Brian Kingston
North Belfast · Democratic Unionist Party · Northern Ireland
“As a DUP member of the Justice Committee, I welcome the Victims and Witnesses of Crime Bill moving to Second Stage. As other Members have mentioned, we are currently handling three substantial Bills at Justice Committee: the Justice Bill, the amendments on which we completed voting on earlier today after seven days of debate; the Criminal…”
“We recognise, however, that the commissioner is not to be an appeal mechanism for when, for example, the outcome of a trial is considered to be unsatisfactory, such as when an unduly lenient sentence is handed down.”
“The special measures include ensuring that an alleged perpetrator is not allowed to cross-examine the victim of the alleged offence, including in sexual crime cases. <BR /> <BR />We heard comments from the Sinn Féin Member for Mid Ulster in praise of her party's support for victims' human rights.”
“We are aware that the trial process often focuses more on the defendant who is charged with an offence than it does on the victims of the alleged crime. Victims must be at the heart of the justice system, not peripheral to it.”
“We welcome the fact that, through the legislation, the post will be formally established and regulated. <BR /> <BR />The principal aim of the commissioner is to promote the interests of victims and witnesses. The commissioner is intended to have a strategic role rather than to become involved in individual cases. Indeed, clause 8 states:”
“Although the Minister notified us a week ago that he would make his statement, it was disappointing that we received the text of it less than an hour before he was scheduled to give it in the Chamber, which did not help us with scrutiny.”
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“<BR /> <BR />Throughout the advancement of the Climate Change Act (Northern Ireland) 2022, which was a political compromise in the face of a rival, private Member's Bill from the Green Party that would have gone even further, the DUP sought to protect agriculture and the taxpayer in Northern Ireland from unrealistic demands. We question the value of establishing a Climate Commissioner at a cost of in the region of £1 million per annum, which is not an insignificant sum, and whether such a post would contribute anything to what already exists through the Climate Change Committee and the Office for Environmental Protection.”
“No one in the Assembly doubts the need for us to be good guardians of our natural environment and to recognise where human activity is causing damage to our environment and our planet. At every level of society, we need to play our part in reducing harmful emissions and unnecessary waste and in increasing recycling. However, the headline commitments in recent climate regulations have been highly aspirational and devoid of a concrete assessment of the policies and proposals that Departments would need to advance. Despite that, there are estimated net costs of £479 million for carbon budgets to 2037 and £707 million under the revised emission targets for 2040. Those are huge sums, considering the deep financial pressures that public services face.”
“<BR /> <BR />We in Northern Ireland take great pride in sporting achievements and in those who put us on the map in international competition, so we wish the Belfast Giants and Linfield every success in their European adventures next season.”
“<BR /> <BR />Particular congratulations are due to manager David Healy for achieving an impressive six league titles in nine full seasons as Linfield manager, a record that will sit alongside his status as Northern Ireland's leading goalscorer at international level. Special mention must also be given to the man who lifted the Gibson Cup on Saturday, Linfield's captain fantastic, Jamie Mulgrew. He won his eleventh Irish Premiership title, setting a new record in the Irish league and overtaking that other modern-day Linfield legend, Noel Bailie, who won an impressive 10 league titles as part of his exceptional total of 40 trophy wins.”
“<BR /> <BR />Mr Speaker, if you do not mind my extending my statement into South Belfast, I will say that the other champion team is, of course, Linfield Football Club, which lifted the Gibson Cup for a record-extending fifty-seventh time on Saturday after defeating Glentoran 2-1 in the Irish Premiership at Windsor Park. Linfield actually won the league a couple of weeks ago with six games to spare, that being the first time that a team has won the league before the split. Linfield thereby extended its record as the club with the greatest number of top division titles — 57 — of any country in the world. It will aim to emulate Larne by qualifying for one of the European league competitions next season.”
“The Belfast Giants have now won the Elite Ice Hockey League seven times, extending their record as the most successful team since that UK-wide league commenced in 2003. <BR /> <BR />The Giants will be back in the Champions Hockey League next season, playing against the top teams in Europe. With matches at the SSE Arena regularly selling out and averaging about 7,000 spectators per game, the Giants have successfully embedded ice hockey here and, as one of our top-performing teams, are a credit to us all in Northern Ireland.”
“I praise two championship-winning Belfast teams that raised their league trophy last weekend. By number of league title wins, one team is the most successful team in the United Kingdom in the modern era, and the other is the most successful team in the world, no less. <BR /> <BR />The first champions are the Belfast Giants, who, as Joanne Bunting said, once again won the Elite Ice Hockey League with a comeback win against the Nottingham Panthers on Sunday. The Giants have won four of the past five league titles, all of them under head coach Adam Keefe, who arrived as a player in 2011 and went on to become team captain and head coach. His team is now going for the grand slam, which will be its second grand slam in three years, if it can add the play-off title to the league title and the Challenge Cup, which it has already won this year.”
“I thank the Minister for his statement. I note that, in the welcome announcement of £100 million for more social housing, the Minister stated that, in line with that commitment, there will be investment of £105 million in waste water infrastructure. We are aware that waste water infrastructure is often the major issue with planning applications. Will the Minister impress on his party colleague, the Infrastructure Minister, the need to ensure that the investment in waste water infrastructure is allocated across all parts of the community and will stand up to scrutiny in an equality impact assessment?”
“My thoughts, today, are with those who were killed, injured and bereaved. We will remember them.”
“There was, of course, an alternative to that campaign of terrorism. Ultimately, what did it achieve? Only a lot of death and suffering, which endures to this day.”
“He had five operations to help restore his hearing. Many survivors also suffered post-traumatic stress disorder. <BR /> <BR />To my knowledge, the IRA never claimed responsibility for that heinous, murderous, sectarian attack on a civilian target that was designed to cause multiple deaths and injury. Perhaps that is an indication that, even by the IRA's warped standards, the attack could never be justified. The getaway car was found abandoned on the nearby Springfield Road. On the Shankill, the atrocity is remembered alongside other republican bombings of civilian targets during the Troubles: at Balmoral furniture showroom and the Four Step Inn in 1971; at the Bayardo Bar in 1975; and at Frizzell's fish shop in 1993. We must never forget that atrocities took place and that they were evil and wrong.”
“Four people were killed in the explosion, and a fifth died later in hospital. <BR /> <BR />Those killed were Joseph Bell, Alan Madden, Nathaniel Adams, William Andrews and Albert Fletcher. On Saturday, I spoke to Kenneth "Digger" Whiteside and Billy Whyte, who were injured in the explosion. Having played football that afternoon, they were upstairs when the bomb exploded and fell down as the floor beneath them was blown away. Billy Whyte sustained considerable leg injuries and spent six weeks in Musgrave Park Hospital after surgery to insert metal pins and screws. He was unable to work for seven months and was never able to play football again. Kenny Whiteside suffered neck and hand injuries in the explosion. Another survivor Dennis Larmour told me that he was working in the upstairs bar when the bomb exploded.”
“On Saturday afternoon, I attended a community commemoration on the Shankill Road to mark the 50th anniversary of the bomb and gun attack on the Mountainview Tavern by the IRA. That attack on Saturday 5 April 1975 resulted in the death of five civilians and injuries to over 60 people. On Saturday, I spoke to various people who were injured or bereaved in that atrocity. As it was this year, that date in 1975 was Grand National day, and the bar was packed with people who had enjoyed watching the race. Republican terrorists drove to the bar, and two shot into the entrance area while another planted a bomb just inside the door and lit the fuse before making their getaway. When the bomb exploded, it blew a hole in the ground floor ceiling and brought people crashing down from the upper floor.”
“I thank the Member for his answer about a further review this month. Were there any incidents over the past year that were deemed to be a serious breach of security?”
“It also states that the welfare support system must be fair to those who require support and to the taxpayer. I commend our amendment to the House.”
“It states that any policy to increase taxes on the superwealthy must be:”
“We need to see more detail on that and on how such initiatives, as well as the transformation pot mentioned in the spring statement, can benefit Northern Ireland's labour market conditions. <BR /> <BR />To recap, I point out to the Alliance Party that our amendment removes none of its motion's wording but adds that increasing the public purse can be better achieved by:”
“<BR /> <BR />That is not to say that there are no other measures that could tangibly increase the tax base while protecting the most vulnerable. Online marketplaces continue to undercut our high street shops, which often pay more in rates than global firms that operate online pay in taxes. There should also be renewed focus on cracking down on those who evade paying tax in the United Kingdom. <BR /> <BR />We support the proposal for a UK-wide commission to scope out interventions to tackle high economic inactivity rates. In 2024, Northern Ireland was overtaken by Wales in having the highest regional economic inactivity rate, but our rate remains well above the UK average, which requires sustained attention. In their Green Paper, the Government have earmarked £1 billion for a "Pathways to work" offer.”
“Indeed, and I will come on to that point. We have said that the Government should do more to bring in taxes, but the scale of welfare fraud is in the hundreds of millions of pounds. If we are talking about mitigations, that is where we could cover them. <BR /> <BR />I will keep going. In 1990, 12 countries had wealth taxes; today, just three do. OECD reports suggest that wealth taxes create problems for people who are asset-rich but not income-rich and whose wealth is tied up in illiquid assets. Such a tax could also discourage a savings ethos. Alliance may claim that it is unlikely to impact on those in Northern Ireland, if the tax targets the "superwealthy", but how is that defined? Ultimately, taxing income and consumption is relatively simple. Analysing wealth is far more difficult.”
“Equally, we are mindful that such a policy, particularly if adopted annually, is not a silver bullet and could undermine investment and economic growth across the United Kingdom.”
“The punitive nature of some of the reforms is compounded by the fact that key mitigations that are being put forward, including an additional universal credit premium or security for those with the most severe and lifelong disabilities and a new unemployment insurance benefit, have not been fleshed out to any significant extent. <BR /> <BR />Equipping benefit fraud officers with adequate resources and powers to catch and deal with those committing fraud would be a better starting point than sweeping changes that are unlikely to outsmart the fraudster but will hit the most vulnerable. The spring statement details some investment in fraud and error measures, but that must translate into concrete actions and outcomes. Calls for a wealth tax are well rehearsed, and we support the principle of a fair and progressive tax system.”
“Our MPs have urged the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to accept that those with severe mental health issues may not understand their illness or be able to explain or grasp it following the proposed changes. How will those people be protected? <BR /> <BR />It is increasingly clear that the Government are intent on making life more difficult for those in need in order to balance the books. No credible plan for economic growth has been presented. Labour needs to rethink its proposals and provide real assurances to those affected.”
“Nobody will disagree that welfare spending must be fair and sustainable, but the proposed narrowing of eligibility for the daily living element of the personal independence payment has caused great anxiety for the thousands of people in Northern Ireland who rely on that support, including many with mental health conditions. The nature of mental health means not only that an individual's needs fluctuate over time but that illness manifests itself in a variety of ways. The Government's changes to PIP assessments do not seem to reflect that reality and will require four points under a single heading, rather than a possible accumulation of points across the board. There is no fairness, justice or compassion at the heart of the Labour Party's proposals.”
“I am referring to the wording of the SDLP amendment and am making the point that your party claims every time that we should mitigate poverty out of the block grant, which would reduce much-needed funding for all our public services in Northern Ireland. Despite what you claimed earlier, if you read your party's amendment, you will see that that is clearly what it proposes. <BR /> <BR />We believe in protecting the most vulnerable in our society whilst ensuring fairness for taxpayers and tackling abuse of the system. It is disgraceful that, instead of taking responsibility for its previous attacks on pensioners, employers and farm businesses, Labour is targeting welfare recipients and pensioners to foot the bill for its ill-conceived policies, which have damaged economic growth.”
“That would have to come from the block grant for public services in Northern Ireland.”
“We will continue to do so, whilst recognising that the quantum of funding that would be required to mitigate the proposed cuts simply does not and will not exist in the Northern Ireland block grant. I point out to the SDLP Members for Foyle, in case they have not read it, that the SDLP amendment absolutely proposes mitigating any reduction in claimants' social security entitlement.”
“The past two weeks have caused great anxiety for people who receive disability- and health-related benefits. The 'Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper', which was published on 18 March, reduced the number of people who will qualify for personal independence payments from 2026-27 onwards and made other reductions to health-related benefits. Combined with further changes in the spring statement last week, the package of welfare measures is designed to decrease government spending by around £4·8 billion in 2029-30, which is different from the plans in the autumn statement. <BR /> <BR />The DUP has always stood for a welfare system that provides support to those who need it most.”
“I thank the Minister for his answer. Indeed, he had a busy few days in Washington DC. I thank him for his personal interest in promoting our international connections with North America. What benefits can the memorandum of understanding bring to Northern Ireland?”
“I thank the deputy First Minister for her answer. All the media coverage of that week was positive back at home and a credit to those who turned up and spoke up for Northern Ireland. <BR /> <BR />How important is it to have political engagement with the US Administration, particularly given the current uncertainty around tariffs and global trade?”
“<BR /> <BR />There are clear challenges facing housing in Northern Ireland. However, the DUP and our Minister are tackling the issues head-on.”
“Therefore, we do not support the motion's proposal that the Minister for Communities should establish a separate public land agency. As I said, that work is already under way, and the GLPR, under LPS and the Department of Finance, will be an asset for the Executive as a whole. <BR /> <BR />On wider issues, the DUP can point to a strong record of delivery in the housing Ministry to increase supply, including by introducing intermediate rent, increasing the upper property value limit for co-ownership, investing in housing stock and removing intimidation points. First-time buyers are under extreme pressure when trying to secure a home. The Chartered Institute of Housing has advised that the number of new houses built here in 2023-24 was the lowest in a decade. That impacts on the affordability of mortgages and deposits.”
“<BR /> <BR />The Democratic Unionist Party's 2024 manifesto outlined our desire to establish a UK-wide national database of public land. That would not only help with housing but ensure that smaller businesses and the construction industry can identify future projects earlier. The use of public land would play an important role in supporting the development of affordable housing across Northern Ireland, and the previous Finance Minister advised that LPS had been developing a centrally held database, the government land and property register (GLPR), to record all government-owned or government-occupied land and property assets in Northern Ireland. Within LPS, Ordnance Survey is providing information on publicly owned land and property for analysis to ascertain suitability for housing development.”
“<BR /> <BR />Transforming housing supply will require not only a collective response from the Executive but real collaboration with local government, community groups, the construction industry and financial bodies. Within the three years of our current Programme for Government, the Executive have committed to start work on at least 5,850 new-build social homes. Within the 15 years of the housing supply strategy, the Executive aim to deliver at least 100,000 homes across all tenures by 2039, with one third of them, around 33,000, being social homes. The housing supply strategy has provided a framework for the actions required to increase supply and address the main barriers to supply here. That includes increasing land availability and improving our knowledge of public land that may be suitable for housing.”
“Whilst the Minister for Communities has the greatest day-to-day responsibility for housing matters, it is appropriate that these are commitments for the Executive as a whole. Many Departments and Ministers have important roles to play in increasing housing supply, including the need to speed up our planning system; to ensure that the necessary infrastructure — waste water infrastructure in particular — is in place; to allocate the necessary finance; to identify suitable land; and to provide support services for vulnerable people who are experiencing or are at risk of homelessness due to various circumstances, including health and mental health issues, addiction, coming out of care and coming out of prison.”
“Most MLAs will say that housing is the number-one reason why constituents contact their offices. That is certainly the case for my North Belfast office, which is contacted particularly by people seeking social housing. We are all aware that housing supply is not keeping pace with demand, not just in Northern Ireland but across the United Kingdom and Ireland, so we absolutely need to increase housing supply across all tenures and all parts of Northern Ireland. Over recent months, we have seen that that is a key commitment for the Northern Ireland Executive, with the publication of the 15-year housing supply strategy by the Communities Minister, Gordon Lyons, last December and the inclusion of housing as one of the nine priorities in the Programme for Government published at the start of this month, that priority being:”
“<BR /> <BR />The Finance Minister said that the cost of policing and justice is notably higher in Northern Ireland than elsewhere, but, in many other respects, our costs are similar to those in rural areas of the mainland. He said that we need to reduce division by building relations across these islands as well as in Northern Ireland, and that the transformation of our public services is the best way in which to reduce costs. He also spoke about the important role of the Fiscal Council. <BR /> <BR />I did not note anything productive in what Mark Durkan said. <BR /> <BR />I commend our amendment to the House.”
“Steve Aiken, in replying to Declan Kearney, said that terrorism and killings during the Troubles were an enduring cause of division. He also spoke about the need for efficiency in public services, including in education. He said that we should be working for economic cooperation for our benefit on a UK-wide basis and a North/South basis, and he promoted a single education system. <BR /> <BR />Nuala McAllister acknowledged that division was one of the causes of extra cost in Northern Ireland and highlighted the need for more support for mental health services. Michelle Guy said that the school system is in need of reform. Timothy Gaston spoke about the divisive impact of the imposition of Irish language street signs and the resultant damage being done to community relations, particularly in mixed areas and mixed streets of Belfast.”
“<BR /> <BR />Colin McGrath made a cheerful contribution. He said that it was not for the Opposition to help to deliver the Executive's agenda in the Programme for Government, but I hope that they will find some things that they can support on behalf of the people of Northern Ireland. He complained about some examples from Belfast City Council, but he did not mention SDLP councillors voting through the provision of Irish street signs even where a majority of residents are against them, or their voting against the armed forces covenant in support of our armed forces veterans. <BR /> <BR />Declan Kearney bemoaned the principle of consent, which Sinn Féin signed up to in the Belfast Agreement, but he highlighted the annual subsidy to Northern Ireland from Westminster of over £18 billion.”
“It is important to ensure the accessibility of public services, particularly for vulnerable people in our most economically disadvantaged areas. The Fiscal Council has an important role to play, and it should be placed on a statutory footing. <BR /> <BR />Eóin Tennyson proposed the motion and acknowledged that addressing division is harder than talking about it. I was disappointing that, more than once, he spoke about segregated schools. That is lazy and disrespectful language from the Alliance Party. I hope that it will move away from such divisive labelling. Many of our grammar schools and controlled schools are as varied in their enrolment as many schools in the so-called integrated sector. The vast majority are involved in shared education initiatives and local area learning communities.”
“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I rise to make a winding-up speech in support of the DUP amendment that was proposed by Diane Forsythe. As Diane said, the DUP is committed to supporting a shared future for all in Northern Ireland and to tackling division. However, that needs to be done with communities and not be imposed from afar by people who have no involvement on the ground. Diane pointed out that the wording in the Alliance Party's motion misrepresents the Ulster University report from 2016: the extra cost of public services in Northern Ireland, then calculated to be between £400 million and £800 million, was due to a range of factors not just community divisions. Diane pointed out that we should aim to make efficiency savings where possible across public services, and she gave some examples.”
“Through the Member, I ask the Alliance Party this: if it is saying that it is voting against Irish street signs where a majority of residents oppose them, does that not mean that the policy that they supported at the time needs to be changed? If they accept that they will not support it where a majority of residents indicate that they do not support it —”
“It is incumbent on all Ministers and MLAs to demonstrate financial prudence and accountability. In her statement, the Minister talked about the additional £11·5 million resource secured in-year for NI Water, yet, in the October monitoring round, I understand that the total for NI Water was £31 million, which included £19·5 million for capital. I seek clarity from the Minister on this: what is the total annual budget for NI Water, whether counted as resource, capital or "other"?”
“<BR /> <BR />On behalf of the green and white army, I again thank the pupils of Springfield Primary School, the staff and the principal, Mr Steven Osborne, for their enthusiastic support on Friday evening and, of course, express our best wishes to Michael O'Neill and the team in their friendly match against Sweden this evening.”
“<BR /> <BR />The Education Minister, Paul Givan, enjoyed a performance of the their choral speaking when he visited the school two weeks ago to officially open a new safe drop-off and pick-up area away from the Springfield Road, which has greatly improved pupil and driver safety. The school is making good use of the restored running track at Paisley Park. Pupils are able to walk up the new Forth Meadow Community Greenway to Paisley Park for weekly running sessions, and the school has enjoyed success in cross-country running competitions in Belfast.”
“With the turnover of players, and an excellent group of young players now established, many squad members who had songs dedicated to them have retired from international football, so we certainly need to pick up some new songs. <BR /> <BR />It was no accident that the Springfield Primary School pupils were so clear in their group singing of the songs because the school enters the Belfast Musical Festival of Music, Speech and Drama as well as the Belfast choir festival every year, and it enjoyed great success at both festivals again this year. The school was, therefore, a great choice for that role, and there were a lot of positive comments on social media after the match about how well the pupils did in their singing.”
“I pay tribute to the pupils and staff of Springfield Primary School in west Belfast. The school made a positive impression on all who attended the Northern Ireland match at Windsor Park on Friday evening, when the team achieved a credible 1-1 draw against Switzerland. A group of 50 pupils and staff from Springfield Primary School were special guests of the Irish Football Association at the match. Sitting at the front of the south stand, they sang for the entire game, and, at half-time, they treated the green and white army to a selection of new songs dedicated to some of our new players, including the three Charleses and Isaac Price, who scored from an excellent free kick routine on the evening.”
“I thank the Minister for her answer. I appreciate that it is only two or three weeks since we last discussed the matter in the Chamber, but what more can the Minister do to achieve a resolution, given that the clients who are suffering from the current boycott are among the most vulnerable?”
“I listened to what the Member said about dual-language street signs. Does he not acknowledge that, if, in a survey, residents have indicated that they do not want a dual-language street sign, one should not be imposed on them against their majority wishes and against the wishes of unionist representatives? Such signs are being forced through by nationalist representatives, which increases the perception of the politicisation of the language.”
“<BR /> <BR />Just two weeks ago, there was the case of two streets in my constituency of North Belfast. When a survey was done, the majority of residents did not consent to having an Irish street sign added. In Sunningdale Park North, 22% of residents were for an Irish street sign and 33% were against one. In Ben Madigan Park South, 23% were for the Irish street sign and 26% were against. However, in both cases, nationalist councillors pushed the matter through at committee. That threshold is clearly undemocratic and unfair, and it needs to be changed. It disrespects the views of residents, who view it as cultural branding of their area.”
“Reasonableness must be a key consideration in future actions and the obligations that underpin language and cultural strategies, given the unprecedented pressures facing our public services. <BR /> <BR />As has been mentioned, at Committee last week, we received a delegation from Conradh na Gaeilge. At that meeting, I raised dual-language street sign policies in councils. In particular, I raised what has happened in Belfast, where there was a long-standing policy of allowing a dual-language street sign, most often in Irish, where a majority of residents wished to have it. That threshold has been radically reduced in recent years by nationalist parties and the Alliance Party to a ridiculously low 15% of residents. That has caused dissent in areas that are quietly mixed, where residents get on together, and it has caused tensions.”