Browse content similar to 01/02/2016. Check below for episodes and series from the same categories and more!
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Moving forward on a more united footing and facing up | :00:22. | :00:26. | |
Just two of the themes that emerged during today's discussions | :00:27. | :00:32. | |
in the chamber. So, coming up tonight: | :00:33. | :00:34. | |
The Deputy First Minister says cohesion is key for moving forward | :00:35. | :00:37. | |
and resolving outstanding differences. | :00:38. | :00:44. | |
There are many many people within our society who were previously at | :00:45. | :00:50. | |
odds with one another who recognise the need to be involved in this sort | :00:51. | :00:53. | |
of work. The others, we can leave behind. | :00:54. | :00:54. | |
But with the European referendum looming, agreement is harder to find | :00:55. | :00:58. | |
So why's the minister coming to this has pretending we don't know the | :00:59. | :01:06. | |
question when we know what the questionnaires. We didn't know what | :01:07. | :01:13. | |
the unemployment rate was a week ago, he was wrong about that, and he | :01:14. | :01:15. | |
was wrong about this. And I'm joined tonight | :01:16. | :01:15. | |
by our Political Correspondent, Brexit - Britain's possible exit | :01:16. | :01:18. | |
from the EU - and the timing of the referendum, came up | :01:19. | :01:27. | |
during questions to the Deputy But first - what progress | :01:28. | :01:30. | |
is being made in implementing TBUC - the Together: Building | :01:31. | :01:38. | |
a United Community strategy? Announced nearly three years ago, | :01:39. | :01:39. | |
the initiative was meant to reflect the Executive's commitment | :01:40. | :01:42. | |
to improved community relations. This is a very exciting programme, | :01:43. | :01:54. | |
one that we are prepared to put a tremendous amount of funds into | :01:55. | :01:59. | |
because it is absolutely vital that we ensure that we bring our | :02:00. | :02:06. | |
community together, and I think also recognising the huge responsibility | :02:07. | :02:09. | |
that politicians have not just in the delivery of a programme but by | :02:10. | :02:16. | |
leading by example to ensure that the... We're not just mean | :02:17. | :02:19. | |
grassroots people together, but the grassroots of experts -- | :02:20. | :02:24. | |
politicians, working together for the common good. Achieving a united | :02:25. | :02:32. | |
community based on equality and opportunity, the desirability of | :02:33. | :02:34. | |
good relations and reconciliation requires the collective commitment | :02:35. | :02:40. | |
of everyone, government must work alongside statutory and voluntary | :02:41. | :02:43. | |
and community you partnerships, achieving a shared vision and | :02:44. | :02:50. | |
strategy. We feel that Cliff continued political implementation | :02:51. | :02:56. | |
is essential. I must remind them that everyone has a role to play, | :02:57. | :03:02. | |
and that is welcome, but how does he feel in terms of trying to show | :03:03. | :03:06. | |
forward thinking and leadership in terms of trying to bring the | :03:07. | :03:09. | |
community together, how does he feel that on Friday a former terrorist | :03:10. | :03:15. | |
who was questioned by the police in the Republic followed his lead in | :03:16. | :03:21. | |
declining to give any information about a present that was still | :03:22. | :03:25. | |
alive, had been involved in the building of pub bombs, given that | :03:26. | :03:29. | |
the First Minister to the same stance when he was in the box in | :03:30. | :03:33. | |
terms of the Savile enquiry, refusing to name anyone else | :03:34. | :03:35. | |
involved in terrorism alone with him? Well, first of all I think | :03:36. | :03:42. | |
maybe there's some this particular member doesn't understand that the | :03:43. | :03:49. | |
question that he is answering -- asking is to the office of first and | :03:50. | :03:53. | |
deputy first Prime Minister -- Minister. I am here to aunts were on | :03:54. | :03:59. | |
the behalf of the First Minister. I'd don't believe that that question | :04:00. | :04:09. | |
is in any. All of us have a duty and responsibility to recognise the | :04:10. | :04:12. | |
importance of building that's better future, and unfortunately there are | :04:13. | :04:18. | |
some members, quite a number of members in this house, who are only | :04:19. | :04:23. | |
really interested in recrimination, and not interested in | :04:24. | :04:26. | |
reconciliation, and I think that is very sad will stop I spoke about | :04:27. | :04:33. | |
this at the weekend when I was at the Kinsale Peace Project in County | :04:34. | :04:40. | |
Cork, a very hugely attended conversation between myself and | :04:41. | :04:42. | |
those people who were interested in what was happening here, | :04:43. | :04:46. | |
particularly in the peace process, and during that engagement, a man | :04:47. | :04:49. | |
stepped forward who informed the audience that he was a former member | :04:50. | :04:55. | |
of the Grenadier Guards. He was very generous, in his remarks, and we | :04:56. | :04:59. | |
both shook hands. I think that's where the encouragement comes from, | :05:00. | :05:03. | |
that there are many, many people within our society who were | :05:04. | :05:06. | |
previously at odds with one another who recognise the need to be | :05:07. | :05:10. | |
involved in this sort of work. The others, we can leave behind. The | :05:11. | :05:15. | |
debate around our membership of the European Union is an important one | :05:16. | :05:19. | |
and in order to make sure we have a proper debate about this, can I ask | :05:20. | :05:26. | |
him what discussions the elephant gave him have given him involving | :05:27. | :05:33. | |
devolved authorities in England, and what scope we have for negotiation | :05:34. | :05:41. | |
to pick a September date? It is very important that the First Minister | :05:42. | :05:49. | |
and myself engage with David Cameron, and talk to Scotland and | :05:50. | :05:55. | |
Wales about the issue, but it is on the public record, the First | :05:56. | :05:59. | |
Minister of Scotland has put it on the public record stop think it will | :06:00. | :06:05. | |
come as no surprise to anybody that we here will also share concerns of | :06:06. | :06:11. | |
proximity to a referendum in June, and we haven't even dealt with the | :06:12. | :06:16. | |
argument around the merits of staying in nor stay out. | :06:17. | :06:18. | |
So, the timing of the EU referendum is causing concern | :06:19. | :06:22. | |
Big concerns, and he heard Martin McGuinness talks about the close | :06:23. | :06:33. | |
proximity of the referendum and assembly elections and I think | :06:34. | :06:37. | |
people are concerned that the two issues could become merged them and | :06:38. | :06:43. | |
what they are out on the door ship -- doorstep trying to talk about the | :06:44. | :06:46. | |
election, they will have the referendum in the background, and | :06:47. | :06:49. | |
that is an argument coming from many quarters, that the EU referendum | :06:50. | :06:53. | |
which shouldn't happen in June, should happen in September to create | :06:54. | :06:57. | |
a distance between the referendum and the assembly election. The dates | :06:58. | :07:03. | |
talked about at the moment would be about seven weeks after the | :07:04. | :07:07. | |
referendum election. Do you think those fears are real? I think so. | :07:08. | :07:16. | |
They are getting assembly elections campaigns together at the moment, | :07:17. | :07:19. | |
beginning to canvas, and they are really concerned about selling on | :07:20. | :07:23. | |
the doorsteps trying to encourage people to vote for the assembly | :07:24. | :07:27. | |
elections with this other issue of Europe, and they are worried that | :07:28. | :07:33. | |
these two issues will be joined together. As Arlene Foster raised | :07:34. | :07:35. | |
last week, there are concerns. And we saw earlier, quite a bit | :07:36. | :07:37. | |
of friction between Martin McGuinness and Gregory Campbell - | :07:38. | :07:39. | |
not for the first time... No, there is history between Martin | :07:40. | :07:46. | |
McGuinness and Gregory Campbell. They come from similar parts of the | :07:47. | :07:50. | |
world, they often clashed in the chamber. Gregory Campbell would like | :07:51. | :07:54. | |
Martin McGuinness to be a bit more forthright about his past, and | :07:55. | :07:58. | |
clearly Martin McGuinness today felt that the question was being asked | :07:59. | :08:01. | |
wasn't appropriate, and he made comments saying he didn't name | :08:02. | :08:06. | |
Gregory Campbell directly, but he was obvious that that was who he was | :08:07. | :08:10. | |
talking about, saying that some people in the assembly were more | :08:11. | :08:13. | |
interested in recrimination and reconciliation, basically Martin | :08:14. | :08:16. | |
McGuinness thought that the question was out of order. The other thing we | :08:17. | :08:20. | |
must think about when this relationship is that if Gregory | :08:21. | :08:23. | |
Campbell leave the assembly, then these encounters will be quite rare. | :08:24. | :08:26. | |
Stephen, we will talk to you very shortly. | :08:27. | :08:29. | |
The Enterprise Minister updated Members on a recent meeting | :08:30. | :08:31. | |
of the North/South Ministerial Council. | :08:32. | :08:32. | |
There was a discussion about tourism, but perhaps most | :08:33. | :08:34. | |
memorable was a sharp attack on the Minister by Jim Allister. | :08:35. | :08:37. | |
He asked Jonathan Bell for his position on the EU | :08:38. | :08:39. | |
referendum and then accused him of not knowing what he was doing | :08:40. | :08:42. | |
But before that, the more sedate matter of increasing tourism | :08:43. | :08:47. | |
and getting new airlines to Belfast International Airport. | :08:48. | :08:52. | |
Can we perhaps get the aerial development route fund up and | :08:53. | :08:59. | |
running, because adding that will a difference as you know south of the | :09:00. | :09:04. | |
border, tourism is a huge percent of GDP, and I am closing that gap up it | :09:05. | :09:09. | |
would be enormously helpful to our industries. Think of course of this | :09:10. | :09:14. | |
states, the great boost that we would join our Belfast and Boston | :09:15. | :09:19. | |
sister cities. The others to your question is yes, we are hoping to | :09:20. | :09:24. | |
get that done, in terms of the development fund, and how we could | :09:25. | :09:28. | |
get that out before, within the financial year, so that people could | :09:29. | :09:32. | |
be aware of that. Because the purpose is to develop the | :09:33. | :09:35. | |
collectivity as the member says between business destinations, and | :09:36. | :09:39. | |
also look at those routes that have an inbounds for tourism potential. | :09:40. | :09:46. | |
I'm thinking critically about key destinations on either Germany or | :09:47. | :09:51. | |
Scandinavia, and also city destinations such as in Munich, | :09:52. | :09:55. | |
Madrid, Milan. In terms of access, yes, funding is orally provided, we | :09:56. | :10:02. | |
are working with the airports to facilitate that inbounds | :10:03. | :10:07. | |
performance, in both new and existing routes. We will do is do | :10:08. | :10:13. | |
continue to look at both airports as to how we can maximise the | :10:14. | :10:16. | |
potential. There is a debate on this. I am pressing the UK | :10:17. | :10:20. | |
Government in terms of air passenger duty. And I do think and we have | :10:21. | :10:27. | |
said that it does unfairly impact Northern Ireland. I want the UK | :10:28. | :10:31. | |
Government to address that, to deal with it, and ideally to abolish it. | :10:32. | :10:36. | |
I have to say, that we don't seem to be getting a lot of traction back | :10:37. | :10:40. | |
from the UK Government in relation to that, we continue to press the | :10:41. | :10:44. | |
case. Minister, you may not have heard yesterday in the statement | :10:45. | :10:49. | |
made by Mr Hastings who I think most will agree is an expert on tourism | :10:50. | :10:54. | |
in Ireland. How would you propose to assuage his concerns amongst others | :10:55. | :10:57. | |
in terms of Northern Ireland that is not enough is being done. I'd like | :10:58. | :11:05. | |
to thank Doctor Hastings for his time, coming in quite fun as an | :11:06. | :11:09. | |
unofficial adviser in somebody's of mine, and he's put a huge amount of | :11:10. | :11:15. | |
intelligence, of energy and used wonderful network from and earns | :11:16. | :11:20. | |
trepidation in tourism that the Hastings who actually has do help us | :11:21. | :11:29. | |
going forward. There is not a single minister who has been challenged in | :11:30. | :11:33. | |
a particular area. The house will be aware that my own apartment has | :11:34. | :11:36. | |
invested significantly in tourism in the last number of years. We have | :11:37. | :11:42. | |
put over ?100 million of money into the tourism infrastructure, and | :11:43. | :11:49. | |
tourism budgets are still healthy, we have allocated ?30 million to our | :11:50. | :11:54. | |
two tourism bodies, and we need to be smart with the resources that are | :11:55. | :11:59. | |
available. Can I say I look forward to the minister coming off the fence | :12:00. | :12:03. | |
on the issue of EU, and joining the ranks of those who want to liberate | :12:04. | :12:07. | |
our great trading nation from the shackles of the EU. It is an easy | :12:08. | :12:19. | |
point to make, and is uncertain. I do not know what the referendum | :12:20. | :12:23. | |
question is standing here today. We have not been given the terms of the | :12:24. | :12:29. | |
referendum question. Is it going to be a question that simply says do we | :12:30. | :12:33. | |
wish to leave the European Union? In that case, I imagine the member will | :12:34. | :12:37. | |
be saying yes is up for what happens if the question is will we stay in | :12:38. | :12:44. | |
the European Union? I imagine the member but 's answer will be no. In | :12:45. | :12:49. | |
the absence of a question, it is a very, very foolish question to ask | :12:50. | :12:55. | |
for they know the exact nature of the question. To suggest that we | :12:56. | :13:03. | |
don't know what the question in the referendum is when section one of | :13:04. | :13:09. | |
the European Union referendum act 2015 with Royal Assent already | :13:10. | :13:12. | |
setting out the question. The question being should the United | :13:13. | :13:17. | |
Kingdom remain a member of the European Union or leave the European | :13:18. | :13:24. | |
Union? Why the Minister coming to this as pretending we don't know | :13:25. | :13:28. | |
this question, when the law of the land states or the questionnaires. A | :13:29. | :13:30. | |
couple of weeks ago, he didn't know what the unemployment rate was. He | :13:31. | :13:33. | |
told his it was a third of Europe and a third of the Republic Ireland. | :13:34. | :13:36. | |
He was wrong about that, he's wrong about this. | :13:37. | :13:38. | |
The TUV's Jim Allister not at all impressed with Jonathan Bell. | :13:39. | :13:40. | |
A fascinating exchange between Jim Allister and the minister. We do | :13:41. | :13:53. | |
know the EU referendum question because we looked it up tonight on | :13:54. | :14:00. | |
the website and I can quote the question, "Should the United Kingdom | :14:01. | :14:04. | |
remain a member of the European Union or leave the European Union". | :14:05. | :14:08. | |
That is the question agreed. It is possible when he gave a response | :14:09. | :14:13. | |
that's what Jonathan Bell meant was the negotiations have not been | :14:14. | :14:17. | |
concluded and David Cameron is involved in negotiations and has not | :14:18. | :14:22. | |
seen the final deal, that is perhaps what Jonathan Bell meant to say but | :14:23. | :14:26. | |
didn't and when it comes to the issue of the question Jim Allister | :14:27. | :14:31. | |
is right. When the minister said we do not know, he was wrong. The | :14:32. | :14:36. | |
question is in the legislation and the legislation has been given Royal | :14:37. | :14:41. | |
assent. A fascinating exchange. Thank you. | :14:42. | :14:45. | |
The Regional Development Minister also faced Question Time today | :14:46. | :14:47. | |
and she was even congratulated by the Speaker for a "busy | :14:48. | :14:49. | |
But perhaps Michelle McIlveen has already had enough of repeatedly | :14:50. | :14:54. | |
facing questions about paying for improvements to Northern | :14:55. | :14:56. | |
Included in the fresh start agreement is a commitment by the | :14:57. | :15:07. | |
executive to advance the Western transport project. The Irish | :15:08. | :15:13. | |
government has made a commitment to contribute ?75 million funding | :15:14. | :15:18. | |
towards the project. This funding commitment is intended to ensure | :15:19. | :15:22. | |
subject to the successful completion of statutory procedures, | :15:23. | :15:26. | |
construction of the new buildings can commence in 2017 with an | :15:27. | :15:32. | |
estimated completion of 2019. I understand that after the public | :15:33. | :15:39. | |
consultation and I know from previous questions there have been | :15:40. | :15:45. | |
public exhibitions and could minister give us any date of when it | :15:46. | :15:51. | |
might be signed off and the consultation will start? The member | :15:52. | :15:57. | |
will be aware I have been doing work in relation to this further to the | :15:58. | :16:05. | |
announcement I'm looking for to introduce the land acquisition and | :16:06. | :16:10. | |
compensation bill in order to assist those landowners as a move forward. | :16:11. | :16:14. | |
That is accompanied by work I have been doing with land agents is part | :16:15. | :16:19. | |
of the preparation work which I've wanted to complete before moving | :16:20. | :16:25. | |
onto any announcement. I am hopeful the announcement will be made quite | :16:26. | :16:31. | |
surely. Can I ask her for her assessment of the prospects of a | :16:32. | :16:38. | |
railing to Belfast International? I thank the member for the question. I | :16:39. | :16:46. | |
imagine he is talking in relation to the branch line which is maintained | :16:47. | :16:54. | |
by Translink. The investment priority strategy for Northern | :16:55. | :16:58. | |
Ireland published in May 2014 set out a vision for future railways | :16:59. | :17:05. | |
over 20 years and there's an economic benefit in relation to the | :17:06. | :17:12. | |
Antrim line and opportunities to establish a real link to Belfast | :17:13. | :17:15. | |
International airport though my understanding is the usage around | :17:16. | :17:22. | |
the airport would need to increase to 10 million passengers just to | :17:23. | :17:27. | |
make that railing viable. Would you agree in terms of the airport | :17:28. | :17:31. | |
Ryanair are coming to Belfast International, that will produce an | :17:32. | :17:38. | |
uplifting passengers, do we need to wait until we have ten million-plus | :17:39. | :17:43. | |
before we do something about this, coming not anticipate what will | :17:44. | :17:51. | |
happen? I thank the member for his question and sustainability are | :17:52. | :17:54. | |
something which is key in everything we do, particularly in relation to | :17:55. | :18:02. | |
our public transport routes. You need any speak to his colleagues in | :18:03. | :18:10. | |
East Antrim and members in Newry in relation to the service they have, | :18:11. | :18:17. | |
we do need to look at costs, that is also key to where we are but the | :18:18. | :18:22. | |
member needs also to be aware we do have a good bus link going from the | :18:23. | :18:29. | |
international airport into the city centre. | :18:30. | :18:29. | |
The Rates Bill continues its accelerated passage | :18:30. | :18:34. | |
In the last few weeks we've heard amendments concerned with rates | :18:35. | :18:38. | |
relief for sports club and empty buildings | :18:39. | :18:40. | |
Today an Ulster Unionist amendment sought to include pigeon racing | :18:41. | :18:43. | |
in the list of specified recreations that would benefit | :18:44. | :18:45. | |
Since Ian has no issues with the pigeon racing amendment in terms of | :18:46. | :19:01. | |
the list of sports, recreations on this list or ready from a wide | :19:02. | :19:08. | |
variety, some might argue some are lesser sports pigeon racing, I see | :19:09. | :19:15. | |
no reason why this should be included as well and no doubt if it | :19:16. | :19:20. | |
is passed by the assembly it will give him something to tweet about or | :19:21. | :19:26. | |
should that be too. I know to as my colleague Robin Swan who really | :19:27. | :19:31. | |
drove this amendment forward. He did fly off to America and it's | :19:32. | :19:36. | |
interesting we have not had a tweet from him since. It will be a good | :19:37. | :19:40. | |
test to see if he can home his way back again. The inclusion of pigeon | :19:41. | :19:46. | |
racing in the list will allow the 80 descent rate relief and I believe | :19:47. | :19:50. | |
the premise to exclude pigeon racing because of a perceived lack of | :19:51. | :20:01. | |
sport... How could they and the UK sporting bodies explain ballooning, | :20:02. | :20:11. | |
model aircraft flying, gliding, yoga and rambling as activities that | :20:12. | :20:17. | |
require a greater degree level of physical activity than that involved | :20:18. | :20:22. | |
in pigeon racing. To refuse to treat pigeon racing equally in the rates | :20:23. | :20:27. | |
legislation with these non-sport activities is discriminatory and | :20:28. | :20:31. | |
should not be condoned by this house. Regarding the new clause, I | :20:32. | :20:39. | |
will try to kill two birds with one stone, we think it is compatible and | :20:40. | :20:45. | |
in terms of the target demographic you outline participate in the sport | :20:46. | :20:49. | |
we think it is appropriate and there is a relevant social benefits so we | :20:50. | :20:54. | |
will let this one fly. The policy does have wings. The first point I | :20:55. | :21:02. | |
would make if it is more appropriate for the changed proposed the | :21:03. | :21:07. | |
amendment to be housed in the subordinate legislation that lists | :21:08. | :21:11. | |
prescribed sport and recreation is in response to his amendment I will | :21:12. | :21:16. | |
find out that point out that part of the usual standard for the list of | :21:17. | :21:22. | |
sports and recreations is of compulsory requirement for | :21:23. | :21:25. | |
consultation with sporting bodies and representatives of local | :21:26. | :21:30. | |
councils under article 30 16. Members note such consultation | :21:31. | :21:34. | |
process is not in evidence in respect of the amendment before us | :21:35. | :21:39. | |
today. Sponsors of the amendment as understandably pointed out anomalies | :21:40. | :21:46. | |
and they were listed by Mr Cree, model aeroplane flying, and wild | :21:47. | :21:51. | |
fouling. I agree with the member that these are pursuits not in | :21:52. | :21:56. | |
keeping with the principle enshrined in the governing primary legislation | :21:57. | :22:02. | |
of the activities involving a degree of physical effort. I estimate that | :22:03. | :22:10. | |
the inclusion of these anomalies and activities have no practical effect | :22:11. | :22:14. | |
because there are no rateable premises associated with them and | :22:15. | :22:18. | |
therefore the removal from the list would be a straightforward tidy up | :22:19. | :22:19. | |
exercise. And that amendment was | :22:20. | :22:21. | |
passed by 55 votes to 29. The bill reaches its | :22:22. | :22:23. | |
final stage tomorrow. Another piece of legislation that | :22:24. | :22:25. | |
passed today was the Housing It concerns how estate agents | :22:26. | :22:27. | |
operate and are regulated. Today's Legislative Consent Motion | :22:28. | :22:31. | |
was brought to the floor by the enterprise | :22:32. | :22:33. | |
minister, Jonathan Bell. The Housing and planning Bill was | :22:34. | :22:45. | |
adduced in Parliament on the 13th of October 2015 by the Department for | :22:46. | :22:49. | |
community is an local government. The overall purpose of the bill is | :22:50. | :22:53. | |
to make changes to the law in England and Wales concerning | :22:54. | :22:58. | |
housing, rent charges, planning and compulsory purchase. The bill was | :22:59. | :23:03. | |
considered to be a suitable vehicle to introduce changes that the | :23:04. | :23:06. | |
Department for business innovation skills considered necessary to make | :23:07. | :23:13. | |
to the 1979 UK wide estate agent act which I will refer to as the 79 act. | :23:14. | :23:22. | |
These changes relate only to 79 acts enforcement responsibilities. The 79 | :23:23. | :23:26. | |
act is largely limited to regulating the activities of estate agents in | :23:27. | :23:30. | |
selling property on behalf of their clients. When it was enacted the | :23:31. | :23:38. | |
Office Of Fair Trading or the OST had certain responsibilities under | :23:39. | :23:43. | |
the 79 act notably the part to ban unfit persons from carrying out | :23:44. | :23:49. | |
estate agency work is took the 79 act also contained other enforcement | :23:50. | :23:53. | |
responsibilities that were carried out by local authority trading | :23:54. | :23:56. | |
standards departments within their respective areas in Great Britain | :23:57. | :24:02. | |
and my department in Northern Ireland. Responsibilities falling to | :24:03. | :24:06. | |
trading standards departments include requirements relating to the | :24:07. | :24:10. | |
handling of clients money and ensuring requirements to provide | :24:11. | :24:16. | |
vendors with certain information are complied with. Essentially, all | :24:17. | :24:20. | |
complaints about estate agents under the 79 act were investigated and | :24:21. | :24:25. | |
assessed by trading standards departments who referred the most | :24:26. | :24:29. | |
serious complaints to the OST to consider with a view to banning an | :24:30. | :24:36. | |
estate agent or warning. A failure to amend the act could result in | :24:37. | :24:41. | |
unfit and fraudulent estate agents being allowed to continue to | :24:42. | :24:46. | |
operate, this would cause increased harm to consumers and prevent | :24:47. | :24:49. | |
complied estate agents from operating on a level playing field. | :24:50. | :24:55. | |
The proposed amendment of the 79 act would allow the Secretary of State | :24:56. | :24:59. | |
for the Department for business innovation and skills or a person | :25:00. | :25:06. | |
who never took over the role of lead authority for the UK. The person | :25:07. | :25:11. | |
chosen by the Secretary Of State could be any local authority or the | :25:12. | :25:19. | |
Department of enterprise, trade and investment in Northern Ireland. The | :25:20. | :25:23. | |
provision will allow the Secretary Of State to appoint a new | :25:24. | :25:27. | |
enforcement authority for the 79 act from time to time as necessary. | :25:28. | :25:28. | |
for the 79 act from time to time as necessary. | :25:29. | :25:31. | |
Now, last week much was made of waffling Ministers and today | :25:32. | :25:34. | |
the Speaker had this to say to those who stay on their feet too long. | :25:35. | :25:39. | |
Answers to questions may be no longer than two minutes, 40 minute | :25:40. | :25:46. | |
interview to exceed this time in the face of repeated reminders is | :25:47. | :25:50. | |
discourteous to the house and is unacceptable. Ministers may from | :25:51. | :25:53. | |
time to time needs more time to provide answers on complex issues | :25:54. | :25:58. | |
and a deputy speakers and I will accept requests for additional time | :25:59. | :26:04. | |
in no circumstances. However, filibustering a waffling is not in | :26:05. | :26:08. | |
order and if ministers slip beyond that time we will intervene and move | :26:09. | :26:10. | |
on. I hope that is clear. Clear as day - and it'll be | :26:11. | :26:12. | |
interesting to see if those guidelines are strictly | :26:13. | :26:18. | |
adhered to in future. And Stephen is with me | :26:19. | :26:19. | |
for a final word... A warning to ministers to stop time | :26:20. | :26:30. | |
wasting. Yes, what's interesting about this is it seems to be a | :26:31. | :26:33. | |
recent complaint, number of MLAs have complained when ministers come | :26:34. | :26:37. | |
to the box and asked questions rather than rattling through the | :26:38. | :26:41. | |
questions quickly so they can get to a lot of questions in the session, | :26:42. | :26:46. | |
they are taking their time and what we witnessed was him saying you need | :26:47. | :26:50. | |
to give the answer within two minutes, you can't take your time, | :26:51. | :26:55. | |
get the point, get as many Malays possible asking questions and | :26:56. | :27:10. | |
let's get the proceedings moving as quickly as possible. And that's | :27:11. | :27:13. | |
because we have topical questions which is a recent element meaning | :27:14. | :27:15. | |
ministers cannot pre-prepare everything in advance and sometimes | :27:16. | :27:17. | |
they can be blindsided by a cheeky question from about venture. Yes, | :27:18. | :27:19. | |
they can be caught off-guard. It is those questions they don't know that | :27:20. | :27:22. | |
coming which they can be caught off-guard and that is the area where | :27:23. | :27:24. | |
Mitchell McLauchlan thinks some ministers have been doing time | :27:25. | :27:29. | |
wasting. To be fair, it is an ongoing issue, we talked about it | :27:30. | :27:34. | |
before. We have, the fact when you have ministers with a list of | :27:35. | :27:41. | |
questions and maybe nine or ten questions and the other day there | :27:42. | :27:44. | |
were only three or four questions so clearly it is a problem because | :27:45. | :27:49. | |
ministers are clearly taking their time. Finally, Sinn Fein's ranks in | :27:50. | :27:57. | |
Fermanagh and South Tyrone. There has been an awful lot of | :27:58. | :28:04. | |
development. Basically, Phil Flanagan who was originally | :28:05. | :28:07. | |
deselected and then there was a second selection meeting and then | :28:08. | :28:10. | |
Phil Flanagan is back on the ticket for Sinn Fein and the person who has | :28:11. | :28:16. | |
lost out most is Michelle, the former MP. She is not on the Sinn | :28:17. | :28:20. | |
Fein ticket for Fermanagh and South Tyrone which is a big surprise. | :28:21. | :28:25. | |
There was speculation she might move into Mid Ulster, you have Martin | :28:26. | :28:31. | |
McGuinness going from but Michelle Gilda new has made it clear her | :28:32. | :28:34. | |
heart is in Fermanagh and South Tyrone but it was a surprise. It | :28:35. | :28:38. | |
expected to see Michelle Gilder knew get the nomination. We will see if | :28:39. | :28:42. | |
that is an end to it. But do join me again tomorrow | :28:43. | :28:44. | |
night at the same time. Eight famous pensioners are looking | :28:45. | :28:48. | |
to retire to an exotic land... I had never thought about India | :28:49. | :29:03. | |
but...maybe. ..enjoying the fantastic local | :29:04. | :29:06. | |
cultures... Ooh! ..discovering true spiritual | :29:07. | :29:10. | |
enlightenment... ..and finding out if they could | :29:11. | :29:13. | |
spend their golden years... Wow! Yeah, it really does feel like home. | :29:14. | :29:18. | |
You come face-to-face with yourself. | :29:19. | :29:23. |