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.”
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“Will the Commission member clarify whether the issues that the Youth Assembly considers and may consider in the future will link into any possible citizens' assembly, as mentioned in 'New Decade, New Approach'?”
“I was glad to hear the Commission member mention sign language, but I would like clarification that sign language would be welcomed in this place. The Commission, in waiting for simultaneous translation to come forward, is not currently providing any alternatives for someone who has a hearing difficulty, as I do. There are no subtitles for me. I do not want to wait, but is the Commission going to wait until the Disability Discrimination Act has to be invoked before someone like me who has a hearing impairment finally has subtitles in this place?”
“<BR /> <BR />I am not very impressed by businesses that say that they can move young people across to Liverpool. They see our young people as a commodity and cheap labour instead of seeing what we hoped that Job Start could do, which was to develop a system whereby those young people work here, stay here and live here. I encourage you, Minister, to do what you can. You certainly have my backing. <BR /> <BR />I support the motion today — absolutely. We all need to do more for our young people. I do not blame you completely, Minister; I blame the Executive for using the money elsewhere at a time when we were in crisis. I support you completely in getting the money this time for the budget for the coming year so that our young people will not be left behind.”
“Minister, is there a way to produce a report to confirm what the outcome has been for the young people who left school last year? Where are they, and what help do they need? What support will be provided to our young people this year? If Job Start is there, that is well and good, but I am sick, sore and tired of hearing about bright young people who are going on to do A levels being looked after and cared for in a school system while others who are leaving the school system are left behind. I do not want that to happen again. If Northern Ireland does not proceed with a Job Start scheme, how many young people will be left on universal credit? What will be the resulting pressure on the Minister's Department, especially on benefits, and on the economic recovery of Northern Ireland?”
“We know that the consultation ended on 25 February, but we still do not know what is happening with Job Start, what happened to the young people last year or what will happen to our young people who are leaving school this year. On 18 March, the Minister told us about the different schemes that are available, like the adviser discretionary fund, the travel to interview scheme and the work experience programme, but there was still no mention of Job Start. I am a wee bit annoyed that we are hearing that it will go forward when we do not know what the budget will be. I am annoyed as well that the Executive as a whole did not use that money for our young people when it came across as part of the Barnett consequentials. <BR /> <BR />However, let us move on today.”
“The opportunities for young people to have work experience and to take up what would have been the Job Start scheme were not there. There are young people who left school last year, but we do not know where they are. <BR /> <BR />The Minister has been very kind and has responded to lots of questions about the Job Start scheme. Over and over again, we see the Assembly questions coming through, and, each time, she has confirmed that she is fully committed to delivering the Job Start scheme and to engaging with the Department of Finance and other Executive colleagues to implement it as soon as possible. The Minister also talks about the draft Budget, which presented significant challenges.”
“I get it. The intention of the Job Start scheme was honourable. It was due to start on 14 December. It was promoted as being better than the GB scheme because it was to include options for people with disabilities. It included longer times, and there was more investment for it. It sounded great. As we know, and as others said, the Kickstart scheme started in GB in September and has been rolling forward. I am not so politically naive that I do not understand what happened here. The funding that came across to Northern Ireland was unhypothecated. The Executive chose to spend that money in the way that they chose to spend it, and it was not on Job Start. The Minister at that time said to the Committee that the money would be found in the Department. Unfortunately, time has rolled on. We have had COVID.”
“As others have confirmed today, COVID has had a severe impact on our employment market. More than ever, we need progressive and innovative schemes that will ensure that our young adults aged 16 to 24 do not become the so-called scarred generation. Generation Z is entering a jobs market that has been compromised by COVID. Those young people will be permanently scarred by the effects of unemployment and its well-documented negative impact on mental health and well-being. I declare an interest as a mummy of a teenager who is just about to become an adult. She is a member of Generation Z. I do not know what my generation was called; it was probably the Dark Ages by today's standards.”
“Thank you very much, deputy First Minister. As you said, housing appears in three of the nine well-being outcomes. There was a specific agreement in New Decade, New Approach to have a housing outcome on its own, because that would lead to many other options being opened up, such as the environment. Why was the decision taken to keep dividing housing up rather than having a specific outcome for it?”
“I just wish that we could change the system so that parents can choose to send their children to their nearest local good school, as opposed to driving or bussing them out of their areas and far away.”
“<BR /> <BR />I say to the Minister that South Belfast is an amazing place for schools, but it is an amazing place for pupils coming into the area from other constituencies, and that leads to further pressure. As others have said, the constituency is due to expand. More pupils will come as the years go on, and many more houses are being built in the area. It has got to the stage now that, in South Belfast, a number of people's children have their own children and want them to go to the school that they went to, so we will see more and more pressure. <BR /> <BR />That is all I have to say. To finish, I will say that I am envious that South Belfast has such amazing schools. Strangford has them too.”
“I have to declare an interest as I have niece at OLSPCK — Our Lady and St Patrick's College, Knock — and my heart is in my mouth when I think about her. The school transport is not there when she finishes after-school activities, so she has to walk down the road, get out to the Newtownards Road and, hopefully, get a bus to head towards Strangford. It is concerning, and that happens because it is a successful school. There are concerns about that school because kids are coming out and there is no school bus available, and, when you live a further distance away from the school, it limits your opportunity to do extra activities or after-school activities. I know about that, because I travelled a fair distance to go to school outside Strangford and into south Down.”
“Unfortunately, there does not appear to be a measurement to see where they ended up going. <BR /> <BR />A lot of work needs to be done for South Belfast, and I would really welcome the Minister taking a look at the area planning. It needs to be done in a cross-constituency way because so many children travel into South Belfast. It is more than just the population of the area, and that is one of the concerns that I have always had about area planning and the way it works. As Paula said, it does not measure where everybody is coming from or take into account how many families will bring their children into an area because there are good schools there. <BR /> <BR />Pupils travel extraordinary distances. I know that Minister Hargey talked about safety at schools.”
“In fact, when he made his decision, he criticised — it was not under the current Minister's remit — the Department's planning policy, which had been used to determine which schools would remain open, expand, close or amalgamate to meet future demand. That had prevented integrated education from being developed because, often, there were places available in other types of school, and the integrated schools became more and more oversubscribed. That has happened in South Belfast. Parents cannot get their children into schools there. The Good Relations Indicator report was, unfortunately, because of COVID, not reported on by the Executive Office in the last 12 months, but the previous report, 12 months earlier, stated clearly that 20% of children were being turned away from integrated schools because there were not enough places.”
“Lagan College has a range of pupils because, in Strangford and North Down, Priory Integrated College and Strangford Integrated College are oversubscribed, so, if pupils can get into Lagan, they will go there. I know that South Belfast is a heavily and densely populated area, but, instead of pupils travelling to their nearest local good school, they choose to go to South Belfast, and that puts pressure on the population in that area. <BR /> <BR />I agree with Mr Stalford: I would love it if every school was an integrated school. However, I would like to point out that we cannot claim that all schools in South Belfast are integrated. Justice Treacy stated that integration and integrated schools are a stand-alone concept.”
“I am not a South Belfast MLA, but I have waited until the end. Some might say you are saving the best until last, but, no, I will not say that. As we know, Lagan College's catchment area falls just into the Strangford constituency. I am here with my colleague Paula Bradshaw to say that, in the morning, one could watch literally hundreds of my constituents' children get on buses that go into the South Belfast constituency. I think that two full buses of pupils travel to Our Lady and St Patrick's College, Knock.”
“I thank the First Minister. I want to follow up on the comment that has just been made about mental health in the community. Next Tuesday, I hope to take part in a day of reflection that has been called for by Marie Curie and others. When I think about the community and voluntary sector, I think of a sector that will be looking forward to the phased reopening, as we all are, but they are exhausted. It is a community and voluntary sector that has supported us throughout the whole of the pandemic. Many of them have not yet received letters of offer of funding to keep them going. Can we help those who have supported us the most during the pandemic and make sure that they are aware of when they can get back, because they will be providing the community with the mental health support that we have missed?”
“I will be very quick. I had hoped to bring this matter up before. Does the Member agree that those students have now lost trust in us and they are not coming back, because, at a time of crisis, we were not able to help them?”
“I really do not envy the work of the departmental staff or the Minister. It is extremely personal, emotional and difficult, but we need to end that uncertainty for people. I ask the Minister to, please, if she can, let us know what the welfare mitigations will be.”
“It is time to work together, rather than pull each other apart, to help people to survive COVID and the economic crisis that is coming towards us in the new financial year. As Alliance spokesperson for communities, I joined the Communities Committee from Infrastructure just over a year ago. I have found it to be one of the most challenging Departments. The issues are among the most challenging because they are very personal. It is about people.”
“It means that, for a third or additional child, a family will lose out on £2,780 per child per year. The local housing allowance cuts in the private rented sector also cause difficulties for low-income households in that sector. <BR /> <BR />We all know this. The Minister knows this. The Department knows this. We have a society that is living with poverty, not resolving it. It has been five months since this place debated a motion about terminal illness tabled by Mr Easton. We all agreed. There was cross-party agreement in the House that the six-month rule was to be removed and that the Minister was immediately to legislate to remove that rule. That has not happened. I appreciate that DWP has not made a move on that, but this place can. <BR /> <BR />It is time to be fair to people. It is time to recognise the advice sector heroes.”
“They are unable to access mitigation from the benefit cap. In addition, those whose circumstances have changed have lost access to the benefit cap mitigation. <BR /> <BR />The number of households capped has risen to over 1,000. A significant reason for the impact is, of course, COVID-19. The end of the nine-month grace period for first-time universal credit claimants at the end of 2020, the ensuing economic crisis and the anticipated end of the furlough scheme are expected to increase that figure. That cap costs families £200 per month. The bedroom tax loophole costs £50 per month. The five-week wait for universal credit, as others have mentioned, causes debt that people did not expect to have at a time when they are in crisis. The universal credit two-child limit just does not make sense for Northern Ireland.”
“I expect there to be payment for the advice service because of the increasing number of calls and cases that it is working on. <BR /> <BR />As I said, there are two plenary days left before the Easter recess. I find it difficult and feel guilty that we have not been able to clarify for the general public exactly what is happening with their welfare mitigations. I know that legislation has been taken to the Committee about the social sector size criteria, also known as the "bedroom tax", providing for an extension to that. Cliff Edge Coalition and many others have highlighted the fact that we still do not know about the benefit cap loophole. For those who do not know, the benefit cap affects individuals who were not in receipt of the relevant benefits in 2016, when the welfare reform mitigation package was first introduced.”
“It is extraordinarily difficult. <BR /> <BR />I recognise the amendment about the advice sector that has been moved. What I say about the advice sector is that those in it are among the heroes who have helped our society throughout COVID. When I came to be a politician, I looked forward to helping people, but I did not realise just how many people would come through my door looking for advice support. I too turn to those partners who have the expertise and work with people daily on the details and complexities of the welfare system and help them to get through that. <BR /> <BR />Today, as Mr Durkan has mentioned, there is a difficulty with the amendment, but I will support it, because I believe that, when the Minister and the Department come forward with welfare mitigation updates, there will be payment for the advice service.”
“I thank those who tabled today's motion. I will not start to get into party politics over this. The simple fact is that, after today, we have two plenary days before the Easter recess — before the end of March — and people out there are still not clear on what welfare mitigations will look like beyond 1 April. <BR /> <BR />We have all talked and worked with the Cliff Edge Coalition and academics who have written to us and to the Department and the Minister. We all know exactly what the problem is. COVID has been devastating for so many people who have had to enter the benefit system for the first time. I hope that, as a society, we recognise that being on benefits is not simply sitting at home and scratching yourself; it is about having to fill out forms, having to account for where you are and having to live in poverty.”
“Given that we are talking about major capital projects, I am keen to hear from you about the roll-out of Fresh Start and how well that is performing across Northern Ireland. It seems to be extremely slow at the moment.”
“I am a bit flabbergasted as I stand here. Minister, I will go back to Mr O'Toole's point. There are those of us who are trying our best to help businesses cope with the fallout from Brexit and the resulting protocol. What work have you done to promote dual access to both the UK market and the EU market for businesses in Northern Ireland that are looking for the opportunities?”
“Thank you. I will maybe have to update the Bill Office, which provided me with that information, but there we go. <BR /> <BR />Finally, I thank the women — the grandmothers and the mummies, although some of us do not have them any more — on whose shoulders I stand. I also thank all those girls, including my daughter, who I embarrassed in the Chamber, and all those young women who are looking for inspiration for their time. I thank every one of you. We may all come from different political places, but, together, as women, we respect each other in this place. We work together and are trying our best for everyone across Northern Ireland. Thank you.”
“At a previous International Women's Day, there was a female participation event and lots of young women were here. That night on the media, the one man who was in the room appeared on the television. They ignored all the rest of us — I see that a Member is nodding — who had done interviews. They ignored us completely. <BR /> <BR />Finally, I thank —.”
“In this place, we use words like "madam" and "mister". Why do we not just use the terms that people are given for the jobs that they have? There needs to be an audit of language in this place, which our report calls for, in order to make sure that it is inclusive. <BR /> <BR />Also, the House may congratulate itself on the provision of free sanitary products, but it ignores menopause, and I welcome the Member from the SDLP bringing that forward. Some of us struggle in this place with the heat blowing out of those fans or with the freezing cold air. It is not easy. <BR /> <BR />The problem is not in this room; it is getting to it. Social media, aggression, violence, attacks on offices and how the media treat us have a lot to do with that.”
“You will have your opportunity in a moment, Mr Wells. Thank you.”
“Not just at the moment. <BR /> <BR />Eileen Bell was our only female Speaker. There is an opportunity —.”
“That would help to encourage younger women and men to be politicians. Why is it that my colleague Judith Cochrane is the only female MLA to have had a private Member's Bill reach Royal Assent? Why does the House not do something to talk to all the women MLAs and say, "What is stopping you? What is the barrier?"?”
“There are three elements that are essential to us achieving a gender-sensitive Parliament: an environment that is accessible to both men and women; processes that facilitate the participation of both women and men; and actions that promote equality and participation. <BR /> <BR />As others have stated, there are specific actions that will enable the Assembly to take forward those elements, but we need to create an environment that recognises that the Assembly is comprised of people who are elected to serve everyone in Northern Ireland and to find ways to enable that to happen. For example, why do we not take the opportunity now to update Standing Orders to enable proxy voting outside of COVID arrangements to allow Members to have maternity, paternity and adoption leave or even sick leave?”
“I hope that, in future, the Women's Caucus could be recognised for its work and would, as our chair mentioned, be able to table motions in its own right, rather than having to adapt procedures to help us have our voices heard. The Women's Caucus request states that a gender-sensitive Parliament is one that responds to the needs and interests of men and women in its structures, operations, methods and work:”
“That group did not happen, but that does not mean that it still could not. In 2016, the Assembly acknowledged the work of the then Speaker's reference group. I was part of that group but not as an MLA; I had not been elected at that stage. I came along here voluntarily, to the visitors' cafe in the basement and to other rooms, and we discussed ways forward. At that time, there was a discussion that having quotas could improve the gender balance in this place. We are getting there, but, in 2021, here we are still asking for a gender-sensitive Parliament to be introduced. <BR /> <BR />The Women's Caucus, in having its first ever debate today, used the mechanism of cross-party signatures to get the motion on the agenda.”
“Happy International Women's Day. Mr Speaker, thank you for allowing the debate to take place today. The motion has been co-signed by all parties and the independent Member and calls on the Assembly to adopt measures to create a gender-sensitive Assembly. I am the former deputy chair and current Alliance Party representative on the Assembly Women's Caucus, and I am proud to hold that position. I fully support our call for the Assembly to take forward a gender-sensitive action plan. I hope that, this time, we will finally be heard. <BR /> <BR />The Assembly and Executive Review Committee report, as mentioned by others — 'Report on Women in Politics and the Northern Ireland Assembly' — was published on 17 February 2015 and confirmed that:”
“Thank you very much, Minister. Minister, I am glad to hear you use the term "retrofitting", as some of us have been working on environmental options moving forward. The cavity wall review is ongoing, and given the fact that many people in the building industry say that the material that is used in cavity wall insulation, which is polystyrene balls, is causing so much of the damp, is it not time to set that aside and to start looking at retrofitting from now?”
“Apologies, Mr Speaker. I was indicating for the next question.”
“From the figures that the First Minister gave, it appears that 45% of those who applied were not successful. Are you considering taking forward some sort of capacity-building programme for the sector, given that so many have been turned down for funding at this stage? What other support will be provided for the BAME community?”
“I want to say, "Thank you" to all in the Executive. Today, we have light at the end of the tunnel. Society has been struggling for over a year; at least we now have something. People will be looking desperately for a date for stage 2 that is listed in the document. I appreciate that we need to be led by the medical advice. It is mentioned that 16 March will be an Executive review date. Can we give the public something that they can aim for and say when they can look forward to section 2 in the document being released?”
“Will family courts be able to sit into the summer to allow that critical service to continue and avoid further delays, especially when we hear that so many people have partners who have used COVID to postpone hearings?”
“Minister, I am delighted to hear your reflections on the flexibility of tenure to ensure that people can stay in their community when the house that they live in is no longer fit for purpose as they grow older. <BR /> <BR />I want to come back to this point. While we can talk plenty about the growth and development of new housing, we still have 85,000 houses in the Housing Executive and many of them require significant investment and retrofitting to enable our zero-carbon targets to be met by 2050. We could meet those earlier. Have there been any discussions about how we will make the homes of existing social tenants fit for purpose?”
“What confidence can our business community have in an Executive that are failing to work together? How will the negotiations go if that relationship falls apart, given the self-harm that Brexit has created in this place?”
“Thank you very much, Minister, and congratulations on getting that extra money for minor capital investment. You said that spending it by the end of March might be a problem, but we need increased space in classrooms to allow safe social distancing. Can any of that minor capital investment now be used for those schools to ensure that we can get our children safely back to school?”
“Does the Minister agree that, while her Department develops proposals to strengthen our legislation on hate crime, as was recommended by Judge Marrinan, as she said, much can be done across government on hate more generally, for example by ensuring diversity and inclusion and delivering on the racial equality strategy?”
“I concur with the Minister. Indeed, building has ground to a halt in areas of the Strangford constituency because there was not capacity in waste water treatment. I am very aware that, across councils, there are issues with planning departments and delays. How much work is being done between the Department and councils to identify where there are issues with Northern Ireland Water and waste water treatment works so that we do not keep building on the delay in planning?”
“I absolutely understand, and I would not expect you to do so. However, a key principle of grading is understandability. Can you help us, and the learners, to understand exactly how internal and external moderation will work this year and whether it will be included in the documents that are to be released to them? For example, will it be confirmed in those documents how long a COVID-related absence needs to be in order to get grade allowances, and what the marks could be? <BR /> <BR />Will you give assurance to those learners who are sitting Welsh board exams that this does not interfere with them? I know that there is a ban on that. We are not clear why that ban is there. However, will you assure those who are due to take such exams this year that they also will get results?”
“Thank you very much, Deputy Speaker. DUP members experienced similar attacks last night — namely, Mr Weir and Jim Shannon MP. It is sad to see, but, hopefully, we will share the paint thinner, Peter, and get it cleaned off quickly. <BR /> <BR />I declare an interest as the mother of an A-level student who hopes to get grades this summer. They will be good grades, I hope. I am a governor of a post-primary school. <BR /> <BR />Minister, you stated:”
“I got my second screen today, which is huge, but it means that I can see your faces up close and can lip-read you much better. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for making my ability to perform my democratic duties easier and safer for the rest of the pandemic.”