Emma Pengelly
South Belfast · Democratic Unionist Party · Northern Ireland
“This week, I will travel to France to pay my respects to all those who fought and the many who fell at the Battle of the Somme as we mark its 110th anniversary. <BR /> <BR />From across Northern Ireland, generations have served their country.”
“One of the men who fought was James Sandford, my great-grandfather. He fought, he survived, he went on to fight again, and he was seriously injured in another battle. I am deeply proud of him, and I am proud of all those who stepped forward with such honour in the face of the horror of that war.”
“When I stand there this week, looking at the gravestones of so many who made the ultimate sacrifice to defend our freedom, I will also remember — we must always remember — the responsibility that we carry forward. Remembrance is not only about honouring the past; it is about shaping the future.”
“Last night, people in north Belfast witnessed horrific scenes that have absolutely sickened and appalled people across Northern Ireland. It was a shocking and barbaric act of violence that has left a victim fighting the consequences of a truly savage attack.”
“Every person has the right to walk their streets, live in their community and feel safe in their own neighbourhood. This type of brutality has no place in Northern Ireland. <BR /> <BR />This morning, I spoke with the Chief Constable and the Justice Minister.”
“<BR /> <BR />I have also been in contact with the Prime Minister, because the PSNI has confirmed that the 30-year-old male who has been arrested is believed to be of Somalian heritage.”
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“We want our sporting stadia and facilities to be fit for purpose and to make sure that any allocation of funding is done fairly and equitably.”
“I thank the Member for his follow-up question. I have said very clearly that an allocation was made, and, indeed, we stand by that allocation because there was a three-sport arrangement. It was allocated across those three sports fairly and equitably. Since that, for reasons outside of the control of the Executive or any political party, the Casement project did not proceed as was anticipated. That project is now significantly bigger than was anticipated in the original allocation, which, I think, was around £61 million. <BR /> <BR />As highlighted in earlier answers, there are many pressures across government. That includes people who are sitting in pain on waiting lists, children who need special educational needs assessment and other vital things. In all things, we have to look at moving forward to meet those needs.”
“One particular organisation or sport cannot be a special case.”
“I thank the Member for his question. The Member will be more than aware that the promise was made but not fulfilled not because of a lack of political will but because of a lengthy process in planning, planning challenges and all types of logistical issues that were outside the control of the Northern Ireland Executive. The allocations that were made to rugby, football and the GAA were done in a fair and equitable way that recognised the relative strengths of each of those organisations, including their support, players and supporters. It is important that we move forward on a fair and equitable basis, because sports throughout Northern Ireland in many different areas are crying out for support and funding to enable them to reach their full potential. We want that to be inclusive, but that inclusivity must be fair and equitable.”
“I will say this very clearly to the UK Government: the UK Government promised the people of Northern Ireland unfettered internal trade, and that is a promise that they must fulfil. It is our role to continue to hold their feet to the fire to ensure that they do so. The internal market of the United Kingdom is incredibly important to Northern Ireland. The promises were made; the promises must be fulfilled.”
“We regularly meet the UK Government on a wide range of issues that matter to people here. Our priorities for engagement are focused on delivering for citizens at home, promoting Northern Ireland as a stable and successful region and ensuring that our international partners recognise our many strengths. Prior to the UK-EU summit on 19 May, we attended the meeting of the Interministerial Group on UK-EU Relations, held on 12 May, at which we highlighted the issues with the Windsor framework.”
“We have a very significant and ambitious agenda for transformation and reform, but we need the money to invest in order to transform, as well as funding right now to support front-line services for people.”
“I thank the Member for his important question. As I set out, we need funding for roads, schools and hospitals. We need to invest in water and in sewerage and to support people with public services that they not only need but deserve. That is why there has been a series of engagements with the UK Government. The Finance Minister was over in London having direct conversations. The First Minister and I took the opportunity to put our asks directly to the Prime Minister. I assure the Member that we did so robustly, making clear that we are up to and up for the challenge of transformation and reform. No one is simply saying, "Give us more money, and we will continue to do what we do in the way in which we do it".”
“It is incredibly important, however, that we support investment in the public services that people throughout Northern Ireland are crying out for.”
“I thank the Member for his hugely important question. People throughout Northern Ireland see, every day, what each Department needs to do. They see potholes on roads, health waiting lists, an inability to access their GP when they need it, waiting lists for SEN, the need for affordable and flexible childcare and the need for investment in water and sewage infrastructure. Those are the key priorities for supporting people, no matter what their background or politics. In order to support people to be happy, to thrive and to get the jobs that they want with the education that they need, we really need to invest in public services. <BR /> <BR />We anticipate receiving some additional capital funding, and we need to look at the draft investment strategy for Northern Ireland (ISNI) to determine how best to invest it.”
“We had a wide-ranging discussion with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer at our meeting on 23 May. On the funding of public services, we discussed the forthcoming spending review, which is due to be announced this Wednesday, and we impressed on him the need for the Executive to be funded fairly, sustainably and at a level that will enable us to deliver the public services that our community needs and expects. We also expressed our concerns about the impact on the local economy of, for example, changes to inheritance tax and the increase in employers' National Insurance contributions.”
“Mr Speaker, with your permission, junior Minister Cameron will answer this question.”
“It is a strong, safe site that is welcoming to all, and I encourage visitors and locals alike to use it.”
“Thank you. As I said, we have invested £37 million in the site. We have been up to visit a number of times since taking up office, and Ebrington Square has looked really well. We visited the hotel and looked around it. The new buildings in Ebrington Plaza are amazing — they are cutting-edge buildings that are fit-for-purpose in the modern world. We look forward to the site being filled with workers and visitors. The events that have been held there have been hugely successful. I am very proud of what we have achieved at Ebrington. Of course, the issues that the Member raised must be addressed. I asked about antisocial behaviour or other issues on the site, and I was assured that the PSNI encounters a low number of problems, if any at all. That is a really positive message.”
“It is not just about the value that the funding gives to the members of the bands and the music that they play; it is about the value that they give back through the money that the band scene has generated over the years. It is important to recognise that value. We are very proud of our marching bands in Northern Ireland.”
“Yes. It is absolutely fantastic that the Ebrington site will host the spectacular display that is the All Ireland Pipe Band Championships. It is estimated that around 10,000 people will attend. I appeal for people to attend if they are in the area, because it will be a really good day. I know that the folks in the north-west are looking forward to it. The First Minister and I had the opportunity to formally launch the championships. I am really looking forward to it. It plays into the incredible depth and richness of the marching bands scene here. I was pleased that my colleague Gordon Lyons was able to increase the fund, but, as the Member knows, there is much more demand than supply. This year, we are looking forward to supporting our marching bands again.”
“I thank the Member for her question. You will be aware that the site was due to transfer a number of years ago. That did not happen for a range of understandable reasons; some of it was down to general delay. Talks are under way with the council. The council will want some support and guarantees about the site being able to continue to thrive and to be a place that attracts everyone. It is important that, in that transfer process. we make clear that it is a reconciliation site that is about bringing people together and that it needs to be welcoming to all parts of the community. That is at the centre of the discussions with the council, which are at an advanced stage.”
“Ebrington Plaza is leased to Heron Property Limited. In recent months, both Alchemy Technology Services and Ernst & Young have opened new offices at Ebrington Plaza, bringing a combined total of around 250 new jobs to the area. The First Minister and I were delighted to attend the official opening of both offices, and it really was a good-news day for the north-west. Although TEO has no role in securing underletting for Ebrington Plaza, we have invested £37 million in the transformation and regeneration of the entire Ebrington site. We are delighted that it is now almost fully occupied and thriving. The Department continues to work with tenants and stakeholders to showcase Ebrington, and to ensure that it plays its part by creating opportunities and attracting investment to help create a dynamic business hub.”
“We also, as indicated, put out a call for views using an online survey. I would have liked more engagement with that survey by people from ethnic minority and racial minority groups in Northern Ireland to get a sense of their lived experiences. We will bring forward proposals for the required legislation. He will be aware that it is in the Executive Office's legislative timetable. We intend to move that forward as quickly as possible, recognising the limited amount of time that is left in this term.”
“I thank the Member for his question. A significant amount of work has been undertaken. He will be aware that the public consultation came to a conclusion some time ago.”
“We know that more and more people find it incredibly difficult to get access to public services, should it be education or GPs, but particularly in relation to housing, including renting accommodation, and that pressure is coming on. We need to deal with this in a logical and rational way that recognises the understandable concerns that communities have when they cannot access the basic housing, education and health services that they should not just demand but absolutely need.”
“I thank the Member for his important question. This is a significant issue for many communities across Northern Ireland. The meeting dealt with two aspects: the first was legal migration and workforce requirements, and the second was illegal immigration. We know that there are businesses, many of them in Northern Ireland, that rely on labour from across the globe. We also need to be able to attract the brightest and best, regardless of where those people come from, in order to grow our cybersecurity, tech, AI and advanced engineering, and they can make a huge contribution. <BR /> <BR />We also know, however, that the scourge of illegal economic immigration needs to be tackled, because it creates a huge amount of pressure. There are two aspects to that: there is supply and demand.”
“It is a really important issue, and it is important to get the tone right on it, but it is also important that we raise the very understandable pressures that are being faced by communities throughout Northern Ireland.”
“I am pleased to say that the refugee integration strategy has been published and is available online. We will continue to work with the sector and the relevant bodies to ensure the roll-out of the strategy. The Member will be aware that it is not a devolved issue, although we have had significant engagement on it with the Home Office and the UK Government. Indeed, when I was over in London a couple of weeks ago, I took the opportunity to attend an intergovernmental meeting in person in order to talk to the Minister of State, David Hanson, about the ongoing issues. <BR /> <BR />It is not just about refugee integration. We know that there is a range of pressures around it. Some of those pressures are in workplaces, while others are in the community around housing and public services.”
“Alongside the continued delivery of the current racial equality strategy, work is ongoing to develop a new approach to that important issue post 2025. This remains a key priority, and we continue to engage with stakeholders, including the racial equality subgroup and the wider sector, to inform our approach. We launched a call for views earlier this year to assist with the development process, and an analysis report is being finalised for publication. We are also finalising a review of the race hate and violent disorder that we unfortunately witnessed last summer to ensure that learning can inform future work. We have taken knowledge from other programmes that deal with societal issues, and our focus is on identifying preventative actions and effective interventions in order to tackle racial inequality.”
“That is a lengthy period, and that is why we must start that process sooner rather than later.”
“I thank the Member for his question. As indicated, we anticipate all the interviews to be concluded by officials and the interview panels this month. At that point, a list of those deemed suitable for appointment for each post will be submitted to the First Minister and me for consideration. <BR /> <BR />I share the Member's concern about the time that public appointments now take. That is why we have asked that a departmental official be that single point of contact and responsible person in order to ensure that, when a date comes up either for a renewal or for a post to be filled, we start that process at a much earlier stage. It takes almost 12 months at the very least to put documentation together, arrange interviews, get people to come in, get them processed and come up with a list.”
“I thank the Member for her question. The Member will be aware that we have progressed the business cases for all three bodies. Those have now been processed. Those were predicated on an initial £1 million for each commissioner office and about £1·6 million for the central Office of Identity and Cultural Expression. At this stage, those will very much rely on the statutory functions as set out. Of course, what will then need to happen is that, when those positions are filled, the commissioners and those in the Office of Identity and Cultural Expression will put together their business and corporate plans and their staffing requirements. It is important in all of these things that we move forward fairly and equitably to make sure that all bodies get the support that they require.”
“I presume that the Member is asking for oral question 4. I do not speak Irish, so I am assuming that that is what you are asking. <BR /> <BR />We are committed to establishing an Office of Identity and Cultural Expression along with the Irish Language Commissioner and the Commissioner for the Ulster Scots and the Ulster British Tradition and making the appointments as soon as possible. All three recruitment competitions are now at an advanced stage. Interviews are due to take place in the coming weeks, and the appointments will then be made.”
“In that legislation there was provision for the Office of Identity and Cultural Expression to create the Castlereagh Foundation for the purposes set out.”
“The Member is correct. The Castlereagh Foundation was set up in response to the significant number of North/South bodies and groups looking at better cooperation North and South. The foundation is a body designed to look at better cooperation across the UK, particularly east-west. That is in light of the huge amounts of funds going towards North/South cooperation. Some good organisations work in that space, such as Co-operation Ireland. This is to be really a "Co-operation UK" to make sure that there are opportunities across universities and young people and civic and business groups. There is so much that we can learn from each other, yet there has not been focus on or support for east-west work outside the political space.”
“It is a real pity that those houses are sitting with all that history and potential to tell the story of this place, and we do not have the funding support that they require to make them usable again and protected, moving forward.”
“I thank the Member for his important question. It is so important to protect our history and heritage because the stories of our past are part and parcel of who we are. They are important, too, in moving forward by educating us about the complexities and nuances of our past. These are incredible buildings in which were seen incredible things. The UK Government promised to support the restoration of Craigavon House. The Castlereagh Foundation, which was in that legislation passed at Westminster, will be a responsibility under OICE, which has a statutory power to establish that for the specified purposes. <BR /> <BR />I agree with the Member on Fernhill House.”
“I thank the Member for her question. The appointments process is well under way. As I understand it, the shortlist for interview has gone out, and those interviews will take place shortly. Those should be concluded throughout June, and, at that point, the First Minister and I will get a list of those who are deemed suitable for appointment for each appointment process. We will then consider that.”
“I thank the Member for her question. As the Member will be aware from the legislation that was passed through Westminster, the OICE — the office that sits at the centre — does not have that specified as a statutory function. However, there is a discretion and a flexibility in the work that it does. There is a statutory responsibility around promoting reconciliation, and I have no doubt that there will be issues that people will seek the body to take forward, albeit with sensitivity and co-production and after speaking to all the key stakeholders and trying to promote reconciliation in all of that.”
“We are committed to establishing the Office of Identity and Cultural Expression, the Irish Language Commissioner and the Commissioner for the Ulster Scots and Ulster British Tradition and to making the appointments as soon as possible. All three recruitment competitions are now at an advanced stage. Interviews are due to take place in the coming weeks, and appointments will then be made.”
“I am pleased to announce that we have selected a person to be the new Commissioner for Victims and Survivors. That person has accepted that position, and they are undergoing the final stages of the statutory checks that I referred to. With this one, we hope to be in a position to make that name public in the next number of days.”
“Yes, the approach to public appointments is set out in the legislation and the guidance. We operate many of those appointments in accordance with and in the spirit of that, as opposed to that being a regulated appointment of the commissioner's office. Of course, those people must be suitable for the role for which they have put their name forward.”
“The person will have to formally accept, and they have a period in which to do so. In addition, once they accept, we have to, understandably, go through a number of checks, including statutory checks. That process normally takes about 10 days after the acceptance, so we hope to be in a position to make that name public in the next number of weeks.”
“We are pleased to report that the competition to appoint a Commissioner for Public Appointments for Northern Ireland is well progressed. A commissioner will be appointed as soon as possible following the conclusion of that appointment process. The First Minister and I have agreed the person. They have to go through a number of checks before there is a public announcement on that, but that should happen very shortly.”
“It is great to see not only that it has been reformed but that it has achieved full complement. I congratulate all the men for their excellent presentation on Saturday, and I wish them all the best.”
“The centenary year is one of celebration and remembrance but also reflection on what has been achieved and the rock on which our traditions are founded: loyalty to the King; protection of the Union; the brotherhood and sisterhood; and, most of all, an unshakeable faith in God. I wish the association all the best as it looks forward to its next 100 years. May God continue to bless and guide. <BR /> <BR />I also congratulate the Hillsborough Fort Guard. On Saturday, I had the opportunity to attend the attestation to bring it up to its full complement of 20. The Fort Guard is the oldest private army across these isles and, indeed, one of only two legal private armies across the United Kingdom. It was formed in 1660 to protect the ancient fort of Hillsborough and the road from Dublin to Carrick.”
“There is a weaving of colour, music and fellowship with hundreds of years of heritage and the firm foundation of core values and principles. It is also an opportunity to recognise the many hundreds of volunteers who have served the association with diligence over all of those years.”
“I, too, pay tribute to the Junior Orange Association of Ireland as it celebrates its remarkable achievement of reaching its centenary. On Saturday, Lisburn, in the heart of my constituency of Lagan Valley, hosted junior lodges from all over Northern Ireland and, indeed, further afield for a truly special occasion of the hugely successful centenary parade. It was an honour to attend. The young people should be proud of themselves for their presentation, turnout and conduct. <BR /> <BR />I congratulate the Junior Orange Association of Ireland on 100 years of guidance, fellowship and commitment. The institution is rich in tradition, with a proud record of 100 years of upholding culture, faith, truth and service.”
“Thank you. The Executive have agreed the refugee integration strategy. Very shortly, it will be published. I assure the Member that concerns have been shared. I have particular concerns about the lack of transparency on the data and information coming from the Home Office and the organisations. That needs to change. People need to know what is happening and exactly where it is happening. We will continue to push on that issue. I have raised it directly with the Minister of State.”
“We will continue to work on those issues, including in the number of meetings to look into these matters that we will have in the next number of weeks.”
“I thank the Member for his question. He will be aware that the Prime Minister made a statement this morning on a number of actions on immigration, refugee and asylum issues. It is not a devolved issue, but the Member will be aware that the Executive Office liaises with the Home Office on its distribution of funds and its activities in Northern Ireland, including those in relation to hostels, hotels and other accommodation. There are concerns about the way that the Mears Group and other companies have operated in Northern Ireland. We have articulated those concerns. I have articulated them directly to the Minister of State who is responsible for those matters. I understand that concerns about the operation of some of those companies are shared across the UK. It is a challenge; there is no doubt about that.”
“The death of a loved one matters just as much to one family as to any other, no matter who killed that person. One person's life matters just as much as the next person's life. Therefore, the opportunity for justice and the structures to get justice should be the same for all victims and survivors. The people who know the truth should come forward and give victims and survivors closure.”
“Absolutely. Far too many people — thousands of people — in this place have never had justice for the injury or death of a loved one: that is an absolute tragedy. Those are the people who have suffered most from the Troubles, and it is those people who we need to help and support. My party and I have always been clear that we oppose amnesty and that everyone has a right to, and should have an opportunity to get, justice. I feel apprehensive that the message that is being sent to many innocent victims is that there is a two-tier approach in which one body is good enough for them but not good enough for others. It is incredibly important that there is no hierarchy of victims, that the two-tier approach does not continue and that everyone has the same right of access to justice.”
“We have been looking at trying to have a capital scheme as part of our Victims and Survivors Service, in recognition of the fact that many of our fantastic victims and survivors groups have capital buildings that were funded through PEACE or other funds. However, that was a considerable time ago. There is a need to make sure that those premises are accessible for disabled people and fit for purpose. That is under active consideration within the Executive Office.”