Adrian Cochrane-Watson
South Antrim · Ulster Unionist Party · Northern Ireland
“I thank the Member, my colleague on the Committee, for his intervention. You are quite right: strategically, we have failed, but the Ulster businessman has delivered, as you highlighted. The Ulster businessman has continued to deliver. <BR /> <BR />I will finish now. It has been an experience. I wish the renewables sector every success.”
“He has always been very friendly to me, and he has probably been let down by Amber Rudd moving the goalposts in Westminster and by the communication of different information. In June, the Minister made commitments based on the relevant information. However, what we have now is a renewables shambles.”
“Mr Speaker, in case I forget, I wish you every success. I believe that you will be back here on 9 May, but we will certainly miss you on the election trail in South Antrim. I wish you personally every success. <BR /> <BR />I came into the Chamber on 28 June.”
“I am sure that the officials will make it up as they go along, because they have been making it up since June. <BR /> <BR />I am sorry that I was an optimist. I am not an expert in renewables. Some people understand it, such as my colleague Paul.”
“A matter of weeks ago, we failed them on renewable heat incentives. We failed them when we gave commitments. In November, we failed them when we gave an understanding — I will not put it more strongly than that, although some might say that we "suggested" it — that the scheme would stay open to 31 March.”
“I also commend the Minister for her work since taking over the role. In discussions with representatives of Belfast International, they say to me that the biggest inhibitor to growth is not transport links but air passenger duty. Have there been any discussions between you and ministerial colleagues on APD?”
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“Does the Minister not agree that the project assessment review is fatally flawed as it did not involve the Sports Grounds Safety Authority in a meaningful way about emergency exit planning for Casement Park?”
“A limited company is a legal entity in its own right and, therefore, accounts must be opened in the name of that limited company. Unincorporated accounts from bodies trading within the SME sector, and from clubs and societies, should be opened in the name of the business or club/society, as takes place in the banks throughout Northern Ireland. These accounts are opened in the name of that business or organisation and are operated by authorised signatories. Obviously, there is no reason why similar arrangements should not prevail for credit unions. I know that, as something of note, the Chairman has already highlighted that it needs further work. My party would support that; it is our main concern. I hope that the Minister will take these concerns on board before he decides to hokey-cokey his way out of office at lunchtime.”
“One area of concern felt by the Ulster Federation of Credit Unions and the Irish League of Credit Unions is the suggestion that all accounts should be registered in the name of an individual and not in that of a corporate body. I believe that this is misguided. I believe that, as the Chairman has said, it needs further work. It would appear that guidance on this has been sought through Her Majesty's Treasury. It has committed that it has taken up responses from the credit union sector. However, no one from the Irish League of Credit Unions or the Ulster Federation of Credit Unions seemed to be aware of that. <BR /> <BR />In summarising the many concerns around this clause, we would identify the following flaws in the approach to corporate accounts, as detailed in the Bill.”
“It is such a life-or-death Bill. It makes such a difference to the wider community. I am sure it will go down as a memorable day for the Assembly in delivering, unlike many other days of late when we have not been able to effectively debate important measures brought to the Chamber. <BR /> <BR />Moving to the matter in hand, I thank the Chairman of the Committee. This is the first piece of legislation for which I have listened to the scrutiny activity, and I am delighted to see it brought to the Chamber. It does make a lot of difference, and I am very committed. As has already been said, a strong community needs a strong credit union. <BR /> <BR />I would just like to mention clause 1 in particular.”
“As I rise to address this important legislation, I feel very privileged and honoured that the Minister is giving us his time to move the motion before he resigns at lunchtime. It is life-or-death legislation that we are talking about: the Credit Unions and Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Bill. I am very excited to stand and address it. I am not sure whether the 373,000 people on the waiting lists for our hospitals would be as excited by the performance of the Assembly today. I am not sure if it would be well received that, when we brought the crisis in our hospitals and in our health sector to this Chamber for debate to try and address the waiting lists for cancer patients —”
“If a cloud begins to hang over the hospital, very quickly it will find it difficult to recruit staff in the numbers that it needs, and, ultimately, more money will have to be spent on locums, and that will become unsustainable. <BR /> <BR />Unfortunately, however, the Minister's absence today is a great disservice to the good people of Newry and Armagh, and the sideshow that we are witnessing and the in-out effect of having no Minister at times or having a Minister for only a few hours will do nothing to protect the hospital or offer it the support that it needs.”
“After 8.00 pm during the week and after 5.00 pm at the weekends, there is no emergency or minor service in that hospital, so Daisy Hill plays the only important role. <BR /> <BR />The future of Daisy Hill is now under some threat. Whether the previous Minister would like to admit it or not, the Donaldson report, as well as TYC, quite clearly shone the spotlight on our smaller hospitals. Whilst my party is not stubbornly opposed to any change, we would be opposed to change just for the sake of it. Every decision needs to be taken for sound medical reasons, and, right now, Daisy Hill appears to be offering and efficiently delivering safe and effective care. We see no reason to change that. What the patients and staff of the hospital need is some certainty about their future.”
“That is a credit to the doctors, nurses and entire staff at Daisy Hill. I am very aware that we are not comparing like with like, and I am sure that the staff in Daisy Hill will have every sympathy for their colleagues working under intense pressure in Antrim. <BR /> <BR />Whilst Daisy Hill may not face the same pressures as some other hospitals, by no means can it afford to rest on its laurels. In fact, I am aware that there has been significant change in health service provision in the wider south Down area. The downscaling of services in the Downe Hospital will have a knock-on effect and impact on those offered by Daisy Hill. Whilst I appreciate that the minor injuries unit in the Downe will mitigate the worst of the reductions, it is only open part time.”
“I thank Mr Bradley for bringing the issue forward for debate this afternoon. I speak on behalf of my party colleague Mr Danny Kennedy, who is attending a funeral and sends his apologies. <BR /> <BR />Danny has asked me to emphasise the value that the hospital has across the community and across Newry and Armagh. It is very highly thought of not only for the treatment that it provides but for the skills of the staff who work in it. Even in the most difficult circumstances, the staff are managing to keep the hospital working very efficiently. Indeed, I note in the publication of the latest A&E figures for waiting times that 89% of people presenting to Daisy Hill are seen within the four-hour standard. That compares very favourably with the performance of my hospital in Antrim, which saw a further deterioration to 61%.”
“Can the Minister assure the House that all transactions and discussions involving the Department with regard to NAMA and the subsequent sale have been or will be shared with the House and the relevant Committee?”
“We will forget about the dance lessons. I know that there are more who are better skilled to teach the hokey-cokey in the Chamber than me. We simply need a Minister of Health who will be at his desk —”
“No, I am reminding the Member that the Ulster Unionist Party did the honourable thing after much debate and consultation to make a stand against those who committed cold murder on the streets of the capital city of Northern Ireland.”
“Our Minister did what he and the Ulster Unionists thought was the right thing for Northern Ireland, which was to not ignore murder on the streets of our capital city, Belfast.”
“I remind the Member that our Minister resigned completely. He stood down and was replaced — for several minutes, that Department had someone at the helm once again.”
“Those pressures, combined with the cavalier attitude of the former, former in-out hokey-cokey Minister — whatever you want to call him — are not going to get any better by the Minister's absence and by his uncaring, heartless attitude.”
“Try telling that to the young woman who is facing breast cancer treatment or the grandfather watching his grandchildren and knowing that he may not be around to see them grow up. I am in no doubt that every MLA in the Chamber cares. Every MLA in the Chamber will be coming down with case files or absolutely desperate constituents who have been told that they have to wait. That is no longer acceptable. <BR /> <BR />A&E staff have been left completely emotionally drained and demoralised. They are not to blame for the current problems. In fact, I believe that they are our last remaining defence against total collapse.”
“Long-term sickness may mean long-term unemployment. People who go to a GP and are referred to the hospital or a specialist now face one of two choices. They can either wait the six, 12 or 18 months that it may take, which is now becoming the norm, or they can go private. That is happening under the watch of the absent hokey-cokey Minister. <BR /> <BR />Take our A&E attendances, for example. During 2014-15, only 73·8% of people attending the main emergency care departments were treated and discharged or admitted within four hours of their arrival. That happened under the watch of the hokey-cokey Minister. We are dealing with matters of life or death, but the most frustrating thing is that we are simply being asked to accept it.”
“We are accepting that targets are set in the interest of quality and safety and are being totally ignored by the hokey-cokey Minister. Those people have been waiting for months, if not years, for a crucial appointment. When they turn on their television set tonight, as they did last week, what will they see? They will see the farcical scenes at Stormont. <BR /> <BR />The total number of people waiting for their first outpatient appointment is over 212,000, which is a 46% increase on the 145,000 waiting during the same period last year. Of all those waiting, 86,000, or 40%, have been doing so for more than 18 weeks, even though the target says that no one should wait more than 18 weeks. <BR /> <BR />I know that many of those who approach me through my constituency office are also in fear for their job prospects.”
“I welcome today's motion to address the fact that we have a hokey-cokey Minister of Health. As was said last week, I hope that the television cameras focus on the empty chair during the debate, because that is what the public will see: no interest, no heart, not caring for the people of Northern Ireland. <BR /> <BR />What is the debate about? It is about 373,000 people waiting for their first outpatient appointment, a diagnostic test or inpatient treatment in all our hospitals throughout Northern Ireland. That is equivalent to over 20% of the entire population — my and your constituents. It is worse now than at any time in recent history. People have been waiting in pain and under emotional distress for far too long.”
“At 27·4%, the percentage of the Northern Ireland population deemed to be economically inactive is the highest of any region in the United Kingdom. That compares with 27% in 2007, when devolution was reinstated. Why has the Minister finally published the economic inactivity strategy that was promised in the Programme for Government? Why has it taken him until April of this year to publish it, and why was it not brought forward as we now approach the end of the mandate?”
“The Member has made reference, and I have to agree with him, to the absence of our in/out Health Minister today and his colleague who was formerly Health Minister; but I make it clear that, no matter what spat within unionism the Member made a comment on, the Ulster Unionist Party is here today because we care. I agree entirely with the comments made by my colleague. We care about our constituents who are in our offices day in, day out. The picture from today is of the absent seats to my left.”
“Minister, the drastic cutbacks in HE have also been delivered in the FE sector and throughout the colleges. Will you outline the discussions that have taken place between DEL and DETI? It must be very difficult to sell Northern Ireland throughout the world when its greatest asset, its young people, are being forced to seek third-level education in GB and when, by your admission, two-thirds of them will not return to the Province. Will you give an overview of the discussions that are taking place?”
“Does the deputy First Minister not agree that failure to deliver on the Programme for Government — the failed regeneration of the Maze/Long Kesh site, the £80 million in the social investment fund not spent and the failure to deliver the construction of the police, fire and prison services college — is indicative that the Executive are dysfunctional and failing to deliver to the people of Northern Ireland?”
“Will he further confirm that potential overseas investors will not wait for ever and that the dysfunctional Executive have proven themselves entirely unable to make decisions and stick by them? Is there a plan B if corporation tax is not devolved?”
“Will he confirm that, because of the decision that polarises the Executive, the chance of making that rate on that date and, indeed, of introducing lower corporation tax has been lost?”
“A certain Mr Declan Kearney, who, I note, is not elected by anyone, gave the judgement that Sinn Féin would not support the position of adopting a cut to corporation tax. Sinn Féin bleats about others playing politics, but it is totally about political appeasement. It tries to portray itself as a party of austerity in the Republic of Ireland. <BR /> <BR />In responding to the debate, will the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment give us some clarity on corporation tax? Will he confirm that, as far back as February, all major parties in the Assembly had committed themselves to the lowest rate possible and the earliest implementation date, namely 12·5% and 1 April 2017?”
“Let us face it: we have enough strategic plans and documents to paper the Great Hall — they are simply not joined up and not delivering. That is an indictment of the Sinn Féin/DUP-led Executive from 2007. <BR /> <BR />The Committee inquiry was undertaken on the assumption that corporation tax would be devolved and tax-varying powers might come into existence as early as April 2017. That now seems a very forlorn assumption, to say the least. On Monday 23 February, all five main political party leaders agreed with proposals from Invest NI that tax-varying powers should be introduced, with the aim of having a rate of 12·5% as early as 1 April 2017. Of course, the very next month, our deputy First Minister was overpowered by the southern command and reneged on that commitment.”
“I have no hesitation in supporting the 15 recommendations. I would, however, like to comment on a few of the issues raised. <BR /> <BR />First, I note that the inquiry discovered a consensus of opinion across the business world of Northern Ireland that there is no overall, long-term, strategic and integrated approach to economic development. That surprises me, particularly given the existence of our economic strategy, investment strategy, regional development strategy, apprenticeship strategy and Programme for Government. However, all the key stakeholders, such as the Institute of Directors, the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), the CBI and Manufacturing NI, agree that there is no joined-up plan to grow the Northern Ireland economy.”
“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I speak on behalf of the Ulster Unionist Party on the recommendations in the ETI Committee report, 'Opportunity for Excellence'. I know that my predecessor, Mr Danny Kinahan MP, was keen for the Committee to explore the economic implications of the devolution of corporation tax for Northern Ireland. I start by paying tribute to Danny. He brought a very optimistic, positive political view to the Chamber. He will continue that to the greater good of my constituency, South Antrim, and, indeed, of all in Northern Ireland as he continues the hard work at Westminster. I am honoured to represent South Antrim in this Chamber. <BR /> <BR />Although I was not on the Committee, I pay tribute to its hard work in conducting the inquiry and bringing together the report.”