Kellie Armstrong
Strangford · Alliance Party · Northern Ireland
“I welcome the opportunity to speak in support of the Fisheries, Aquaculture and Water Environment Bill. It is timely and important. Miss McIlveen, a fellow MLA for the Strangford constituency, has just spoken.”
“<BR /> <BR />The Bill reflects the realities of the post-Brexit landscape by aligning protections here with those in other UK jurisdictions and the UK Fisheries Act. That consistency is important for standards, enforcement and international confidence in our products.”
“Last year, I met the Department and we discussed that. The opportunities for seaweed farming in Strangford lough are wonderful, and the opportunities from seaweed that Queen's University has identified are incredible. We are lucky to have those opportunities on our doorstep, as long as there is licensing and it is properly looked after.”
“Moving beyond managing individual fisheries, the Bill recognises the interconnected nature of our rivers, loughs and seas — an approach that is very much in line with Alliance's commitment to evidence-based environmental policy. The inclusion of a national benefit objective is also significant.”
“A while ago, we saw that commercial bottom trawling had all but decimated the horse mussel population in Strangford lough. It has since been changed to a special area of conservation. That limits a lot of activity in the lough, which is not a bad thing considering that horse mussels are coming back.”
“They allow for timely action on lower-level offences without over-burdening the courts while still acting as a meaningful deterrent. If only everybody were acting properly, we would not need to have those deterrents, but we are where we are, and the Bill hopes to improve upon that.”
The complete record
Every one of 2,635 lines we hold for Kellie Armstrong, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 1 of 53.
“Those are the sorts of things that girls put up with day and daily. It is absolutely right that girls should be able to wear something that not only provides them with dignity but keeps them warm — I know that we have had some good weather — at times when Northern Ireland is not warm, and they have the spray of waves, freezing cold rain or snow hitting their legs. Do Members understand how demoralising it is for young girls when they see everybody else — all the boys — walking around wearing trousers while they are freezing?”
“I thank the Member for giving way. Her comments remind me of the absolutely ridiculous circumstance that we have in the winter, when girls are walking about absolutely freezing in their skirts. I travelled to my school on a ferry, as many pupils still do today — well, perhaps not today, because they probably finished school today. My skirt would whip up and flash my underwear. I would have soaking wet legs because the school did not allow us to wear tights, as they were not suitable.”
“For those reasons, and in line with Alliance's commitment to protecting the environment while supporting sustainable economic growth, I am pleased to support the Minister and the Bill, and I welcome the opportunity for the Bill to go forward to the Committee for further consideration.”
“They allow for timely action on lower-level offences without over-burdening the courts while still acting as a meaningful deterrent. If only everybody were acting properly, we would not need to have those deterrents, but we are where we are, and the Bill hopes to improve upon that. <BR /> <BR />Importantly, the Bill strengthens our response to water pollution, including sewage and waste water. That is an issue of real concern for communities across Northern Ireland, and it is right that we take stronger action. <BR /> <BR />The Bill represents progress for fisheries, aquaculture and the water environment. It modernises our approach, strengthens environmental protections, supports sustainable industry and improves accountability.”
“Last year, I met the Department and we discussed that. The opportunities for seaweed farming in Strangford lough are wonderful, and the opportunities from seaweed that Queen's University has identified are incredible. We are lucky to have those opportunities on our doorstep, as long as there is licensing and it is properly looked after. <BR /> <BR />Strong policy must, of course, be backed by effective enforcement. The Bill strengthens enforcement powers, increases maximum penalties and introduces fixed penalty notices for some minor offences. That creates a fairer and more proportionate system while ensuring that breaches are taken seriously. I have seen fish kills and pollution in waterways in my constituency, and I want to ensure that everyone involved is prosecuted fairly. Fixed penalty notices are a practical tool.”
“Moving beyond managing individual fisheries, the Bill recognises the interconnected nature of our rivers, loughs and seas — an approach that is very much in line with Alliance's commitment to evidence-based environmental policy. The inclusion of a national benefit objective is also significant. It ensures that fisheries policy will support not just the environment but local economies, jobs and communities, particularly in rural and coastal areas such as in the constituency that I am delighted to live in and represent. <BR /> <BR />The provisions on aquaculture are another positive step. By clearly defining the sector and enabling the licensing of emerging activities, such as seaweed farming, the Bill supports innovation while maintaining environmental safeguards. I thank the Department and the Minister.”
“<BR /> <BR />The Bill reflects the realities of the post-Brexit landscape by aligning protections here with those in other UK jurisdictions and the UK Fisheries Act. That consistency is important for standards, enforcement and international confidence in our products. The Bill is built on pillars: the management of inland fisheries and the protection of the marine environment, both of which have been widely consulted on and have strong support. I look forward to hearing how the AERA Committee considers that through its consultation period. <BR /> <BR />The key strength of the Bill is the introduction of clear policy objectives alongside a requirement for an inland fisheries policy statement. That will improve transparency, accountability and long-term planning. Equally important is the shift to an ecosystem-based approach.”
“A while ago, we saw that commercial bottom trawling had all but decimated the horse mussel population in Strangford lough. It has since been changed to a special area of conservation. That limits a lot of activity in the lough, which is not a bad thing considering that horse mussels are coming back. We all have a shared responsibility, and I am delighted that those partners have helped to co-design the Bill. <BR /> <BR />At its heart, the Bill is about improving how we manage our inland waters. Sustainable fish stocks are critical not only for biodiversity but for the long-term future of the fishing sector. If managed properly, fisheries support local jobs, sustain rural and coastal communities, contribute to food security and open up access to wider markets.”
“Environmental protection and economic growth must go hand in hand, as Miss McIlveen highlighted. Healthy ecosystems are not a barrier to prosperity; they are a foundation of it. The Bill also contributes directly to the Programme for Government's commitment to protect Lough Neagh and our wider environment. Given the growing public concern about water quality and pollution, that focus is necessary and welcome. <BR /> <BR />I recognise the collaborative approach that has been taken in developing the Bill. It has been co-designed with the fishing industry, angling groups and environmental organisations. That engagement strengthens the Bill and reflects the responsibility that we all share to protect our natural resources.”
“I welcome the opportunity to speak in support of the Fisheries, Aquaculture and Water Environment Bill. It is timely and important. Miss McIlveen, a fellow MLA for the Strangford constituency, has just spoken. We have the longest coastline of all constituencies across Northern Ireland: we have the Irish Sea and, of course, the beautiful Strangford lough. That means that the Bill is extremely important to me and my colleagues Mr Harvey and Miss McIlveen. <BR /> <BR />The Bill modernises an outdated legal framework and brings it into line with the environmental and economic challenges that we face. In doing so, it supports commercial and recreational fishing, while placing sustainability and the protection of our inland waters at its core. I heard Mr Butler talk about the balance. That balance is essential for me and the Alliance Party.”
“Content that we had explored the option, the Committee decided not to consider the mandatory provision of DPMs any further. It was content that the draft Standing Order would focus on codifying the current role of the Examiner of Statutory Rules. Having settled our policy position, we issued instructions for the drafting of a new Standing Order, and, after a few revisions, the Committee agreed the motion before you today at its meeting on 10 June 2026. The new Standing Order is Standing Order 43A. On behalf of the Committee, a letter was sent to all MLAs informing them of the considerations undertaken by the Committee on Procedures, and I trust that Members found that useful and that it will assist them if they want to contribute to the debate today. I commend the new Standing Order to the Assembly.”
“The Bill Office also indicated that, for those Members' Bills that are currently progressing to Committee Stage, the ESR has indicated that it would be possible to undertake the scrutiny without the provision of a DPM.”
“We asked the Bill Office for an opinion and were informed that, with a few exceptions, that convention is working well and Committees report few issues or problems. We sought the views of the Executive Office on that possible provision but received no reply. We also asked the Bill Office whether a DPM should be provided with non-Executive Bills, such as Members' Bills or Committee Bills. The Bill Office informed us that it would be good practice to do so and that, although most Members' Bills had few, if any, delegated powers, in future, non-Executive Bill sponsors would be asked to provide a DPM. For most Members' Bills and Committee Bills, that could be facilitated through the contract that the Bill Office has in place for drafting Bills.”
“The Committee therefore agreed to formalise in Standing Orders the role of the Examiner of Statutory Rules, including the publication of her reports. It also agreed that the provision would not apply to Bills that proceed by accelerated passage because the role of the ESR is linked to that of the relevant Committee and such Bills are not referred to a Committee. The Committee on Procedures recommends, however, that the issue be considered by our successor Committee in the new mandate. <BR /> <BR />As previously mentioned, Civil Service guidance is that Departments provide a DPM to a Statutory Committee. We explored whether to formalise that provision and to extend the draft Standing Order, making it mandatory that a DPM be provided with every Bill that is introduced.”
“That report recommended that the Committee on Procedures examine whether Standing Orders should include the role of the Examiner of Statutory Rules in scrutinising delegated powers in Bills, including those that are taken by accelerated passage, and whether advice from the Examiner of Statutory Rules to Committees should be published. <BR /> <BR />The Committee undertook its investigations by being briefed by the Examiner, Ms Angela Kelly, noting that, while current arrangements for her role are working well, they do not allow for publication of her reports. That creates a potential lack of transparency for Departments, stakeholders and the public regarding a decision by a Committee on delegated powers in a Bill.”
“The benefits of scrutiny of the DPM by Statutory Committees include facilitating detailed analysis of what the delegated power does and whether it is appropriate for the power to be left to delegated or subordinate legislation rather than be included in the Bill itself. The scrutiny also considers whether the choice of Assembly control that is provided for each power — confirmatory, affirmative, negative or none — is the most appropriate. The Committee considered that issue following a recommendation in the Chairpersons' Liaison Group's 2020 'Report on Strengthening Committee Scrutiny'.”
“Guidance from the Northern Ireland Civil Service legislative programme secretariat in the Executive Office recommends that a Department should provide a delegated powers memorandum (DPM) for all Bills except those that are proceeding by accelerated passage. The guidance also states that the DPM should be provided to the relevant Committee as soon as possible after a Bill is introduced and no later than completion of the Bill's Second Stage. <BR /> <BR />Assembly Committees routinely publish a DPM as part of the Committee report on a Bill. That procedure is not formally set out in Standing Orders but has operated by convention since 2007. A DPM is not routinely provided for non-Executive Bills.”
“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I do not think that we will take a full hour. I am sure that everybody will be glad to hear that. <BR /> <BR />I rise to inform you of the work of the Committee on Procedures regarding the scrutiny of delegated powers in Bills and our consideration of whether Standing Orders should formally recognise the role that is carried out by the Assembly's Examiner of Statutory Rules (ESR). <BR /> <BR />The Committee has carefully examined how delegated powers are scrutinised and how that process might be strengthened. Currently, Statutory Committees scrutinise delegated powers in Bills with technical support from the Examiner of Statutory Rules.”
“<BR /> <BR />In my capacity as Chairperson of the Committee on Procedures, I place on record my thanks to the members of the Committee on Procedures and the Committee on Standards and Privileges, the Committee Clerks and everyone else who helps us with those Committees for the work that they undertook to enable the proposed changes to Standing Orders to be brought to the Assembly. I look forward to the contributions of Members.”
“Standing Order 69A covers the Northern Ireland Assembly Commissioner for Standards, and paragraph (5)(a) sets out what the Commissioner must investigate on referral by the Committee on Standards and Privileges. The amendment removes references to "Privileges" but continues to provide for investigation by the Commissioner referrals by the Committee that relate to the conduct of Members. <BR /> <BR />The proposed changes to Standing Orders, requested by the Committee on Standards and Privileges — soon to be renamed the Committee on Standards, if the motion is passed — address outstanding issues from the review of the code of conduct and the anomaly that is Standing Order 70. The Committee on Procedures is, therefore, pleased to bring them to the Assembly for approval.”
“<BR /> <BR />The amendment to Standing Order 69A(5) replaces paragraph (a), which makes reference to "and Privileges", with:”
“That amendment provides for the investigating of unauthorised disclosure of information — in other words, leaks — as an alleged breach of the code rather than as an alleged breach of privilege, and implements the preferred approach for dealing with those matters as set out in the Committee on Standards and Privileges report of the review of the code of conduct undertaken in the 2011-16 mandate. <BR /> <BR />The amendments to Standing Orders 69A(3), 69A(4), 69B(1) and 69C(2) remove the words "and Privileges" from the name of the Committee on Standards and Privileges. That Committee, if the motion is passed, will be called the Committee on Standards, which is a more appropriate title following the repeal of Standing Order 70.”
“<BR /> <BR />The amendments to Standing Order 57 remove the reference to "and Privileges" in the Committee name in the heading and in paragraph (1), and replaces paragraph (1)(a), which references matters of privilege, with:”
“and replaces it with a reference to matters that could create a substantial risk of serious prejudice to active legal proceedings. <BR /> <BR />When considering that consequential amendment, the Committee on Procedures discussed the policy intent and sought the views of the Speaker and the Business Committee. Noting that the amendment maintains consistency between Standing Order 22(2) and Standing Order 73, which covers sub judice and means that the Business Committee would consider the scheduling of a petition with the benefit of the knowledge that the Speaker had exercised his discretion pursuant to Standing Order 73 to permit the petition, the Committee agreed that it was content with that approach.”
“Standing Order 22 covers public petitions, and the amendment to paragraph (2) of that Standing Order removes the reference to considering matters:”
“<BR /> <BR />Upon receipt of the request from the Committee on Standards and Privileges, and having considered the information provided on the comprehensive policy review, the Committee on Procedures agreed to seek legal advice on the procedural aspects of making the proposed changes to Standing Orders. Following receipt of that advice, and whilst consulting with the Speaker and the Business Committee on one of the consequential amendments, the Committee agreed to bring forward the motion that is before the Assembly, seeking agreement to make the changes. <BR /> <BR />With the repeal of Standing Order 70, a number of consequential amendments need to be made to Standing Orders, and I will now run through them.”
“I am not going to say more about the background to the rationale for that decision as I know that Cathy Mason MLA, Chairperson of the Committee on Standards and Privileges, intends to cover that in detail in her contribution. <BR /> <BR />A joint letter from both Committees was provided to MLAs in advance of the debate — I believe that it went out on 24 June — setting out information on the position regarding parliamentary privilege in the Northern Ireland Assembly. The decision reached by the Committee on Standards and Privileges is to recommend the repeal of Standing Order 70 and the making of necessary consequential amendments to Standing Orders.”
“Thank you very much, Mr Deputy Speaker. I am pleased to bring to the Assembly, at the request of the Committee on Standards and Privileges, a motion to repeal Standing Order 70, rename the Committee on Standards and Privileges and make the necessary consequential amendments to Standing Orders. <BR /> <BR />Standing Order 70 deals with how matters of privilege can be raised by Members and dealt with by the Speaker. The need to review Standing Order 70 was initially identified following a review of the code of conduct by a previous Committee on Standards and Privileges, and the current Committee has completed that work. Following detailed consideration of a range of policy options, that Committee decided that the most appropriate course of action was to repeal Standing Order 70.”
“<BR /> <BR />Finally, will the Minister confirm that the commencement provision in clause 13(2), which is at page 6, lines 33 and 34, will happen well in advance of a financial year in order to enable charities to be ready for change? <BR /> <BR />I expect the Bill to pass its Second Stage easily today and go to the Committee for Communities for scrutiny. I look forward to working with the Department, the Minister and my colleagues on the Committee to support the legislation's timely delivery in this mandate.”
“Prior to coming to the Assembly, I worked, for many years, for a section 167 charity, the Community Transport Association (CTA). It would be useful to that organisation, and others like it, to know whether the Department will inform funding bodies that the organisation can apply for grants in Northern Ireland if it is not required to re-register here. <BR /> <BR />The Minister may be able to clarify the next issue quite quickly. Why is clause 12(2), which is at page 6, line 25 of the Bill, amending the Charities Act to remove a reference to the Department for Communities by omitting the words "for Communities"? Does that mean that any Department can make regulations on which charities are exempt from regulation? It is a simple change, but I would like to know how that will work.”
“During the previous mandate, the then Committee for Communities, which I sat on, heard allegations — I have to say that they were allegations because we as a Committee could not investigate them — that property vested by the Charity Commission that was reportedly worth a significant amount of money was not accounted for. It would have been useful to set out how vested property is handled by the Charity Commission. <BR /> <BR />It would be useful to hear from the Minister about what happens when clause 11 takes effect and the Charities Act is amended to repeal section 167. Does that mean that charities that operate in Northern Ireland but that have their headquarters elsewhere will now have to register in Northern Ireland or will their charity registration from elsewhere in the UK be accepted?”
“I appreciate that, if anyone has been involved in wrongdoing, they should not be permitted to continue in that role, however it would be helpful to understand how the Charity Commission can sack an employee when it is not the employer. The contract of employment will be between the employee and the charity that they are employed by. What powers does the Charity Commission have that negate pre-existing employment laws? <BR /> <BR />I am also surprised — I know that it was not in the recommendations — that the Bill does not take the opportunity to clarify, when the Charity Commission vests property, who then owns the property. Does it become the property of the Charity Commission?”
“<BR /> <BR />I have a few questions that, I hope, the Minister may be able to address during his winding-up speech, and those will highlight the types of things that I will be bringing forward when, as I expect it will, the Bill goes to Committee Stage. Page 2, line 14, relating to official warnings by the commission, updates the Charities Act 2008 by confirming that warnings can be issued by post. I am confused about just "by post". Surely, to future-proof the legislation, it should be considered that warnings be able to be issued digitally. <BR /> <BR />I move on to page 3, lines 8 and 9, where clause 4 is set out, and page 4, line 11, where clause 6 is set out. The Bill contains a reference to the Charity Commission having the power to remove a person from their employment.”
“The Bill will provide a system where charities are supported to thrive, innovate and respond to need while still operating within a framework that guarantees appropriate oversight. We must remember that the strength of Northern Ireland's voluntary and community sector lies in its diversity, from large regional organisations to small local groups rooted deeply in their communities. Any legislative framework must be flexible enough to reflect that diversity, and the Bill certainly moves us closer to that goal. However, legislation alone is not enough. Effective implementation and ongoing engagement with the sector will be key, and it is vital that the Charity Commission operates with transparency, proportionality and responsiveness going forward.”
“The outcome of the consultation recognised that, while transparency and accountability are essential, the existing system can at times place unnecessary administrative burdens on charities, particularly the smaller, volunteer-led organisations. Those burdens can divert time, energy and resources away from front-line services that the community and the Assembly depend on. <BR /> <BR />As I said, the Bill responds constructively to the concerns raised by consultees. It introduces sensible amendments to improve the functioning of the Charity Commission, to provide greater clarity in decision-making and to ensure that charitable organisations are treated fairly and consistently. Importantly, it also aims to rebuild confidence in the regulatory system, both for charities themselves and for the public who support them.”
“I welcome the opportunity to speak on the Second Stage of the Charities (Amendment) Bill on behalf of the Alliance Party and to reflect on the important progress that has been made since the consultation phase by the Department. <BR /> <BR />At its heart, the Bill is about getting the balance right. It recognises the vital contribution that charities and voluntary organisations make across Northern Ireland, often stepping in where statutory services cannot. It seeks to ensure that the regulatory framework supporting them is both robust and proportionate. I am pleased that the Department has taken account of the consultation responses that it received on the Bill.”
“<BR /> <BR />The bookies' favourite for Prime Minister is Andy Burnham, and I draw the House's attention to the fact that, as mayor, he called for local housing allowance rates to be unfrozen and to be increased. If he becomes Prime Minister, perhaps he can change something that Westminster imposed on all of our families who are in poverty. At a time when so many families are already stretched to breaking point, the Government made a bad choice, and I hope that they will rectify that.”
“For Northern Ireland, where private rents have risen sharply in recent years and too many households already struggle with fuel, food and childcare costs, that freeze places additional pressure on families who have the least room in their budgets to absorb it. Every pound spent covering a rent shortfall is a pound that cannot be spent on heating a home, feeding a family or supporting children's opportunities. <BR /> <BR />If we are serious about tackling poverty, reducing homelessness and helping working families through the continuing cost-of-living pressures, housing support must keep pace with housing costs. The Westminster Government's decision to freeze the local housing allowance risks pushing more households in Northern Ireland into hardship.”
“While rates were reset in April 2024 to reflect the lowest 30% of local market rates, the Westminster Government subsequently froze those rates for 2025-26 and confirmed in January that they would remain frozen for 2026 and 2027. The Resolution Foundation has highlighted the consequences of that approach. As rents continue to rise, housing support is falling further behind actual housing costs, and its analysis shows that rent increases have already significantly outpaced household incomes. <BR /> <BR />Across the UK, nearly half of private renters receiving universal credit no longer have their full costs recovered.”
“Mr Speaker, I do not know whether you have noticed, but the cost-of-living crisis no longer seems to dominate our headlines in the way that it once did, but, for many households in Northern Ireland, it is a daily reality. Families continue to pay rising food costs; energy bills remain significantly higher than pre-crisis levels, thanks to the activities of war; and increasing rents in the private and social rented sectors are hammering lots of families. <BR /> <BR />For many people, wages and benefits are simply not keeping pace with the cost of living. That is why the local housing allowance is so important. The local housing allowance determines the maximum amount of housing support available to people renting in the private sector through housing benefit or universal credit.”
“I thank the junior Minister for giving way. I am not a member of the Executive Office Committee. Over what period of time do you think that expenditure would happen? I imagine that it would not be all at once, in one financial year, but over a number of years. Would that be right?”
“It is very unfair and sad to leave somebody behind in the fertility race.”
“<BR /> <BR />More of us across Northern Ireland have fertility problems now, and more of us have to wait until later in life to try to have a baby, because of work, money, the cost of living and so on. Our people are denied. In Manchester, Swansea or Edinburgh, they could go through more cycles, but, here, we say, "No". That adds to the pressure and the grief that people with fertility problems who cannot afford fertility treatment face, when they know that the first fertility cycle is often the one that helps to identify the treatment that is needed. The types of hormones and all that is settled on during the first cycle, and it may be the second or third cycle before someone actually gets pregnant. <BR /> <BR />I have put a few questions to the Minister. I ask that he consider those.”
“What steps have been taken, since 2004, to expand capacity at the regional fertility centre? What progress has been made on considering the recruitment of the additional specialist workforce that is needed to deliver more IVF cycles? Has the Department secured the recurrent funding that former Minister Swann identified as being essential? Crucially, what is the clear, time-bound plan to finally deliver on the commitment to have two and then three cycles of IVF? I do not know whether it will be possible to achieve that during this mandate, given the fact that we do not even have a Budget, but too many women and couples are waiting for far too long to get help with their infertility.”
“I was not going to speak, but I thought that some humanity needed to be put into the debate. I have mentioned that I have been through IVF. The situation was very different in the late '90s, which is when I was going through it. People do not consider the harm that it does to the couple, especially the mother, when they are waiting for the infertility treatment. Currently, there is very little support, and, as far as I am aware, no support for a person's mental health, when they have been through one cycle of IVF and can no longer afford to go through any more. That is certainly the situation that I found myself in. The guilt and the feeling of loss, just because there is an issue with money, is heartbreaking to women. <BR /> <BR />I would like to hear from the Minister on some things in his summing up.”
“I thank the Member for giving way. Like you, I have been through IVF — the hell that it is, I have to say. In the current context in Northern Ireland, do you agree that it is those who have money who can go through IVF as opposed to any family in Northern Ireland, and that we now have a class system in our health service?”
“Thank you, Minister. The announcement of any new homes across Northern Ireland is welcome. You said that the programme will reduce pressure on the social housing waiting list. What modelling has your Department undertaken to demonstrate that claim? How many households do you hope or expect to move from the waiting list into affordable rented accommodation over the next five years? Will you publish that analysis?”
“On a point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker. Under Standing Order 65, which is on order in the Assembly, I ask that the Speaker's Office make a ruling on the appropriateness of some comments that have undermined the credibility and ability of our Bill Office, which helps all Members to draft and table amendments. As someone who has a wealth of experience of using the Bill Office, I find it disingenuous, disappointing and insulting that that attitude is being taken in the House.”
“and do not seem to have any idea about how legislation works, but further amendments can be brought at Further Consideration Stage. Mr Frew, the Chair of the Justice Committee, has already said that he is considering amendments. Instead of standing there and not understanding legislation, would you not be better actually reading the stuff and talking to the people who are going to table further amendments? That is how legislation works.”
“I appreciate that you are new to the Assembly”