Deborah Erskine
Fermanagh and South Tyrone · Democratic Unionist Party · Northern Ireland
“Minister, you did not mention the removal of the zero-detriment policy, which is a concern that I have. That is worrying for anybody who sits in the Chamber, and for the construction industry in particular.”
“I thank the Minister for his comments about the Western Trust's chair. I, too, pass on my sympathies to his family. <BR /> <BR />Minister, we had the pause to the emergency general surgery consultation process last July. You asked the trust to provide a vision plan.”
“Quality assurance is really important when looking at roads. A number of us in the Chamber could take you to potholes that we have raised with the Department that have been fixed but have then reopened within a matter of days, meaning that we have had to go back into the portal to raise it with DFI staff again.”
“I thank the Minister for her statement and hope that she enjoyed her visit to Enniskillen. The statement mentions moorings. I want to focus on the Fermanagh end of the Ulster canal. I have received communication about accessible jetties and ensuring that jetties and moorings are up to standard.”
“<BR /> <BR />That was laid bare last Wednesday when representatives from the ICRIR said that they had written to the Irish Government 11 or 12 times without receiving any form of reply from them. That is shameful.”
“<BR /> <BR />It is interesting that, for years, Sinn Féin has called on the UK Government to provide information, yet its silence on the Irish Government is deafening. There are people who sit in the Chamber who know exactly the truth about what happened, yet they are prepared to lie about their involvement in the IRA.”
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“I thank the Minister for his statement. As we approach two years since the COVID-19 pandemic hit both the UK and the Republic of Ireland, can the Minister detail how regularly engagement takes place between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland to ensure that data is shared between the two jurisdictions? Can he also detail why it took so long to agree the memorandum of understanding (MOU) on the sharing of travel information?”
“Breast cancer services are very important, and I do not want to take away from that. However, gynaecological issues such as endometriosis also affect women. Those waiting for urgent surgery are repeatedly told that it cannot go ahead owing to COVID pressures on surgical wards. As a result, the Western Health and Social Care Trust in my constituency has lost its British Society for Gynaecological Endoscopy (BSGE) accreditation. Minister, in the absence of BSGE-accredited surgery taking place in Northern Ireland, why are women here not being referred to BSGE centres in other jurisdictions?”
“— that will hugely mitigate the inefficient use of agencies and make the job better suited to the needs of the workforce.”
“— to do the job in hand. I have asked the Minister to bring forward proposals —”
“In 2016, the then Health Minister, Simon Hamilton, announced a 15% increase in the annual number of preregistration nurse training places commissioned in Northern Ireland and established a new task group on nursing. There is a lot of stress and poor morale among nursing staff. They are the most valuable resource in keeping our health service going. Trusts have become all too dependent on agencies. Since the figures given were published, the Royal College of Nursing has stated that the situation is unsustainable. Why are we not giving incentives to the health workforce at present? Golden cuffs already in force in other parts of the UK are beneficial. Those incentives are retaining staff in the health service. We need to take a serious look at doing that in order to equip staff appropriately —”
“Although agency work is better paid, there is no pension or holiday pay. We must also remember that agencies take an enormous cut for each shift. It would be wrong to think that a nurse is getting up to £736 a shift. Setting aside the hugely inflated costs for shift cover, I ask this: how does a shift in one trust cost £200 more than a shift in another? We need to ask ourselves why nurses are choosing to leave the health service to work as agency staff. <BR /> <BR />Recently, in the Health Committee, I heard the stark figure that, in Musgrave Park Hospital, 14 out of 100 perioperative nurses have left. That is one hospital in Northern Ireland in which it would be a very difficult task to get elective surgery up and running to pre-COVID levels. We need to keep the nurses whom we have and build on the workforce.”
“I urge the Minister of Health to act to reform our health service. We need to support the workforce that we have. We also need to put in place a plan to recruit and retain more nurses. Our nurses are brilliant. They are angels, and the huge responsibility of their work takes an enormous physical and emotional toll on them. <BR /> <BR />Figures that my party has obtained, however, show that health trusts are failing to manage their workforce. Private employment agencies cost health trusts in Northern Ireland up to £736 a shift in some cases. More than £115,800 was spent on nurses covering 188 shifts from Saturday 9 October to Monday 11 October across five health trusts. I have spoken to scores of nurses who are hugely experienced but work for an agency rather than full-time in a trust, as it suits their work-life balance.”
“<BR /> <BR />In conclusion, it is right and proper that thanks go to the work of not only Committee members but the Committee clerking team, the Bill Clerk and, of course, the departmental officials, especially in what has been a challenging time for all. I commend the Bill to the House.”
“In the Committee's view, an amendment of that type would allow the retention of those local commissioning groups until regulations on the area integrated partnership boards are laid and approved by the Assembly in order to ensure that there is no gap in the invaluable local engagement, input and feedback. <BR /> <BR />As a Health Committee member, I again thank the Department for the positive engagement and acceptance of these measured amendments to the Bill. With the accepted amendments, the Bill will help to deliver greater accountability and clarity around decision-making in our health system. Some of the complexity and what has, over time, become burdensome and outdated levels of red tape and bureaucracy will be stripped out. In my view, and that of those consulted, that is objective achieved.”
“<BR /> <BR />As the Health Committee scrutinised the Bill, it came to the collective belief that, by providing for the dissolution of the board, the transfer of its functions and a requirement for the Department to make transfer schemes for assets and staff, the Committee could offer its support. However, the Committee also felt that, in some specific aspects, the Bill required amendment. The proposed amendments included provision for legislative powers to place a statutory duty on the Department of Health to bring forward regulations on the new integrated care system framework to be laid in the Assembly, and for such regulations to be approved by affirmative procedure. <BR /> <BR />The Committee agreed that the Bill should be amended to reflect an additional requirement that local commissioning groups be retained in the interim.”
“That was identified as a key issue by consultees on the Health and Social Care Bill consultation. The Health Minister would also like to see that area safely and appropriately reduced across the health service, and he has my full support in driving forward that agenda. I urge the Minister to expedite the reforms that are so desperately needed across our health and social care system to cut any avoidable red tape safely. <BR /> <BR />As a new Assembly Member and a new member of the Health Committee, I was not present for the earlier stages of the Bill. However, I am well aware of the large amount of work, scrutiny and consideration carried out by the Minister, the Department, the Bill Office, members of the Health Committee and Clerks. I put on record my thanks to all those involved in the process.”
“I am pleased that we are at this stage today. It is, however, a great shame that it has taken so long to bring about these reforms, which were clearly identified years ago. Vital time has been lost, not least due to the collapse of the Assembly between 2017 and 2020. <BR /> <BR />While there must be a level of administrative checks and balances and managerial responsibility, we need to be careful not to burden our system with bureaucracy. The Bill will take a necessary step to cut back on some of the bureaucracy in our health service, which will free up resources, staff and funds to be placed where they are needed, especially on the front line. <BR /> <BR />I am sure that, like me, Members wish to see less bureaucracy in our public services across the board.”
“Clarity around accountability, decision-making processes and authority is crucial in any organisation, and there is no doubt that the Bill is a framework that delivers improvements in our structures. What we have discussed throughout the legislative process of the Bill is the direct result of the Donaldson report in 2014.”
“I hope that I will not take too long in my remarks, as this is fairly straightforward. As we are all aware, the purpose of the Health and Social Care Bill is to give effect to the decision to close the Health and Social Care Board. I welcome the fact that we have reached the Final Stage of the Bill. <BR /> <BR />The Bill is an important step in the gradual transformation of how our health system is managed. As a unionist, I think that our health and social care service is a source of great national pride and something that we must protect, but it is also a service that we must continually improve and adapt in order to meet the changing and increasing needs of our society.”
“I thank the Member for her answer. I wholeheartedly welcome the announcement that Executive Office Question Time will now be with sign language, and I hope that more can be rolled out. Has discussion taken place about that, and will the Assembly Commission commit to rolling it out further across Northern Ireland Assembly business after the pilot finishes in March 2022?”
“I thank the Minister for his answer. It is important that the Enniskillen hub is progressed quickly. Will he commit to ensuring that my constituency is given priority, given the distance that civil servants from there have to travel to Belfast? That will help our environment and provide a better work-life balance for those from my constituency working in the Civil Service.”
“The Minister will know that I am fond of the local produce that I eat; I am sure that he is too. Does the Minister feel that Northern Ireland produce is marketed in a way that educates consumers on the benefits of buying local, home-grown food and informs them of our high standards, thus highlighting the need for our farmers to receive a fair price? Given the issues facing the pig sector, for example, what discussions has the Minister had with representatives from that sector?”
“I thank the Minister for coming to the House to give us an update. I am particularly interested in the travel arrangements and the regulations that are coming into place. Look at Dublin and the people who are travelling by air and sea there. Travellers have raised a particular concern about the availability of PCR tests, which are obviously important, and the amount of money that they have to spend to get them. What consultation have you or your Department undertaken with the air travel and tourism sectors to ensure the availability of PCR tests? Has the Republic of Ireland ever agreed to share passenger locator form information with the Northern Ireland Executive?”
“<BR /> <BR />I am sure that the House will support the Bill's general aim. However, several concerns need to be addressed through engagement with relevant stakeholders to ensure that the Bill is up to the required standard to ensure a lasting and successful outcome for the people whom it aims to support.”
“Free car parking could have knock-on consequences such as, potentially, the obstruction of emergency vehicles, disruption and impediments to disabled patients and visitors. With universal provision, how the aforementioned problem could be prevented is a problem. Universal free car parking should prevent the creation of any administration costs. However, they may in turn be required to prevent commuters from abusing such a provision and to ensure that patients and visitors can avail themselves of the spaces. <BR /> <BR />Thirdly, it is possible that the Bill would represent a retrograde step away from encouraging better uptake of public transport and sustainable transport by incentivising car usage with free parking. Does that undermine the Executive's commitment to the environment and to tackling emissions?”
“There needs to be open discussion of whether the use of financial resources for individuals not in receipt of patient care is the most effective use of public money. As the Bill progresses, we need to establish what impact a universal ban on car parking charges would have on our clinical care budgets on a day-to-day basis. If the scheme would cause a shortfall in maintaining car parking facilities, it must be stipulated that the cost must not be borne from funds allocated to support front-line services. That is critical. <BR /> <BR />Secondly, the Committee will need to explore the potential for free car parking provision to be exploited by commuters for other purposes, particularly when it comes to hospitals in Belfast city centre and other central locations.”
“We need full scrutiny of the differences between the model and regional delivery and how we do business in Northern Ireland. When I look at the delivery model in England, I do not believe that full, blanket, free-for-all car parking is in place; instead, there are differences — for instance, for family members who are gravely ill. On the one hand, the complete abolition of hospital car parking charges would address the complexity of the provision of concessions for the patients who most frequently attend appointments for treatment. However, that could, perhaps, shift the problem elsewhere. <BR /> <BR />Several points need to be considered in greater detail as the Bill progresses. First, the case for waiving fees for patients and staff is stronger than for doing the same for visitors.”
“Our health service could be taking on a colossal cost, and I would have reservations about that. <BR /> <BR />Despite that, I fully accept that ensuring that hospital staff no longer face the burden of the extra cost of car parking is a small but symbolic recognition of the critical work that they undertake every day. Ending car parking fees for visitors would also provide the possibility for the loved ones of a patient who is undergoing cancer treatment or palliative care to spend more time with them without the burden of excessive costs afterwards at such a difficult time. For both those circumstances, the Bill is definitely worthy of consideration. <BR /> <BR />As was mentioned, Scotland and Wales have already taken steps to abolish hospital car parking charges. Where that has been implemented elsewhere, we need to see its full impact.”
“<BR /> <BR />As Members have stated, the disparities in car parking fees between trusts have created regional inequalities for those who face a trip to the hospital. The Bill would ensure an end to those regional inequalities, ensuring that patients and staff, regardless of where they live, receive fair and equitable access. However, we have to be open and honest about our budgets. Have the costings been worked through by the Bill sponsor? The Department could be taking on a cost that has to be taken out of our services elsewhere. In 2018-19, it was reported that the health service hospital car parks in Northern Ireland generated around £7·5 million from charges but the cost of operating the car parks was approximately £8·8 million. That is a difference of £1·3 million.”
“I support the progress of the Bill to the next stage. The broad aim of the Bill to alleviate the unnecessary financial burdens facing our NHS staff and patients is one that we absolutely support. However, when it comes to achieving its aim, a number of challenges need to be addressed. We must ensure that the arrangements that follow the Bill are sustainable and avoid the creation of additional pressures or problems elsewhere in our system. We, as a party, want to engage constructively with Members from across the Chamber and with interested stakeholders to ensure that any proposals from the Bill are informed and effectively address the issue without the creation of further problems.”
“As we look at the circumstances in which we find our health service, it is important that the Bill's reforms not be made in isolation but form part of the greater transformation of our health and social care services. For example, the reform of social care will have an impact on accountability arrangements and performance management functions. <BR /> <BR />I commend the Bill and the amendments to the House. I thank the Minister, the Department and the Bill Clerks for their engagement on the Bill.”
“They have to go without toilet breaks and without being able to eat their lunch or see their family. As a member of the Health Committee, I rise to that challenge. I want to act now to do something for the staff and patients whom we represent. I thank our healthcare staff, who are stressed out and trying their best in difficult situations. <BR /> <BR />Naturally, with health, behind such Bills are people. Ensuring that everyone has access to better health and well-being is paramount, as is, for example, effective management of budgets. Throwing money at a system that is creaking, however, will not be enough. We need to act. Many of the problems predate COVID, but a spotlight has been shone on them during the pandemic, and they have been exacerbated.”
“<BR /> <BR />Last night, my local accident and emergency department in the South West Acute Hospital sent out a message to say that it was under pressure and that people should come to the ED only in an emergency. At around 8.00 pm, I understand that 59 people were in the ED and that 22 were waiting to be admitted to hospital. A constituent contacted me to say that it is time for politicians to take the difficult decisions to reform our health service, and I absolutely agree. We owe it to our health and social care staff and our patients. The Member opposite talked about the fact that we will have extra Health Committee meetings and late nights. To be honest, those pale into insignificance when we look at what our healthcare staff have to go through daily in our accident and emergency departments.”
“I am pleased to speak to the Bill, following the proposal and consultation on its introduction that began almost six years ago under former Health Minister Simon Hamilton. <BR /> <BR />I will not labour my points. I thank the Minister for listening to the Health Committee's concerns. I hope that, with the Bill's proper implementation, the closure of the Health and Social Care Board will allow the Department to deal as efficiently as possible with the ever-changing demands on our health service. <BR /> <BR />Amendment No 1 allows any potential gaps in the service to be filled. It helps address the concerns that were previously set out, such as the feeling that local input would be lost with the loss of local commissioning groups. As others have pointed out, local intelligence and engagement are key to building services.”
“I thank the First Minister for his answer. It was reported last week that, from next year, the Irish Government intend to inspect fuel crossing from Northern Ireland in order to enforce new air quality rules. Does the First Minister believe that that announcement is consistent with the approach that the Irish Government have taken to resolving the problems created by the protocol?”
“Therefore, as the Bill progresses, the Assembly should also focus on how to tie it into a larger strategy to ensure that those who are suffering in poverty can receive better strategic support to assist them and their families. <BR /> <BR />It is important that young women and girls do not feel any shame in accessing period products.”
“<BR /> <BR />As the Bill progresses, the first priority should be to ensure that access points are widely available to all women who are seeking to avail themselves of free period products. That would be through facilities such as health centres and pharmacies, as well as our schools and university campuses, so that young girls and women can access those products. I strongly encourage that the feedback that was gathered from the existing schemes that I talked about is studied and fed into the Bill to ensure that the most effective means of distribution of those free period products is achieved. <BR /> <BR />Many of those who suffer from period poverty, and who will avail themselves of those products, may have wider issues and be dependent on other supports, such as food banks.”
“That is having a detrimental impact on our economy and on ensuring that women have the skills to go forward in society. Women should be able to break the glass ceiling in every walk of life. Any blockage that is in the way should be removed. That includes access to period products. <BR /> <BR />I would welcome the continuation of the efforts that were first initiated by our previous Education Minister, Peter Weir MLA, who brought a proposal to the Executive to ensure the provision of free period products in schools in Northern Ireland. I welcome that that initiative began in September. I must also praise the efforts of my colleague and friend the former Economy Minister, who introduced a one-year pilot project to ensure the free provision of period products during the academic year to students who are attending university.”
“Making a difference in that regard would signify a huge generational change, as, for young teenagers, forgetting to take period products to school would no longer be a cause for concern. That would be hugely significant. We also have to remember those who live with conditions, such as endometriosis, that mean that their periods are heavier. Access to period products in public spaces would really help those women to lead normal lives. <BR /> <BR />During the COVID pandemic, some relied on public spaces to access period products. That support has now gone and the distress that that caused to women and girls was huge. The health risks from being unable to change period products regularly have been mentioned in the Chamber today.”
“I thank Mr Catney for sponsoring the Bill. I support its general aim, which is to ensure the free provision of period products to all women throughout Northern Ireland. Its aim should be rather straightforward. However, having listened to the airwaves today and some of the language that was used, I feel that it is being hijacked by some ridiculous politicking. I regret that that, sadly, has taken away from what is a very important and valuable piece of legislation. <BR /> <BR />Like my colleagues, I want to ensure that women and girls are reflected in the Bill. At its heart are young girls and women, who have to choose between attending and not attending school or work because of the shame that they may feel at not having adequate sanitary provision. Women and girls are in period poverty, and they deserve to be supported.”
“I welcome what the Minister has just said on the collaborative approach with the Department of Education. Northern Ireland has exciting opportunities in our tech and creative industries, and it is really exciting to see those grow. Does the Minister agree that there is a perception that careers guidance is not adequately providing students, parents or those who are searching for jobs with real-world information on what skills or qualifications are needed for jobs now and will be needed in future job markets?”
“I thank the Minister for his statement. He talked about a significant bid for the green growth strategy. Green growth is a very ambitious path to ensure that Northern Ireland reduces its emissions while continuing to grow the economy here. To deliver on that, we will need an ambitious capital investment programme across the public and private sector. Has the Minister had any discussions with the Finance Minister about that investment?”
“I thank the Minister for his statement. An issue that is prevalent in my constituency is ensuring that the waterways are clean and clear. I am sure that the Minister agrees that it is important that we protect the ecosystems that exist in the likes of Lough Erne. Minister, given that water quality is one of the six strategic outcomes in the document, do you agree that more needs to be done to stop untreated sewage entering our waterways and causing pollution?”
“When such stories appear, they create fear, and I agree with my colleague that we should be encouraging people to come forward to get their vaccine. That is vital in combating COVID-19. Minister, can you be categorically clear and tell me whether the Department has an access control policy, particularly when dealing with special category data such as medical records? Is the system in line with that policy? If not, why not?”
“<BR /> <BR />Justice was corrupted on the day the prison gates were opened in 1998. Evil people were set free while their victims still suffered. Justice was corrupted when Sinn Féin and Tony Blair dreamt up the get-out-of-jail-free cards. To ever deny any victim access to justice is the ultimate insult to those who have suffered the most. I know that, as time passes, so does the chance of justice. However, allowing murderers to stop looking over their shoulder is not right on any level. It has taken us backwards, not forwards. It is immoral and flies in the face of the rule of law. Today, we remember the Enniskillen bomb victims. Today, we speak up for justice.”
“<BR /> <BR />That day left many others with life-changing physical and mental scars. They lived, but their lives were never the same, with the injuries that they suffered being a daily reminder of the events of that day. The IRA targeted the victims while they gathered to honour those who fought to protect our freedoms. Thirty-four years on, the families have not received any justice against those callous and cowardly terrorists who carried out the atrocity. Closure comes in many forms, but, for many, it involves justice in a court of law. Lack of justice has made it more difficult for many of the families to move on. Today, with the Enniskillen victims in mind, I say to the Government that drawing a line under the past may be attractive to some, but, to the innocent victims to whom I have spoken, it is not.”
“First, I condemn those responsible for that attack and also those responsible for last night's attack in Rathcoole. <BR /> <BR />My good wishes go to my colleague Peter Weir during what is a difficult time for him. <BR /> <BR />I rise in memory of 12 innocent people who were callously murdered by the IRA 34 years ago on this day, 8 November 1987, while they attended a Remembrance Sunday service at Enniskillen cenotaph. Today, my thoughts are with the families of Bertha and Wesley Armstrong, Samuel Gault, Jessie and Kitchener Johnston, John Megaw, Edward Armstrong, Ronnie Hill, William and Agnes Mullan, Alberta Quinton and Marie Wilson for the pain that they will feel today and the pain that they have felt for the past 34 years, as they have waited for justice.”
“I thank the Minister for coming to the House. Does he agree that the deficit in GP cover for out-of-hours is adding to the pressures faced by emergency departments? What is his Department doing to address that? For example, a constituent of mine tried to access their GP out-of-hours service on Thursday, but, I understand, there was no GP out-of-hours cover, hence they attended an ED on Saturday night.”
“Thank you for your answer, Minister. Can the Minister detail the work in her Department to sustain and improve the numbers availing themselves of the Job Start scheme in my area, given that it has excellent facilities such as the newly opened South West College in Enniskillen, which will allow people to gain new skills?”
“The Department is tied up in legal challenges, and, ultimately, this is affecting my constituents on the ground. We need to wake up to the reality that we have a poor road network, through no fault of DFI divisions on the ground. I hope that the Minister will listen and that she will create further actions in her Department to solve this issue.”
“That results in extra costs to vehicle owners at a time of high fuel costs. <BR /> <BR />Rural people feel that there are road inequalities. I ask this question: where is our rural road fund? In Enniskillen, we have been told about the progress that has been made on the Enniskillen southern bypass, but I believe that funding has not been ring-fenced for the entirety of the project. That project would significantly improve infrastructure in the town centre and reduce greenhouse gases in the atmosphere by reducing congestion. <BR /> <BR />It is time for the Minister to take action to address my constituents' concerns about the rural road network and to ensure that the pots of money and million-pound investments mentioned in shiny announcements reach the most-affected areas.”
“My local newspapers recently carried stories about large potholes, most notably outside Magheraveely in rural Fermanagh. There was a front-page story that showed a man who was able to crouch down inside a pothole. That story is not unique to Fermanagh and South Tyrone; it is common to all rural constituencies, where it feels that there has been chronic underfunding of our rural road network. <BR /> <BR />I was delighted to hear the Minister state that £10 million will go to our rural road network, but it feels like Groundhog Day with images such as this on front pages. Roads have craters rather than surfaces that are fit for any vehicle to travel along. That is not acceptable. People have damaged their cars, tyres have been wrecked, and road accidents have even been caused as a result of that.”
“Although the Infrastructure Committee, the Ulster Farmers' Union, the Rural Community Network and other representative bodies all noticed that, it took until Friday for the Minister to act, and I pay tribute to the Committee for its work on the matter, as the stress caused to rural families was immense. <BR /> <BR />Our rural communities matter. The way of life in rural areas does not deserve to be threatened. I trust that the Minister will work with me and other rural voices in Fermanagh and South Tyrone before, potentially, bringing forward further disastrous polices for my constituency.”
“Think for a minute about the deeper and wider implications that that would have on rural schools, businesses and the local economy in the west. Many Assembly colleagues might deem those as minimal impacts to progress legislation, but the consequences of proceeding would have severely damaged family networks and access to support. <BR /> <BR />I speak to rural constituents, and I know that they already find it extremely challenging to gain planning permission on farms in the countryside. To have removed all flexibility for local planners to interpret certain criteria would have resulted in a further blow to rural development. Huge concerns were voiced at the Minister's initial decision. It is very clear that the position of the planning advice note was untenable.”
“In the short time I have been an MLA, I have had many people contact me who were concerned about what the policy would mean for those future generations who had hoped to live on the family farm. Similar to my colleague Mr Irwin, I spoke to one constituent yesterday who told me that, if the note had not been rescinded, their son would have been unable to build his house and establish a life close to the family farm. <BR /> <BR />We already know the danger that working on a farm can present. Imagine working on a farm during lambing season and being called during the night, making a 40-minute one-way trip to your farm because you could not build in the countryside. Indeed, it could have been worse. The successor to the farm may have had to move away entirely, spelling the end of the family farm.”