Diane Forsythe
South Down · Democratic Unionist Party · Northern Ireland
“The Schomberg Society and the staff and pupils of Kilkeel Primary School worked hard alongside the team from Blue Eagle Productions, especially director Rosie McClelland, to deliver a fantastic performance. We saw Northern Ireland's history, heritage and the pupils' great talent shining through.”
“<BR /> <BR />The production was an excellent way to mark that important historic event and for those P7 pupils to bring their time in primary school to a close. It was bittersweet for the year group, as one of their dear classmates was notably missing.”
“As we come to the end of another school term, I pay tribute to some excellent work at Kilkeel Primary School in my constituency, especially by the P7s. I declare an interest, as my son is one of them.”
“Mrs McCabe, the school principal, shared with the children the words of Proverbs chapter 17, verse 17 on how true friends love at all times — through the good times and the hardships of life. I thank Mrs McCabe for her leadership.”
“The Minister will not be surprised by my question on the delay of the accounts certification on SEUPB, as we are in June 2026, 18 months after the end of financial year 2024. Those accounts have still not been certified in both jurisdictions, and a full further financial year has since passed.”
“Minister, you say that you want to avoid unintended consequences for businesses and property owners, but those measures do nothing for existing long-term businesses that are struggling on, already occupy premises and cannot afford to invest in their properties, and there will be consequences for them.”
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“I thank the Member for securing this evening's Adjournment debate. She and I know all too well that public services across the board in South Down have fallen far behind those in other areas. I welcome every opportunity to make the case for why the constituency that I represent and call "home" deserves better, and special educational needs is one example. <BR /> <BR />When the Assembly returned in February, the Education Minister, in responding to queries, mine included, was prompt to note that South Down had been identified as an area of particular pressure for special educational needs provision, with additional places in special schools and specialist provision in mainstream classes being required.”
“Surely that also needs to be examined by the regulator. To widen that point, if houses are more expensive in London and the repair costs are clearly higher, the legitimate question needs to be asked: why are insurance costs higher in Northern Ireland, where the repair costs are significantly lower? <BR /> <BR />When it comes to our four-legged friends, pet owners in Northern Ireland pay more than owners in Scotland and Wales, but pet insurance is more expensive in England. The cost of pet insurance is determined by breed, and we can easily assume that breeds are fairly spread across the entirety of the UK. <BR /> <BR />In summary, we are content to support the motion and ask that the appropriate regulators investigate the unexplainably high levels of insurance that Northern Ireland people have to pay.”
“<BR /> <BR />We can learn some lessons from other countries about how we progress on this issue. In Australia, learner drivers are statistically 20% less likely to be killed or seriously. The differences are that young people can apply for a provisional driving licence at age 16 and a half, but they then have to drive for 120 hours before they take their test. The average amount of time that young people in the UK drive before they take their test is 40 hours. Those fairly small changes have meant that, in Australia, the number of those likely to be killed or injured has dropped by 20%. <BR /> <BR />Legitimate questions need to be asked about why the average cost of house insurance in Northern Ireland is £347, while in London, where house prices are considerably higher, it is £309. There seems to be no reason nor rationale for that.”
“This party will never shy away from taking the fight to where the decisions are actually made. <BR /> <BR />Having examined car insurance in more detail, we know that, on average, 17- to 20-year-olds have had their insurance premiums rise by more than £1,000 compared with last year. Those substantial rises must be examined by the FCA because they are simply pricing many young drivers out of the market. Put simply, the cost of insuring a car for a year is now significantly higher than actually buying the car in the first place. It is most certainly the case that most young people drive responsibly and safely, but it is also the case that the majority of young drivers suffer because of the actions of the minority. That is part of the reason for the spiralling cost of insurance.”
“<BR /> <BR />Whilst in the past, insurance premium increases seemed to follow inflation, they have recently shot up by some 12% compared with this time last year, significantly higher than the rate of inflation. We know that car insurance, in particular, is a serious issue in Northern Ireland, especially for young drivers. I am extremely grateful that our DUP colleague, Carla Lockhart, the MP for Upper Bann, has championed that in recent times. She secured a debate on the issue in the House of Commons only two months ago, raising it directly with the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport, Anthony Browne MP. She was supported by Gregory Campbell and Jim Shannon in that debate, both of whom reinforced the point that that level of cost to motorists is unacceptable.”
“I will first say that my party supports the motion. We are all aware that insurance premiums have been increasing on our cars, homes and even pets. That is putting additional pressure on hard-pressed working families. The Republic of Ireland is having similar problems, with an enormous 10% increase in private health insurance compared with the previous year. That leaves the price of health insurance in the Republic now with basic insurance costing around £1,500, but it certainly can range well in excess of £5,000 a year, and we are truly fortunate to have healthcare that is free at the point of delivery in Northern Ireland via the NHS.”
“However, I note the extremely rural nature of Northern Ireland, and the fact that 19% of ATMs here charge people to access their own money is ridiculous. I acknowledge that the Assembly does not have legislative authority over banking, but, in the absence of that authority, I welcome all actions that we can possibly take to improve free access to cash for individuals in Northern Ireland. I am pleased to say that the Finance Committee will work on that. <BR /> <BR />I support the motion to affirm the legislation, and I take the opportunity to raise awareness of the exemption. We support the motion.”
“They do not have ATMs, and they do not provide access to cash in the evenings or at weekends. <BR /> <BR />Further to my call for more access to cash is my emphasis on people's right to access their cash free of charge. In response to my question for written answer, the Finance Minister indicated that, as of the first quarter of 2023, 81% of ATMs in Northern Ireland are free to use, which, as she noted, compares favourably with 78% in Great Britain.”
“We welcome the rates exemption for ATMs in designated rural areas. I take the opportunity to raise awareness of the exemption to encourage more providers to consider operating ATMs in rural areas such as South Down, where I live and which I represent. Access to cash is a huge concern for people across Northern Ireland, especially in our rural communities, where you are many miles away from your bank and completely cut off when the internet or phone connections are down. <BR /> <BR />With the regularly reported closure of local banks, it is becoming increasingly difficult for people to access their personal banking and their cash. Much has been made of banking hubs, but they are not the answer for cash access, as they simply offer an over-the-counter post office service for cash withdrawal in office hours.”
“<BR /> <BR />On review of the scheme, the Finance Committee learned that the majority of recipients in the most recent active period of the scheme were small, independent enterprises that were occupying units with low rateable values. The scheme made a significant difference to those businesses, which tended to be smaller and local. I welcome that incentive to help small, local businesses make a good start. A return to the initiative will support the regeneration of our high streets, while facilitating new businesses to move into their first premises and providing opportunities for existing businesses to expand. It is a welcome boost as we strive to grow our economy in Northern Ireland, especially in the current climate, when the cost of doing business poses significant challenges. We support the motion.”
“I thank the Minister for her prompt action in bringing this to the House. We welcome the reinstatement of the Back in Business rate support scheme. The scheme was created to incentivise business ratepayers to consider empty retail premises when looking for a business property, and it allows any new business that is occupying a long-term vacant property that has been valued as a retail unit to pay rates at the vacant rating level for two years. We all know that our high streets are under incredible pressure, with shops and restaurants closing regularly. The knock-on effect that that has on our towns is felt widely and is often devastating.”
“I thank the Minister for his statement. It is excellent to see him continuing to deliver on his commitment to help working families in Northern Ireland. Has this model of housing been tested before? Do the Minister know how it will work here?”
“My colleagues will take forward further points.”
“associated with devolving VAT to the Executive and Assembly. The commission did not recommend that course of action. It also pointed to the fact that an agreement to assign a proportion of VAT revenues to Scotland has been beset by years of delay because information on how revenues break down between regions is simply not available. If that is the evidence for reforms that do not grapple with the issue of powers or rates, what hope is there that the wholesale devolution of VAT to Northern Ireland could take place in a timely way? <BR /> <BR />My party questions whether devolving those powers would bring timely benefits for affected firms. There are other actions that Ministers could take collectively to ease pressures and promote a more resilient and competitive landscape for the hospitality and tourism sector.”
“We do not support devolution of the additional fiscal powers for setting VAT here, but we recognise that the motion calls only for consideration of options to support the sector, which we do support. The motion does not state support for the devolution of VAT powers, so my party can support it. <BR /> <BR />Our view is based on a number of pragmatic considerations. The Fiscal Commission's report highlighted the:”
“That is especially a concern in constituencies that are near the border, like my constituency of South Down. <BR /> <BR />Hospitality was one of the worst-affected sectors during COVID. DUP Ministers prioritised it as part of the Executive's economic recovery plan. Prior to the rate of VAT returning to 20% in March 2022 after the COVID response, the all-party parliamentary group for hospitality and tourism endorsed calls for a lower rate of VAT to be applicable across the United Kingdom. Following on from that and the group's recommendations, it is clearly not a question of whether we should act but how we should act to support that vital industry. In response, my party does not believe that the necessary capacity exists to devolve those additional fiscal powers at present.”
“The DUP fully recognises the importance of the local hospitality sector, including its importance in realising Northern Ireland's tourism potential and boosting the high-street economy. Hospitality is the fourth-largest private sector employer, with some 57,000 jobs in accommodation and food services alone. My party is committed to ensuring that businesses and employers have the tools and the right support to thrive and grow in what are challenging economic times. In particular, we believe that cutting tourism and hospitality VAT is crucial going forward. We have said consistently that the difference in hospitality VAT between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic, in particular, is an impediment to creating a more competitive environment locally and to building on the sector's standing as an engine for growth and job creation.”
“The UK's Shared Prosperity Fund is due to end in March 2025, and a huge number of organisations in the sector are due to place staff on protective notice from December 2024, if no clarity is sought for them. Will the deputy First Minister outline any steps already taken or planned by the Executive Office to secure the funding going forward?”
“There are many legends associated with the club, and, at the weekend, I thought of my old friend the late John Charleton, who would certainly have been leading the celebrations on Saturday. <BR /> <BR />Once again, I am delighted to record my congratulations to Kilkeel Hockey Club on its success. The club has made history and set the standard for others. I wish the team much more success in the future.”
“I offer huge congratulations to the men's team, and I thank them for calling with me on their way home so that I could share in the celebrations. There is nothing quite like a blatter on your door from a celebrating winning team on a quiet Saturday evening, but it was brilliant for me to join them in raising the cup and to celebrate with them. <BR /> <BR />It was a momentous day and occasion for the club, which is about so much more than just the teams. Families, friends, supporters and the entire community share in the success. It takes a lot of hard work, training, sponsorship and dedication from everyone to deliver those results. Kilkeel Hockey Club is central to our community. It works closely with our school teams, and Kilkeel High School has recently celebrated much success as well. The team is therefore building a great legacy.”
“I put on record my huge congratulations to Kilkeel Hockey Club on its incredible success at the weekend. Kilkeel Hockey Club made history on Saturday when its ladies' and men's first teams played in the Irish Hockey Challenge final and the Irish Hockey Trophy final respectively at Lisnagarvey. <BR /> <BR />The ladies' team played exceptionally well and fought to the end but were narrowly defeated in a penalty shoot-out by Bangor Hockey Club. It was a huge honour and success for the Kilkeel team to win runner-up medals in the tournament, and I congratulate the ladies. <BR /> <BR />The men's team also played exceptionally well. They won 6-2 against North Down Hockey Club, thus taking the cup home to Kilkeel.”
“I will build on the question from the leader of the Opposition on participation in the Council by colleagues from the Scottish and Welsh Administrations. In your work with them so far, have they proposed any matters that they would like to discuss at the Council?”
“I welcome it that the Minister has brought the subject of MOT testing back to the Chamber. From what I have heard, 115,000 tests are being put back into the pot luck system. Will the Minister take steps to ensure that people can secure tests in their local or reasonably accessible centres?”
“There is no question that this is a difficult Budget, with all Departments facing extremely challenging decisions going forward. No Minister got everything that they bid for in the Budget. Will the Minister confirm that, looking back to the 2023-24 baseline, settlements in-year and increases and contrary to the Minister of Health's claim, the Department of Health has, in fact, received an additional £1·1 billion in funding on top of its baseline resource budget since 1 April 2023?”
“As the Minister is aware, locally, Newry, Mourne and Down District Council is moving towards a rebranding of its tourism strategy. It is removing the names of local area attractions, such as Mourne Mountains, Slieve Gullian and Strangford lough, in favour of a broad term, "Ireland's True Nature". Does the Minister agree that councils have a responsibility to focus on their local area and local attractions in promoting their tourism strategy to maximise local potential?”
“<BR /> <BR />The current process is working well, has become firmly established, is making the process smoother and more efficient and is reducing trauma for those who have suffered bereavement. We therefore support its continuation. We fully support the new stand-alone legislation, which will affirm the process in our law. In the interim, however, we support the extension as a pragmatic necessity until the stand-alone legislation is brought into effect in September 2024.”
“Now that it is well established as the status quo for Northern Ireland's registration process, to remove the ability to register in the way that has operated for the past four years would place a sudden and immediate pressure on the Department of Finance and the Department of Health, as well as on GPs, to change current practice for completing such tasks. The General Register Office (GRO) sought feedback from some main stakeholders on the new legislation, and they noted how the public response to the swiftness of contact with the registrar to enable death registration to take place so promptly is positive, while telephone registration has been less traumatic for the next of kin, because they are usually able to have family with them to provide support rather than having to attend the registration office, often on their own.”
“Having stand-alone legislation is the right way in which to manage this. We would have preferred the Department to have introduced it earlier and for it to have been what we were speaking to today, but today we have the task of considering the extension of the existing law until September 2024. The deaths and stillbirths registration process introduced under the Coronavirus Act 2020 has now been in use for four years and has become the normal registration process, alongside the option to attend in person, if that is the informant's wish.”
“<BR /> <BR />We made it clear that we would support no further extension beyond March 2024 without confirmation that a separate legislative vehicle was to be established rather than have something simply tagged on as an extension of coronavirus legislation. Following on from that firm position, we were satisfied on Wednesday past to hear of the draft proposal from the Department of Finance to introduce stand-alone legislation and SL1s. The Deaths and Still-Births (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2024 and the Deaths and Still-Births (Electronic Communications) Order (Northern Ireland) 2024 were in there, with enactment powers drafted to be in place for 16 September 2024.”
“In the times of restrictions, however, many practical tasks were reviewed, and, in addition to the core Coronavirus Act, subsidiary legislation was made to enable those tasks to happen. The legislation to enable telephone and electronic registration of deaths or stillbirths and the electronic transmission of documentation in those circumstances was one such piece of legislation. It was clearly an efficient and operationally effective piece of law and should have been adopted as stand-alone legislation sooner. Our DUP representatives on the Finance Committee, who are sitting either side of me, have made that point firmly in the months since the proposed extension was brought to the Committee.”
“I support of the motion for practical and operational reasons, on the agreed condition that this will be the last extension of this element of the regulations and that a new piece of stand-alone legislation will be introduced to be in effect from September 2024 to deliver the functionality covered. <BR /> <BR />We are clear: the coronavirus pandemic is over, the legislation that was introduced to enable powers over that time has no place in our current legislative framework, and it is our job and our duty to finish the job of ending this.”
“Will the deputy First Minister outline the rationale for signing applicability motions?”
“We need fair funding and clarity on Northern Ireland finances moving forward as a matter of urgent priority, and we need a 2024-25 Budget as soon as possible.”
“However, I call on the Finance Minister to commit to continuing to fight for a better financial outcome for the 2024-25 Budget Bill in the months ahead, for Northern Ireland public finances to be placed on a sustainable footing and for the Executive to secure the resources that they need to deliver effective public services. We need that to deliver for Northern Ireland and to deliver on our key objectives, such as supporting and boosting our National Health Service; growing our economy; creating jobs; tackling the cost-of-living crisis; securing a better education system; and improving childcare to ensure that no mother or father in Northern Ireland has to choose between caring for their children or going to work.”
“In order for Northern Ireland to be treated fairly, the UK Government need to increase, fully baselined, Northern Ireland's funding per head by proportionately the same amount above need as was the case in Wales from 2018-19, in which the uplift was applied, and, from that point, the uplift should be applied to Northern Ireland with the provision of a fiscal floor at the level of need rather than the fiscal ceiling. That is the only fair way forward. <BR /> <BR />We support the motions out of the necessity of the circumstances. The 2023-24 resolution is retrospective on money already spent.”
“<BR /> <BR />I also urge the Finance Minister to continue to fight for an adequate fair funding model for Northern Ireland for 2024-25 and beyond to enable the Executive and the Assembly to be in a position to debate a meaningful Budget and multi-year Budgets, going forward. <BR /> <BR />Northern Ireland's funding should never have been allowed to fall below need, and, once again, I raise in the Chamber that the UK Government cannot adopt a UK needs formula and agree to intervene to protect one part of the UK to ensure that its funding does not fall below need while not doing so for another part of the UK, allowing it not only to fall to need but plunge well below it. Yet that is what happened in Northern Ireland.”
“Under that logic, Northern Ireland was not overspent in 2023-24; it was underfunded, and the £500 million deemed to be funding to cover that write-off should have been an additional £500 million for that year. That would have gone a long way towards addressing the pay awards that have not yet been covered by the Supply resolutions, such as those — mentioned by a number of Members — for non-teaching staff in schools. They deserve fair pay. Northern Ireland deserves the fair funding to cover that, and I urge the Finance Minister to continue to make that argument in her ongoing discussions with the Chief Secretary to the Treasury. We missed out on funding in 2023-24, and it should be made available to us from 2024-25 onwards to settle all public-sector pay awards.”
“Our funding model has not been sufficient. I thank our DUP interim leader, Gavin Robinson MP, for leading on that at Westminster and our DUP peers, particularly Lord Morrow, for securing debates in the House of Lords last year on funding injustice in Northern Ireland and for the real pressure that they have applied on that subject. That continued pressure contributed to the UK Government's recognition that Northern Ireland's funding model needed attention. The package offered in February, however, has failed to address the situation appropriately. It includes allowance to write off prior year overspends of over £500 million yet acknowledges that we were underfunded by more than that amount in previous years, and it then changes how that will be assessed from 2024-25 going forward.”
“Members are aware that today's debate is a largely technical exercise to keep our Departments running. The spring Supplementary Estimates and the Vote on Account both relate to the 2023-24 Budget. The Estimates are retrospective, and the Vote on Account allows Departments to continue to deliver services as they did in 2023-24 into the early months of the 2024-25 financial year. That does not constitute the setting of a 2024-25 Budget. This is not the way in which we want to debate Supply resolutions: we want clarity, fair funding and appropriate time for scrutiny. In this instance, the lack of certainty about how much funding was available to Northern Ireland played a key part in the delays. <BR /> <BR />There has been a long-term injustice in the funding of public services in Northern Ireland. We have inevitably fallen behind.”
“I thank the Member for his response. Does he have an indication of the timescale for the completion of those works?”
“I thank the Minister for that and welcome his commitment to the childcare strategy. Further to that, is he willing to engage with the sector or provide any business intervention support? The number of nurseries closing down is rising, and Employers For Childcare reported today that about half the childcare providers in Northern Ireland are struggling or distressed. Will the Minister consider meeting them and discussing a potential business rate relief or some other sort of support?”
“Does the Minister agree that where issues are considered dangerous, urgent or in the interests of public safety, such as the rapidly collapsing cliffs in Kilkeel, which I have liaised with the Minister on and thank him for his engagement on, the focus should be on recognising the issue and putting an action plan in place? Other bodies are passing around responsibility. We do not want to end up in a position where, ultimately, there is a crisis. You mentioned coastal erosion when you talked about collaborative working. I hope that some sort of action plan can be put in place.”
“Specifically on antisocial behaviour in rural areas, it is my experience that people in those areas tend not to bother the police with what they see as less severe crimes. The underreporting of such crimes leads to the local police not knowing about the issues when someone like me raises them. Will the Minister consider an awareness-raising campaign for reporting disturbances, antisocial behaviour and minor road traffic collisions to assist rural police planning?”
“Thank you, Minister. I appreciate that. I have specific examples from haulage firms that have experienced difficulties in the area. Does the Minister accept that there is regional disparity and that the roads in some areas, such as south Down, have fallen behind others in Northern Ireland?”
“The UK Government must afford Northern Ireland the same two protections that it provides to Wales to prevent the block funding from falling below need: a 5% uplift to slow down the impact of the Barnett squeeze; and a fiscal floor at the Holtham definition of need below which funding cannot fall. Our staff in health and education and across the public sector in Northern Ireland deserve to be treated the same as their counterparts across the United Kingdom. Let us be clear that it was the DUP that fought hard for an increase in funding for Northern Ireland, and it continues that fight.”
“<BR /> <BR />In that context, while it would be possible to use this debate simply to note that £584 million has been made available and to agree that negotiations for 2023-24 should be concluded this financial year and that the Minister of Finance should make a statement to the Assembly, the debate also affords an opportunity to demonstrate that the DUP is doing more than looking at the immediate future and is taking the lead in developing creative ideas to find sustainable longer-term funding solutions. We continue to be committed to making sure that Northern Ireland is funded to need.”
“<BR /> <BR />The Laura Trott letter makes provision for an additional £520 million for the financial years 2024-25 and 2025-26. If all the moneys allocated for public service stabilisation in those years are spent on public-sector wages, and nothing from the stabilisation pot on the public services themselves, there will be a £60 million wages shortfall in both years, and, from 2026-27, there will be no money available to meet that £584 million public-sector pay shortfall, as funding to Northern Ireland plunges below need for the second time in the space of four years.”
“<BR /> <BR />When £584 million has been made available by the Treasury to meet public-sector pay negotiations for 2023-24, it is right that those negotiations should, where possible, be concluded by the end of the financial year and that the Minister of Finance should make a statement to the Assembly upon their conclusion. However, again, we must be clear that we know that that will not cover all public-sector pay negotiations. We also need to be clear that the money awarded by the Treasury for 2023-24 is a one-off. It does not inform the baseline going forward, so while it might be possible to claim that we have retrospectively been funded to need in 2023-24, the £846 million does not address the deficit in baseline funding arising from our having been underfunded in 2022-23 and 2023-24 going forward.”
“Baseline funding in Northern Ireland is simply not sufficient to meet our needs. As public-sector pay is a key component of departmental spend, and our public-sector workforce is disproportionately larger than elsewhere in the UK, it is, perhaps, the most visible symptom of allocating funding in Northern Ireland on the basis of a population share rather than on need. All of that creates challenges for the recruitment and retention of people working across public services. In some cases, that is due to higher wages in the private sector or in other countries. In the health service, many can attain better pay and more-flexible work when employed by an agency.”
“<BR /> <BR />The letter from Laura Trott, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, to Dr Caoimhe Archibald, the Northern Ireland Finance Minister, on 13 February offered an additional £846 million to meet needs in 2023-24, with £584 million of that for public-sector pay. Local decisions have increased that, which is most welcome, but the Finance Minister has made it clear that that is not enough to settle all public-sector pay negotiations, and some entire groups of workers are not included in that figure. Again, is it important to be clear on that point. <BR /> <BR />The obstacle to delivering fair pay awards has not been political uncertainty as the motion suggests or, indeed, a lack of political will; rather, it is the fact that public services have been underfunded by the Treasury for a number of years.”