John Stewart
East Antrim · Ulster Unionist Party · Northern Ireland
“Decisions taken over the next two months will determine whether Northern Ireland has a modern, responsive enterprise service or whether we simply roll forward a model that increasingly struggles to keep pace with the world around it.”
“<BR /> <BR />I understand that significant efforts have been made to bring the Department for the Economy, councils and Enterprise NI around a table to design collaboratively the modernised service for 2027, yet that meeting still has not happened. That is deeply disappointing.”
“<BR /> <BR />I thank Enterprise Northern Ireland and note the outstanding work of our local enterprise agencies, which go above and beyond, often in challenging financial circumstances, for our entrepreneurs and businesses.”
“I declare an interest as the chair of the all-party group on micro and small business, but I feel that I must highlight an issue that should concern every Member, regardless of party or constituency.”
“The infrastructure in Larne West is shambolic and fails residents and commuters daily. Minister, you will be aware of an ombudsman's investigation of the missing link road at Ballyloran that reported last February on the back of my office having brought the matter to it.”
“The Bill sends an important message that demonstrates confidence in the governance arrangements that are already in place and in the boards and management teams that have successfully led the organisations for many years.”
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“I thank the Commission member for his response. I just want to praise the exhibition. It is important that we promote the valuable contribution that women make to politics here. Are there any plans to extend the exhibition or even take it on tour to local museums and community centres so that young women in our communities can see the positive benefit that women bring to politics here and potentially get more involved in political interaction?”
“I thank the Member for bringing forward the Bill. I have nothing more to add, and I look forward to other Members' contributions.”
“In the hundreds of responses to consultations, the feedback from every sector has been overwhelmingly in support of it. <BR /> <BR />I will pick up on the Bill sponsor's point about whether we could provide accelerated passage for the Bill through Committee Stage and the subsequent stages. It is not something that I or others would ordinarily want to do, given the impact that it can have on legislation, but, given the tight scope and focus of the legislation and the impact that it could have, I believe that this is one example of where it could be done. I am pleased that the Executive Office Committee agreed today to write to the Business Office and the Speaker's Office to ask for accelerated passage. It would be a shame if we could not get it through in this mandate, given just how tight time is.”
“That was nine years ago. Three years after that, in February 2016, Sandra Overend and Danny Kennedy tabled amendments on behalf of our party to clause 26 of and schedule 3 to the Employment Bill that did exactly what the Member is trying to do with the legislation today. They would have passed had it not been blocked by the use of the petition of concern. I find that regrettable. The change would have come into effect at the start of the mandate in 2017. <BR /> <BR />We are where we are, however, and it is just frustrating, particularly when we hear about the overwhelming support for the change, that it could not have happened in this mandate. There has been little, if any, opposition to it. Some potential concern has been raised about the impact that it might have on ethos etc, but there has been no vocal opposition.”
“That is my only frustration about this: that something so short that could have such a meaningful impact, not just on how teachers are appointed but in what that actually means to Northern Ireland and the changes that we will see as a result, has taken so long and could not be implemented in this mandate, given how easy it could have been to do that. <BR /> <BR />I do not want to wax lyrical on the process and the history, but, when we look back to 2013, we see that the Ulster Unionist Party brought forward a motion calling for fair employment law to allow discrimination to be ended. There was an oral vote, and it was passed without any vocal opposition. Just a month later, Eugene O'Neill of CCMS said:”
“It is a mercifully short piece of private Member's legislation, but it is a vital one, ending an anomaly, for want of a better term, in fair employment law that allows discrimination on the grounds of religious belief when appointing teachers. <BR /> <BR />Change is long overdue, and the Bill sponsor and I have discussed the matter at length a number of times. He and I and other Members, in this mandate and previously, have put question after question to the Executive Office and the First Minister and deputy First Minister to ask why it has taken so long.”
“<BR /> <BR />I thank the Bill sponsor and all those who have contributed to it so far. It may be a short Bill, but the implications can be more complex than that suggests, and they will be given more consideration. We are close to the end of our deliberations, and, thanks to the work already undertaken, we intend formal Committee Stage to be relatively short. I will leave it there. The Committee is committed to giving the Bill its due airing, and we look forward to formally considering its provisions at Committee Stage. <BR /> <BR />That concludes my remarks as Deputy Chair of the Committee. I will now make a few remarks as an MLA for the Ulster Unionist Party. I thank the Bill sponsor, the Member for East Belfast, for bringing it forward.”
“<BR /> <BR />Our online consultation closes next week, and we have had over 330 responses to date. A significant proportion of the submissions are from individual teachers. They will be analysed, and the Committee will consider the findings. We continue to receive written submissions, and the Committee thanks the Committee for Education for sharing evidence that it has received on the matter. <BR /> <BR />The issues that the Bill aims to address are not new. The teacher exemption from fair employment provisions was debated in the Chamber in May 2021, but the matter has been discussed for many years, and the issues are well known. I will not go into the detail of the Bill at this stage. The Committee intends to consider objectively and conscientiously the evidence put before it. As I indicated, much evidence has already been heard.”
“The Committee welcomes the opportunity to engage with the Bill. We acknowledge that it has been a long time in coming and that time is short. To that end, the Committee agreed to hear from the Bill sponsor at the earliest opportunity and further agreed to begin taking evidence in advance of the formal Committee Stage. The Committee issued a call for evidence on 31 January and has been hearing from key stakeholders, through written and oral evidence, to ensure that members would be as informed as they could be by the time that the formal Committee Stage came. We have already heard evidence from the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools, the Catholic Schools' Trustee Service, the Integrated Education Fund, Ulster University, the Transferor Representatives' Council and the Equality Commission.”
“I thank the Minister for his answer. The rates holiday and business support have been welcomed, particularly by our city, village and town centre businesses. Unfortunately, many are still paying more per square foot than out-of-town centres are. If we are truly serious about town centre regeneration, does the Minister believe that the time has come to rebalance and revaluate town centre and village businesses so that they can compete and flourish to become the town centres that we want to see in our local areas?”
“It is also vital that public services are inclusive and accessible to all. <BR /> <BR />That concludes my winding-up speech. I commend the motion to the House.”
“He referred to the tragic case of Claire Roberts and the many others who have been affected by so-called health scandals and the ongoing difficulty in getting answers. Hopefully, the statement of principles will lead to a more secure way for them to get the answers that they rightly deserve. <BR /> <BR />Finally, Kellie Armstrong said that it was disappointing that so many complaints by the public to public services had to end up with the Public Services Ombudsman: I think that we all agree with that. Every public service and body has a responsibility and a requirement to do their utmost to deal with complaints in a timely fashion and in the best manner possible. When, however, complaints end up with the Public Services Ombudsman, it is important that they are dealt with under the six key principles as quickly as possible.”
“<BR /> <BR />I will briefly reflect on Members' remarks. The Chair referred to the wide and robust consultation that has taken place up to this point and commended the work of the Public Services Ombudsman, Margaret Kelly, and her team. She said that a sound balance had been achieved across the six key principles. <BR /> <BR />Pat Sheehan talked about the issues that the public face when making complaints about public services and the difficulties that that can often involve. He talked about the importance of having a simple and straightforward process that everyone could understand. He, too, referred to the six principles and how they will make it easier for the public not only to complain but to get a satisfactory outcome in a satisfactory time.”
“We were impressed by the ombudsman's thoughtful approach to compiling the principles, listening to the views of others and establishing a basis for the standards that can be collaboratively developed and utilised for the handling of complaints. The Committee looks forward to engaging with the ombudsman in the ongoing task of making the principles operational. <BR /> <BR />The most important work of MLAs is ensuring that things are done better, people's lives are improved and engagement with public services is as unproblematic as we can make it. When things go wrong, it is of the utmost importance that we facilitate processes to make them right again. The principles will not create a perfect world and may need to be adjusted along the way, but the Committee believes that they are a good place to start.”
“I am pleased to make a winding-up speech on behalf of the Committee for the Executive Office on this important motion, which seeks the Assembly's approval for the statement of principles for the handling of complaints by the Public Services Ombudsman. I thank the Members who contributed today for their participation. I also thank those who provided evidence to the Committee in order to inform today's debate. <BR /> <BR />I place on record my appreciation of the work undertaken by the ombudsman and her staff on the matter, of their willingness to engage across the sectors to get the principles right and of their open and productive engagement with the Committee.”
“I thank the Minister for that, and I agree that the levy has had an undoubted impact. Some suggest that the number of plastic bags has been reduced by 90% as a result. I wonder whether the Minister has a grasp of how much more of an impact the increase from 5p to 20p will have on plastic bag use and whether he believes that we could use the money raised to educate our young people through environmental schemes and the like. What else might the additional funding go towards in order to educate people?”
“I thank the Minister for his answer. My question follows on from the point that the Minister just made. I am the proud owner of a rooster called Mr Onions and five hens; I will not go into their names at this stage. What more precautions and measures should people like me and the many thousands of other backyard poultry owners take to prevent the spread of avian flu? The Minister has commented on one; apart from getting registered, is there more that we can do?”
“How is this a victim-centred process, Mr First Minister?”
“We often hear about a victim-centred process, and, for victims and survivors of historical abuse, an apology was key to that. I spoke to a victim and survivor earlier today, and they said to me:”
“I thank the Minister for her answer and her responses to me on the matter over the past year or so. Before the laws on blasphemy, which are, in reality, dead letters, were removed in England and Wales, there was public consultation. Key stakeholders, such as the Church of England, were in favour of deletion. Why has similar preparatory work not taken place here? Will the Minister commit to seeking the views of church groups and other interested parties in a formal public consultation?”
“Minister, you were kind enough, through your team, to share the MLA helpline email address with me last week. I did not bombard it, but I triaged the many issues that I got and sent some through. Unfortunately, the replies were generic copy-and-paste responses from the nidirect website and did not provide me or my constituents with the answers to some of their very difficult decisions and issues, whether that is a lost card or whatever. The manned helpline is simply not helping either. Is there anywhere else that we can go? Should those who have applied and not got a confirmation email, who have now been waiting four or five weeks since the beginning and who still do not have their card, be concerned?”
“I thank the Minister for his answers so far. I share local people's real concerns about the potential environmental impacts of the project. Will the Minister confirm what measures are in place in the draft marine construction licence to require the developer to decommission in the event that the gas caverns are commenced but not completed or are not used for a period? Will the Minister ensure that any financial guarantee that is provided under the lease between Islandmagee Energy and the Crown Estate to manage any residual liabilities at the end of the lifespan of the gas caverns is to the benefit of his Department?”
“A lot of very powerful and wealthy institutions are responsible for institutional abuse. What legal powers do the Northern Ireland Executive have to compel such institutions to compensate victims?”
“As we are now seeing smaller numbers and more difficult cases, can I ask that a dedicated helpline is set up so that people who are really struggling can get advice on the phone?”
“I thank the Minister for his statement. I echo what he said. I was out in East Antrim at the weekend, and the card is being well-received by traders and those who have received it and been able to use it. However, I echo the calls to extend the helpline. Perhaps I went a bit overboard last week when I said that it was useless, but I feel that it is no better than a glorified automated service. It cannot give updates on actual applications. People have turned up in shops and not been able to use the card because it has been turned down, and, when people are told that the seven-day deadline has passed for verification, they start to get worried, so they come to us for answers.”
“I thank the First Minister and the deputy First Minister for the plan. First Minister, you said that, should case numbers "rise sharply", COVID status certification is one measure that might be introduced. Whether mandatory or optional, how long could such a certification scheme take to be introduced? Given the cross-cutting nature of such a scheme, what proprietary work has the Executive Office done on it?”
“In light of this case and the growing political instability on the back of and associated with it, will the First Minister support calls for the Secretary of State to expedite legislation at Westminster to keep Ministers in place and protect these institutions should they fall, given the massive and grave issues that this country is facing?”
“There appears, from speaking to businesses and apprentices currently in the system, to be a backlog because those who have completed the paper-based educational side of the apprenticeship are unable to finish the vocational one due to the impacts of COVID. Are you aware of the issue, Minister? What is being done to alleviate the backlog?”
“I support any call for additional apprenticeships and for them to pay a fair living wage.”
“The junior Minister will know of my passion for town-centre regeneration. I shared that with him during our time on the Committee for the Economy, and we had many discussions on the issue. As the Member for East Antrim said, it feels as though many of our independent retailers are on their knees. Many of them are looking at the task force as the last-ditch hope to save our town centres. Given how long it will take, what can be done in the interim, through collaborative working with councils and others, to keep the wolves at bay from the businesses in town centres that are really under pressure?”
“Given the fact that non-state institutions were at the heart of many of those awful stories of historical abuse, and without prejudicing the findings of any report coming forward, does the First Minister envisage that any legal enforcement of financial penalties can be imposed on those institutions by way of redress?”
“I thank the deputy First Minister for her statement. Deputy First Minister, you referred to the PEACE PLUS initiative, and it has been claimed in the press that up to £1 billion could be lost if this is not signed off by the end of October? Is that the case, and, if it is not, what are the time constraints? Can you spell out the impacts if that money were to be lost?”
“Does the junior Minister agree that the Belfast Agreement was established on the basis of mutual respect and the principle of consent, and that east-west, as well as North/South, relations must be conducted in good faith? Does he also recognise that a trade border between Northern Ireland the rest of the UK runs contrary to the ethos and spirit of the Belfast Agreement?”
“OK. I thank the Member for coming back on that point as well. <BR /> <BR />I do not have a great deal more to add. I know that one of my party colleagues will speak a bit more about the Bill later. Given the clauses and the answers that the Bill sponsor has given, the Ulster Unionist Party will support the Bill at this stage. We encourage others to do likewise.”
“I thank the Member for coming in on that point. I do not know whether he wants to comment on the clause that deals with the determination of eligibility and the panel review. I use the example of our late Mr Ervine, and I am sure that there are others who may not be able to hit those criteria. Do you want to come back in on that?”
“I would like to hear from the proposer about how the financial compensation referenced in point 13 of the explanatory and financial memorandum would work. I am willing to take an intervention on that, if he wants to come in. I am trying to get my head around how any compensation would be assessed and paid. Is there a specific amount? I am happy for the Member to come in on that point.”
“If David were alive today, he, given what he had done, would make a wonderful advocate of tackling working-class loyalist educational underachievement. Unfortunately, he was sentenced to 11 years for possessing explosives. He did not serve the entire time; he came out of prison and went on to make a positive contribution. I am willing to take an intervention on this from the Bill's proposer. What I would like to know is whether, under clause 3, people like David Ervine — others who have made a positive contribution and shown remorse but who may not tick all the boxes — could avail themselves of the commissioner's appeal panel to assist with ticking those boxes. There are many people like that. It is worth asking that. <BR /> <BR />I do not have much to add at this stage.”
“Anybody who had problems in the past should apologise, reach out and show some contrition. I do not believe that that is too much to ask. <BR /> <BR />While we are on this discussion, I will say that I had the privilege of meeting David Ervine a number of times when I was studying politics at school. I was always struck by his apologetic nature, his diplomacy and his statesmanlike attitude. I really enjoyed watching him in interviews and seeing the powerful way in which he put himself across. It is regrettable that he is not still around today. He did a massive amount for politics in Northern Ireland. He was not from my party, and we probably disagreed on many things, but he had a lot to offer.”
“I have always agreed with that principle on the assumption that, as he said, the person had shown contrition and remorse, was apologetic for the actions that led to their convictions, was able to try to reach out and do more and to recognise that what had gone on in the past was not always right. <BR /> <BR />Many living and working in our community, from all sections and backgrounds, have a past. That has opened up many of the failings, but they have also made a positive contribution to our society. That is why I am encouraged by clauses 2 and 3, which offer the chance for the Commissioner for Public Appointments to have a panel to look at those individual cases. Anybody who has shown contrition and a willingness to apologise should have nothing to fear from the Bill.”
“Although others referred to a number of individuals, I do not wish to focus on individuals today. Suffice to say that certain appointments to the Policing Board, policing partnerships and the Education Authority were deeply insensitive to many in society and were met with horror and disgust by the majority of people, especially those affected by their actions. <BR /> <BR />Mr Stalford, who is now out of the Chamber, referred to the difficult decisions that many people had to take and the many bitter pills that had to be swallowed in the Good Friday Agreement to achieve peace in Northern Ireland. Debates could rage on about how those decisions were taken and whether they were right or wrong. I am proud of the difficult steps and decisions that my party took. In 1998, David Trimble said:”
“Unfortunately, however, in the recent past, as will inevitably happen in the future, some political parties, most notably Sinn Féin, appointed people with criminal convictions to those roles. Their convictions were often for heinous crimes for which they are completely unapologetic and unremorseful. I find that regrettable.”
“The overwhelming majority of people who are appointed to those positions will meet all the Nolan principles and will probably be there on merit.”
“As Mr Allister pointed out, Dominic Bradley had referred to contributions opposing the 2013 spad Bill as being against the spirit of the Good Friday Agreement, but this one sneaks just inside it. I always find it interesting the fine line that people walk when they analyse these things. I do not want to go into too much detail at this point, given that we are at Second Stage. As a member of the Executive Office Committee, I hope that the Bill will pass this stage so that we can scrutinise it clause by clause and line by line at Committee Stage. <BR /> <BR />The overwhelming majority of political appointments to non-elected public bodies such as the Policing Board, the Education Authority and others take place without any noticeable difficulties. People come and go, and most members of the public never notice their appointments.”
“On behalf of the Ulster Unionist Party, I support in principle the Second Stage of the Bill. I thank Mr Allister for bringing it forward, for its succinctness and for his emotional and powerful opening contribution, which was useful. I agree with what Alban Maginness said — his point was well made — about the previous spad Bill, which was that there were many who felt the need to attack the parentage of the Bill rather than its content. For many, it was probably damned from the outset, and that was regrettable. <BR /> <BR />We heard from the previous contributor about the spirit of the Good Friday Agreement. I would probably have intervened if I could have done. As with any document, words such as "spirit" and "interpretation" are broad terms and can be up for debate.”
“One of the organisers, Christine, told me that, in the last four weeks alone, they have collectively lifted 600 bin liners of rubbish from East Antrim. What those people are doing is phenomenal. They are now, thankfully, doing that hand in glove with the council, and areas can now be targeted in a structurally organised way. I would like to put on record my thanks to Abe, Ricky and Christine and all those organisers and volunteers who continue to do what they do. I am sure that they are operating in many Members' areas, so I ask that you support them and encourage councillors to do the same by providing the grant support that they need in order to continue their great work. We always say that we live here and love here. It is a lot easier to do that with those fantastic people doing what they do daily.”
“I want to take the opportunity this morning to acknowledge and commend the work of the Eco Rangers, the Whitehead Wombles and all those across East Antrim and Northern Ireland who are fighting the war on litter. Many of my colleagues will have them in their area. What they are doing is absolutely phenomenal. It started off organically, with many people doing it by themselves, but, over the past 18 months to two years, particularly through lockdown and more recently, it has been organised by a dedicated group of volunteers, who have taken it from three or four people to scores operating on our streets, in laneways, across shorelines and on beaches. <BR /> <BR />I had the privilege to be out again with the Carrickfergus Eco Rangers at the weekend, doing a beach clean in Carrickfergus.”
“I echo the comments of the Member for North Antrim by wishing the women's team all the very best for this evening. As a Tottenham Hotspur supporter and a football fan, I mark the sad passing at the weekend of Jimmy Greaves MBE, who was a footballing legend.”
“I thank the First Minister for his answer. Will he agree that, given the recent disappointing figures for infections and the difficulty in getting some people vaccinated, it is more important than ever to have a joined-up approach and message? Will he also agree that stability of government here is integral to that and to ensuring that the institutions survive, given the pandemic and its impacts? Will he agree that that joint message must not be damaged by solo runs?”
“I thank the deputy First Minister for her statement and answers. You referred to attendees' difficulties with travel. Was there any discussion about when we will see an end to the inconsistencies and inequality within the common travel area, particularly from GB to the Republic of Ireland? Does she agree that the current travel rules are surprising and potentially outdated given that, over the past six months, the Republic of Ireland has consistently had a much higher infection rate than Northern Ireland?”
“OK. I am sure that I have spoken for more than five minutes. <BR /> <BR />Again, I thank everyone for their contributions. Many valid points have been made, and we are all speaking with one voice: the process needs to be addressed. The Committee wants to make the point that, whatever review takes place, it should not hinder anything that is under way. Nothing should be delayed. The process should carry on as before. We need to make sure that we get a proper response for victims.”