Alastair Patterson
Fermanagh and South Tyrone · Ulster Unionist Party · Northern Ireland
“It was talked about again last February. There would have been time then. In fact, there would have been time to consult and implement such a panel when the Department spoke to the Committee last November.”
“As a relatively new Member, I am told that this order came up before the Committee quite regularly over the last 12 months. I believe that it was my predecessor on the Committee, Sandra Overend, who first, rightly, highlighted the problem with the list of bodies.”
“In reality, however, given the likelihood of differing legal opinions on the same issue, I suspect that it will not have been the safeguard that the DUP initially thought it would. Other concerns raised during the progression of the Bill are still valid to this day.”
“Whilst I am glad that the Department eventually fixed its wording, it was indicative of a wider lapse of attention. Instead, what we have before us is just a fig leaf; a smokescreen to save the blushes of the Department, which has really bungled the roll-out of these standing orders.”
“<BR /> <BR />As has been said, the 2014 Act stipulated that councils' standing orders must include issues such as specifying the decisions that would require a qualified majority, and provision for reconsideration or call-in of a decision if requested by 15% of the members of a council.”
“This is the fundamental point: CCMS will already have ample opportunity to engage with the community planning process through its prominent position on the local Education Authority, yet it is still to be specifically listed as a stand-alone body in the order as well.”
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“Given that European funding could make up 40% of the total package for the York Street interchange, has the Minister given thought to the effect that Brexit would have on the future of this much-needed project?”
“<BR /> <BR />I want to conclude my remarks by paying tribute to our Committee Chair on her chairing of the Committee. In my short time on the Committee, I have seen that there is no doubt that she is indeed a very special lady. I want to wish her well as she retires. I also want to mention my fellow Committee member Alban Maginness, who also retires at the end of the Assembly term. In the short time that I have been here, I have found Alban to be a very honourable and sincere man. I wish him well in his retirement.”
“Whilst I am glad that the Department eventually fixed its wording, it was indicative of a wider lapse of attention. Instead, what we have before us is just a fig leaf; a smokescreen to save the blushes of the Department, which has really bungled the roll-out of these standing orders. <BR /> <BR />That having been said, regulations are needed for local government at council level right across Northern Ireland. Councils require uniformity of practice, and they need to receive guidance from the Department of the Environment. As I said, I am disappointed that the necessary progress was not made on the matter, but we are content to support the Department, as most councils are largely already acting in the manner that is proposed. We will support the matter.”
“It was talked about again last February. There would have been time then. In fact, there would have been time to consult and implement such a panel when the Department spoke to the Committee last November. Yet, in reality, they spent so long saying that they did not have time to set it up that they actually squandered more than ample opportunity to do so. Frankly, the whole thing is farcical. <BR /> <BR />The revised regulations now specify that, where the legal opinion indicates a risk that the decision is outside the powers of the council, is incompatible with EU law or convention rights or is not in compliance with a council's equality scheme, a qualified majority would be required. Of course, it took only the most basic research to realise that all the councils across Northern Ireland have slightly differing equality schemes.”
“In reality, however, given the likelihood of differing legal opinions on the same issue, I suspect that it will not have been the safeguard that the DUP initially thought it would. Other concerns raised during the progression of the Bill are still valid to this day. For instance, the Act and today's regulations talk about a disproportionate adverse impact, without giving even the slightest indication of what would constitute such an impact. Maybe the Minister could provide some long overdue clarity. <BR /> <BR />Some weeks ago, the officials were before the Committee again to explain these regulations. What struck me most in their evidence was the reference to how they could not proceed with a panel of legal advisers because there was no time. The issue was first mooted over two years ago. There would have been time then.”
“<BR /> <BR />As has been said, the 2014 Act stipulated that councils' standing orders must include issues such as specifying the decisions that would require a qualified majority, and provision for reconsideration or call-in of a decision if requested by 15% of the members of a council. That could be done on grounds of the decision not being made after proper consideration of the relevant facts and issues, or where it would disproportionately affect in an adverse way inhabitants of the district. <BR /> <BR />I am aware that concerns were raised previously that the provision no longer allowed the opinion of the barrister or solicitor to act as a filter for those decisions that would require a qualified majority.”
“I welcome the opportunity to speak on the regulations as the Ulster Unionist Party environment spokesperson. However, I have read the transcript of the debate from last February, and it certainly seems to be a case of déjà vu all over again. Of course, not only is the Department trying to push through effectively the same regulation under the smokescreen of slightly tightened wording, but we have the DUP using and abusing a mechanism designed to protect communities to block a mechanism designed to protect communities. You really could not make it up. What a depressing debate on the penultimate day of what many consider to have been a pretty uninspiring Assembly term.”
“This is about ensuring parity in our local education system so that one system does not unwittingly develop a further advantage over another. I am disappointed that the Minister and his officials, for whatever reason, so belligerently refused to genuinely engage with my party on these concerns. I suspect that party political ideology may have once again prevented the Minister from carrying out his role in the most sensible manner. I am equally disappointed that some other parties also did not support our concerns. I want to make it clear that I oppose today's order, and I urge others to do likewise. If this order is made, it will be setting a very dangerous precedent.”
“This is the fundamental point: CCMS will already have ample opportunity to engage with the community planning process through its prominent position on the local Education Authority, yet it is still to be specifically listed as a stand-alone body in the order as well. If today's order is made, it will be fundamentally unfair, as it will give the CCMS a second bite of the cherry, whilst all other sectors are expected to engage with the process through the means of the Education Authority. The controlled sector will have to work within the authority, and I believe that the integrated sector even turned down the offer of being listed. <BR /> <BR />Let me be crystal clear: this is not some petty attack on CCMS.”
“Indeed, the Minister's own description of those positions is that they:”
“As a relatively new Member, I am told that this order came up before the Committee quite regularly over the last 12 months. I believe that it was my predecessor on the Committee, Sandra Overend, who first, rightly, highlighted the problem with the list of bodies. It was not only the omission of major bodies such as the Departments but the specific inclusion of CCMS that concerned my party. Whilst I fully recognise that the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools is a very important body in the provision and future planning of education in Northern Ireland, the difficulty that many people have with today's order is the fact that the Education Authority is also listed in the order. Following the Education Act (Northern Ireland) 2014, CCMS was awarded an integral role on the Education Authority, having four members on the board.”
“Given the case of Cody the dog near Moira and the utterly disgusting attack on Tiger the cat in Hillsborough last week, will the Minister agree that sentences must be handed out by the courts that reflect public revulsion at the people who commit such crimes?”
“I note with interest the Minister's responses thus far. Manufacturing NI has consistently asked for a manufacturing strategy. However, like it, I am deeply disappointed that successive Enterprise, Trade and Investment Ministers have overlooked this key sector. With manufacturing being a key employer in my constituency, will the Minister give a commitment that he will ensure that the next Programme for Government contains a pledge for such a strategy?”
“Can the Minister provide an update on what discussions he has held with local stakeholders, such as the CBI, the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) and Manufacturing NI, so that, as economy Minister, he remains able to represent the views of local business leaders?”
“Although I have been on the Committee for only five weeks, I want to join other members in paying tribute to our Chair, Anna Lo, our Deputy Chair, Pam Cameron, and also our Clerk, Ciara. It is an all-woman set-up today on International Women's Day. I want to pay tribute to them for the work that they have done in the five weeks that I have witnessed it. Well done. <BR /> <BR />I want to finish by commending the report and all those involved in looking into the serious and important issue. We all have a duty of care to prevent pollution and must do everything that is reasonably practicable to do so.”
“The Republic of Ireland introduced a replacement scheme for older or defective tanks in 2012, so I ask the Minister for an update on what work is going on in the background to address the problem in Northern Ireland.”
“I would like to mention one that is particularly relevant in Northern Ireland. There are, I believe, approximately 16,000 un-consented septic tanks here, and there are many thousands more across our countryside that have the right permissions but are no longer near the required standards. Indeed, it was found that 12% of phosphate pollution reaching Lough Erne came from septic tanks. As the issue paper says, there was consensus that more work was required to better understand and reduce the impact of pollution from septic tanks, as it is a much larger problem than is currently thought.”
“Therefore, it is an obvious area that the Department, as well as the Committee, needs to focus on. In addition, there are too many reports of rivers, often the same ones, being polluted and resulting in all levels of fish kills. The ecological damage of those incidents can be devastating and can leave a lasting legacy. It is frustrating to hear about certain rivers being repeatedly polluted when it is obvious that a single site or business is responsible. We need to remember that most pollution incidents are avoidable. Careful planning to prevent pollution costs little. However, the costs of cleaning up pollution incidents can be significant. <BR /> <BR />The sources of river pollution, as the Committee heard, are varied, and I know that other Members have referred to sewage treatment plants.”
“I welcome the opportunity to speak on the report. I was not a Member of the House, never mind a member of the Environment Committee, in November, when the discussions on these issues began. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend the stakeholder event in February. However, having read the report, I see that it was wide-ranging, covering all the issues ranging from the causes of pollution to the legislation surrounding it. <BR /> <BR />A substantial proportion of Northern Ireland's water bodies in each of the river basin districts are already classed as being in relatively good status. However, there are a couple of areas, such as Lough Neagh and the tributaries that surround it, that are among the most polluted waterways in Europe. That is deeply worrying.”
“Maybe I can inform the Minister that I am aware that his Department received an additional £80 million in the monitoring rounds last year, yet the situation in my constituency of Fermanagh and South Tyrone continued to deteriorate. When will he get to grips with the crisis in waiting times?”
“I thank the Minister for his responses thus far. The Budget anticipates some £55 million financial transactions capital being available in 2016-17 for the Northern Ireland investment fund. Will that figure be increased by the year-end carry-forward, and is it clear that the fund can be used for economic development projects?”
“I thank the Minister for his responses so far. Many people affected by flooding have been left seriously disappointed by the Executive's response to flooding in general. Does the Minister agree that more could have been done, particularly to support businesses, community facilities, churches etc?”
“Does the Minister agree with Save the Children's Read On. Get On policy assertion that the ability to read well is one of the best routes out of poverty for children? If so, what actions are being planned to support that policy?”
“I thank the Minister for his answers so far. Does he agree that there is a contradiction in the responsibility for the ESF being retained within the new Department for the Economy, whilst measures to tackle economic inactivity, which are often supported by the ESF, will be the responsibility of the Department for Communities?”
“I note with interest the Minister's comments. Does the Minister recognise that sustainability and affordability must also be taken into consideration when making decisions on Irish-medium against official advice and the recommendations of his ministerial advisory group, as in the case of Dungiven and, possibly, the Lisnaskea project, if it goes ahead? Many people will come to the conclusion that he has made decisions on political and not evidence-based grounds.”
“That business is only one example of why the current system is ineffective, why we so badly need these closure orders and why we need improved legislation to enable the issuing of stop notices.”
“<BR /> <BR />Whilst those businesses will know that they are doing something wrong and they may even have been told so by officials, unfortunately, the length of time it often takes for those cases to go through the judicial system means that it is often worthwhile continuing their trading. Indeed, in an article in the local Fermanagh papers in October 2013, it was noted that a business in Enniskillen had its exemption for waste management licensing removed and was stripped of its authority to accept any type of waste. I wonder if the Minister can confirm whether, several years later, that business is still operating. I know that his Department is aware of it, if for no other reason than, not long ago, it was part of a major pollution source in the local waterways.”
“The churchgoers who have the lead removed from their church roof, the building contractor who has metal products taken from their yard, or the people who have had their phone or electric wires cut, quite frankly, do not really care whether the Department of the Environment thinks that it is a matter for the Department of Justice. That approach is a classic example of silo mentalities getting in the way of making progress. Nevertheless, I welcome today's debate. <BR /> <BR />I will limit the remainder of my comments primarily to amendment No 40, which proposes a new clause to make provisions for closing unlicensed sites. That, in my mind, makes a great deal of sense. Neither the Department nor the Minister will deny that there are sites dealing with waste products freely operating without a licence across Northern Ireland.”
“From the outset, I pay tribute to my party colleague Roy Beggs for bringing forward this piece of legislation. I speak as the newest member of the Committee and as Ulster Unionist Party spokesperson on the environment. <BR /> <BR />None of us will or can deny that metal theft is a problem in Northern Ireland or that when materials such as copper or lead are stolen, the cost of repairing the damage often far outweighs the value of the materials taken. However, I must say that, given that Northern Ireland has the weakest regulation of the scrap metal dealing industry in the United Kingdom, it is particularly disappointing how the Assembly and several Departments have responded to the draft legislation. I made that point soon after joining the Committee for the Environment.”
“Can the Minister provide an update on present staffing levels in Forest Service? Does she accept the concerns of many existing staff about its future ability to manage forests, given the shrinking and ageing workforce?”
“I thank the Minister for his responses on this issue. Does the Minister accept that significantly more people — up to some 80% of those reaching state pension age in 2016-17 — are not going to have a better outcome under the new system? Would the Minister share my concerns that the change in the restriction on women drawing down from their husbands' National Insurance contributions could result in some not receiving a pension at all?”
“I thank the Minister for her response on those three roads, to which £625,000 has been allocated. In some ways, that seems like a drop in the lough to complete the raising of the roads. It may be an indication that the Executive still seem unprepared to tackle the wider issues of flooding in Fermanagh. Can she confirm whether those projects will be completed entirely with the flooding fund or whether a substantial amount of money will be taken from the DRD budget for 2016-17?”
“As the Minister noted, we will soon see the Land Acquisition and Compensation (Amendment) Bill passed, which will bring parity for those in Northern Ireland affected by projects such as the A5. Will the Minister ensure that measures are in place to maintain parity, should there be further enhancements in the level of compensation awarded in England and Wales in the future?”
“I thank the Minister for his responses so far. As someone who comes from a construction background, it was good to hear that we will give the assistance that is needed to the construction sector. I understand that financial transaction capital has been included in the Budget for the housing sector. Can the Minister advise whether that option is more favourable than the use of conventional capital for new housebuilding?”
“I thank the Minister for his responses so far. In relation to the taxi regulations — as he is aware, they have generated mush heated debate at times — one area that has received little attention is how they will work on a cross-border basis. Can the Minister explain whether taxis coming from the Republic will have to conform to the modifications being forced on Northern Ireland taxi firms?”
“I welcome the comments of the Minister, and his welcome to the House. <BR /> <BR />The Minister announced the sudden closure of the renewable heat initiative last Friday, after 6.00 pm, in a press release. In his press release, he mentioned that around 6% of Northern Ireland's heating needs are now provided through renewable technologies. The Executive's Programme for Government renewable heat target is 10% by 2020. Has the Minister abandoned that target? Does he still have an incentive policy for renewables? A lot of firms have invested money into this and need answers from the Minister.”
“Let us, the elected representatives, ensure that the people we represent are our highest priority and get our greatest attention.”
“I want to build an approach to all business in the House on the strong foundations of mutual respect and understanding and to play my part in building a strong Northern Ireland that we can be proud of. <BR /> <BR />I will finish with an extract from a sermon that I delivered in my church on Sunday 31 January, which I feel should be our aim. It was this:”
“I will be seeking clarification from the Education Minister about why, after 10 years, the pupils of Devenish College still do not have the new school that they were promised. The cramped conditions of their existing, outdated school campus certainly are not helping their education. <BR /> <BR />On this day, I make it clear that it is my priority to represent all the people of my constituency of Fermanagh and South Tyrone. I make it clear to all Members that I will extend the hand of friendship to them all to work for the benefit of all the people. I was brought up in a very traditional home, and I was taught by my mother and my late father to show respect to all.”
“Keeping so many people waiting for so long, all of whom are experiencing a great deal of anxiety and many of whom are in pain, is simply unacceptable. <BR /> <BR />Education will be another priority —”
“On behalf of our people, I will be pressing our Health Minister on the need for more resources, in particular for the South West Acute Hospital, which sadly does not even have full-time doctor cover at weekends. That is extremely sad. It seems that you are not allowed to be sick at weekends. Another issue that has shocked me already is the sheer length of time that patients are forced to wait for diagnostic tests and treatment. In particular, it is extremely unacceptable that the number of people forced to wait longer than the maximum 18 weeks for an appointment with a consultant in the South Tyrone has jumped from 16 three years ago to a massive 1,414 at the end of last year. There was a similar upsurge at the South West Acute Hospital from 38 to 1,566.”
“<BR /> <BR />Representing Fermanagh and South Tyrone, an area of outstanding natural beauty where tourism is extremely important, I pledge myself to working with all Members to promote, whenever and wherever we can, what Northern Ireland has to offer, especially in this year of food and drink. We must ensure that we promote hospitality to all. I confess to having a vested interest in the area of hospitality, as my wife, Olga, is chair of Hospitality Ulster. Trust me, Mr Speaker, going home does not even bring about quietness, as I am often lobbied there on the needs of our hospitality industry and its request to reform Northern Ireland's outdated licensing laws. <BR /> <BR />Health will be one of my priorities in the House.”
“I certainly look forward to the challenges that lie ahead over the next few busy weeks in the House as the term comes to an end. I want to build on the legacy of my predecessors and provide strong representation. I promise to work tirelessly for all the people of my amazing and picturesque constituency, which has so much to offer. <BR /> <BR />I want to bring my 20 years of successful business experience in the construction industry to the House and work towards building a better future for all our people, regardless of religion, political stance, race or gender. I want to build a Northern Ireland that we can all be proud of and that people from all over the world want to visit.”
“I also pay tribute to my predecessor Mr Neil Somerville, who sadly resigned due to ill health. I am pleased to inform the House that, at a recent handover meeting, Neil informed me that his health is improving and that he is doing much better. I am sure that the entire House would like to join me today in wishing Neil continued, improving and good health in the days, weeks, months and years that lie ahead. Neil made the brave decision to resign from the House, and I want to put on record my thanks to him for all that he has done for Fermanagh and South Tyrone. I wish him, his wife and his family God's richest blessing going into the future. <BR /> <BR />Representation of the people of Fermanagh and South Tyrone has been passed to me.”
“Tom has been a tireless worker for the people of his constituency and for all the people of Northern Ireland. Following his success in the election of May 2015, he proudly represents our constituency and the Ulster Unionist Party in our mother Parliament at Westminster.”
“Therefore, I wish the new Department well in its efforts to reform and modernise our new regulatory framework through regulations. However, I urge the next Minister to realise the importance of genuine consultation with not only the Committee but the industries that will need to comply with the new framework. <BR /> <BR />I am deeply humbled and honoured at my recent selection by the constituency association of Fermanagh and South Tyrone to carry on the mandate and excellent work of the elected Member Tom Elliott MP, who was an outstanding representative for Fermanagh and South Tyrone in the House since his first election here in 2003.”
“I very much welcome the opportunity to make my first contribution to the House. Before I make a few wider comments, as the Ulster Unionist Party's new spokesperson for the environment, I will say that I am glad to see the Bill completing its legislative process. I was also pleased to see that, when the Assembly previously debated the Bill, it resulted in several further amendments being made. It was Sandra Overend who sat on the Committee. I know, from talking to her, that it was maybe not the most typical of Bills, even to someone completely new to the House. The Bill sounds well-meaning, but it is, undoubtedly, light on detail in new policy direction. Having read the Committee report, I realise that the Bill is what is considered to be enabling legislation.”