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.”
The complete record
Every one of 2,234 lines we hold for Emma Pengelly, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 42 of 45.
“I want us to take from today a revived sense of purpose in securing and enhancing our liberties, participation and roles in life in Northern Ireland, while doing what we can to help and support women here and across the world.”
“There is indeed much to grieve when we look internationally, but I welcome the steps that the Assembly has taken on female participation and support.”
“It really struck me from speaking to some of the young women involved in some of the projects around female empowerment that they do not share the expectation that I had in my teenage years in the 1990s and that they see the global threat to female liberty much more starkly now. We must stand united and fight against the rising tide of hate and misogyny internationally and prevent the further crushing of whole generations of women who have so much to give to medicine, art and literature and to the ideas and policies that will shape our world in governments, in offices, in the Civil Service, in businesses and in politics. <BR /> <BR />Maya Angelou, one of the strongest women of recent times and somebody whom I consider to be a role model, said about strong women:”
“The majority of women killed across the world are murdered by a partner or close family member. Closer to home, the England and Wales crime statistics show that one woman is killed every three days by a partner or former partner. I was shocked when I read that statistic. It is not something that we see on the news every night or every week. Even as a child and as a teenager, I laughed at the idea of how shocking it would be to show an ankle as in the customs of 100 years ago, and I had no idea that, in 2016, women around the world would be publicly flogged and even killed for doing just that. <BR /> <BR />The global developments have not just threatened peace and world stability but posed a huge threat to the liberties and rights of women.”
“<BR /> <BR />I remember hearing about the suffragettes, about how women used to have the leave the workplace when they got married, about archaic family law systems where the mother had no rights and about how even a glimpse of an ankle was considered shocking. As a child, those customs, laws and challenges seemed almost unimaginable. We had come so far. Yet, as a woman in my thirties, I look across the world and see what seems to be, at times, a regression in those rights and liberties and in the value of girls and women across the world. <BR /> <BR />The statistics are stark. Some 27 countries still practise female genital mutilation, impacting on 200 million young girls and women. Globally, one in three women will experience violence at the hands of a male partner. Globally, 30% of violence against women starts during pregnancy.”
“I rise to support the motion and to celebrate women, their lives, hopes, ambitions and achievements on this International Women's Day. I welcome the opportunity to shine a light and celebrate the freedoms, rights and liberties that we enjoy in the Assembly, in Northern Ireland and across the world, while noting that more can be done here and much more must be done internationally. <BR /> <BR />When I grew up in Northern Ireland in the 1980s and into my teens in the 1990s, I knew that there had been some challenges for women. However, like so many of my generation, I believed that the world was hurtling towards a point of gender equality and protection — I assumed that that would happen —at which we all had the space, regardless of gender, to choose the opportunities and pathways that we wanted.”
“We anticipate that there will be changes and increased demand as those final projects are rolled out.”
“At this stage we have been working closely with a range of Departments to assess the funding requirements. Like some of the other OFMDFM projects, such as Delivering Social Change, Together: Building a United Community has particular challenges, in that delivery partners are senior responsible owners (SROs) appointed in each of the Departments. The agenda requires us to go out and talk to a range of Departments and assess their spending plans and where they are with the design and roll-out of their projects. <BR /> <BR />We have been undertaking that process for some time. We have secured funds to roll Together: Building a United Community forward into next year, but we will want to place the strategy on a robust footing. Therefore, we will continue that work.”
“It is an excellent example of the strong leadership that is being shown to build a better future for Northern Ireland.”
“Together: Building a United Community reflects the Executive's commitment to improving community relations and continuing the journey towards a more united and shared society. The strategy outlines how government, community and individuals will work together to build a united community and achieve change against the following key priorities: our children and young people, our shared community, our safe community and our cultural expression. The good relations indicators will monitor the Executive's progress on delivery against each of the four key priorities. <BR /> <BR />I am particularly pleased that we have produced an ambitious and robust good relations strategy — something that previous Administrations and other parties failed to achieve.”
“Yes. As outlined, the 101 camps cost around £1·2 million, but that provided many activities for almost 5,000 young people. I believe that that demonstrates value for money at this stage. Early indications are that the evaluation very much confirms that. We understand that the evaluation report was to have been finalised at the end of last week. I understand that Ministers are looking forward to receiving it, probably this week. Certainly, from speaking to officials and those involved, it looks like the evaluation will be very positive.”
“I am happy to write to the Member about the specifics of his question, but I assure him that, in our shared education agenda, integrated education is very much at the centre. Not only that but there is the shared education project initiative that we are funding in OFMDFM along with Atlantic Philanthropies, and all schools, including many integrated primary and post-primary schools, are involved in that. I am happy to write to him about the specific detail of his very specific question, but I assure him that, absolutely, they are included, money is being rolled out and we are getting very positive feedback on our Together: Building a United Community agenda.”
“Yes, we have been carrying out a very detailed evaluation of the pilot, and that included several officials visiting a number of the summer camps to see what was happening on the ground and to get some feedback. We have held a number of stakeholder events among those who participated, and that involved not just the organisers but very much the young people themselves. We will roll this out with some small amendment to the programme criteria for 2016-17. We are confident at this stage that the co-design we have for the project is the correct one, but we remain flexible on that and will continue to listen to feedback and make whatever changes are necessary.”
“One of the headline actions of the Together: Building a United Community strategy was to pilot 100 summer camps in 2015. I am pleased to say that that target was achieved, with 101 camps operating on a local and regional level. <BR /> <BR />Summer camps are about building positive relations between young people aged 11 to 19 on a cross-community basis. They represent an investment of in and around £1·2 million by the Northern Ireland Executive, and approximately 4,200 young people participated in 2015. A reunion event was held on Saturday 13 February in W5 in the SSE Arena. Junior Minister McCann and I attended and were pleased to announce the launch of the substantive summer camps programme in 2016-17.”
“If the Member for Strangford had some basic knowledge of this, he would know that it sits centrally in the Department of Finance and Personnel, giving flexibility to the Minister for distribution when it is required and dependent on the profile of the social investment fund.”
“I am sure that the Member welcomes the fact that part of the reason why the social investment fund has been challenging is that, for the first time — I am sure that the Member for Strangford has heard this from some in his local community as well — this was a fund that applied much, much more widely than the likes of neighbourhood renewal. It applied to many more areas, such as Banbridge, Markethill, mid-Ulster and right across the west of the Province, where hundreds of thousands of pounds — millions of pounds — are going out the door to very good schemes to address need. That was not possible before. If you are going to do things differently, it takes time and effort. <BR /> <BR />I also want to correct the point that was raised about the money sitting in anybody's bank account. This funding is not sitting in OFMDFM.”
“That is a positive thing, because people expect a better and more efficient Assembly and better and more efficient government. I am firmly of the view that good government is not necessarily about the numbers or about keeping them at a high representative level. Rather, it is about the quality, passion and hard work of the individuals involved to deliver changes and the type of government that we want to see. <BR /> <BR />I am grateful for the interest that Members have shown. As I said, the Bill is an important and positive step. It is a good step for the Assembly, and it will change things for the better. I commend the Bill to the Assembly.”
“I am passionate about making this place work, delivering excellent public services and keeping household costs down for our hard-working families, and that is why we are committed to a wider range of improvements and reforms, not just this important Bill today. Progress is being made, and we need to continue to drive it forward. I know that there is the energy and passion to do that in the Executive. <BR /> <BR />I will now deal with Mr John McCallister's comments. I hear that he is resisting some issues around the 108 MLAs. Perhaps it is the case a little bit that everybody wants change but nobody wants to change. Today, we are voting for that change — something that will impact directly on many people in the Chamber.”
“It is a new and fresh approach, and we will push forward with the new agenda with passion and determination. <BR /> <BR />I do not agree with Mr Andy Allen that the uncertainty around the issue should continue into the next mandate. We need to get on with it and complete the work, and that is why today is such an important step in that regard. However, I welcome his support for the Bill's Final Stage. <BR /> <BR />In my opening remarks, I referred to the amendment put forward by the Alliance Party. I know that Mr Chris Lyttle understands the principles of agreement and compromise. I am therefore somewhat baffled as to why he is confused that we are standing by our word and supporting the agreement. That is agreement politics in action, and that is what we will continue to do. We are about reform and efficiency.”
“However, he welcomed the progress and said that it was all good. I know that many Members in the Chamber will wholeheartedly agree with that sentiment. <BR /> <BR />Mr Alex Attwood — unsurprisingly, I suppose — gave the Bill a rather muted welcome. I am indeed a relentless optimist on these issues. The Bill is undoubtedly a positive step. Absolutely no one is suggesting that it will resolve all the issues that we have, but it is an important step towards streamlining the Assembly. On his comment about the official from OFMDFM attending earlier today, I can confirm for the Member that that kind of cross-cutting, cross-departmental approach that is focused on changing and improving outcomes is being led at a policy level by the First Minister and the deputy First Minister.”
“The Bill implements an important commitment from 'A Fresh Start' and sends out a positive message about our willingness to find better ways of doing business together. <BR /> <BR />I turn to the contributions that were made in the debate. I welcome the support of Alex Maskey and of Paul Frew, who commented that it had been a hard slog. I hope that he was not referring just to my contributions, because, of course, the Bill received accelerated passage.”
“I thank Members for their contributions to the Final Stage of the Assembly Members (Reduction of Numbers) Bill and for the issues that they have raised. <BR /> <BR />As I have stated, it is only a short Bill, but it will have significant implications for the size of the Assembly in future. Reform of the structures of government here is overdue, and the Bill, together with the reduction in the number of Departments that we are also legislating for, shows our commitment to a leaner, more efficient structure of government in Northern Ireland and to an Assembly containing a number of MLAs better suited to the size of the jurisdiction and the range of functions over which it has responsibility.”
“<BR /> <BR />We have now reached the Bill's Final Stage, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank those who have contributed, through their support or through constructive debate, to getting the Bill to this stage. It has prompted a wide-ranging, informative and, at times, passionate debate. We are also grateful to Members for the interest that they have shown. Although a small Bill, the Assembly Members (Reduction of Numbers) Bill is nevertheless a significant one that will be seen by the electorate as a measure of the Assembly's willingness to play a full part in the streamlining of our institutions of government. I commend the Bill to the Assembly.”
“<BR /> <BR />Overall, there was support for the principle of the Bill to reduce the number of MLAs elected to this place, but differences arose in respect of the timing of the legislation. Some Members wanted the legislation to pass and the proposed reduction to be in place so that it might apply to the May 2016 Assembly election. However, the nature of consensus government or government by agreement is that the detail must be agreed. That is what we have achieved with compromise in the proposal in this Bill. Other Members wished for the legislation to be considered at a later stage, once the outcome of the parliamentary boundary review would be known. However, we remain firmly of the view that the time for reform has come. People want this change, and we must deliver this change.”
“The accelerated passage debate was followed by the Bill's Second Stage on the same day. This demonstrated broad support for the principles of the Bill. One amendment to the Bill at Consideration Stage on 2 February was tabled by the Alliance Party but was not made, and the Bill's two clauses were voted by the Assembly to stand part. The Bill's Further Consideration Stage was taken last Tuesday, when two ministerial amendments were agreed. These were purely technical adjustments needed to ensure that, if there were to be any delay in Royal Assent being obtained, the reduction in the number of MLAs would still apply to the first Assembly election after May of this year.”
“We are grateful to the Assembly for its support in this matter.”
“<BR /> <BR />This is a straightforward Bill with a simple objective: to reduce by one the number of Members returned by each parliamentary constituency, to have effect from the first Assembly election after that of May 2016. It represents a major step on the road to reforming our institutional structures. In fulfilment of that commitment, the Assembly Members (Reduction of Numbers) Bill was introduced to the Assembly on 12 January 2016. It was recognised that, for the Bill to complete its passage before the dissolution of the Assembly at the end of March, it would be necessary for it to proceed by way of accelerated passage. On 25 January, following consultation with the Assembly and Executive Review Committee, the Assembly agreed and voted, with cross-community support, to allow this procedure to apply to the Bill.”
“<BR /> <BR />Of course, reform of the institutions has been the subject of lengthy and detailed discussion and debate over a considerable time. The Bill represents a major element in the process of reform. We have accepted that this will not in itself resolve inefficiency, but it is an important step in the right direction. The issue addressed in the Bill was the subject of a review and report by the Assembly and Executive Review Committee in 2012. The United Kingdom Government also consulted on the size of the Assembly in August 2012. It was the subject of further detailed consideration during the political process leading to the Stormont House Agreement in December 2014, and it featured in last December's talks process that led to the Fresh Start Agreement.”
“This is a very short Bill with only two clauses, yet it will have significant implications for the way our institutions do business in the future and for the size of the membership of forthcoming Assemblies. During the previous stages, we stated how, at the heart of the Fresh Start Agreement, there is a common commitment to a better way of doing business. Both the Stormont House Agreement and the Fresh Start Agreement set out a number of proposed changes to the institutions so that they might function more efficiently and economically and better meet the needs of citizens. One proposed change was a reduction in the number of Departments. Another was a commitment to reduce from six to five the number of MLAs returned for each constituency.”
“We want to be able to support these communities directly, through the Northern Ireland Executive, and maximise the benefit through better coordination and the identification of other opportunities.”
“I thank the Member for his question. There are two very distinct elements of the Urban Villages programme. One is the additional funds that will be given centrally through the Together: Building a United Community fund, particularly in support of tackling dereliction, physical regeneration and some of the project support that I mentioned. The second element of it, though, is to help many of those communities to be better coordinated and to maximise existing external funds. That may be identifying a plan of action and looking at where the most appropriate fund for that may be. It could, for example, be European funding, funds from the Department for Social Development, or the Department for Communities as it will become. It could be from local government, or perhaps funding entirely external to government.”
“We want the plans to be workable and be able to be phased in. Once we get the plans, they will inform funding decisions on the way forward, probably scheduled over the next two, three and five years, to give us some indication of the drawdown that we need. We expect this to be a largely capital programme. However, at the very heart of this is, under Together: Building a United Community, building the social capital of these communities, so there will be a project or revenue element on encouraging identity, confidence and community spirit within it. <BR /> <BR />We are already working on some projects, including those on events, cultural identity, education and capacity building, while consulting on what capital works are required. In many of these areas, there is a need for capital investment.”
“I thank the Member for his question. Through the Strategic Investment Board, we have appointed a team and a director to coordinate the work, which will continue regardless of the election. It is led by a professional team comprising construction experts, urban experts and regeneration experts. They have been involved in detailed engagement with community organisations and have held community consultation events to really talk to residents, retailers and businesses. <BR /> <BR />I am confident that this work will continue regardless of the election cycle. The aim is to have the development frameworks produced by the end of March, so we are about six weeks away from having those draft plans. There will be an extensive process of consultation. We want the communities to own those plans and see their ideas reflected in them.”
“The Urban Villages team is undertaking a programme of engagement in each of the five urban villages. Stakeholder engagement workshops are taking place until March 2016. The outcome of the engagement will be the creation of integrated development frameworks for each urban village, which will detail, in priority order, the capital and revenue projects identified from the extensive stakeholder engagement. Funding for Urban Villages in 2016-17 will be allocated following consultation with all Departments to identify the funding required to progress headline actions, of which Urban Villages is one.”
“I am glad that places such as Portadown, Banbridge, Fermanagh, Markethill and large parts of my constituency of South Belfast can now benefit from the scheme, when before they were excluded. It has taken time to achieve that, because it is a different way of working, but I am glad that those areas will benefit and will see progress made on the ground.”
“I thank the Member for his question. When we were designing the social investment fund, we listened to the frustrations of many people — community organisations and communities — who felt excluded from the very tight criteria of a number of schemes, such as the neighbourhood renewal scheme in the Department for Social Development. They made it absolutely clear, in particular to the First Minister and the deputy First Minister, that there were considerable needs around dereliction, community halls, employment, childcare and educational underachievement that were much wider than simply the 10% most deprived areas in the multiple deprivation indexes. Therefore, now that we have looked at all the projects that have come through under the scheme, I am glad that there will be a much wider impact.”
“I thank the Member for her question. I am not sure whether the Member is aware, but the steering groups are independent of the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister. The hallmark of the scheme was that it was a community-up scheme; it is not dictated to or influenced by the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister. It is up to the local steering group to meet, and I presume that it meets when it feels that it needs to meet. The Member may want to raise the issue of the local steering group with her party colleague and other members of the group.”
“For example, Work IT has recruited participants, sustaining infrastructure and new directions of appointed design teams, and the community sports programme has received a letter of offer.”
“Mr Speaker, with your permission, I will answer questions 2 and 10 together. <BR /> <BR />Social investment fund momentum is growing. Some 25 projects valued at £37 million have commenced, 10 projects are operational, and many hundreds of participants are already benefiting from early intervention and employment projects. It is making life-changing differences to people and communities facing disadvantage. No groups in Upper Bann are waiting for SIF funding from OFMDFM; indeed, there are four projects, with commitments of around £6·3 million, expected to impact on Upper Bann residents. They have all received a letter of offer from OFMDFM, and it is now over to the lead partner to progress further. <BR /> <BR />Good progress is being made.”
“I urge Members to vote against the amendment and for the proposed way forward that we are outlining — a sensible way that is based on expertise, evidence and careful, thoughtful consideration. Support a way forward that is based on love, compassion and hope.”
“<BR /> <BR />I look around me, at the Benches and my colleagues, and I see very many mothers and fathers, some of whom have suffered the devastating loss of a child, through miscarriage, illness or premature death. That loss is painful and acute. It is a loss that will never fully dissipate, but I know that our collective experience is what shapes our approach of compassion and kindness. I urge Members here today to stop, step back and search your heart and your mind. If ever there was an issue to take time and be fully informed about, this is it. It is indeed a matter of life and death.”
“We all need to hear more fully the views of the Royal College and others. We all need the opportunity to ask those vital questions to get the appropriate advice. That is why the working group is the best and most appropriate way forward. <BR /> <BR />I have not had the beautiful privilege to have brought a child into this world, but I can empathise with all my heart that the wished-for and the longed-for can turn so quickly to tragedy. The way forward that we are proposing is a compassionate one. It is a sensible one, and it is a common-sense one that will leave all of us in a much better and informed position to chart a loving and kind way forward and give the necessary clarity to those dealing with these issues.”
“I have already outlined that I will not. <BR /> <BR />There are some who will be comfortable with that, but I know that many, not only in this Chamber but across Northern Ireland, particularly those of faith and strong values, will not be comfortable with that. Tread carefully. That is why the DUP is rejecting the amendment but outlining a road map to a sensible, informed and appropriate way forward. The Minister of Health has been asked to establish, by the end of February, a working group that will include clinicians in this field and legally qualified persons to make recommendations on how this issue can be addressed, including, if necessary, bringing forward draft legislation. We have asked that all interested parties should be consulted and that the group will be tasked to report within six months.”
“He cautioned in the strongest terms that to do otherwise, to accept an amendment without that, risks entering the dangerous territory of eugenics: picking and choosing who should live and who should die based on genetics and characteristics.”
“Given the very personal and solemn issues that we are discussing, I do not believe that it would be appropriate to engage in any kind of heated debate across the Chamber. <BR /> <BR />The debate thus far has not been an informed one. Mistakes have and are being made. Medical experts advise that there is no such term as "fatal foetal abnormality". The test and balance of proof is not clearly articulated in this amendment. Key voices of expertise are missing. This is evidenced by the contribution by the chair of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists in Northern Ireland stating clearly, just this morning, that any decision must be based and dependent on the effect of the pregnancy on the health of the mother. This is absent from the proposed amendment.”
“This is not the way to conduct business. This issue is much too important and much too complex. The debate thus far has not been —”
“It is wrong that an issue of such gravity should be pulled together and thrust on Northern Ireland by way of a last-minute amendment, stapled awkwardly onto a miscellaneous Bill.”
“<BR /> <BR />The intervention of Mr Lyttle in the previous speech about a potential amendment and Mr Dickson's comments on what is perhaps the ambiguity of the word "likely" in his amendment only supports our view that we should take the time to fully consider and listen to the experts in the field.”
“It is, therefore, a matter of some surprise and disappointment that he is now attempting one of the most significant changes to the law of Northern Ireland in decades by way of an amendment. <BR /> <BR />The DUP opposes the extension of the 1967 Act to Northern Ireland. The issue before us today is somewhat separate from that but is no less important. It requires — it demands — careful consideration from the medical professionals, practitioners, families and ethics and legal experts to ensure that sufficient and proper clarity and guidance are the hallmarks of the way forward. That is absolutely essential to ensure that the arrangements are fully grounded in compassion, good law, support and the protection of our integrity and to ensure that our societal values and rights are properly and carefully balanced and maintained.”
“That is a direct quotation. He outlined clearly that any major change to the law should not be done that way and that we, as legislators, in dealing with any proposed major changes:”