John Blair
South Antrim · Alliance Party · Northern Ireland
“It supports the Department's role in enforcement by ensuring that animal welfare standards are being upheld. At their core, the regulations are based on prevention, accountability and transparency.”
“I, like others, rise as a member of the AERA Committee in support of the regulations, which seek to make CCTV mandatory in our slaughterhouses. I do not intend to repeat all of the relevant points that have been covered by the Committee Chair and Committee colleagues.”
“<BR /> <BR />I recognise the work of my colleague the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Andrew Muir, who is using the powers within his remit to help mitigate climate change.”
“I rise as chair of the all-party group on climate action to address the extreme heatwave that is forecast to hit mainland UK, including a rare red weather warning, with temperatures forecast to be as high as 40°C. It is yet another reminder that climate change is not a distant future risk that we can brush under the carpet.”
“They place pressure on our health service, disrupt transport and infrastructure, reduce productivity and threaten food production, water supplies and biodiversity. If such events continue to grow in severity and frequency, the cost to our communities, our local economy and our natural environment will only rise.”
“I thank the member of the Commission for that reply. It is good to hear that those reviews take place, of course. However, further to the information that was presented, will there be an ongoing review of the continuous improvement plan, and will that information be available to Members?”
The complete record
Every one of 1,399 lines we hold for John Blair, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 18 of 28.
“Those will enable us to ensure consistency of approach across jurisdictions on matters that will be of benefit to Northern Ireland. Therefore, from a law enforcement perspective, I and Alliance colleagues support the extension of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill to Northern Ireland.”
“<BR /> <BR />Some say that the original Bill contained provisions — mostly, it has to be said, relating to England and Wales — that represented a slide towards authoritarianism, so, at this point, I want to highlight the fact that the Alliance Party opposed the introduction of the legislation at Westminster, especially the parts that, in our view, marked an undermining of human rights and civil liberties. However, the provisions in the Bill now passed that extend to Northern Ireland and make the LCM necessary provide for a more joined-up approach to matters relating to public protection and tackling crime, including the enforcement of sexual offences orders and powers to make regulations and charge fees in relation to the national driver offender retraining scheme, as well as asset-freezing and forfeiture powers.”
“I start by thanking the Minister for her detailed statement and her explanation of the LCM. Given that the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill has already been introduced in the UK Parliament and the powers relate to legislation that applies across the UK, I recognise the practical reasons for the legislative consent motion, as opposed to our own legislation, to ensure parity with the rest of the UK, including the inevitable time constraints that the Assembly faces in the current mandate.”
“The Minister has touched on this, but I will ask the question. I am aware of the Minister's long-standing commitment to freedom of and freedom from religion. Does she share my frustration that we do not have a legislative vehicle to repeal those offences and that that should now be a priority?”
“Given the appropriate emphasis placed on this issue by the police, the Policing Board and, indeed, the Department, what advice would the Minister give to those who come across what they believe to be modern slavery?”
“Processes should, in every way, be interdepartmental and joined up.”
“The debate needs to be for every service, every car park and every associated public transport route. Rather than subsidising free car parking and creating an excess, we should be moving towards investment in our public transport links and making systemic changes to the way in which we get around, in order to curb carbon emissions in line with net zero commitments. As the time that we have left to limit the impact of the climate crisis effectively dwindles, every ton of greenhouse gas that we do not emit counts, and counts seriously. <BR /> <BR />I am, along with Alliance colleagues, happy that the Bill proceed to the next stage. I sincerely hope, however, that those global issues will be considered alongside local issues as we try to protect our planet in the reviews and debates ahead.”
“The Belfast City Hospital is on a railway line. The Ulster Hospital and the Royal Group of Hospitals are on the same Glider route. In my constituency, the Antrim Area Hospital is serviced by Goldline Express and Ulsterbus, as well as being within walking distance, albeit not a short walk, from the local rail station. I should, however, point out, and I accept, that there are challenges for workers under the current systems. Not all shift patterns at my local hospital are adequately serviced by public transport. That is one of the examples of the new thinking, coordination and forward planning needed. <BR /> <BR />The debate on actions required to tackle climate challenges is not limited to the health sector. Rather, it is relevant to all areas of public service and all sectors.”
“If we are serious about a green recovery, and I hope that we are, Northern Ireland must contribute to UK commitments and move to decarbonise our transport sector. Significant infrastructure investment will be vital in the transition to a clean, sustainable transport system that works for everyone. <BR /> <BR />Parking has an incredibly powerful impact — we have seen it illustrated today — on people's decisions on whether to drive. Studies have found that underpriced or free parking encourages people to drive, even in areas where there are good alternative transport options. That, in turn, leads to increased congestion and pollution. It could therefore be suggested that a general prohibition on car parking charges at hospitals would discourage people from accessing public transport links to them.”
“<BR /> <BR />I fear that steps towards abolishing car parking charges, as outlined in the Bill, would promote driving and discourage public transport use. Free parking comes at a price, and it is a high environmental cost. Transport has become the largest contributor to UK greenhouse gas emissions, contributing 28% of UK domestic emissions in 2018. Locally, transport accounts for 35% of all consumed energy in Northern Ireland and 23% of all greenhouse gas emissions. It has to be said that the majority of that comes from private car use as a result of chronic underinvestment in public transport over the years, which has created a highly car-dependent society in Northern Ireland, where over 70% of all journeys are made by motor car.”
“I have no intention of hindering the Bill's progression to Committee Stage. From the outset, however, I want to outline my concerns at some of its principles. Those concerns are in common with those expressed often in the Chamber when we discuss climate challenges. I address them for every service and sector, and, to be honest, I express them not to be popular but to be consistent, in the light of what I have just said about climate challenges. <BR /> <BR />Like previous Members to speak, I acknowledge the huge contribution made by our NHS workers to all our lives, not only in recent, COVID times but at all times. There is, however, a wider conversation to be had on free parking and how it conflicts with efforts to reduce the use of the car. It is as simple as that. It is a conversation that we have to have.”
“I thank the Minister for the clarification she has been able to give so far on the current legal challenges. When will the independent investigation that is under way into the botched procurement process be published? Will any aspects of it be redacted?”
“Does the Minister agree that taking steps beyond merely voluntary vaccination, such as prohibiting high-risk venues from opening without mitigations, would reduce coronavirus infections and COVID-19 hospitalisations, and, therefore, facilitate a refocus on waiting lists? That is why new actions have been identified and why we should stick to them.”
“I beg to introduce the Hunting of Wild Mammals Bill [NIA 43/17-22], a Bill to prohibit hunting wild mammals with dogs; to prohibit trail hunting; to prohibit terrier work; and for connected purposes.”
“I thank the Minister for his statement. We should give it a broad welcome. I am pleased to hear that he is making a bid for funding for commitments made in the strategy. The Chancellor of the UK Government announced a fund of £640 million last year to fund the planting of over 40 million trees and the restoration of 35,000 hectares of peatland in England. The Scottish and Welsh Governments have made similar commitments. The Irish Government have approved an allocation of €108 million for bog rehabilitation plans. I ask the Minister whether his bid includes dedicated funding for peatland restoration.”
“I thank the Minister for his statement. With all the mentions of a circular economy and pledges for zero waste, is it not a fact that, without a green new deal, the UK Government and the Departments represented in the Assembly will seriously struggle to meet their carbon emission target reductions under the Paris agreement? Therefore, how can the pledge in the statement be taken seriously and credibly if there are no specific targets and action plans associated with that?”
“The Northern Ireland agri-food sector has been heavily dependent on a flow of EU workers, which has stopped due to the UK's post-Brexit immigration rules. Can the Minister provide us with an update on what actions have been taken to address those labour shortages?”
“I thank the Minister for the information provided in the statement. In addition to the issues raised around the canopy scheme — we welcome the good news for the scenic town of Glenarm — are schemes such as those that try to address the provision of trees in urban streets being looked at? I ask that because, coincidentally, when the statement was first scheduled, a colleague on Belfast City Council raised the issue with me as a way of increasing forestation in our urban areas.”
“Those senseless acts of destruction, which could lead to death or serious injury, should be called out on every occasion. They must cease. The hijacking and burning of a bus achieve nothing. What they do is terrorise and frighten people who are just trying to earn a living, get home to their families or go about their daily business. I urge anyone with any information on the recent attacks to contact the police, directly or through Crimestoppers, to assist the cessation of these actions.”
“Members will recall that there was also similar violence at Easter this year, the effects of which still affect the communities where those incidents occurred. There appears to be increasing violence since the expiry of politically imposed deadlines with regard to the Northern Ireland protocol and issues around it. <BR /> <BR />For the sake of all communities, it is now crucial that political leaders dial down the rhetoric and focus on solutions, rather than setting deadlines or issuing ultimatums. Often, when political speeches or actions raise tensions, those tensions spill over and affect people who are trying to get on with their lives in their local areas. There has never been a greater need for political leaders to work together for satisfactory outcomes, avoid hype and end the blatant destruction of public assets.”
“I cannot condemn strongly enough the latest violence on the streets, including a bus hijacking and burning in Rathcoole, close to my constituency, on Sunday evening. I pass on my support to the driver and passengers who were on that bus. Understandably, they will be traumatised by that deeply disturbing act of violence. Such incidents bring fear to local communities and tarnish onlookers' image of Northern Ireland. They also seriously undermine the good work that is being done by good people at community level in Rathcoole and elsewhere. <BR /> <BR />Like other recent outbreaks of violence, the latest incident is reported to have been connected to dissatisfaction with the Northern Ireland protocol. It follows similar attacks only last week.”
“I am grateful for the chance to wish our colleague Mr Weir a full and speedy recovery and to address the issue of recurring violence in Northern Ireland.”
“In the week in which we mark the twentieth anniversary of the PSNI and the bravery and community spirit of those who serve in it, does the Minister agree that building confidence in policing is also about building confidence in the oversight structures, such as the Policing Board and the Office of the Police Ombudsman, and avoiding party politicking around those structures, their clearly defined independent roles and the personalities of those who serve in them?”
“I thank the Minister for that answer. These are difficult issues. In light of the detail given in the answer and some of the issues that I referred to in my question, may I ask whether the processes that are in place are to be reviewed as a result of the recent events and the publicity around them?”
“We need a green new deal, we need joined-up action to deliver it, and we need those now.”
“Members of the House, including me, some of my Alliance colleagues and others from Northern Ireland, are attending or preparing to attend COP26. We must ensure that, when we return, we work at pace throughout the remainder of the mandate and in the time ahead to deliver action on the climate emergency. Doing that will also assist with nature's recovery and habitat protection. As well as asking others to act, we must act. <BR /> <BR />Today, as world leaders gather and begin negotiations at COP26, it is important that we remember that the solutions for the climate crisis are in front of us and that the answer is clear. The answer is a green new deal. Through a green new deal, we can address the climate crisis, create tens of thousands of new green jobs and build a fairer society at the same time.”
“I am also grateful for the opportunity to make a statement at the commencement of COP26 in Glasgow. The climate crisis is no longer a looming threat; it is here and it is happening now. Further delay to action would be deadly. Government action towards rapid and drastic reductions in greenhouse gases to prevent climate breakdown has never been more crucial. Northern Ireland needs to play its part in addressing the global challenges. We must act, not because it is convenient or just because it is the right thing to do, but because it is our only option. We urgently need radical changes to the structure of our economy, based on long-term security and shared prosperity. Failure to take the required action immediately would be unforgivable.”
“That will not work either, given how, at the start of the lifetime of the Assembly, others were forgotten about then also. If truth be told, the Assembly, in its early days, was not without times of deadlock. That is no longer acceptable. Until the designations are removed and our votes are counted equally, parties such as Alliance will continue to be disadvantaged, and so will the people of Northern Ireland who choose to vote for us.”
“<BR /> <BR />I am hopeful that the work of the AERC, which was referenced by Mr McHugh, to commence and bring forward reports will progress at pace and that those reports can be made available to us as soon as possible. It would improve governance in Northern Ireland if those changes were made, and it would help us to steer away from recurring stalemate and stand-off. If we are serious about increasing participation in politics by those from a wider range of backgrounds, including those currently underrepresented, and about making local politics more diverse, we must stop treating those who are not traditional unionists or nationalists as second-class citizens without equal voice or equal vote. The reform of the institutions is a vital part of that. Recently, some have talked about taking themselves and us back to 1998.”
“While it is tempting to consider minor tweaks, which, by the way, also require a majority of others, it does not make an unfair system fairer. The obvious solution for mathematical simplicity and in the interests of fairness is to remove designations and require key votes in the Assembly to be passed by other means, perhaps a simple weighted majority of two thirds initially that could be reduced to 60% over time. There are alternatives. These are matters for proper and further discussion and subsequent agreement. Given the relative strengths of unionism, nationalism and others, it would ensure that key votes had a de facto cross-community majority while removing the veto from any single party.”
“I can clarify my position. I have been asked many times over the years whether I am a unionist Alliance Party member or a nationalist Alliance Party member. The answer — clearly, firmly and proudly — is neither. That is the case today, and it will be the case going forward. <BR /> <BR />It is undemocratic that an effective veto power should continue for some parties — only some parties — in these circumstances. However, simply removing the petition of concern, for example, does not address the other issues, with the votes of unionists and nationalists counting twice while others count only once. That is why there needs to be a major reform of the voting system in the Assembly. It is untenable to persist with a mechanism that discriminates against up to 25% of voters.”
“I support the Alliance Party motion and the Alliance Party amendment. <BR /> <BR />Recent elections have clearly demonstrated a heightened interest in a united community where everyone in Northern Ireland is treated equally, but the Assembly continues to represent institutionalised division through its binary and outdated designation system. Recent elections have also shown a significant increase in votes for parties whose members do not designate as unionist or nationalist. The 2017 election returned 11 such MLAs of the 90. That is factual.”
“<BR /> <BR />In addition to the inspection processes in place, reporting by the ombudsman and actions undertaken as a result of recent reports and, indeed, the court outcome, it is imperative that the work of the ombudsman, like all organisations in the policing and justice system, remains independent and free from political interference and influence. That was the intention when the current structures were set up 20 years ago, following a much darker time for policing and the public alike. With that in mind, I, along with Alliance colleagues, am therefore unable to support the motion.”
“Therefore, it is not only right and proper but unavoidable that the use of PACE comes with a range of duties for Office of the Police Ombudsman investigators, who have the powers of a constable in the investigative duties related to their job. Whilst the court referred to in the motion made criticisms in one case out of many thousands over the years, those are being addressed. There are already bodies with scrutiny monitoring reporting duties in relation to the work of the Police Ombudsman, and these include the Criminal Justice Inspection Northern Ireland.”
“The Police Ombudsman's office was not established to investigate legacy matters, yet the office currently has 457 complaints, involving over 550 deaths, relating to legacy matters and has a staff of around 30. I am therefore pleased that the Minister has secured additional funding for the year for the Office of the Police Ombudsman to recruit an additional 16 investigators to deal with legacy cases. Hopefully, that will help to provide families with long overdue answers. <BR /> <BR />The PACE powers referred to in the motion are a vital part of the legislative framework of police powers for combating crime.”
“<BR /> <BR />The motion refers also to recent court judgements, touching on the methods and standards of investigative practice. The 2020 Court of Appeal's findings in respect of a judicial review taken against the Office of the Police Ombudsman relate to a report published by the previous ombudsman, not the current ombudsman. The ruling clarified that the role of the ombudsman is to investigate and not adjudicate. <BR /> <BR />Cases relating to retired police officers are also referenced in the motion. It has to be said that these are often high-profile cases involving many sensitivities and related to historical investigations on Troubles-related matters. It could easily be argued that they should not be sitting with the ombudsman at all but that they are there simply because of lack of political agreement to do otherwise.”
“The Northern Ireland life and times survey found that 76% of the general public were either fairly confident or very confident that complaints are dealt with impartially, and 83% believed that the Police Ombudsman helps to ensure that the police in Northern Ireland do a good job. These statistics are evidence that the office is meeting the expectations of the wider public. Additional statistics, which I referred to a moment ago, are available from the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) and other organisations, and most of them paint a similar picture. The figures are publicly available. It is a matter of perception, perhaps, how they should be matched with expectations, as mentioned in the motion.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. I may not have time to reflect on or, indeed, research every single survey on every single issue over all the years, but I am coming to some detail on additional surveys, which the Member may want to listen to. <BR /> <BR />The comparable statistics for complaints made by the public are that 73% felt that they were treated with respect, and 57% felt that they were treated fairly. Also, it seems that a huge proportion, an estimated 99% of complaints against the office, were from those who were seeking a review of the outcome to their complaint that was given to the ombudsman's office in the first place. In addition, there seems to be widespread public confidence in the office.”
“In fact, the last annual survey of police satisfaction with the services of the Office of the Police Ombudsman found that 91% felt that they were treated with respect, and 79% felt that they were treated fairly.”
“<BR /> <BR />The Office of the Police Ombudsman, which operates independently of the Department of Justice, the Northern Ireland Policing Board and the Police Service of Northern Ireland, is constituted to secure an effective, efficient and independent police complaints system that is capable of securing the confidence of the public and the police. Where there are concerns and frustrations about police actions, police officers themselves need to believe that complaints against them will be treated fairly and impartially, while the community requires confidence that the accountability mechanisms in place are robust and able to deal with concerns around policing.”
“I declare that I am a member of the Policing Board. I acknowledge the challenging year that it has been for the Office of the Police Ombudsman and all other bodies involved in our police scrutiny structures. They have endured a lot, like other public bodies. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has been far-reaching in society as a whole. No individual or organisation has remained unaffected. The impacts on the Office of the Police Ombudsman were sharply felt, but those services, it should be said, continued. <BR /> <BR />I also welcome the recognition from the Members who tabled the motion that there is a need for an effective, efficient and independent structure for dealing with complaints against police officers.”
“That is how we should move forward as a fitting tribute to Sir David Amess.”
“We can work together to defeat extremism, intimidation and threat because cooperation based on mutual respect despite differences is the means by which democracy prevails. In the words of the family of Sir David Amess MP, a family who are in their own words "broken", we should:”
“In this place, such discussion will be set in the context of recent appalling threats made to the Infrastructure Minister, the Health Minister, my party leader and Justice Minister and others in the House as well as journalists and broadcasters. In addition to the impact that they have on the affected individuals, such threats and the associated outworkings, when they happen, are an attack on democratic principles and process. Threats, whether from fanatics, extremists, terrorists or bullies, have no place in a democracy. They should always be called out and condemned. Everyone with a role in public life should strive to ensure that no words or actions assist or excuse intolerance or hate. <BR /> <BR />Those of us who serve the public want to be and will be accessible and visible to those whom we represent.”
“<BR /> <BR />Sir David's parliamentary colleagues from across the political spectrum have paid sincere tribute to him as a dedicated parliamentarian, a real gentleman, a considerate person and one who devoted time to help others who were new to Parliament or to politics. He was clearly firmly committed to his Southend West constituents and passionate about various causes, including animal welfare. It would be remiss of me, as chair of the all-party group on animal welfare, not to mention that. <BR /> <BR />As a consequence of the events, there will, of course, be discussion and review of the safety of public representatives and their colleagues.”
“I thank Mr Givan for tabling the Matter of the Day. He will be aware that other Members of the House attempted to do that so that we can reflect. <BR /> <BR />We all shared the shock and sadness following the killing of Sir David Amess MP last Friday as he was carrying out his duties as a public representative and meeting his constituents. The horror of that event has been felt across this House, in the Parliaments and Assemblies across these islands, amongst people in the respective jurisdictions and, of course, far beyond. Our thoughts are first and foremost with the family of Sir David: his wife and their five children. We also sympathise with his friends, his parliamentary colleagues, his Conservative Party colleagues and his staff team, especially the members of his staff team who were present as the tragic events unfolded last week.”
“The Prime Minister must stop dismissing the sector's concerns. The solutions are clear, and it is up to the UK Government to rectify the situation instead of finding further stumbling blocks and issuing new challenges. My Alliance colleagues and I support the motion.”
“Labour shortages could also lead to the additional issue of the slaughter of thousands of healthy pigs. Farmers in England have already been forced to kill animals to make space and ensure the continued welfare of their remaining livestock amid an ongoing shortage of workers at slaughterhouses. The National Pig Association said last week that up to 120,000 pigs might have to be culled on farms and not sold for pork meat because of a shortage of abattoir workers. Something needs to change. <BR /> <BR />Although we will do what we can through employability and skills work to address labour shortages locally, fundamentally, the answers and solutions have to lie with the UK Government. I call on them to take urgent action to ensure that the problems that are already being experienced do not get even worse as the winter progresses.”
“<BR /> <BR />According to a report from another accounting and professional services firm, the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC), a significant number of agri-food firms are reporting difficulties that are to do with the rising cost of recruitment and Brexit, which could lead to a hike in costs.”
“<BR /> <BR />Local business owners have told me that the chronic labour shortages have led to a crisis in supply chains here too, affecting a lengthening list of products. The Ulster Farmers' Union has said that the sector is desperate for staff, and according to recent figures across our food-processing industry, there is a shortfall of around 12% in the workforce. One large employer alone is struggling to fill hundreds of vacancies. Inevitably, labour shortages will push up the prices of local food products, and consumers in Northern Ireland could face a period of food price inflation.”