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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“Meanwhile, on the opposite side of Belfast lough, residents in Bangor, a town which is two miles further from Belfast Central than Carrickfergus, can reach that station as early as 6.37 am. Larne Harbour is unique in its proximity to a passenger ferry port, a potential benefit that Translink appears to have ignored altogether, as it terminates many of its services in Larne Town and even runs a two-hourly service after 7.20 pm. Indeed, it seems that, bit by bit, Translink is starting to abandon the Larne line by reducing services to Larne, Whitehead and even Carrickfergus. <BR /> <BR />We need a sensible approach to connections, rather than salami-slicing services. Translink should look for areas of development to encourage a greater use of the Larne line and, ultimately, increase its revenue.”
“Further to that, a massive 75% believe that the service is getting worse. As may be expected, 80% identified frequency as an issue; 45% said crowding; and 42% said cost, with others expressing concern about punctuality, station amenities and park-and-ride. <BR /> <BR />Let us look at some of the particularly illustrative examples of the inconvenience and lack of sense that is seen in the timetable. First, there are early and late trains to Dublin that residents of East Antrim simply cannot access by train or even bus any more. In fact, it is now impossible for residents of Carrickfergus to reach Belfast city centre before 7.00 am via public transport. That is simply unacceptable.”
“<BR /> <BR />In recent weeks, in an attempt to assess the scale of the impact of the cuts on the Larne line on my constituents, I have run a survey on my Assembly website. The results make for sobering reading. Of those who responded, 71% said that the changes had impacted on them negatively and made journeys less convenient. Of those, 64% said that they had had to seek alternative means of transport. Unsurprisingly, the chief alternative means is the car. Therefore, we have a ludicrous situation in which Translink is pushing more traffic onto the roads, clogging our motorways and Belfast city centre in the morning and evening rush hours. Ultimately, travel by car is, by most people's perception, faster, cheaper and more convenient. <BR /> <BR />It is far from surprising, therefore, that, in my survey, only 16% rated the service as good.”
“I find that an inane and ridiculous point: of course someone would prefer a reduced service to no service at all. What the people of East Antrim truly need is a good, efficient and frequent service to encourage people to leave the convenience and comfort of their car and use our new, quality trains. <BR /> <BR />I have been informed that the passenger figures that Translink used to justify the cuts may have been taken from a week that included a bank holiday and when schools were off. That is hardly a representative sample of passengers using the line. That only adds to the overcrowding on trains during the morning and evening rush hours, with passengers, including schoolchildren and commuters, being forced on to fewer services with less hope of getting a seat on their journey home. All of that has happened in the context of higher fares.”
“The new timetable means that trains now run less frequently, fewer stations are serviced and, ultimately, it makes it downright awkward to use the train in East Antrim, driving commuters back to their cars. <BR /> <BR />The timetable changes were brought in following a so-called consultation exercise that was wholly inadequate. In fact, it has been described by many as nothing short of a farce. Section 75 obligations were not met as required by the Northern Ireland Act 1998, no indication of the scale of cuts was given, and the surveys that were conducted were inappropriate and questionable in their methodology. In response to correspondence that I had received on the matter, Translink said that passenger surveys showed that passengers preferred a less frequent service to a complete cut of service.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker, for the opportunity to bring forward this Adjournment debate today. This issue has been greatly exercising my constituents in my local offices in Carrickfergus and Larne. I take this opportunity to thank the Larne Line Passenger Group for its work in holding Translink to account and seeking to develop and encourage the use of the line for the future. The Larne Line Passenger Group's commitment stands in stark contrast to the commitment shown by Translink and the Regional Development Ministers. Clearly, the Minister, by her absence, does not see it as a priority today. With the exception of Mr Beggs, that applies also to other Members from East Antrim. <BR /> <BR />In September, Translink downgraded — there is no other description for it — its service to the people of east Antrim.”
“I thank the Member for giving way. I appreciate what he is saying, specifically about the talks, because the reality is that tax credits will pile on top of the misery of welfare reform. However, we in Northern Ireland have substantially mitigated welfare reform. Therefore it is important that we deliver the welfare reform package that was agreed at Stormont House and at Stormont Castle, because, if we do not, we will have even more misery once the tax credit cuts hit us as well.”
“The constituents of Tory MPs, I understand, are already voicing their misgivings on this clearly ideologically-driven and charged policy. <BR /> <BR />Maybe if all the Northern Ireland MPs turned up to vote, we could put further pressure on the Government. We know that Sinn Féin does not bother to put its pressure on the Government by voting, but where were the missing SDLP and UUP MPs when the vote on the welfare of their constituents was taken? Was it not that important to them? This House was capable of filling its Benches by two parties to vote for money for special advisers. I do not see too many Members here when it comes to dealing with the real people that we all represent: our constituents.”
“The Tories are an undisputed nasty party of British politics, completely out of touch with real life. How can a cabinet of millionaires, who have never known want or financial troubles, ever claim legitimacy in understanding the problems that face my constituents, the ordinary people of Northern Ireland? <BR /> <BR />Nonetheless, we can make a difference in the lives of those who struggle to earn a decent income and wage in Northern Ireland. We do that by growing our economy, fixing our healthcare system and implementing the welfare mitigation measures that have already been secured. If anyone thinks that the Tories are going to cave in on welfare, they are clearly misguided. Tax credits, however, is an issue on which they are weak. The basis on which they have been concocted is weak.”
“It is simply arithmetically impossible for the increase in the minimum wage to compensate for the loss in tax credits when the gross increase in employment income and the higher minimum wage is about £4 billion but welfare spending as a whole is due to fall by £12 billion. That means an average loss of £200 a year; but, for some, it is upwards of £1,000. <BR /> <BR />To further insult the intelligence of the electorate last week, the Prime Minister, Mr Cameron, vowed an all-out assault on poverty, despite the fact that his tax credit changes are due to abandon an estimated additional 200,000 children into poverty by 2020. <BR /> <BR />Indeed, if there is anything that we have learned since the Tory Party secured its majority in May, it is simply this: that compassionate Conservatism is truly dead.”
“It is for that reason that I utterly deplore the way in which the Conservative Government are going about cutting tax credits in a cruel, uncaring and, indeed, may I suggest, deliberate manner. Again and again, the Tories wheel out the same explanation how they basically are pulling the carpet from under the poorest working families in our country. Apparently, the shiny new national living wage, which we all know is just a rebrand of the minimum wage, is to make up for losses from tax credit cuts, while they happily turn a blind eye to their tax-dodging multinational friends. <BR /> <BR />Although I welcome an increase in the minimum wage, I reject the cynical attempts of the Tories to trick us into thinking that this is some form of living wage. Furthermore, there is research from the Institute for Fiscal Studies, as others have said.”
“First, tax credits are inefficient, often simply returning the tax that has already been deducted from previous payslips, with the assistance of a large system of bureaucracy. Secondly, tax credits seek to treat rather than cure a central issue: that is, poverty wages. Indeed, tax credits can and do subsidise some of the biggest names in the high street. Those are often the names that aggressively avoid tax. <BR /> <BR />In those establishments, a full-time worker or even one on a zero-hours contract is working all the hours that they can, but they still cannot afford a decent standard of living. Nonetheless, tax credits play an important role for part-time workers. Tax credits are a vital lifeline to alleviate poverty for workers and children alike.”
“I support the motion and the amendment by the Ulster Unionist Party. We should be glad that it has now clearly broken its links with the party that is introducing this legislation in Westminster. <BR /> <BR />The issue is one that genuinely affects my constituents and constituents of Members around this Chamber. Many of them have come to me expressing grave concern about the change in the tax credit system. It provides considerable financial support to many of the poorest people in our society, often subsidising, as many people do not realise, employers and wages that are far too low to live on, helping to top up incomes to a liveable level. The tax credit system, therefore, is a vital part of maintaining a decent standard of living for people. However, there are a number of issues with maintaining a large tax credit system.”
“That was in the event of the fact that he had no other legal route to make the payment. It may be blocked somewhere else, but the reality is that the Finance Minister himself, at the time, was simply not prepared to make a ministerial direction decision in respect of the matter.”
“I listened with interest to the Member's theories about the intervention of Sinn Féin. The Department of Justice wrote to the Justice Committee and, in correspondence, it said in responding on 8 August to Simon Hamilton, the newly appointed Finance Minister:”
“It is my understanding that, if she were to do that, some people would actually receive more than their entitlement if the court had found in their favour, and others substantially less. <BR /> <BR />The trade union has spent a great deal of time, money and effort fighting this valiantly on behalf of those it represents; that is its job, but I think the time has come for the Executive to deal with this matter finally and unequivocally. If the Minister can find and justify the resources, well and good. If she cannot, it is her duty to be open and honest with those people who may have a residual expectation of some form of payment.”
“Therefore, we are in a situation where people have a very strong sense of unfairness around the way in which they have been treated — of that there is no doubt — but there is no legal standing for unfairness. That leaves us in the situation where, effectively, we are asking the Minister of Finance to make an ex gratia payment by way of compensation in respect of these matters. Whether that will stand up to public scrutiny, and whether, ultimately, a Finance Minister who made that payment would be criticised by the Audit Office or others, remains to be seen. <BR /> <BR />I would also like the Finance Minister to comment on how she would propose to divide money between any claimants if she were to make an ex gratia payment by way of compensation for unfairness, rather than due to any court decision. Would it be an equal amount each?”
“I have been a trade union official for most of my working life, and I have represented people in and dealt with many cases like this. I have also, as a Member of this Assembly, received a great number of letters from constituents who have been affected by this matter. The reality is, however, that, when their trade union went to court, it lost the case. In those circumstances, it became exceedingly difficult, if not impossible, for Departments to make any ex gratia payments. <BR /> <BR />It is my understanding that the Treasury did set aside a sum of money for the eventuality of a win in the courts, but that money came off the table the moment the case was lost.”
“On a point of order, Mr Principal Deputy Speaker. In the discussion that preceded this, Mr McNarry was barracking from a sedentary position at the back. The Minister was giving a clear list of facts and figures, provided presumably by his Department, and they were described from a sedentary position as "your lies". I find that objectionable and inappropriate language, particularly when what was being delivered on the Floor was clearly a list of facts.”
“Can the Minister set out for the House his vision of the appropriate finances that are required to deliver the world-class further and higher education to which we all aspire?”
“<BR /> <BR />Others have said, and I think that it is right to comment on the fact, that we need to learn lessons from this, whether in relation to our community relations with the Travelling community or to fire safety matters. All of us should make sure that lessons are learned from this immense tragedy. <BR /> <BR />It would, nevertheless, be remiss of me not to mention other lives lost this weekend, particularly those lost in the bomb attacks in Ankara.”
“Thank you to the deputy First Minister for raising this matter. Clearly, the unimaginable horror of 10 lives lost cannot go unmentioned in this part of the island of Ireland. Our sympathy goes out to the family and friends of those who lost their lives, one a six-month-old baby. We also think of those in the Dublin Fire Brigade who had to cope with the fire itself and of the forensic people who will be working on that site today. All do a professional job, but, at the heart of it, they are human beings having to deal with an immense tragedy. It is right and proper that the concern of the Assembly goes out to those in the Republic of Ireland jurisdiction so that they know that we care and that we are responding.”
“Thank you, Minister, for that answer. Minister, to lose part of a board might be described as unfortunate; to lose it again would be a disaster. What steps are you taking to ensure that the new board that you appoint does not resign again?”
“I commend the debate today and support the motion.”
“There is particularly an issue around letting agencies in that landlords are required to use only one letting agent. There is a strong argument for multiple letting agencies to be used to allow them to deliver in a particular community. <BR /> <BR />We are and the United Kingdom has been seen to be a nation of homeowners. However, that is becoming less the case. Many young people are simply unable to get into or are pushed out of the housing market. Renters and buy-to-lets have increased, to the detriment to those who wish to get their foot on the housing ladder.”
“However, I see the situation that many people live in, the rents that they are required to pay and the inadequate heating systems in their properties, all of which drives me to the clear conclusion that it is important that the Minister come forward with appropriate plans to deliver regulation in the private rented sector. That, for me, is most important. We should also not forget the non-social renter, those who are completely at the mercy of the private rental market. Regulation is lacking here, too. <BR /> <BR />I proposed an amendment to today's motion that was not accepted. It called for an extensive review of the whole private rental market, including letting agencies. Although the amendment was not selected for debate, I hope that the proposer of the motion will take account of that point.”
“We also need smaller homes for today's needs, especially one-bedroom homes for our many elderly people, given the drive towards care in the community, the context in which that is happening and the pressure that it puts on social housing and, indeed, the whole housing market here in Northern Ireland. <BR /> <BR />We need to be cognisant of the fact that it looks as though the Tory Government intend to have a fire sale when it comes to further housing associations. I want to put down a very clear marker, although it might not be the content of today's debate, that, as far as I am concerned, that is a no-go area for us in Northern Ireland. <BR /> <BR />Of course, not all landlords conform to the stereotypical uncaring, unscrupulous Rachmans of this world. Many landlords provide decent homes in the private rented sector.”
“I can cite examples from my constituency of people clearly benefiting from advice given to them by the Housing Rights Service. <BR /> <BR />We have regulation in social rented accommodation, but we need to move to a much higher standard of regulation in the private rented sector. The key to solving the problem is, of course, building more social housing. Things are very different from the 1960s and 1970s, when we had a major building programme, and, of course, the Housing Executive and its predecessors made an amazing contribution to social housing in Northern Ireland.”
“We are experiencing a crisis in housing provision, and hardly a day goes by when my office does not assist people who are desperate to access social housing. Every day, we see that there is a critical shortage of the right kind of homes for people, and, quite sadly, often the only solution is to point them towards the unregulated or virtually unregulated private rented sector. I do that with a heavy heart because I know the other side of that coin. I know what it is like to visit, with an environmental health officer, some of the most difficult properties that I have ever seen families forced to live in. <BR /> <BR />On a brighter note, I also commend the work of the Housing Rights Service, particularly the advice and guidance that they give to tenants in the private rented sector on issues of rent and rent control in particular.”
“It would be remiss of me not to refer, as others have, to the party-before-people absent Minister — the lack of a Minister in the House today. Once again, an important debate is taking place. We are talking about people's homes, where people live and raise their children and where people with disabilities live, yet we have a Minister who is not prepared to join in that debate with us. I find that as shameful as the absence of the Health Minister during the crisis that people face in hospitals today. <BR /> <BR />I particularly thank those who brought the debate to the Chamber, because this is, as others have said, an important issue facing many of our constituents, including mine, and yet it does not receive a great deal of public attention.”
“I believe that those steps are vital in ensuring public confidence in our Coroners Service, but in all of this lies the failure of others to reach appropriate agreements to ensure that there are sufficient funds to deliver the service. <BR /> <BR />We should never forget what is at the heart of a coroner's decision: bringing about the truth and describing the circumstances of a death. Those are important issues not only for, at the core of it, the relatives who are left behind but for this society in order for us to learn the lessons of the past and to ensure that we never go back there but move forward.”
“On top of parties here failing at Stormont House in their obligations to deliver a balanced Budget and the appropriate resources for the Coroners Service, there is an imperative on the United Kingdom Government to take cognisance of their responsibilities when it comes to funding the service. Of course, there are also the much wider issues of how adequate and appropriate cooperation is delivered when the Coroners Service is dealing with cases. <BR /> <BR />We cannot spend money that we do not have. I believe that the Minister of Justice has taken all the appropriate steps, particularly in discussions with the Lord Chief Justice.”
“It is entirely down to those who have failed and welshed on the agreements that they made at Stormont House that we are in the situation that we are in today. <BR /> <BR />There is one other player in this, and that is the United Kingdom Government. We should not let the Secretary of State and others away with this. For example, the United Nations Human Rights Committee report on compliance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights clearly makes it plain that the UK Government should ensure that the Legacy Investigation Branch and Coroners' Court service in Northern Ireland are adequately resourced and well-positioned to effectively review outstanding legacy cases.”
“At the heart of this debate are families and people who are waiting for decisions. That is the most important aspect of delivery of the Coroners Service and dealing with the legacy issues of the past, and we should not set that to one side in this debate. At the heart of this is getting at the truth and delivering that truth to people who are grieving and people who are concerned. Nevertheless, it is ironic, at best, and downright shameful that those people who are blocking the reform of this are blocking it because they are not prepared to adequately fund the service. The Minister of Justice, just like the Minister of Finance or any other Executive Minister, does not have a money-printing machine, let alone a money-laundering machine in the Assembly.”
“It is with protest that I moved the motion. The failure of Ministers to be here for the job that they are paid to do is nothing short of a disgrace.”
“Indeed, Minister, Mr Wragg indicated that to us. I commend him and the new senior management team on that reduction. <BR /> <BR />Will the Minister acknowledge that being a prison officer, or working in the Prison Service, is a difficult and demanding job, and one to which the community should give a great deal of consideration, even though the issue of sickness does need to be tackled?”
“<BR /> <BR />I am tempted to suggest that, if other Members could make speeches, we could effectively filibuster and keep the Minister here for hours on end, but that would be us acting in a silly way. It is worthwhile stressing the importance of the legislation in front of us. It is important because it forms part of a wider strategy on renewable energy, it highlights and points out the failures of this Minister, the Department and the Executive to deliver a road map for renewables in Northern Ireland and, finally, it highlights the ridiculous situation — the very serious ridiculous situation — of revolving-door Ministers coming in and out of the Executive and their failure to do the job they are paid to do by the citizens who elected them here.”
“I am pleased at the question, but I think it needs to be directed to the Minister. I will speculate and suggest that would clearly be to the detriment of Northern Ireland if this legislation is not passed. Clearly, some funding has to come along with it, and there is a danger that we will be out of step with the rest of the United Kingdom if we do not pass this today. It seems to be rather selfish that the Minister and his Executive colleagues, rather than the total Executive, have debated the matter and decided that this is important to them, but what is not important to them is the queue of people waiting for cancer treatment and the people waiting for other decisions that various other Departments should and could be making on a day and daily basis. Those are the concerns that I have in all this.”
“That Committee is made up of members who are willing to share their expertise and knowledge and want to gain expertise and knowledge from people who come to the Committee; but when it cannot operate due to the shenanigans that are going on in this establishment, it makes a mockery of what the Minister is trying to do here today. <BR /> <BR />I support what the Minister is doing. I support this tiny piece of legislation that he is attempting to put through the House today, but, in all honesty, I think that this Minister and his colleagues are making a total and utter mockery of this devolved Assembly. The sooner they stop it, the better. I encourage them to come back and do the jobs that they have been given.”
“<BR /> <BR />As I said, I am passionate about the delivery of renewable energy in Northern Ireland. It is the way forward and it is vitally important. However, I stand here today in frustration at a Minister who is in and out of office, along with his colleagues. That Minister is not delivering for people; he is failing the people of Northern Ireland today, and he is pushing through a piece of legislation because he knows that he has to, otherwise we will be even further out of step. <BR /> <BR />Equally, I share the concerns of the Chair of the Committee. He said that we do not have that strategy and that we need it. He told us that the Committee has sought information again and again, and that that information has either had to be dragged out of departmental officials or that they or the Minister failed to turn up to explain.”
“I wholeheartedly agree. Every day, we hear people saying that we need joined-up government. When it comes to renewable energy, it is vitally important that we see a clear road map set in front of us. It is vitally important that we see that it is not about lobbying for individual projects; instead, that it is about a comprehensive strategy. It is the Minister's responsibility, along with others in the Executive, to deliver that comprehensive strategy. Too often, we see the not-in-my-back-yard mindset. One windmill will pop up here and one project will pop us there, but if people were able to see that that constituted part of an overall plan for the delivery of renewable energy in Northern Ireland, it would get a great deal more buy-in from the general public.”
“I think it would be abhorrent to hear that lobbyists have undue influence. I have no problem with those who wish to set out their stall in respect of whatever arguments they are making to Departments, but it is quite clear that the buck stops with the Minister. It is his role to ensure that those who lobby do so fairly and in a straight manner and ensure that he is free and unshackled when it comes to making appropriate decisions. <BR /> <BR />At the end of the day —”
“<BR /> <BR />The current UK Government seem to have gone off the rails when it comes to renewable energies. They are cosying up to their Russian friends to buy gas rather than ensure that we have a renewable energy source that is fit for purpose and which will deliver for people. Driving through my constituency, when I see windmills and speak to people about them, some people like them and some people consider them an eyesore, but everybody says, "Am I getting value for money when I see that on the landscape?". The reality is that, unless this Minister digs in and does the job he was elected to do, nobody will get value for money when it comes to paying for their electricity or the other energy sources available to them.”
“It is where people have to scrape together — I have been there and have seen it — the change out of their purse or their pocket to buy a power card to top up. That is the real face of fuel poverty. That is why it is important that we get our whole energy pricing and production in the right place in Northern Ireland. <BR /> <BR />We are ideally suited in this part of the world to benefit from wind power, but we have to have a strategic approach to that. There are those who say, "Not in my back yard". That is a matter for the Environment Minister and for quality planning decisions. That is for strategic decisions, but those decisions need to be made in conjunction with the Minister who is here today to ensure that we get best value for money in the delivery of all of that.”
“I thank the Member for his intervention and wholeheartedly agree with him. On a daily basis, I see the effect that two power stations in my constituency have in contributing to those costs, at Ballylumford and at Kilroot, the history of which comes back to former direct rule Ministers and where we were in respect of the cost of energy, but the Assembly, the Minister and his predecessors have had ample opportunity to resolve many of the mistakes that were made in the past. I sincerely hope that we are not heading down a route where we see those direct rule Ministers in place again, making the same stupid, irrelevant and costly decisions for the people of Northern Ireland. <BR /> <BR />Fuel poverty is real; it is in your face.”
“<BR /> <BR />I share the concerns that the Chair of the Committee highlighted about the legislation, but, equally, I respect his comment that, at the end of the day, it is essential that the order be passed in order to ensure that Northern Ireland is kept in the appropriate place in the processes that we need to go through.”
“Yes; thank you, Mr Speaker, for directing us back to the motion. You are absolutely right. This is an important piece of legislation that needs to be dealt with. On the one hand, we have heard the serious concerns raised by the Committee in respect of the path and the roadway to where you are in respect of this very important debate. Listening to the Chair of the Committee, it clearly seems that you and your Department, Minister, have failed to take on board much of the debate and conversation because you spent the summer doing other things rather than the job that you were elected to do in the House.”
“You are here today because you know that the legislation has to pass.”
“I appreciate the importance of the legislation, but, Minister, there is a great deal of other important legislation that needs to be dealt with in the House. There are also very important matters that need to be dealt with in the House. I am strongly in support of good-quality environment measures and of the renewables and alternatives to carbon energy in Northern Ireland, but I am equally passionate about those patients who are caught in long queues for cancer treatment; I am equally passionate about street lighting and roads; and I am equally passionate about a whole range of issues that I, as an elected representative sent to the House by the people of East Antrim, cannot do because of your party and its silly stunt antics. That is what you are doing; you are making a farce of this place.”
“First, like others, I welcome the Minister to the House. It is just a shame that it is effectively a piece of legislation that this House needs to deal with that has brought him to the House. I would like to ask him about something when he goes back to his ministerial colleagues. This is a serious point.”