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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“Can the Member explain what role Sinn Féin MPs, who do not even take their seats at Westminster, played in getting the £400 million reserve claim? Were they just sitting at home?”
“That challenge is to, at the same time, live within our overall Budget; champion reform, transformation and efficiencies; make more effective use of our Budget; campaign for a greater block grant settlement from Treasury that recognises our true level of need; grow our economy and increase rates income, which means talking up the positives of Northern Ireland; and advance other initiatives, such as those that I have mentioned, that bring extra government funding to Northern Ireland. That is our joint responsibility to the people of Northern Ireland, who expect us all to provide good government and good public services and to make efficient use of the finances at our disposal from the public purse.”
“Sinn Féin and the SDLP repeatedly turn a blind eye to the reality of the need for defence and military capability as in Ukraine, but even they must recognise that the Republic of Ireland is increasingly exposed as the weak link in European security, relying largely on the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force to compensate for its neglect of the real threat that Europe is facing. They are the outliers when they turn a blind eye to the defence needs of not just the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland but Europe. <BR /> <BR />In conclusion, the challenge for our Executive is stark.”
“Before closing, I will reference what we said earlier. Whilst Northern Ireland receives that net subsidy of £19·3 billion through the block grant from Treasury, we should also recognise and celebrate Northern Ireland's contribution to United Kingdom plc. The Northern Ireland economy is worth over £63 billion as a contribution to the UK economy. We have particular strengths in our economy, such as advanced manufacturing, cybersecurity, fintech, financial services and the creative industries, including TV and film production. Outside of London, we have the highest rate of investment from US companies in the UK. We make a substantial contribution to food security in the UK, producing enough food for 10 million people. We have the highest rate of recruitment into the armed forces, pro rata, in the UK.”
“I do not know whether, among all of the negotiations with Westminster Departments, the Finance Minister considered, was able to find or will be able to find extra funding to help those community-based projects in the next financial year to get past that squeeze in the reduction of support for those employability programmes. Will he update us on that?”
“We discussed during Question Time with the Minister the frustration that we all feel about the restriction by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) of only 30% going to revenue and the impact that that is having on community-based employability support programmes to help long-term unemployed people into employment. That has created a particular squeeze for the next financial year. I understand that the local growth fund is likely to come under the control of the Northern Ireland Executive the year after that.”
“There are important opportunities to increase funding from outside of the block grant by playing our part in those initiatives. <BR /> <BR />It is also important that every Department engage in long-term financial planning. Last year, the Department of Finance — I am not sure whether it was under the current Minister — issued a call on all nine Departments to development their five-year plans and five-year budget plans. I commend the Education Minister, who published his five-year budget plan this month. Some Departments have done just a five-year plan without the budget part. I do not know whether the Minister can update us on how that work is progressing and the pressure on Departments to produce those five-year plans. <BR /> <BR />Of course, we have the incoming local growth fund as a replacement for the Shared Prosperity Fund.”
“We have the transformation package of £235 million over five years; the city and growth deals, with a net contribution from Treasury of £600 million across the four deals, totalling £1·3 billion with all the contributions; the enhanced investment zone, which is a £150 million project covering all of Northern Ireland that focuses on green industries, digital tech and advanced manufacturing and engineering; the defence growth deal of £10 million, which recognises that we have three of the largest aerospace and defence companies in the world in Northern Ireland; and the recently announced £30 million Belfast to Londonderry corridor to develop research and development strengths in cybersecurity and digital technology.”
“<BR /> <BR />Of course, there are other ways in which we could increase our income by growing our economy and increasing non-domestic rates income and by getting agreement from Treasury on tackling benefit fraud and error and retaining an element of those savings for our public services, as was brought forward by the Communities Minister. Perhaps the Finance Minister can give an update on negotiations with the Treasury about the tackling of benefit fraud and error. When I raised that with him most recently, he said that the business case was with Treasury. The Communities Minister has advised that the Executive as a whole need to reach agreement on taking that forward. I would appreciate an update on that from the Finance Minister. <BR /> <BR />There are other ways in which we could increase our income.”
“As I said, every part of the UK outside of London, the south-east and the east of England receives a net subsidy as part of the United Kingdom, which is the sixth-largest economy in the world. I am thankful for that. <BR /> <BR />I will not repeat things that I have already mentioned. I move now to our overall finances. Some parties want to focus on increasing taxation on our people. We in the DUP make no apology for saying that our first recourse must be finding efficiencies and pushing forward with reform and transformation in our public services, rather than just seeking to increase taxation on hard-working families who are doing the right thing, playing their part and trying to make ends meet.”
“We must scrutinise all public spending in Northern Ireland to find out where savings can be made and efficiencies can be found to reduce costs without impacting negatively on the delivery of front-line public services. Therefore, we welcome the commitment included in the reserve claim for an open-book exercise to be carried out by the Home Civil Service in GB to scrutinise the Northern Ireland Civil Service, which has traditionally been independent. We should welcome every opportunity of assistance to ensure financial sustainability. <BR /> <BR />I trust that all MPs support the campaign for an increased block grant settlement from Treasury, as 124% of the rate of funding per capita in England is not sufficient for our needs in Northern Ireland. That campaign, which has been led by the DUP at Westminster, will continue.”
“Absolutely, and I will come to that point later. Northern Ireland makes a substantial contribution to the United Kingdom. Our economy is worth £63 billion and more, and I will come to that point in due course. You are right: some of the £19·3 billion has come from us, but we acknowledge that all regions of the UK outside of London, the south-east and the east of England receive a net subsidy, and we receive that because we are part of the United Kingdom. <BR /> <BR />Madam Principal Deputy Speaker, before you ask me to return to the subject, I will do so. <BR /> <BR />As things stand, the reserve claim has to be paid back over the next three years. We cannot continue to operate with an accumulating overspend year-on-year.”
“I did not hear the Member answer the question about what the SDLP MPs did to achieve the £400 million reserve claim. Perhaps he will consult them to find out, because it is a blank page at the moment. <BR /> <BR />On the Member's point, the Finance Minister said yesterday that he is Irish. He is entitled to be Irish, but Northern Ireland is British, and we are part of the sixth-largest economy in the world. Because of that, we receive £19·3 billion from His Majesty's Treasury as our block grant, which is a substantial amount of money. At the same time, we argue that we need more, and the DUP has led that argument. The allocation of 124% is the largest in the UK, but we are entitled to more. We can do the two things at once: we can acknowledge the benefits of our place in the United Kingdom, and we can campaign for a larger settlement.”
“I will give way in a minute. I have listened to the SDLP leader of the Opposition in the Assembly. He seems perturbed that his party's MPs were behind the curve on the matter, but I welcome the fact that the DUP was in front of it. Perhaps he can update us on what role the SDLP's MPs had in securing the reserve claim. He seems to focus on the DUP's role.”
“That is challenging for the four-party Executive — for every Minister and their Department — but it is also a challenge for all MLAs, including the opposition parties, if their interests lie in the public good and our public services. This financial year, we have been effectively bailed out by a £400 million reserve claim from His Majesty's Treasury that, in particular, enables costs and pay claims in the Health and Education Departments to be met. I commend all those who assisted in securing the reserve claim, including our party leader, Gavin Robinson MP. It shows the importance of active representation at Westminster, where Sinn Féin leaves constituencies unrepresented.”
“The money that was allocated to that should have been reallocated at that point; we should not have had to wait five months until a monitoring round. The Communities Minister stands ready to build more homes if he is allocated the budget, but that needs to be better managed from the centre. Also in Infrastructure, the late allocation for winter pressures on our roads has led to frantic pothole patching, with limited suppliers available in this short year-end window. Surely that is not the best way to strategically manage our roads, which are in complete crisis. <BR /> <BR />It is clear to all that Northern Ireland's public finances are overstretched.”
“On the 2025-26 financial position and settlement, it has been clear that Ministers and Departments need to take steps to be more agile in the best interests of delivering high-quality public services in Northern Ireland. Nobody should sit back and wait for monitoring rounds to take action when there are significant changes that should be acted on instantly, especially to the capital budget. <BR /> <BR />Last year, we saw significant hand-backs: for the A5 in the December monitoring round and then, in January, for the A4 Enniskillen bypass. Late hand-backs of capital put incredible pressure on other Departments to deliver by 31 March, as capital projects have necessary lead time. In July, the A5 legal case made it clear that the project could not progress due to our stringent climate change targets.”
“I rise as a DUP member of the Finance Committee. We were once again in the position of having to grant the Budget Bill accelerated passage in order for it to pass. Whilst that is generally the position for this process, I repeat what the Finance Committee Chair said: Members should not imagine that it was a formality. There was debate about the basis of that agreement, and, while the decision to approve accelerated passage was unanimous, that does not mean that agreement was arrived at lightly. However, we acknowledge that the Budget Bill would be unlikely to pass in time without it. <BR /> <BR />The Budget Bill passes the two points of resolution discussed here yesterday: the finalisation of the 2025-26 figures and approving a 45·7% Vote on Account to enable services to keep running into 2026-27.”
“<BR /> <BR />Sinn Féin makes vague comments about regretting all lives lost during the Troubles, and even about being sorry for them, yet they choose to repeatedly eulogise and praise those who carried out those sectarian killings, so their words of regret ring very hollow. We owe it to every person killed, injured or bereaved by violence carried out by the IRA and other terrorist groups to speak the truth and to not let the perpetrators of that violence be eulogised. They are a warning from history, not role models for future generations.”
“He was involved in the kidnapping of supermarket executive Don Tidey. During a subsequent shootout, a trainee Garda officer and an Irish Army soldier were killed. Those are not the actions of a "life well lived", and for Mary Lou McDonald to repeatedly eulogise Brendan McFarlane in that style demonstrates the moral vacuum at the heart of Sinn Féin. Her comments are not just inconsiderate and deeply hurtful to the victims of republican violence, they are part of a deliberate policy of attempting to whitewash the past and desensitise future generations to the horror of IRA violence.”
“<BR /> <BR />Brendan McFarlane led the group or IRA terrorists who carried out that indiscriminate attack on a civilian target, shooting dead the doorman and planting a no-warning bomb that exploded as people tried desperately to get out. Thankfully, during the escape, the IRA group was arrested at a roadblock and imprisoned. McFarlane later escaped from the Maze prison — a prison officer died during that escape — and continued with IRA terrorist activities.”
“On Saturday, the Sinn Féin leader, Mary Lou McDonald, posted on social media to mark the 1st anniversary of the death of senior IRA figure Brendan "Bik" McFarlane, stating that his life was "a life well lived". I have no particular desire to speak ill of the dead, but, in the interests of the victims of the violence in which Brendan McFarlane was an active and willing participant, that blinkered tribute requires a response. <BR /> <BR />Last August, I attended a commemoration to mark the 50th anniversary of the attack on the Bayardo Bar on the Shankill Road. Five people were killed in that gun and bomb attack, and more than 60 were injured. I spoke to relatives of the victims at the commemoration. Their grief remains deep.”
“Minister, this is about the fundamental principle that those who make the laws should keep the law. Have we made any progress? Do you now accept that there was an illegal Sinn Féin billboard at the Egyptian Arch? If so, when did it cease to be a Sinn Féin billboard?”
“Minister, in the Cass review, the children who presented to gender identity services were described as having a history of trauma, bullying and systemic challenges, and many were known to ASD services. Why, Minister, did you see fit to include such vulnerable children in that experimental trial and to argue for their inclusion as late as Thursday of last week, before your U-turn on Friday evening?”
“Since the signing of the withdrawal agreement in January 2020, the United Kingdom has paid around £40 billion to the EU under the terms of that agreement. Therefore, we welcome any opportunity to get some of that money back. The Minister referred to the successor to PEACE PLUS and advised how that was being taken forward: is his office or the Northern Ireland Executive playing any role in advancing that?”
“To be clear, we consider the scale of complaints against Gordon to amount to a politically motivated pile-on, and we reject the conclusion of the former commissioner that his conduct in the matter was a breach of any code of conduct. Needless to say, we will vote against the motion.”
“Clearly, information on the leisure centre's having been used as an evacuation centre was already circulating, otherwise the police would not have made their request to elected representatives. Therefore, there is no justification for linking Gordon's factual post to the attack that occurred. That is entirely conjecture and would not stand up in a court of law. Indeed, in his post, Gordon stated:”
“If it had been treated as a complaint of a breach of the MLA code of conduct, we would have deliberated on the report at the Committee. However, given that the Committee has no further role in the matter, I wish to make it clear that we disagree with the former commissioner's findings in her report. <BR /> <BR />At a time of widespread disorder, raised tension and violence on the streets, Gordon Lyons responded to a PSNI request to clarify that evacuated families were no longer in Larne Leisure Centre by making that factual point in his social media post. It is disgraceful that some people engaged in an arson attack on the leisure centre. They should be brought to justice for their thuggish behaviour, and I hope that that will happen.”
“I agree that, if there is to be action from the outcome, it should reflect the reality of the divided wishes of the Assembly and that it is not unanimous in the outcome. <BR /> <BR />The complaints raised with the Commissioner for Standards against Gordon Lyons last summer were treated by the commissioner as potential breaches of the ministerial code of conduct. We see no reason why they should have been dealt with under the ministerial code. The relevance of that is that the Committee for Standards and Privileges, of which my colleague Paul Frew and I are members, has no role in considering the commissioner's reports on breaches of the ministerial code. The report is just published without comment from the Committee.”
“I will give way shortly. Let me finish the sentence. <BR /> <BR />That is quite a leap of logic, and it would be a fundamental violation of previous agreements. We have heard further political deviations from Sinn Féin during the debate, making it clear that it is an entirely political matter. Somehow, I cannot see the Secretary of State or his Irish equivalent rushing to the SDLP cry that our institutions are in crisis.”
“The scope of the SDLP motion is astonishing and, indeed, absurd. It is no surprise that the leader of the SDLP Opposition wants to criticise the DUP Minister for Communities, seeing as he put out a public press release when he referred the Minister to the Commissioner for Standards, whereas making any such complaint is meant to be a confidential process akin to a workplace complaint. Perhaps something will come from that. <BR /> <BR />The motion travels from a complaint about a Minister to calling for an entire renegotiation of our political arrangements, co-facilitated by the British and Irish Governments. That is quite a leap of logic —”
“Does the Member recognise that having a trade deal is different from being in a customs union? The UK has been able to make many trade deals around the world that the EU does not have, including with the USA, India, Australia and New Zealand. Having trade deals is important, but it is because the UK is not part of the EU customs union that it has been able to make those extra trade deals that the EU does not have and that we in Northern Ireland benefit from.”
“My question remains this: in the interest of tackling our spiralling cancer waiting lists, should beds not be specifically reserved and ring-fenced to enable such inpatient procedures to go ahead and prevent that waste of resources?”
“I thank the Minister for that detailed answer. Last month, I was contacted by my constituent Freda, who had had part of her liver removed due to cancer tumours. Unfortunately, one tumour returned, and she was due to have a liver ablation in early January at the Royal Victoria Hospital, but her appointment was cancelled twice because of bed shortages. Thankfully, she has since had the operation. She consented to my referring to her case. <BR /> <BR />My concern, Minister, is that in cases such as Freda's, not only does the patient miss out on a time-critical procedure but all the resources to do with equipment and staffing to deliver that procedure potentially go to waste.”
“I have been astonished to hear some anti-poverty campaigners in media interviews fail to criticise benefit fraud: it is as if they find it acceptable. Does the Minister agree that the welfare benefits system is an essential safety net to prevent people from falling into absolute poverty and that those who wilfully and fraudulently abuse that system undermine public support for it as they steal from the public purse?”
“We call for the much-needed reform of the Northern Ireland Civil Service to maximise value for money in the delivery of high-quality, front-line public services. As I said at the start, how our public services are managed, funded and delivered impacts on every person, business and corner of Northern Ireland. Finances are tight not just in the public sector but in all of our communities. We call on the Finance Minister to take action today and to commit to transforming our Northern Ireland Civil Service. I hope that Members will support our motion.”
“<BR /> <BR />As we work towards planning for a multi-year Budget, now is the perfect time to plan to transform how our Civil Service operates; strip out the unnecessary bureaucracy; transform the culture away from siloed working, which holds back so many services and strategies; and recognise the value of the staff and the partnerships with the voluntary and community sector and invest in those rather than in escalating agency costs. We have talented staff in roles that do not allow them to use their skills. The people strategy refers to a skills audit: that would be important in maximising the human resources that we have already. <BR /> <BR />For too long, there has been a lack of progress. The time to take action is now.”
“<BR /> <BR />We need to drive efficiency and reform; we need to rightsize the Civil Service; and we need to get the right people with the right skills to help us to drive forward delivery in every Department. That will be critical. It is not just about how much we have; it is about how we use that money and how we drive delivery in every Department. The Finance Minister has a critical part to play in driving reform through his Department's roles in managing HR and the Northern Ireland Civil Service. We need to see progress, and we need a timeline and targets with measurable outcomes.”
“<BR /> <BR />There cannot continue to be a cry of "British austerity" and going to His Majesty's Treasury to ask for more money. It must be about a combined approach that looks not just at sustainable funding. Of course, we believe that Northern Ireland has been underfunded: that has been the analysis of the Department of Finance for some years. We are suffering because of that underfunding, and our public services have suffered because of it. We want adequate funding, but we must also rise to the challenge. It is important that it is not just about how much money we have but about how we spend that money. We must spend it in the most efficient way, driving productivity across our public services and trying to eliminate waste where it occurs. That is the best use of public money.”
“Any plan must be purposeful, measurable and, most important, accountable. This is about making Northern Ireland work better. It is about ensuring that our infrastructure and public services are resilient, efficient and capable of meeting future challenges. It is about embracing new ideas, modern ways of working and a culture that rewards innovation, initiative, outcomes and responsibility. Above all, it is about accountability to taxpayers, service users and future generations. The Executive cannot keep recycling the same approaches and then complain when the outcomes do not improve. It is time to do things differently and better. Reform is necessary to ensure value for money and effective public service delivery.”
“That means having the right people with the right skills in the right roles to match those skills: that is common sense. The ethos must be one that is ingrained with delivering high-quality public services and real value for money. That also means reducing dependency on agency staff, improving long-term workforce planning and ensuring that the leadership is equipped for and passionate about driving reform rather than managing decline. <BR /> <BR />The motion calls on the Minister of Finance to put forward a clear, time-bound plan to address the issues. That is particularly urgent given that the Audit Office findings follow up recommendations first made in 2020, only a minority of which have been fully delivered five years later. Endless reviews with no meaningful change will not deliver transformation in outcomes.”
“Alongside soaring costs and reduced workforce, staff are being failed, as the many HR issues that they face are not being picked up by anyone. <BR /> <BR />Alongside all that, there are nearly 5,500 vacant posts across our Civil Service, and over 3,000 staff are temporarily promoted, which points to systemic workforce planning failures. The constant roll-forward of the same thing never gets to the root cause of the issues and fails to identify the true level of vacancies or need. Without reform, those problems will persist, costs will continue to rise and outcomes will not improve. We need to see reform. <BR /> <BR />The DUP believes in making Northern Ireland work, and the public deserve better. We need a Civil Service that is properly staffed and focused on outcomes not just on processes.”
“In the budget context in which the Executive operate, that cannot continue. We need to plan for the better integration of the voluntary and community sector, in recognition of how it delivers high-quality public services on the front line with high levels of skill and specialism. <BR /> <BR />The Audit Office report highlights persistent high levels of sickness absence that cost £48·8 million in 2024-25, with an average of 13·4 working days lost per staff year, up from 12·6 days in 2018-19. There are no targets or action plans in place to address that. Department of Finance officials have said that it is up to each Department to manage it, yet, when we ask a Department, it says that that is managed by the Department of Finance shared services HR. It is clear that, when nobody believes that they are responsible, nobody is managing it.”
“The report highlights weak workforce planning, a growing over-reliance on temporary and agency staff, rising costs and a lack of strategic clarity about the skills that are needed to deliver public services effectively. <BR /> <BR />When it comes to delivering effective public services, every pound matters. Money spent inefficiently or wasted completely is money that is not available for front-line services, infrastructure investment or supporting the most vulnerable. The report shows that, as of April 2025, almost 5,000 agency workers were employed across our Civil Service — more than double the number in 2019 — at an eye-watering cost in excess of £500 million over the past five years. The conclusion to be drawn is clear: the system is not delivering best value for money.”
“However, accepting that many work hard does not take away from our responsibility to ensure that the system itself is fit for purpose. <BR /> <BR />The Northern Ireland Civil Service has 24,500 staff. The staff and the structures need to be managed and coordinated better. With millions being spent on shared services, the management of Civil Service staffing and human resources lies with the Finance Minister. Last week's Northern Ireland Audit Office (NIAO) report, 'Leading and Resourcing the Northern Ireland Civil Service', sets out a plethora of serious concerns and the failings of the Department of Finance to take action and get a grip.”
“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. The DUP is pleased to bring the motion to the Assembly. We are calling for the much-needed reform of the Northern Ireland Civil Service. How our public services are managed, funded and delivered impacts on every person, every business and every corner of Northern Ireland, so it is incredibly important. <BR /> <BR />Let me be clear: the motion is not about criticising the men and women who make up our Civil Service. We recognise the dedication of the civil servants who deliver public services under increasing strain. As we witnessed in the past week in the face of widespread flooding, many on the front line deliver vital services in challenging circumstances and with limited resources.”
“I thank the Minister for his statement and for confirming that Christianity will remain the central tenet of collective worship in schools. Will the Minister outline the process for bringing forward legislation on inspection?”
“Minister, we were told at the Finance Committee last week that the average NAV increase for retailers was around 7%, yet I have been lobbied by a series of small retailers that are located close to my office in North Belfast at Ballysillan that have had NAV increases of 60% in the Reval. I ask that, as part of your review, you look at some of those seemingly large increases for retailers in Belfast?”
“In 2024, three men and one woman, all Romanian with addresses in Ballymena, appeared in court and were charged with controlling prostitution for gain. The victim, who was also from Romania, had sexual services advertised through adverts posted online. This very month, another man was charged with similar offences here. Such activity is therefore a reality in Northern Ireland. We must act against the operation of such websites, and I commend our motion to the House.”
“<BR /> <BR />Pimping websites play a key role in facilitating organised crime groups to exploit women and girls. In 2023, the European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation (Eurojust) said that 12 suspects had been charged after an investigation of an organised crime group that allegedly recruited young women from Romania and transported them to Ireland, where they were then advertised on escort websites and sexually exploited. Similarly, in 2024, three members of an organised crime group in Gloucester were jailed for a combined total of 25 years, as police believe that they were running one of the largest sex trafficking operations in the south-west of England, forcing at least 20 women, who were mainly eastern European, to work in brothels.”