Minister for her speed and efficiency in bringing it forward and for her commitment to such reform. I recall, in fact, that we were here over five years ago trying to remove oral evidence at committal as part of the passage of the Criminal Justice Bill. However, this was altered to continue the practice where the courts thought that it was in the interests of justice. <BR /> <BR />In 2018, the Criminal Justice Inspection Northern Ireland's 'Without Witness' report recommended that:”
“This was under the aim of "Promoting lawfulness", which the panel agreed could be done:”
“Clause 4 is perhaps the most complex element of the Bill, bringing the necessary legislative changes to amend the 2015 Act to provide for direct committal for a range of offences triable only on indictment. <BR /> <BR />At this point, it is worth looking more specifically at the case for committal reform in Northern Ireland and the range of reports and recommendations which have called for it. First, there was a Fresh Start commitment to bring forward legislation to reform the committal system and remove the need for oral evidence to help tackle organised and paramilitary crime. In 2016, the Fresh Start panel published a specific recommendation for the Department of Justice to:”
“These can have a particularly traumatic impact on victims of crime and require them to give evidence more than once more during the progression of the case. However, hearings can also be lengthy, lasting a couple of days, as we see with delays in arranging the attendance of witnesses in the Magistrates' Court. This slows down our justice system, adds cost and potentially creates a traumatic experience for those who are cross-examined, all for little tangible gain. <BR /> <BR />Clause 2 repeals elements of the Magistrates' Courts (Northern Ireland) Order 1981 to abolish mixed committals and evidence under oath at preliminary inquiries. This brings forward another part of the recommendations of the Fresh Start panel for tackling paramilitarism and/or organised crime, and it is to be welcomed. Clause 3 tidies up minor appeals and amendments.”
“The delays represent additional cost for defendants and victims, and committal reform will be a major step forward in addressing this. It is also worth noting that the committal process was abolished in England and Wales a number of years ago. It took time but, by May 2013, committal proceedings to determine whether there was sufficient evidence had ended. It is vital that we get on with the task here as well. <BR /> <BR />The first three clauses are quite straightforward, finally implementing the much-needed abolition of oral evidence in the committal process. Clause 1 provides for the abolition of preliminary investigations, which involve the calling of witnesses, oral evidence and associated cross-examination.”
“In fact, I recall that the abolition of oral evidence at committals was part of the Justice Bill (Northern Ireland) 2015 before it was amended, as was direct committal through differing mechanisms. This Bill brings together a number of recommendations and actions from the Fresh Start Agreement, the Gillen review, the Northern Ireland Audit Office and Criminal Justice Inspection. It will help to speed up justice and improve victims' experience of the system. I welcome that such an evidence-based approach has been taken to the Bill and to understanding what the need is and what our actions should be. Many, not least the Northern Ireland Audit Office, have pointed out that criminal cases in Northern Ireland take significantly longer than those in a similar system in England and Wales.”
“I welcome the Bill's Second Stage. I begin by commending the Minister for continuing the programme of reform started by our Alliance colleague David Ford when he was Justice Minister. Our justice system is much improved from 2010. As ever, however, there is much to do to bring it into the 21st century by speeding up justice, improving victims' experience of the system and ensuring value for money for the taxpayer. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on all of our lives and put pressure on Departments, but we must not lose sight of the long term. I would therefore like to thank the Minister of Justice's officials for the work that they have done to bring this legislation before us. <BR /> <BR />Committal reform has been on the agenda for quite some time.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. Minister, on 20 May, you told the Economy Committee that you wanted to ensure that as much money and support would be extended to as many people as possible. Well, Minister, we are still waiting for many people to be included. There are a group of people who will be described as "excluded", yet some £0·5 billion of Barnett consequentials remains to be spent. The Finance Minister indicated to the House that he is open to bids on that, so when will you finally make a bid in order to allow people to protect their businesses and to stop them from falling over?”
“I will come to a question. Minister, on 20 May of this year —.”
“Thank you, Minister, for coming to the House. We really are going to have to stop meeting like this, but we are not going to stop meeting like this until I get answers to questions on behalf of those people who —.”
“Thank you, Minister, for your statement on the meeting. Minister, you will be aware of a group of people in Northern Ireland who consider themselves to have been excluded from any business supports surrounding the COVID pandemic. You have not met them yet, and I hope that you will do so as soon as possible. Given that Scotland, Wales, the English regions and other jurisdictions have taken a great deal of action to support those people, yet nothing has been done to support them in Northern Ireland, what actions do you and the deputy First Minister plan to take,?”
“The Executive need to push the UK Government and the EU to negotiate a comprehensive agreement with the lightest of touch and checks on goods crossing the Irish Sea. This can be done. In the meantime, our Minister needs to get on with implementing those parts of the protocol that fall within her Department, producing strategies to meet the challenges that COVID-19 and Brexit bring to our manufacturing sector. These are challenging times indeed. We now have less than two months.”
“They should be planned and visionary, and we should be using them to achieve coherent goals in rebuilding our economy. Manufacturing, with the well-paid and skilled jobs that it brings, has the potential to build and support our supply chains, which have to be a key part in all of this. <BR /> <BR />Finally, I want to note what might be described as the elephant in the room: Brexit. Brexit is very unlikely to be positive for our local manufacturing industries, so I find it strange that it has not been noted in the motion. The protocol itself is a response to the regrettable decision of the United Kingdom Government to pursue a hard Brexit and cut themselves off from our closest trading partners and our biggest single market. It is not perfect, but it is better than a hard border.”
“That is simply not acceptable. If anything, those long-term strategies are needed more than ever as part of the COVID-19 response in order to guide our way to recovery. I hope that the Minister will take note and will work with the Department in order to resume substantial work on an Executive-endorsed comprehensive and integrated strategy. <BR /> <BR />There are so many opportunities out there for manufacturing in Northern Ireland, especially with green and advanced manufacturing opportunities. We need a Minister and the wider Executive to press for a UK-wide revolution in green technologies funding, and we need to fully energise that sector. <BR /> <BR />The business support interventions that we are making now should not be haphazard and reactionary.”
“<BR /> <BR />We are also aware of the concerns that surround Bombardier, which is one of Northern Ireland's key employers, supporting well-paid jobs not just in the Belfast region but across the Province. I am happy to see that Spirit AeroSystems has taken over the business, and I hope that that will secure an extremely valuable linchpin in our economy, because it employs so many from our constituencies. <BR /> <BR />Where do we go from here in supporting and expanding our manufacturing sector into the future? We need a direction, and that is where a manufacturing strategy comes in. I have previously asked the Minister questions on strategies, which we are waiting for the Department for the Economy to develop, including an industrial strategy, only to be told that work has stopped on them due to the need to respond to COVID-19.”
“I just wish that it had not been announced at the eleventh hour. <BR /> <BR />The Health and Safety Executive has its part to play in advising on and enforcing health and safety at manufacturing sites, particularly, but not exclusively, in food processing, where a whole new level of additional safety measures had to be added because of COVID-19. We must ensure that that organisation is properly resourced. <BR /> <BR />I want to note, with sadness, the news coming out of Caterpillar in Larne last week. As referred to in an earlier discussion in the Chamber, the loss of 700 jobs, many of which will be in my constituency of East Antrim, is a devastating blow to workers and their families.”
“I welcome the opportunity to speak about our manufacturing sector, because it has a vital part to play in our economy. I want to take the time to highlight those who work in it. <BR /> <BR />COVID-19 has had a major impact on all our lives. Back in March, much of society ground to a halt. That included much, but certainly not all, of the manufacturing sector. However, damage has also been done by the decreased demands for certain goods and the disruption of global supply chains. I commend our workers in the manufacturing sector, our trade unions and the businesses themselves. Despite challenging circumstances, they have helped to keep factories running and supply chains have proved more resilient as time has moved on, and I hope that the extension of the furlough scheme will help to alleviate pressures on the sector.”
“Thank you very much, Minister, for agreeing to come to the House so quickly to answer questions about these potential job losses in Larne. Minister, I am sure that you will agree that there is a movement in manufacturing not only in Northern Ireland but across the world towards a greener and higher-tech economy in the manufacturing sector and that we need to go all out to secure major opportunities for the future. Can you tell us what you are doing to ensure that greener apprenticeships and skills are at the heart of your future economic strategy and that the money that is needed to provide for the future growth of companies such as Caterpillar is there to deliver?”
“Minister, how do you see the future of fossil fuel exploration aligning with your desire to bring Northern Ireland to net zero carbon and to tackle climate change?”
“That will change the dynamic for many, including taxi and other businesses. <BR /> <BR />The debate on the licensing and registration of clubs will continue in the Chamber and in the Committee for many months. We support your aim, Minister, to have the legislation passed in time for Easter next year.”
“Alliance supports the increase in the number of late licences for pubs and clubs, and we are delighted to see the changes to Easter opening times, which are long overdue and which we have supported for a long time. <BR /> <BR />We also welcome the clarification on school formals. My goodness, that is stuck in the middle of all this, but it is important. Young people should be able to enjoy themselves at an event and should not be constrained by the time because the premises happen to be licensed. Where licensed goods are not to be made available on those premises, there should not be any reason why young people cannot stay after 9.00 pm for school formals and similar events. <BR /> <BR />We expect that there will be a great deal more debate about extending drinking-up time, which will mean people coming out of pubs and clubs at 3.00 am.”
“Others have made a very clear point that, in the atmosphere of a public house, there is substantially more control, and we should not lose sight of the health and other concerns about the consumption of alcohol.”
“There has been opposition from some in the hospitality sector, who see the legislation as promoting competition against their businesses. Minister, I disagree with that. There is potential for us to expand the tourism sector, promote Northern Ireland as a place to visit, particularly for its microbreweries, and enhance our towns and villages. Others in the Chamber today have told us the names, and, indeed, the location, of many of those breweries, but other alcoholic beverages can equally be produced and sold at source. <BR /> <BR />The Bill will not deal with trading in public house licences, and other Members referred to that. Alliance is very clearly in favour of changing the dynamic to support pubs being retained in our communities and to stop many of those limited licences being sold on to the supermarket trade.”