:01:42. > :01:46.In Northern Ireland: the AA, may was the slogan. After Ulster are to
:01:47. > :01:56.protests, we asked politicians, how are the improving the local
:01:57. > :01:57.
:01:57. > :39:56.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 2279 seconds
:39:56. > :39:59.Hello and welcome to Sunday Politics. It's been another bad
:39:59. > :40:05.week on the economic front with unemployment here up once again
:40:05. > :40:08.while it is on its way down in the rest of the UK. The issue is on the
:40:08. > :40:11.agenda in the Assembly tomorrow. The SDLP's Patsy McGlone and Sinn
:40:11. > :40:17.Fein's Daithi McKay join me to discuss what, if anything, they can
:40:18. > :40:27.do about it. And after trade unions lead a rally against austerity in
:40:28. > :40:30.
:40:30. > :40:33.Belfast, we find out how the cuts are now affecting people's lives.
:40:33. > :40:38.63,400 people are jobless here and a large number of them are young
:40:38. > :40:41.people. The SDLP is bringing a motion to the Assembly tomorrow, so
:40:41. > :40:43.what is its plan of attack? With me are the SDLP's Patsy McGlone, chair
:40:43. > :40:53.of the Enterprise, Trade and Investment Committee, and Sinn
:40:53. > :40:54.
:40:54. > :40:58.Fein's Daithi McKay, who chairs the Finance Committee. You have got a
:40:58. > :41:04.plan, Patsy McGlone, and you have brought this motion to the Assembly.
:41:04. > :41:10.What is it? There are a number of issues we must look at and we have
:41:10. > :41:16.spent time on this matter and I am the chair of the working group and
:41:16. > :41:22.we have had deliberation. Firstly, we want to see increased support
:41:22. > :41:25.for small and medium-sized businesses. We want to see a
:41:25. > :41:30.sharpening of research, development and innovation because that is
:41:30. > :41:34.where growth is. I was talking to a director of a major firm in Belfast
:41:34. > :41:40.who cannot get people to work in software development and they have
:41:41. > :41:45.to go to Poland. That involves skills and different departments at
:41:45. > :41:48.the Assembly, enterprise, trade and investment, education, working
:41:48. > :41:55.collaboratively for the future to offer those many young people
:41:55. > :42:00.currently unemployed and 21% are in that 18 - 24 or year-old age
:42:00. > :42:07.bracket. You are not saying anything I have not heard
:42:07. > :42:13.politicians say six years ago. is about bringing sharpened focus.
:42:13. > :42:16.What does that mean? Holding the Minister to account and I am
:42:16. > :42:23.disappointed that Invest NI could not say it within their remit to
:42:23. > :42:29.have somebody come along today. They need to sharpen up. I'll give
:42:29. > :42:33.you an example. We did and on it in the constituency and what I'm
:42:33. > :42:38.hearing from small businesses is they cannot get access to
:42:39. > :42:47.information about funding, which is there. At the EU and local level.
:42:47. > :42:50.They cannot get information. At the community, we had a report into
:42:50. > :42:53.research, innovation and development and we held the
:42:53. > :42:58.department to account and we have seen the proposals being brought
:42:58. > :43:03.forward to address those measures. Is there anything in the SDLP
:43:03. > :43:08.motion that will be tabled tomorrow that you disagree with? The debate
:43:08. > :43:14.has to be welcomed, regarding the New Deal and the jobs plan. One of
:43:14. > :43:18.the main issues in the jobs plan was chasing up the issue of
:43:18. > :43:25.Corporation Tax and the transfer of that. The executive in its entirety
:43:25. > :43:31.are not only a feeling of the tools they have but also, we only have
:43:31. > :43:36.half of the economic levers. We need to look at boosting eco-
:43:36. > :43:43.tourism and opening up new flights and the legislation going into
:43:43. > :43:49.place regarding the New York flight, we need to research how the other
:43:49. > :43:51.band things will be affected if this was abolished. Or what is your
:43:51. > :43:56.assessment of why the economy in Northern Ireland seems to be
:43:56. > :44:00.lagging behind elsewhere. We are above average in terms of
:44:00. > :44:05.unemployment figures at the moment. It possibly seems to me that the
:44:05. > :44:08.corners have been turned elsewhere but not here. It is a very
:44:08. > :44:13.different economy and we need different economic policies to
:44:13. > :44:18.adapt. The certainly, if we are looking for economic recovery, the
:44:18. > :44:23.way to do that isn't by cutting so deep that the economy grinds to a
:44:23. > :44:26.halt. Obviously, not only will we be pursuing the British government
:44:26. > :44:32.in terms of the likes of Corporation Tax but also ensuring
:44:32. > :44:36.that we invest in the whole economy on projects like the roads,
:44:36. > :44:41.Altnagelvin and things that the executive are pushing for. A what
:44:41. > :44:45.is your assessment of why be you are lagging behind? We have to
:44:45. > :44:49.sharpen up in what we do much better. That is a local government
:44:50. > :44:53.level thing and through the investment strategy but also,
:44:53. > :44:59.through the week we had an internal party meeting and we saw the level
:44:59. > :45:04.and scale of patents in Northern Ireland, new products, which can be
:45:04. > :45:10.put into the overseas market to increase jobs to Northern Ireland,
:45:10. > :45:14.and that is very low. That reflects on our inability to have research,
:45:14. > :45:20.innovation and development at the scale that is needed. You mentioned
:45:20. > :45:23.Corporation Tax. Let's talk about that. We know that it is a Prime
:45:23. > :45:26.Minister's call as to whether local politicians will be given power
:45:26. > :45:30.over Corporation Tax rates. Peter Robinson spoke to us when he
:45:30. > :45:35.returned from his final meeting with the Treasury and asked them
:45:36. > :45:43.the burning question. How much? They depends on the mechanism. You
:45:44. > :45:49.might start on Treasury figures then the 300 - �400 million mark
:45:49. > :45:53.but using the mechanism the Treasury wants, it could even go up
:45:53. > :45:57.to around �700 million within the next 15 years. The Secretary of
:45:57. > :46:01.State in her first interview sitting in that's it said she was
:46:01. > :46:07.going to be a persuader for this development. Is that how she played
:46:08. > :46:11.it? Teresa and her predecessor, Owen Paterson, have been supportive
:46:11. > :46:16.and they have been speaking to the business community in Northern
:46:16. > :46:21.Ireland and they can also saying a the impact that we are undergoing
:46:21. > :46:25.with the recession and I went to the meeting today through the
:46:25. > :46:28.Belfast Telegraph on the table to give them some sense of the
:46:29. > :46:33.difficulties we were facing and I was in to getting at furrier
:46:33. > :46:38.sectors that we're down by considerable percentages. If it was
:46:38. > :46:41.right when the Prime Minister came to Northern Ireland when we had a
:46:41. > :46:48.lower level of unemployment, it must be even more right that we
:46:48. > :46:54.have the issue addressed now. you had to call it, do you think
:46:54. > :46:59.this is going to happen? We have done our work. It is now with the
:46:59. > :47:05.Prime Minister and he indicated stoutly during a campaign that he
:47:05. > :47:07.was in favour of rebalancing the economy. He had his ministers
:47:08. > :47:12.extending a very considerable amount of time and energy on this
:47:12. > :47:16.and officials have been working on this for years. I hope that is the
:47:16. > :47:21.road they will take. There were four ministers representing today,
:47:21. > :47:27.three from the DUP and one of them from Sinn Fein. Were you singing of
:47:27. > :47:31.the same song sheet? Completely. And we have been at all meetings.
:47:31. > :47:35.We recognise that it is advantageous and it has to be done
:47:35. > :47:45.in the context of something that is affordable. But all of us were
:47:45. > :47:49.arguing the same case. That was Peter Robinson talking to be. The
:47:49. > :47:55.First Minister says he were all singing from the same song sheet.
:47:55. > :48:01.One when the Prime Minister decide in one month. What is Plan B? What
:48:01. > :48:05.if they say no or, it is deemed too expensive? We then need to focus on
:48:05. > :48:12.the first plan. Within a number of weeks we will have the decision
:48:12. > :48:20.from the British Prime Minister regarding this. That all the eggs
:48:20. > :48:25.in one basket? No, there are other avenues. This is hundreds of
:48:25. > :48:28.millions. Air Passenger Duty is interesting, PriceWaterhouseCoopers
:48:28. > :48:33.said it could be equally as beneficial to the economy as
:48:33. > :48:39.Corporation Tax. The British Prime Minister has a decision and he will
:48:39. > :48:47.make a political decision based on what is going on in Scotland.
:48:47. > :48:51.has to happen? Yes. We have to bear in mind that Corporation Tax is
:48:51. > :48:55.only one that lever. Companies who wish to invest in the North will
:48:55. > :49:01.want to see a very highly skilled workforce, good infrastructure.
:49:01. > :49:04.has been built into this enormous issue. So many people have so much
:49:04. > :49:11.riding on this because they see the potential that exists to attract
:49:11. > :49:16.overseas investment and they see us on a par, able to compete with, the
:49:16. > :49:20.rest of the island of Ireland. It is only one lever. A very expensive
:49:20. > :49:25.one, it could cost hundreds of millions. It is a big gamble.
:49:25. > :49:29.it has the potential to generate thousands of jobs, increased
:49:29. > :49:37.expenditure in the economy. It is probably arrest that has to be
:49:37. > :49:41.taken. Let's talk about something else. The First Minister thought
:49:41. > :49:46.that Sinn Fein is looking over its shoulder at the SDLP and that is
:49:46. > :49:50.paralysing decision-making. Are you? The First Minister is having
:49:50. > :49:56.something and a hissy fit regarding this. I am obviously not looking
:49:56. > :50:02.over my shoulder today. When we talk about the tail wagging the dog,
:50:02. > :50:09.we have seen the Orange Order was wagging the DUP. He has some
:50:09. > :50:17.chicken coming out with comments like that. Are you wagging her tail
:50:17. > :50:21.and that is wagging the big Sinn Fein dog? I am proud to stand up
:50:21. > :50:25.for people and their rights. We have taken a motion of no
:50:25. > :50:29.confidence, which eventually Sinn Fein supported us with. And we set
:50:29. > :50:35.up for people's rights and welfare reform and introduced a petition of
:50:35. > :50:40.concern which Sinn Fein it back. You support is an elegy. It is good
:50:40. > :50:44.news a Sinn Fein is looking over its shoulder? FEC is a standing up
:50:44. > :50:54.for our constituents, that is what we are elected to do. We shall
:50:54. > :50:59.
:50:59. > :51:01.discuss this further later on. Thank you both very much. MLAs will
:51:01. > :51:04.discuss the controversial Welfare Reform Bill once again tomorrow. It
:51:04. > :51:06.follows a march and rally in Belfast yesterday against
:51:06. > :51:09.government austerity measures. Around 1,000 people took part in
:51:09. > :51:17.what was part of a series of demonstrations across the UK
:51:17. > :51:21.organised by trade unions. Seamus McAleavey of NICVA is with me.
:51:21. > :51:26.people making these cuts, they will propose changes to welfare, they
:51:26. > :51:30.will impoverish the workers who are dependent on welfare. The people
:51:30. > :51:34.who are not working, they depend on benefits, and they will have
:51:34. > :51:42.changes imposed upon them not by Westminster but Stormont. If that
:51:42. > :51:48.is what the politicians have to wonder stand. -- understand. Do
:51:48. > :51:52.demonstrations make any difference in the long run? It showed people
:51:52. > :51:57.the opposition the rest are some aspects of government policy. But
:51:57. > :52:01.it does require more. Our organisations and the community and
:52:01. > :52:06.voluntary sector have been lobbying and influencing government at
:52:06. > :52:10.Westminster and local level regarding these issues. The biggest
:52:10. > :52:13.changes that will take place regarding the welfare system, we
:52:13. > :52:18.have had a lot of them put to get something that suits Northern
:52:18. > :52:24.Ireland. The situation is difficult and unemployment is up and output
:52:24. > :52:27.is down. People tell us that the welfare reform could have a bigger
:52:27. > :52:32.impact on people in Northern Ireland than it might have
:52:32. > :52:40.elsewhere. Disabled groups, for example. How bad is the situation
:52:41. > :52:45.and how much worse might get? reckon about �400 million is coming
:52:45. > :52:51.out of the system and we will see reductions in housing benefits and
:52:51. > :52:56.things like that. Our situation in Northern Ireland is very different
:52:56. > :53:01.than in England. We have an economy that is at least 66% driven by the
:53:01. > :53:06.public sector and they want to reduce jobs. One of the big
:53:06. > :53:08.problems will be finding work for unemployed people and we are saying
:53:08. > :53:11.to the Northern Ireland Assembly regarding welfare reform and the
:53:11. > :53:16.new unemployment programme, if we simply copied the mechanics of
:53:16. > :53:21.these things as carried out in England, there isn't much point in
:53:22. > :53:24.having to volition. There has to be a local solution? Yes, we have to
:53:24. > :53:29.think about the greater difficulties there will be
:53:29. > :53:33.regarding helping people find employment. The cleric, we are
:53:33. > :53:36.trying to attract jobs in Northern Ireland and we have to be able to
:53:36. > :53:40.match the skills. Do you get a sense that local politicians are
:53:40. > :53:45.aware of that and agree with you and have the knowledge and skills
:53:45. > :53:51.necessary to actually get this right in terms of legislating?
:53:51. > :53:58.think they do. We have been talking and we have talked to Lord Freud
:53:58. > :54:02.regarding the English situation and Nelson McCausland and they can
:54:02. > :54:06.certainly hear those forces. We need to produce the mechanics that
:54:06. > :54:11.will make things suit Northern Ireland. Let's hear from the
:54:11. > :54:15.politicians. Do you accept his. But you just cannot take the British
:54:15. > :54:20.template and superimpose it on to Northern Ireland? The absolutely
:54:20. > :54:25.not, we have a very long legacy of problems here and does reflect the
:54:25. > :54:29.benefits. For example, people on disability and living allowance.
:54:29. > :54:35.That reflects a lot of the problems that we have had and the legacy of
:54:35. > :54:43.the path -- the past. That has affected in any other stress issues.
:54:43. > :54:48.But the overall policy drive is the same as across the water? Posterity.
:54:48. > :54:54.-- austerity. We did try but Sinn Fein would not support us. There is
:54:54. > :54:59.a human face to this. We cannot ignore that. We do advocacy work on
:54:59. > :55:06.Tribunals and we see the face of this. People in distress who have
:55:06. > :55:10.had their benefits cut. That is the first point. We cannot ignore that.
:55:10. > :55:16.Daithi McKay, you will not be an advocate for any Great British
:55:16. > :55:21.solution. But let me put the same question to you. There is very
:55:21. > :55:26.little you can do? You can talk a lot and bang the table but you
:55:26. > :55:32.cannot magically produce hundreds of millions of pounds? We need to
:55:32. > :55:35.be imaginative. In terms of the welfare, it was interesting is a
:55:35. > :55:41.minister did not vote in the Welfare Reform Bill bit to which
:55:41. > :55:46.she refers. We have to mature. There are a number of stages still
:55:46. > :55:50.to come and there are other opportunities to be presented. But
:55:50. > :55:56.we need to focus on mitigating as much as we can against the impact
:55:56. > :56:01.of these cuts. What is your thought when you hear these politicians
:56:01. > :56:05.talking? They say they take on board what you think. But can they
:56:05. > :56:11.do anything? They cannot do a lot about the budget. Many of the
:56:11. > :56:14.things that come up across Northern Ireland is the fear of the monthly
:56:14. > :56:19.payment. We would like to see people paid more often than that.
:56:19. > :56:22.At least fortnightly. The notion that the Government in the UK has
:56:22. > :56:27.had, creating monthly payment makes it look as if you are in work.
:56:28. > :56:33.People who earn less than �10,000 do not get paid monthly. But given
:56:33. > :56:37.the overall policy drive, that is a tidy note in the margins? The jury
:56:37. > :56:43.will be out regarding this. I say this as an observation, we need a
:56:43. > :56:47.local solution. Thank you very much indeed. Corporation tax, adoption
:56:47. > :56:57.and razor blades all feature as Chris Page takes a look back at the
:56:57. > :56:59.
:56:59. > :57:03.political week in 60 seconds. Ministers had their final meeting
:57:03. > :57:08.with the London governments about devolving Corporation Tax. The
:57:08. > :57:12.decision is down to David Cameron. Peter Robinson accused Sinn Fein
:57:12. > :57:17.are taking a responsible positions on important issues but said the
:57:17. > :57:21.DUP were getting on OK with their main partners. If you had set the
:57:21. > :57:24.Conservative and Labour Party down and said, he will have to work
:57:24. > :57:29.together, I do not believe they would have done as well as we have.
:57:29. > :57:33.Dozens of demonstrators on both sides of the argument came to
:57:33. > :57:36.Belfast as Northern Ireland's first private abortion clinic opens. The
:57:36. > :57:40.High Court ruled that gay and unmarried couples should be able to
:57:40. > :57:44.adopt. If the Health Minister said he was going to appeal that
:57:44. > :57:48.judgment. After angry opposition, the Environment Minister said he
:57:48. > :57:51.would not impose any national park in the Mourne Mountains and Danny
:57:51. > :57:57.Kennedy led us into one of the secrets of his successful political
:57:57. > :58:07.career. Do not underestimate my own inability to talk at length! One
:58:07. > :58:08.
:58:08. > :58:11.very little! The it Danny Kennedy let the cat out of the bag, there?
:58:11. > :58:18.He can stand up on his hind legs for a very long time and talk about
:58:18. > :58:23.nothing? That isn't something I would do. The but we have a welfare
:58:23. > :58:27.did it a couple of weeks ago that went on to midnight and there were
:58:27. > :58:31.enough long-winded politicians in that particular scenario.
:58:31. > :58:37.secret of success, talking about nothing? We would think that we do
:58:37. > :58:39.not talk about nothing but many others thing we do. I would like to
:58:39. > :58:44.think, particular debate on welfare reform, if any members were coming
:58:44. > :58:47.in with very sincerely held views and they try to work to keep it --
:58:47. > :58:53.articulate the needs of the community. And he was smiling when
:58:53. > :58:57.he said that, he was being ironic. Earlier, you said you have the
:58:57. > :59:02.option of a petition of concern as far as the Welfare Reform Bill is
:59:02. > :59:06.concerned? You could kill it in the water? There are a number of stages
:59:06. > :59:13.to go through and the Social Development Committee or are
:59:13. > :59:17.currently considering this and welcome back for consideration
:59:18. > :59:22.before it is concluded. That is an option. You cannot and then we have
:59:22. > :59:27.a bigger problem? A we don't mean to kill it, there are a number of
:59:27. > :59:32.other opportunities that we can put forward that will not reach parity
:59:32. > :59:36.as the DUP is so concerned about. And we can improve the lives of
:59:36. > :59:39.those who represent. You are a member of the Justice Committee,
:59:39. > :59:45.what about the offer to assist if there is an investigation into
:59:45. > :59:50.Marie Stopes? I have no problem with that, the Attorney-General is
:59:50. > :59:53.a very qualified man. Thank you. That's it for now. You can see this
:59:53. > :59:56.programme again tonight at 10:30pm over on BBC Two. Join me for