Gerry Carroll
West Belfast · People Before Profit Alliance · Northern Ireland
“Yesterday morning, as others did, I stood alongside our resident doctors as they commenced a 24-hour period of industrial action. We often praise our healthcare workers in the House and more generally, saying things such as that they are invaluable and that we wish them well.”
“If we have learnt anything from the political events of the past week, it is that powerful people — powerful men, in particular — and institutions should always be held to maximum account when it comes to abuse, neglect and victims, and that victims and survivors should be believed and supported on every occasion.”
“Agency spend has, again, gone through the roof and is sky-high; locum spend has gone up and continues to go up — it has gone up by in the region of £0·5 billion over the past few years; and, almost every single year out of the past five to 10 years, hundreds of millions of pounds of public money have been pumped into the for-profit privat…”
“With bills increasing month-on-month and year-on-year, that is true, and those workers need a proper settlement that meets their needs and the ever-increasing cost of living. One striking doctor put it to me starkly yesterday. They said that they left Scotland and took a more senior position in the health sector in Belfast.”
“I commend Stephen and his colleagues in the Bill Office and the Executive Office officials, who worked closely with me to try to support, amend or help along my amendments — whatever way you want to look at it. I also want to commend the Member for Fermanagh and South Tyrone who spoke out during the last few stages.”
“I commend people for speaking out on the issue, especially Sharon Burke. I think that she might be in the Gallery. She has been emailing Members on that issue.”
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“<BR /> <BR />Moving on to the particulars of the amendments that I am moving today, I want to be clear that, without a rent waiver or rent cap in place, my aim is to limit the number of evictions during this period as far as possible. While we are asking people to stay at home to prevent the spread of this virus, we should do whatever we can to ensure that they have a home to stay in, for their own safety and the safety of their community and our health workers, and to prevent hospitals from breaching their capacity. Not only would a person evicted during this period lose their ability to isolate, but their means to find a new home would obviously be seriously restricted by social-distancing protocols and by the probability that they will have found themselves in financial hardship because of this crisis.”
“It would be a good start, for sure, but there needs to be urgent, strong legislation to ensure that those who no longer have a need for a property can end their tenancy contract early, and also that those who have been financially affected by the crisis are given a waiver of their rent. It would be better, moreover, if the Chamber would waive rents completely for this period. It is not so outlandish at this time; indeed, measures such as this have been taken elsewhere to protect the vulnerable. Another possible workaround could be to cap rents at housing benefit levels and extend housing benefits to those who have been affected by the crisis, so as to pay their rent. I would appreciate it if the Minister could clarify whether Stormont has the ability to cap rents and whether she herself is in favour of that measure.”
“Whilst most people are out clapping for and praising our NHS workers, some are shockingly trying to capitalise on this crisis. Distressingly, we have also heard stories in which a Belfast estate agent, confident that it cannot obtain rent from its student renters, has sought to recoup the money from the renters' guarantors. This is shocking behaviour, Mr Principal Deputy Speaker. While landlords can obviously avail themselves of mortgage and rates relief, some have seen the current crisis as an opportunity to extract more from their renters, and we should all condemn such shameful behaviour. <BR /> <BR />I want to stress, Mr Principal Deputy Speaker, that even if all the amendments that I move here today are accepted, the legislation will not go far enough, in my view, to protect those renters that I have mentioned.”
“I am glad to have the opportunity today to strengthen this necessary legislation to protect renters during the pandemic. Indeed, that is the aim of each of my amendments. <BR /> <BR />No one in this Chamber will be, or should be, uninformed about the crisis that renters are facing, particularly those who are low-paid workers, who have lost their job as a result of coronavirus, or who are students who have had to leave their student rental to isolate in family homes and are now being forced to continue to pay for a tenancy for many months, despite no longer living there. Unfortunately, we have heard disgraceful stories of healthcare workers being evicted with 24 hours' notice by their landlords for fear that they might carry the virus.”
“I beg to move amendment No 1: In page 1, line 5, leave out from "12" to "weeks" on line 6 and insert "1 year".”
“We need more clarity around that and other issues that have been raised, and I would appreciate it if the Minister could give that clarity today.”
“Most Housing Executive tenants are financially impacted by this crisis in one way or another. I gave the Member scenarios where they have been affected. I think measures should be put in place to make sure that they are protected and not financially penalised at this time. <BR /> <BR />Given that this legislation is not backdated, we need a bit of clarity on, for example, what the position would be if a tenant were to be issued a notice to quit before this legislation comes into force. Again, I appreciate that the courts are not sitting, so tenants cannot be legally evicted, but once the courts sit again, would a landlord have a case to say that a tenant ignored a notice to quit, potentially affecting their renting future?”
“It is especially unforgivable when students who have lost their job are hit with a bill of several hundred pounds every month for rent — what a kick in the teeth for those people. Surely the Executive should bring in measures swiftly to ensure that people are not out of pocket or up to their eyes in debt because they are doing the right thing to protect themselves and their family and correctly following the medical advice. <BR /> <BR />Additionally, surely we should have a suspension of rent for all Housing Executive tenants as well. Housing Executive tenants are often among the people most struggling to afford the cost of living, which has obviously been aggravated during the COVID-19 crisis, with job losses, salary reductions and some families seeing a great increase in spending on food, electricity, gas and so on.”
“Students have been mentioned. They are correctly following the medical advice and are practising social distancing by staying at home with their families. Surely people here would agree that it is totally unfair and untenable that those students still have to pay their landlord for the remainder of their tenancy. The Minister, in a previous debate, said, or certainly intimated, that she did not have the power to suspend rent payments in the private sector. Does she support such measures being taken? <BR /> <BR />We are living through a pandemic, and, surely, we should welcome people following the medical guidance and cast scorn at those who are profiting from the situation. We have a mortgage holiday for landlords, why is there not a rent holiday for private renters.”
“but there appear to be no criteria as to what the landlord needs to present to support that. Will it automatically be allowed on the say so of the landlord, or will there be a process that they will have to complete? I would appreciate a reply on that. Surely if no mechanisms are in place to protect tenants, this process is open to abuse. If a landlord takes umbrage towards a particular tenant, what exists to protect them from this action being used against them? I appreciate that the courts are not currently sitting to enforce evictions, but they may soon be back, and, if so, this legislation could potentially present loopholes. <BR /> <BR />We also ought to mention what has not been done so far, not only by the Minister but by the Executive as a whole, in relation to housing and supporting tenants at this time.”
“Surely, a suspension of that unfair measure should exist in so-called normal times and not merely be a temporary measure for a pandemic. <BR /> <BR />There are some specific questions that I want to ask the Minister, and I hope that she can answer them today or very soon before the debate recommences next week. In relation to exemptions, I think we need more clarity and concrete detail about what is required from the landlords' end. Under the exemptions to the granting of the 12-week extension, it refers to:”
“The notice-to-quit period should be extended beyond four weeks, but, surely, that should be the state of play already. Too often, we hear stories of renters rushing around trying to find another place to live without adequate time, as, legally, their landlord has to give only four weeks' notice that a property has to be vacated. In many cases, people who have been paying rent on properties for years have been left with little support or leeway when it comes to trying to find a new property. Tenants who enter into a 12-month contract, legally, have to live up to that no matter what, while a landlord can break that term with only four weeks' notice. How is that fair in any way? If the Assembly has the power to stop that, should we not do it permanently?”
“It goes without saying that the COVID-19 crisis has been a very worrying time for lots of people in our society; first and foremost, those who have been directly affected by the illness whose health has suffered. This crisis has exposed various sections of our society and the lack of rights and security that exists for them. It has been brought to light as a result of this health pandemic. One of those groups is renters, who are often ignored and disregarded by institutions such as this. We need to ensure that they have cast-iron support and strong rights at this time, as others have mentioned. <BR /> <BR />While there are some welcome measures in this Bill and moves that we would not oppose, ultimately, it does not go far enough.”
“Because they are deducted from benefit payments, some people find themselves crippled with discretionary support loan repayments and other repayments. Debt repayments should be cancelled immediately for people struggling, in this current environment. <BR /> <BR />Finally, will the Minister tell the House the breakdown of grants and loans that have been awarded by her Department since this crisis began some weeks ago?”
“Discretionary support is very restrictive, and while it seems to me that the increase in income thresholds will extend to those workers who have been furloughed, I cannot see who else it will benefit, such as those trying to survive this crisis on meagre universal credit payments. <BR /> <BR />While I welcome the fact that those who are self-isolating can now access a grant three times in a twelve-month period, that does not go far enough, in my view. There needs to be a greater emphasis and moves towards paying the unemployed, increasing universal credit, increasing housing benefit as well as scrapping the benefit cap and other draconian measures. <BR /> <BR />I want to highlight to the Minister the issue of loans.”
“I do wonder if the parties in this Chamber that voted through universal credit now regret their support for welfare reform, while thousands of their constituents, and mine, turn to food banks and community food parcels for support. <BR /> <BR />This legislation was due to come to the House a few weeks ago, but the Minister removed it from the agenda. It is now back and, from what I can tell, without wide-ranging changes or changes that, in my view, are good enough. The reality is that the real obstacles for people accessing discretionary support are issues like the amount of debt they have and whether they can claim it when they first apply for universal credit.”
“I have no doubt that everybody will support this motion today, but I must point out that it does not go far enough. I also draw attention to how the Executive, in my view, are dragging their heels on announcing serious, wide-ranging measures to help the unemployed, those on benefits and those who are most vulnerable in our society. Across Europe, indeed even across the water and south of the border, where we are governed by dangerous Tories in Britain, and Fine Gael, who are practically Irish Tories, we have seen Governments forced to take measures, which are out of step with their economic thinking, to support workers and the unemployed. However, there has seemingly been little to no independent thinking or action from the Executive. <BR /> <BR />This crisis has seen thousands of unemployed people joining the queue for universal credit.”
“Much was said about the actions of individuals during the debate, but there was not a single comment about Bombardier. <BR /> <BR />I want to speak too about construction sites, which have been publicly shamed for opening and forcing workers on-site while the Executive have turned a blind eye. It is shameful that profit margins and the economic interests of bosses here seem to be elevated above the health and needs of our communities. Every day it seems that I am contacted by workers or employers who are totally baffled by the guidance here; who have no idea what their rights are; and who are terrified that they are bringing this virus home to their family. They needed protection from the Executive for months but have been left in limbo. They deserve better.”
“Can we expect that, for forcing non-essential workers to gather en masse, Bombardier will receive hefty fines for putting workers at risk? I doubt it, yet I see nothing in either the Government's specification or in the legislative changes that indicates that building aeroplane parts is an essential service at this time. <BR /> <BR />Why therefore does Bombardier feel that it is able to announce that it will reopen very soon? Is it the case that a Minister on the Executive has given Bombardier the go-ahead to reopen and designate its work as essential? If that is the case, we urgently need the Executive to come clean. The Minister will be responsible for risking the health of our communities in favour of a quick buck for Bombardier bosses.”
“We are weeks into this crisis, and it is scandalous, to say the least, that the Executive have only now put out legislative guidelines on which businesses can and cannot open. Once again, the Executive have followed the Tories' snail's pace, waiting for them to act while leaving small businesses and their owners in limbo; allowing big businesses such as Bombardier to do what they like; and, worst of all, putting the lives of workers at risk. So slow have the Executive been to act that we have seen workers forced to walk off the job because of a lack of PPE or a lack of social distancing in place. They were forced to take action because Ministers would not. <BR /> <BR />I raise the deeply concerning issue of Bombardier in particular. This new law sets fines and provides for potential prosecutions for people in gatherings of more than two.”
“This crisis shows that we need to rely on them, and, despite them previously being described as "unskilled workers", they are very much skilled and essential to the functioning of our society.”
“Moreover, government must ensure that no worker loses their job because of the crisis. A decade ago, the Government bailed out their banker friends to the tune of at least £500 billion overnight: now is the time to bail out workers. The state must step in to secure wages for all workers and the self-employed, and we must see an immediate freeze on mortgages, rents and utility bills. <BR /> <BR />Obviously, some changes to procedures have to take place at this time, but I want to make the case that these points should be aired and heard throughout the crisis and this period. <BR /> <BR />Finally, I pay tribute to all the front-line service workers who are out there risking their lives for us all: the health workers, the public-sector workers, the retail workers, the cleaners and everybody else.”
“Already, employers are forcing workers into dangerous conditions, risking their lives in order to shore up the profits. Other workers have met with widespread job loses where closures have taken place, and bosses have threatened to stop pension payments for the duration of the crisis. Billionaires continue to lobby Governments for bailouts to the rich. We will see more of that, no doubt, unless there is an urgent shift in how politics functions generally. <BR /> <BR />People Before Profit thinks that we need to see urgent intervention from the Executive and the Westminster Government to ensure that all workers on the front line are protected with personal protection equipment (PPE). That means health workers but also other front-line services including retail workers and many more.”
“<BR />I recognise that normal procedure cannot resume, in terms of speaking arrangements and other items relating to the Chamber, but should it not be the case that the valuable and important workers in our canteen should be allowed to self-isolate with their pay and terms and conditions protected? Whilst canteens and restaurants rightly close across the country, should we not practise in the House what we are enforcing elsewhere? It dawned on me only today that we should not put workers in this Building or their families at risk. <BR /> <BR />Already, the rich, the powerful and the wealthy are trying to shape the response to the crisis in their interests. Governments across the world have faced a basic choice throughout the crisis between defending profits or saving lives, and, too often, they have chosen the former.”
“However, it is crucial that we demand the maximum democracy, accountability and scrutiny at this time in order to ensure that the crisis is handled in a way that prioritises the needs of the great majority of people and not the interests of the powerful and the wealthy. <BR /> <BR />We need a shutdown of society, but we cannot, in any circumstances, allow a shutdown of democracy — quite the contrary. Now is precisely the time to fight for an expansion of democracy in politics and economics, generally speaking, in the interests of ordinary people. The changes to Standing Orders and the functions of the Assembly must recognise that, in order to ensure maximum space for democracy throughout this unprecedented time.”
“We are, obviously, living in unprecedented times in which all the old certainties no longer apply. The health pandemic that surrounds us is the greatest crisis that I and, I am sure, many others have lived through. It has destroyed too many lives, and it threatens to destroy many more. I offer my sympathies and thoughts to everybody who has been affected at this time. <BR /> <BR />For that reason, it is necessary for the Assembly to give the utmost priority to tackling the pandemic and its far-reaching repercussions. That means scaling back on other areas of work and, at this time, the normal functions of the Chamber. For that reason, many of the proposed changes to Standing Orders are justified in the context that we face.”
“Ultimately, though, we need to break up the big conglomerates and have a much more democratic form of food production and planning, one that includes a bottom-up approach and has the voice of workers, producers and the community generally at the heart of it. <BR /> <BR />Finally, I want to pay tribute to our migrant workers. Without them, our food production would stop. Without them, the NHS would not be able to operate at all. I will leave my remarks there.”
“I hope that the Minister will agree that it is not good enough to have a report every five years, and that he will commit to provide much more regular updates to the House, hopefully, at least, annually. <BR /> <BR />We are at the mercy of large corporations when it comes to our food supply. We are beholden to price fluctuations and the whims of the market when it comes to food. Not only is that ecologically unsustainable but it is totally unfair. We cannot have a situation in which companies can make massive profits, yet their workers are paid low wages. That is despite their providing essential services at this crucial time; supplying us with food throughout the coronavirus situation. In the short term, we should nationalise those massive corporations and reroute the profits into the pockets of the workers and community at large.”
“I share the concerns that have been raised by other Members that, down the line, there could be regulatory divergence, North and South, on food safety and production. We need to avoid maximising confusion for farmers and food producers, and not have a situation where farmers in Donegal abide by a set of guidelines that are different to those for their counterparts in Derry. If the coronavirus has taught us anything, it is that there should be one approach across the island. <BR /> <BR />I note that clause 17 places a duty on the Secretary of State to produce a report on UK food security to lay before Parliament. That report has to be produced once every five years. That is simply not good enough. There needs to be regular updates on food availability and safety, especially in the current period.”
“Those are concerns and mistakes that we should not repeat. <BR /> <BR />I note the Minister's comments previously about support for moving farming and support for farmers away from solely maximising production, and I hope that he will support all measures possible to ensure that farming is sustainable and friendly to the environment.”
“<BR /> <BR />Obviously, going forward, the common agricultural policy payment will be replaced by a new mechanism of payment to support farmers, and, whilst it is still unclear what that will look like, we need to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past. At this point, I pay tribute to the work of Nature Matters NI and share its concerns that:”
“<BR /> <BR />The emergence of the coronavirus should urgently focus minds on how we need a food system that is primarily based on providing local, sustainable produce, to ultimately minimise the possibility of dangerous and deadly viruses developing and spreading. Additionally, we cannot have a scenario where we ship food hundreds of miles across the globe, increasing our carbon footprint massively, and suck produce from other parts of the world. I remember as a child the prevalence of fruit shops across my constituency, but they are practically non-existent there now, with food being funnelled primarily through large corporations, which is very worrying indeed.”
“I share the concerns of others that there is a lack of mention of food in the Bill, which covers a massive area of agriculture. We have a massively fragile, just-in-time supply chain for food that could easily collapse. We are at the mercy of international markets, and, when we understand that just eight companies control 90% of our food supply, we should recognise that we are in an unsustainable situation. For example, of the six million hectares of cultivatable land in Britain, only 168,000 hectares are used for fruit and vegetables. We see, therefore, a reliance on importing vast amounts of crops into our country and into here as well.”
“Several studies have suggested that H1N1 swine flu is linked to the movement of pigs and poultry between North America, Asia and Europe. It is clear to people who are far more qualified than me that factory farming and, in particular, poultry factory farming is at the heart of the development of so many zoonoses and is causing untold death and suffering across the world. The powers of intervention in food markets brought in with the Bill should be used to ensure that a high level of food safety is put in place. <BR /> <BR />I recognise that, due to time constraints, the Committee did not have enough time to look at and scrutinise in detail the LCM, so I think that it is important to offer points on it, to scrutinise it and to flag issues that may arise going forward.”
“<BR /> <BR />It is worth saying that, in the 1990s, as part of its economic transformation, China ramped up its food production systems on an industrial scale. One side effect of that, as various anthropologists have stated, was that small farmers were pushed out of the way. Eventually, more wild animals were introduced, and the edges of forests became rapidly explored and overcultivated. As a result, dangerous viruses began to spread. Ecosystems that were previously untouched or undisturbed globally are now being up-ended with the need to constantly push the limits for profit, which, in turn, causes an adverse reaction. In this case, it has been the coronavirus, but, previously, we have seen SARS, H1N1, Ebola and the Zika virus, to name a few. The H5N1 avian flu was linked to migratory birds getting too close to factory poultry farms.”
“Obviously, the Bill was put together before the coronavirus situation developed, but its content is directly connected to that issue and the development of zoonoses more generally. When we understand that the coronavirus development is being attributed to practice in food production, how we obtain our food in the period ahead will be an essential question to grapple with. The question we have to ask of the Department is this: how can we ensure that everything possible is done to ensure that we are protected from a similar virus developing? What measures are we taking here around food production to protect everyone in our communities? On that basis, we have to scrutinise this Bill and any other measures introduced down the line.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. I appreciate that. Quickly, can the Minister justify to people who are worried about their health and putting food on the table at this time why there is not enough of an economic spending shift to face the pandemic? It is unjustifiable that we are not talking about nationalisation, the requisition of private facilities, the mass production of PPE and bonuses for front-line staff, to name just a few of the issues that need to be addressed.”
“That means having a legislative system in place that does not criminalise women, does not penalise women and lets them make the correct decision for themselves.”
“The reality is that the majority of people here are for choice. Every single survey shows that people here are for choice, for example the 'Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey'. That report and survey after survey shows that people are for choice. The truth is that the incoming guidelines and legislation go some way to reflect the public mood for choice, although there are gaps, as has also been mentioned. <BR /> <BR />The public mood is for choice; the vast majority of healthcare workers are for choice and for supporting women to have access to abortion services. At this time when we are, rightly, celebrating and recognising the role of our healthcare workers, trust them to make the right decision about abortion services and access to such services.”
“<BR /> <BR />The World Health Organisation, which we regularly refer to in regard to this pandemic, has said that abortion pills are as safe as paracetamol, aspirin and other regular tablets: we should trust them. <BR /> <BR />Because of the previous guidelines, women have been criminalised for some time, despite the fact that the termination of pregnancies has happened for many years. The talk of "imposition" by the Members opposite is quite ironic given that they buddied up with the Westminster Government for so long. The truth is that this House abdicated its responsibility year after year when it came to legislating for choice in abortion services, and standing by and trusting women. <BR /> <BR />We have heard reference made to the public's mood and view on abortion services.”
“Whilst these guidelines introduce provision for some women who are up to 12-weeks pregnant, the reality is that some women will still be placed in dangerous situations as a result of gaps in the guidelines, for example women in domestic violence situations, rural areas and so forth. <BR /> <BR />I join the call for the Health Minister — I appeal to him — to introduce telemedicine care now so that women who have been forced to stay at home as a result of the pandemic can have access to abortion pills. Those women are doing the right thing by staying at home; everybody is doing the right thing by staying at home in this situation, and people need to be supported in their healthcare decisions.”
“Yesterday, as was previously referenced, a young woman tried to kill herself as a result of being denied abortion services — she could not travel to England because of the current pandemic. The reality is that the former legislative guidelines had put women at risk for some time. They were guidelines that predated the light bulb and I am glad that they have come to an end. Obviously, during the coronavirus situation when people are following the public health guidance to stay at home, isolate and socially distance, there will still be a need for women to access terminations and abortion services. <BR /> <BR />Despite some of the previous comments from Members, abortion is fundamentally a healthcare issue. It is not a criminal issue, and I am glad that is coming to an end.”
“<BR /> <BR />Finally, does the Minister know the number of companies that cannot avail themselves of the higher end of the grant? She said that 27,000 companies can, so can she give an indication of how many companies are not eligible?”
“Thanks for your declaration of support for the smaller parties, Mr Principal Deputy Speaker; it was much appreciated. <BR /> <BR />I thank the Minister for her answers so far. Two quick questions. Obviously, students have been losing jobs in restaurants and bars that have had to shut down. Are there any conversations in the Minister's Department around specific student support funds or grants or anything like that, or allowing them to access benefits? An update on that would be useful. <BR /> <BR />The Minister may be aware that the Open University has provided free online courses in this period, so can I suggest that her Department promotes the excellent services that Libraries NI has online, in a bid to provide some comfort to people in this period of social isolation?”
“Some disruption is expected, at least, this week and possibly next week, but has there been any discussion in the Department about trying to alleviate those pressures to ensure that people are not forced to wait on the telephone line for several hours, which, I know, has been happening in some cases? I am also hearing concerns that information about universal credit is not readily available to people. I would appreciate some answers to those questions.”
“I thank the Minister for moving the motion. I am sure that she and others will agree that everything needs to be done now to ensure that people are financially supported through this difficult, fast-moving and unprecedented period. <BR /> <BR />I would like to ask the Minister about the regulations and, going forward generally, ask her to respond to some of the points that have already been raised. Has there been any discussion in her Department about staffing? I appreciate that the situation is, obviously, fast-moving, that some of her staff are self-isolating and that there are health issues to consider. I have heard, as have other Members, that people are having difficulty in getting advice over the phone, particularly with regard to universal credit, employment and support allowance (ESA) and other benefits.”
“We will be indebted to them for ever for putting themselves and their families second and the health of the community first. We cannot thank them enough. I can only hope that their important work is, never again, rewarded with lesser wages and conditions than they deserve.”
“<BR /> <BR />In order to ease some concerns on the detention aspects in the Bill, I ask the Health Minister specifically that he make a public statement declaring that his Department will not pass on the details of any migrants to the Home Office during the crisis, in line with the recent statement to that effect from the Irish Government, and also that staff receive guidance and updates to confirm that asylum seekers and those without status here are able to access free healthcare that relates to COVID-19? If he does so, I am sure that it will provide some important assurances to those members of the community who are vulnerable and often marginalised. <BR /> <BR />Finally, I want to take the opportunity to pay tribute to and thank the incredible, brave, compassionate workers in our front-line services.”
“<BR /> <BR />Furthermore, the emergency powers will potentially be conferred for two years. That is a massively draconian shift, which the People Before Profit Alliance attempted to amend so that the Assembly would have to ratify those measures every two months. That is basic accountability to ensure that extreme measures would not remain in place longer than absolutely necessary. It is regrettable and deeply problematic that those amendments did not make it to the Floor. I urge the Executive to bring those powers back to the Floor of the Assembly for regular ratification in order to ensure that there is oversight against any potential abuses of power. If Westminster can look at those powers every few months, why can the Assembly not do that? I think that other Members have raised that issue already.”
“In the short time that we have had to look at the legislation, I attempted to amend it in order to reduce many of those elements. The People Before Profit Alliance believes that it is wrong to potentially detain people when employers are still able to force people to go to work. In my experience, people want to socially distance themselves and self-isolate in order to protect themselves and their families. However, those people urgently need financial security from the Government, not simply state coercion. Powers of detainment, for example, should never be considered before financial security has been secured. How can the Executive contemplate detaining people if they have not even secured provisions that would allow thousands of construction workers, agency workers or the self-employed to stay at home?”