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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“I thank the Member for his question. It is incredibly important that we do everything that we can to ensure that our public-sector workers receive fair pay. When the Budget settlement was announced, I set it out clearly that we knew that it would be very difficult for all Ministers but particularly for Departments that have a significant public-sector pay pressure. That included the Department of Education and the Department of Health. I assure the Member that, along with the First Minister and the Finance Minister, I have met the Health Minister on a number of occasions to assure him of our support in what he is trying to do. Doing everything in our power to get to the right outcome is a key piece of work for us.”
“We have put that firm commitment at the heart of the Programme for Government, and, indeed, by working hand in hand and shoulder to shoulder with the Health Minister, we will try to ensure that there is transformation and change to bring down the waiting lists and improve outcomes for people.”
“I thank the Member for his question. In trying to ensure that everyone in Northern Ireland can live a healthy and thriving life, the health of people throughout Northern Ireland is such a critical issue not just because of the pain that people suffer when they are on a health waiting list but because of the impact on the economy of people having to come out of employment or being unable to go back into employment because they are on a waiting list. I absolutely assure the Member that we need a transformation of the health service. I want to see that transformation of the health service. I want to see the NHS here work for everyone.”
“I thank the Member for his question. The House passed legislation that sets down targets. Those targets are a legal requirement. Of course, everything that we say is said in that context. It is important to say that any of the proposals, including an independent environmental agency or body, will not be the silver bullet on the issues. Those agencies exist elsewhere, and there are still significant environmental issues. It would be entirely wrong of me to prejudge the outcome of that report. As I said, I will look at that report when it is produced and make decisions on it, depending on what it says.”
“I thank the Member for his question. We will look at that when the panel reports back.”
“I thank the Member for the question. Enhancing our reputation and relationships internationally has been and will continue to be of vital importance. That is at the core of our international work. However, we must stress that foreign policy is a reserved matter for the United Kingdom Government. Therefore, we have had no engagement on the matter.”
“The official may not have been able to give you the specifics because those will, of course, be led by the Ministers who lead on each priority. For example, for health waiting lists, that will depend on the budget that is received and then on what comes back from the Health Minister on specific targets. It will be similar for social and affordable housing, which the Minister for Communities will bring forward and lead. <BR /> <BR />The key thing for us will be to ensure that there is consistency in the types of target that are set down and that they are realistic, can have an associated budget within the difficult budget envelope that we have and are deliverable.”
“I did not watch that evidence session, but the targets will be measured in two ways. First, they will be measured against the set of well-being indicators. That will involve measurement against a set baseline, and improvements against that indicator will then be monitored and reported continually. All of that will be available online. It is currently live online, but, of course, some of those indicators will evolve and change, depending on the final Programme for Government. That will show real and meaningful progress against a wide range of targets and indicators set down in the well-being framework. <BR /> <BR />The second way in which they will be measured is through the specific targets against each of the priorities.”
“Absolutely, there will be measurable targets in the Programme for Government. It is important to say that we know that the Budget at the moment is challenging. We are working hard with, for example, the Health Minister, the Minister of Education and others to ensure that there is a satisfactory outcome on public-sector pay settlements. We know that there is huge pressure on the Budget in doing so, and it is likely to be the same next year. The key thing is that we set targets that are realistic but have some aspiration about them. The targets also need to be scalable so that, when additional money is available, we will be able to grow our ambition by resetting those targets and increasing what we need to achieve. We are actively looking at that, and targets will be set out.”
“The consultation on the draft Programme for Government closed on Monday 4 November. In total, 1,375 responses were received. Work is ongoing to analyse all the responses received and produce a consultation report for consideration by the Executive. Once that has been considered, we will finalise the Programme for Government and bring it to the Assembly for cross-community approval.”
“Therefore, it was difficult to speak with those young people in particular to encourage them to come off the streets and get involved in more positive projects. That is the coalface of that type of work, and we need to engage with those young people, no matter how difficult it is. We are determined to support the fantastic organisations and agencies that work at the coalface to really support and bring about peace.”
“I thank the Member for his question. It is incredibly important that people in every part of our society feel that they can play a positive role moving forward, no matter where they are from, what they believe, what their background is or what their identity is. That absolutely includes those from the loyalist community, who often have been and are vilified without good reason. Many in the loyalist community play an incredibly important role in communities and organisations, and they will play a positive role in the future of this place. The Member is absolutely right. <BR /> <BR />One of the characteristics of the recent challenges that we had on the streets was that many of the people who were engaged in that activity were not involved in those projects and organisations.”
“While I agree with him to some extent, there are aspects that require a distinct and particular approach while we gather all of that together under our overarching aim of building a united community.”
“I thank the Member for his question. There are similarities, no doubt. Very often, such sentiments are based on prejudice, bias and a lack of understanding. There are many similarities, but there are also a number of differences. It is important that any approach taken on the way forward be sufficiently nuanced to take into account and understand the impact on people and to provide support and help. We can tackle the underlying issues through prevention, education and the projects that I mentioned. What it is that we need to do is to make sure that we include everyone across society so that everyone feels that they can play a positive role as part of our united community moving forward.”
“I thank the Member for her question. Sadly, we see instability globally. We see a lack of peace and how that has such a detrimental impact on any place. Indeed, it remains the case for here. We absolutely need there to be that underlying peace agenda in everything that we do. That is why we made the decision that, for Northern Ireland, there would be a cross-cutting, underlying mission to ensure the stability that allows us to deliver. Moreover, that is why, since I came into post, we have been working incredibly hard to create that stability to allow the Northern Ireland Executive to deliver. If we are to deliver against our Programme for Government commitments and meaningfully change people's lives for the better, we need that stability and a united approach to driving positive change.”
“There is therefore a need to ensure that our approach to good relations effectively engages all those who live here and, in turn, creates a truly united society. <BR /> <BR />The final draft of the Together: Building a United Community review's report is under development by officials. We expect recommendations to be submitted to us shortly. Those recommendations will help shape the starting point for designing a refreshed approach to good relations and inform the timeline for its development.”
“With your permission, Mr Speaker, I will answer questions 6 and 13 together. <BR /> <BR />As Members will be aware, the Together: Building a United Community strategy reflects the Executive's commitment to improving community relations here between people of different political, ethnic and religious backgrounds. Since its launch in 2013, we can all recognise that considerable progress has been made, with a number of headline action targets having been fully achieved. Progress continues to be made towards meeting other targets in often complex areas of work. <BR /> <BR />We know that work remains to be done, however, and we want to ensure that our approach to good relations meets the needs of everyone in our society. We acknowledge that, since the first T:BUC strategy was launched, our society has become increasingly diverse.”
“It means having the right plan and making sure that the capacity is there to deliver it and that the implementation process is fit for purpose.”
“<BR /> <BR />In addition, we have extended the period of the investment strategy. Rather than have just a 10-year period, we are looking to extend the strategy to 2050. For the first time, we will therefore have an investment strategy that looks to the longer term — 30 years — and allows for such planning. <BR /> <BR />We have seen the Budget reset by the UK Government. The Budget largely focused on revenue. We anticipate that there will be an announcement about the Government's capital plans, and not just their plans for the next year but plans that set out their vision for the future. We are therefore hopeful that additional capital will be available, but we need to utilise it in a way that makes a meaningful difference. That means tackling the issues with water and sewage.”
“I thank the Member for his question. When I spoke at the NI Chamber dinner, I was representing the Northern Ireland Executive and showing our support for the vital work that our business community does. Over 1,000 people gathered at that dinner on Thursday night. It was a good opportunity for us, and for me on behalf of the Executive, to emphasise how important it is for us to work in partnership and in collaboration. In fact, our doing so is absolutely essential if we are to have that economic growth. <BR /> <BR />As was indicated earlier in response to another question, we are specifically looking at taking a number of key actions, which include making improvements to planning, procurement and business case processes. Those are all process aspects, but they really slow down the delivery and implementation of our capital programme.”
“My key message on Thursday night, which we need to work on, was about our determination and my determination to work hand in hand with the business community, because economic growth unlocks the potential of this place and helps with our public service delivery and our core public services. Of course, with economic growth comes better jobs, good jobs and the investment that we want to see in every part of Northern Ireland. We should be working very closely with the private sector and the business community to find solutions to the challenges that we face, push through that vision of optimism and see the tangible application and implementation of the changes that the business community wants to see.”
“I thank the Member for her question and commend the NI Chamber of Commerce and Industry for a very successful event. When I said, "Computer says no", it was the event on Thursday night that jumped into my mind. <BR /> <BR />The Member is absolutely right about there being a can-do attitude. There is optimism throughout the business community in Northern Ireland. The Budget was very challenging for the business community, and I am sure that, like me, the Member picked that up from many of the businesses at the banquet. They have concerns about issues such as the increased National Insurance contributions for employers.”
“We will only be able to do that if we fix the challenges that we have with water and sewerage. We want to work with Northern Ireland Water. We want solutions, not a computer-says-no approach. That will require investment, it will require us working with NI Water, and it will require NI Water to step up to look at those solutions and implement that change.”
“I thank the Member for her question. That will be key to delivering against the nine priorities, which have been set out in the Programme for Government. In the public consultation, there was a very positive response to all nine priorities, but the Member is absolutely right that, if we are to achieve those priorities, we need to invest in infrastructure. The lack of such investment is a barrier. <BR /> <BR />Frankly, we know what the challenges are. It is important that we work together and get into problem-solving mode on all those issues, drive forward transformation of the process, ensure better implementation and delivery and — the Member was absolutely right to say this — get the right investment in the right place to ensure that we unlock the potential. A key priority is to build more social and affordable housing.”
“Improving the process is a huge part of our ability to deliver, and we are really focused on that.”
“We are determined that, through the investment strategy, we will tackle some of the big issues that have been barriers to delivery. That includes a very particular set of pieces of work, carried out by the Strategic Investment Board, to look at improvements to the business case process, the procurement process and, importantly, the planning process. We know that those three key issues can significantly slow down capital projects and investment. <BR /> <BR />I have said previously in the House that it is clear that if a project takes longer, it will cost more. When capital projects cost more than originally projected, we cannot do as much with the capital money that is left, which means that we will never reach our potential or achieve our aspirations.”
“Day in, day out, we see the challenges that public infrastructure can bring to service delivery and the impact that it can have on people's everyday lives.”
“I thank the Member for her important question. Investment in good infrastructure of the right type is an absolutely critical foundation of growing our economy and the delivery of public services in Northern Ireland.”
“The investment strategy proposes a positive vision for the next 30 years, including detailed plans for investment and enabling actions over the next decade. It encompasses all areas of public infrastructure and includes a framework for planning and prioritising infrastructure investment. It also sets out the outcomes that are required of that investment and the mechanisms that are needed to ensure its efficient and effective delivery. We are considering the draft investment strategy, after which we hope to be in a position to bring the strategy to the Executive. We expect that to happen in parallel with the final Programme for Government. Approval of the final investment strategy will, then, be a matter for the Executive.”
“Many people have felt that that has not happened in the past; we need it to happen as we move forward.”
“I thank the Member for her question. The support that we can give will be, largely, through the Health Department. However, as I mentioned, we wrote to the Minister of Justice and the Minister of Health to pick up a number of the issues and, quite frankly, the frustrations about not getting answers that were expressed by many people around that table. The lack of a care pathway and many others are medical issues that require medical interventions. We urge the Health Department, through the trusts, to give clear medical pathways to support people. It is fundamental that GPs and others who first engage with people who have injuries are aware of what those injuries could be and treat those people with the absolute dignity and respect that they deserve.”
“I thank the Member for his question. The Health Minister takes the lead on those issues, but, of course, it is important to speak directly. We will certainly look into that. I do not believe that we have received a request, but, if we have, we will certainly look at it. It has been incredibly powerful to hear first-hand stories from those who have been impacted on. There is a compensation scheme, but I know from speaking to many of those people that it is a very frustrating process. The UK Government need to do more to take another look at that scheme, to make it much easier to apply to, to lower the thresholds and to look at the criteria in order to make sure that those who need that support, through no fault of their own, are able to access it in a more timely way.”
“We hope that that will lead to further understanding of the wider issues for all those who are affected.”
“We met Vaccine Injured and Bereaved Support on 10 July 2024. The group shared its concerns and experiences with us in what was a powerful and emotive meeting. We thank those people for being so open with us about their difficult and painful experiences. We know that it was not easy for them to come along and tell of their personal experiences. On behalf of the group, we wrote to the Minister of Justice to raise an issue about coroner’s inquests and the group’s concerns about a number of investigations that have been identified as being related to COVID-19 vaccines. We have also written to the Minister of Health to ask him to consider issues around care pathways for those who are suffering from health issues that are, potentially, related to COVID-19 vaccines. We understand that the Minister of Health has since met the group.”
“The board is looking at the business plan, and we hope to get it very shortly. I suspect that that will be in the next number of weeks.”
“Absolutely. The Member is absolutely correct. A draft business plan was submitted, but it included some aspirations around further works that would be required. Most of those were to do with health and safety and the protection of the site. As the Member will be aware, the budget is incredibly difficult, and many of those bids were not met. Therefore, the board is revising that business plan, which we hope to get very shortly. The board will have had some confirmation of the budget envelope within which it is working, and it will be looking at that and prioritising what works. The board is subject to a number of legal obligations, particularly because of the health and safety requirements at the site and, of course, the listed status of the buildings when it comes to basic maintenance and protection.”
“Key to that is ensuring that we maximise what is already there: the very successful Balmoral show; housing the Royal Ulster Agricultural Society (RUAS) and the Ulster Aviation Society, which is going from strength to strength and had 7,000 visitors over the Heritage Open Days weekend, which is an incredible testimony to its many volunteers and the wonderful collection that it has there. I urge anybody to go down and visit there. Of course, the Air Ambulance has been called out over 4,000 times since it took up position at the site in 2017. <BR /> <BR />There is much to work with, and we look forward to hearing those proposals developed by the board and to considering them in due course.”
“I thank the Member for her question. I understand that the Member attended the site and spoke with the board there just last week. <BR /> <BR />As outlined in that debate, there will be a process of engaging with the board in relation to its views on the way forward. The board was appointed just recently. Its members have been in now for a number of months. I have no doubt that they will look at the previous plans and proposals and will look to revise those.”
“Yes, of course, any future development will require significant investment in infrastructure.”
“Absolutely. I say that as one of the MLAs for Lagan Valley in which the site sits. There is a recognition that that would require investment. Of course, we must move forward with consensus on the site. We must move forward in a way that does not cause any further hurt or offence from the site. <BR /> <BR />As regards any development of the site, if anybody has gone to the Balmoral show, for example, they will know the infrastructure challenges around the site. Indeed, in recent years, that has been improved significantly. I had the opportunity to speak at the rally against the family farm tax just last week at the site. Again, the infrastructure challenges around the site were clear to many of those thousands of people who attempted to attend that rally.”
“I thank the Member for his question. We have been clear that we must build on the common ground that we all share to realise the potential of the site for the benefit of all. However, we recognise that that will require us to move with consensus and sensitivity. We are absolutely committed to working with the Maze/Long Kesh Development Corporation to achieve that. No decisions have yet been made about the future of the site.”
“I thank the Member for his question. The arrangements for appointing commissioners to the Northern Ireland Judicial Appointments Commission are set out in the Justice (Northern Ireland) Act 2002. I make it clear that that nomination was made by the Lady Chief Justice. Miss Patricia MacBride has served as a lay magistrate for the past 19 years since 2005, and continues to do so. Regardless of what I may or may not think of her views and opinions, clearly, in law, somebody's political opinion is not grounds to refuse a nomination.”
“Of course, we also know that, sadly, many, many thousands of victims have not had justice. Therefore that fight continues, and we will be there to support them through it.”
“I thank the Member for her question. Absolutely. We know that many, many thousands of victims and survivors continue to carry the pain of injuries and the loss that they have suffered, and that many of them continue to mourn. It is also incredibly sad that, in recent years, we have seen continued hurt being brought upon victims and survivors by words and actions. That should stop; it must stop. Victims and survivors have suffered the most in this place over the decades since the Troubles, and we should be there to support and help them. <BR /> <BR />That is why it is important that we have a commissioner to champion the issues for victims and survivors, fight for additional support for those who are bereaved, for example, and help people navigate the like of the severely injured pension process.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. I know that the erection of such a sign will have caused significant hurt and distress throughout the community, but particularly to victims and survivors. I agree with the Member: it is absolutely wrong, and the council should remove it immediately. All intimidation is wrong and all sectarianism is wrong, and it is appalling to see that this is happening in 2024. I absolutely agree with the Member that we should stand united against the action. I welcome the fact that, across the House, Members have united in opposition to what has happened.”
“The appointment process is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments and, as such, must comply with the code of practice for ministerial public appointments.”
“The competition to appoint a new Commissioner for Victims and Survivors was launched on Monday 11 November. The appointment of the new commissioner is essential to inform the development of policies and help ensure that the longer-term needs of victims and survivors are addressed. That is a key priority for the Executive. We are keen that the new commissioner is appointed as soon as possible, and we encourage anyone who feels that they could fulfil the role, to apply. The closing date for applications is 12 noon on Friday 29 November, and we hope to appoint the new commissioner early next year. <BR /> <BR />The date of appointment may be impacted on by any notice period that the successful candidate is required to serve from their previous position.”
“It is important for us to look at the challenges and the underlying reasons for the issues and to do that in an accurate, evidence-based way. <BR /> <BR />In the House, we all want to tackle the scourge of racism. We may have different views — saying, "our crowd on the streets is bigger than your crowd", at a time when many of us were working to keep people off the streets, was foolish — but, today, we need to send a clear, united message that we are all against racism. Racism is wrong, the disorder in the summer was appalling and we will work hard to do everything that we can to tackle that and bring about the inclusive society that we all want to build.”
“I can assure you that the Executive Office and the Department of Finance have worked with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Northern Ireland Office to look at how best to utilise the £600,000 pot of funding that has been provided for here under the UK Government's Community Recovery Fund. Belfast City Council, in conjunction with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has drawn up a wide-ranging plan, and I have already mentioned the Together: Building a United Community review. Unfortunately, the leader of the Opposition spoke and ran, so he is not here to hear any responses to the issues that he raised. Again, it is important to clarify this: my understanding is that the PSNI did not say that there was paramilitary involvement in the organisation of the violence.”
“The working group is tasked with improving the reporting of hate crime, supporting victims of hate crime and reviewing and strengthening legislation as priority actions across statutory bodies. The need to provide the best possible legal protection against racism was highlighted as a key action of the racial equality strategy. Following the 12-week public consultation that was held in 2023, the review of the Race Relations (Northern Ireland) Order 1997 has been completed. The resulting report, which was published in early August, will inform any legislative change and will move us a step closer to a more equal society. <BR /> <BR />I am very conscious that there is a lot more detail in that but, sadly, we have run out of time and I will not be able to go through all of it.”