0:00:21 > 0:00:24Hello and welcome to Stormont Today. Coming up in the next 30 minutes:
0:00:24 > 0:00:27At last it appears - the name of Northern Ireland's newest political
0:00:27 > 0:00:30party is revealed. The BBC understands that Basil
0:00:30 > 0:00:35McCrea and John McAllister will call their party NI 21.
0:00:35 > 0:00:38We'll look at what's in a name. Equal pay was a hot topic at the
0:00:38 > 0:00:45Assembly today and the Employment Minister revealed that many women
0:00:45 > 0:00:49still get paid less than men. has been a widening of the gernd pay
0:00:49 > 0:00:53gap for employees in Northern Ireland despite higher public sector
0:00:53 > 0:01:00wages on average. Our political correspondent, Martina
0:01:00 > 0:01:04Purdy, is here to discuss the day's news on the Hill.
0:01:04 > 0:01:06So, we've waited patiently for quite a few months to hear the name of
0:01:06 > 0:01:10Basil McCrea and John McAllister's new political party, and tonight
0:01:10 > 0:01:13that name has made it into the public arena.
0:01:13 > 0:01:15It's understood the two former Ulster Unionist MLAs will call their
0:01:15 > 0:01:25party NI 21. Our political correspondent, Martina
0:01:25 > 0:01:25
0:01:25 > 0:01:30Purdy, is with me. What is in a name? It has taken them time to
0:01:30 > 0:01:33think of one, so quite a lochlt I don't think it's an easy process.
0:01:33 > 0:01:37They were looking for a name that reflected Northern Ireland, but not
0:01:37 > 0:01:43necessarily with the name "union" in it. They wanted broad support. They
0:01:43 > 0:01:47are a small pro-union party. You know, they also, I think, the 21 is
0:01:47 > 0:01:53reflective of the 21st century am they want to be seen to be modern
0:01:53 > 0:01:58and progressive. I should say that Basil McCrea refused to confirm or
0:01:58 > 0:02:02deny this name. My colleagues did research today and found a website
0:02:02 > 0:02:07with the name, NI 21, which was ready to go for a new political
0:02:07 > 0:02:12party. Already, Mark, the jokes have started about NI 21, whether it
0:02:12 > 0:02:16sounds like an estate agents, whether it sounds like a boyband.
0:02:17 > 0:02:22Dominic Bradley tweeted that that isn't it something the Saw Doctors
0:02:22 > 0:02:25sang about. They sang about the M21. We had jokes about the number of
0:02:25 > 0:02:30votes they will get. The boys have done their research. I think they
0:02:30 > 0:02:34are hoping to appeal to a younger generation. That is what is quite
0:02:34 > 0:02:38interesting when you look at Twitter and the response there has been to
0:02:38 > 0:02:42the announcement that the BBC made tonight of the name. Maybe there is
0:02:42 > 0:02:47a generational issue. Maybe younger people think that NI 21 works very
0:02:47 > 0:02:52well. It taps into this notion of more and more people regarding them
0:02:52 > 0:02:55self-as Northern Irish. They are on to something there. Census figures
0:02:55 > 0:02:59indicate that increasingly Catholics, for example, are more
0:02:59 > 0:03:04likely to say Northern Irish than they might have done 10 years ago.
0:03:04 > 0:03:10Also, they do see the importance of the media age appealing to younger
0:03:10 > 0:03:13voters. I understand that there was a woman in Taiwan who had the
0:03:14 > 0:03:18Twitter account NI 21 and that one of Basil McCrea supporters was in
0:03:18 > 0:03:26touch with her and my understanding is that they do have the name now.
0:03:26 > 0:03:30Gather that the Saw Doctor son was the N 17... It's been a while since
0:03:30 > 0:03:36I listened. 's been a while. That is right. What can we expect from the
0:03:36 > 0:03:41launch on Thursday night? We expect the launch is going to be at the
0:03:41 > 0:03:44Belfast Mack a modern, progressive image for the city. We will hear
0:03:44 > 0:03:48Basil McCrea and John McAllister make a presentation. There will be a
0:03:48 > 0:03:53lot of interest in who turns up. We are looking to see if they are going
0:03:53 > 0:03:56to have new faces, a lot of young people there. Of course, I think
0:03:56 > 0:04:01Basil McCrea and John McAllister will be appearing, one of them will
0:04:01 > 0:04:06be appearing on The View - Both. Both of them on Thursday night, BBC
0:04:06 > 0:04:08One 10. 35pm. Correct. Well remembered. Key thing that some
0:04:08 > 0:04:13people will wonder about all of this, what does naming the party
0:04:13 > 0:04:17mean for the two of them? What extra rights do they get? Do they get
0:04:17 > 0:04:22extra speaking rights or finance, for example, as a newly constituted
0:04:22 > 0:04:26political party? As a new party they would get the same status as the
0:04:26 > 0:04:30Green Party or TUV, better understanding. They will get more
0:04:30 > 0:04:34money, �25,000 to hire and assistant, if you like. Still
0:04:34 > 0:04:37speculation as to whether they will get more speaking rights. I'm told
0:04:37 > 0:04:40that is a matter for the business committee. They are hopeful they
0:04:40 > 0:04:43will get more speaking rights. doubt we will find out in due
0:04:43 > 0:04:48course. We look forward to hearing more detail on all of that on
0:04:48 > 0:04:52Thursday night. We will hear more from you later, but now, thank you
0:04:52 > 0:04:54very much. Something is going on in our
0:04:54 > 0:04:56economy, the Employment Minister said today, and he wasn't talking
0:04:56 > 0:04:59about recession. Stephen Farry was referring to
0:04:59 > 0:05:02inequality in the workforce. In a statement to the Assembly on
0:05:02 > 0:05:07gender issues, he said the pay gap between the sexes is growing despite
0:05:07 > 0:05:11women gaining higher qualifications. I have already indicated that more
0:05:11 > 0:05:15females are participating in higher education than males. There is in
0:05:15 > 0:05:19fact quite a significant gender difference. Over the last decade
0:05:19 > 0:05:23female enrol rollments account for 60% of the total. The under
0:05:23 > 0:05:27representation of males, particularly Protestant males is a
0:05:27 > 0:05:31particular theme within the access to success our widen participation
0:05:31 > 0:05:38strategy. There are significant difference in subjects elected for
0:05:38 > 0:05:44study. Despite ratio of 60-40 in favour of females generally, females
0:05:44 > 0:05:49account for less than 30% of those grand waiting in stem subjects
0:05:49 > 0:05:53excludeing medicine and health. 30% of students in computer science and
0:05:53 > 0:05:5775 studying engineering and technology are male. Most
0:05:57 > 0:06:01discouragingly there has been a widening of the gender pay gap for
0:06:01 > 0:06:07employees in Northern Ireland despite higher public sector wages
0:06:07 > 0:06:12on average. Overall, female medium earnings are only some 90% of male
0:06:12 > 0:06:16earnings. Another important distinction relates to
0:06:16 > 0:06:21self-employment. Although women account for around half of all
0:06:21 > 0:06:27employees, only 20% of those who are self-employed are female. Some of
0:06:27 > 0:06:31these issues are extremely serious, a widening of the gender pay gap,
0:06:31 > 0:06:36women more than men work in part-time. My question is similar to
0:06:36 > 0:06:39the previous member. I would like to ask you, given that 30% of females
0:06:39 > 0:06:43graduate in stem subjects, can the Minister tell us what steps he is
0:06:43 > 0:06:47taking to address the issue of gender stereo typing in those stem
0:06:47 > 0:06:51subjects which tend to be male-dominated and given that stem
0:06:51 > 0:06:57is fundamental to the recovery of our economy? Again, I thank the
0:06:57 > 0:07:01member for her comments. She is very right to highlight the importance of
0:07:02 > 0:07:07stem subjects to the future growth and the recovery of our economy
0:07:07 > 0:07:13here. I think it is important that we do seek to challenge stereotypes
0:07:13 > 0:07:17around a number of these particular areas. That is the job for
0:07:17 > 0:07:21government, in particular I would highlight the forthcoming review of
0:07:21 > 0:07:26the career strategy. Iement' sure your colleague, the Minister for
0:07:26 > 0:07:30Education, a joint holder of that strategy myself will share the
0:07:30 > 0:07:34aspirations we have to improve participation rates in stem
0:07:34 > 0:07:37subjects. There is is a wider society issue. We can highlight the
0:07:37 > 0:07:41issues in the Assembly and indeed take a lead were we have
0:07:41 > 0:07:44responsibilities. It's important as well that we use this platform to
0:07:45 > 0:07:48challenge and urge others to challenge the sterotypes that are
0:07:49 > 0:07:54built up around a number of different careers. Would the
0:07:54 > 0:07:57Minister accept that the vast majority of females in our community
0:07:57 > 0:08:00historically and traditionally are forced into the home and caring
0:08:00 > 0:08:07responsibilities? What collaborations is taking place with
0:08:07 > 0:08:10the health department and social development to develop and identify
0:08:10 > 0:08:16those females who are carrying serious responsibilities at home, to
0:08:16 > 0:08:19try and identify them to reskill them to be economically active?
0:08:19 > 0:08:24thank the member for his comment. I think the first thing to say in
0:08:24 > 0:08:27response to this, is that this has to be about facilitating choice and
0:08:27 > 0:08:31options for women rather than us going out with a message saying that
0:08:31 > 0:08:34every woman has to work. We have to respect everyone will want to make a
0:08:34 > 0:08:38decision that is vieth for themselves and their families in
0:08:38 > 0:08:41terms of whether they work or not. In some respects, particularly
0:08:41 > 0:08:45higher education, women are leaving hider education in greater numbers
0:08:45 > 0:08:49and with better qualifications. That is quickly not reflected in terms of
0:08:49 > 0:08:53pay levels. Clearly, something else is going on within our economy that
0:08:53 > 0:09:00we do need to craple with. It's not just an economic issue, it's a are
0:09:00 > 0:09:03moal and ethical issue too around e equality quality and opportunity.
0:09:03 > 0:09:06Stephen Farry. Equal pay was at the centre of
0:09:06 > 0:09:09another debate today, this time it referred to civil servants in the
0:09:09 > 0:09:11PSNI and Northern Ireland Office who have been unable to access an equal
0:09:11 > 0:09:14pay settlement. The motion put forward by the DUP
0:09:14 > 0:09:21called on the Justice Minister to recognise and address the perceived
0:09:21 > 0:09:26unfairness. As members will be aware, in 2009 there were around
0:09:26 > 0:09:334,500 equal pay claims lodged with the Industrial Tribunal on behalf of
0:09:33 > 0:09:38the Northern Ireland Civil Service staff who worked as administrative
0:09:38 > 0:09:43assistant, officer and executive officer two grades who believe they
0:09:43 > 0:09:50were treated differently to male employees working at the same grades
0:09:50 > 0:09:55within their relevant departments. In 2 o 009 an agreement was reached
0:09:55 > 0:09:58on how these claims were to be resolved. Unfortunately, Mr Deputy
0:09:58 > 0:10:04Speaker, civil servants who worked for the PSNI or the Northern Ireland
0:10:04 > 0:10:11Office were excluded from this settlement. Members will also be
0:10:11 > 0:10:14aware of the decision made by Judge Babington on 7th March to dismiss
0:10:14 > 0:10:19the equal pay claims of these civil servants. You, as I, were a member
0:10:19 > 0:10:26of the Northern Ireland Policing Board, during that period you will
0:10:26 > 0:10:30remember that the police service with the assistant of the Justice
0:10:30 > 0:10:36Minister got some �86 million additional, a number of years back.
0:10:36 > 0:10:41Inside that figure was a �21-�26 million figure to settle this pay
0:10:41 > 0:10:44claim. That money was supposed to have been ringfenced. It would be
0:10:44 > 0:10:49good to answer answer where that money is and if it's available to
0:10:49 > 0:10:52pay these people who are justifiably making this claim? In raising this
0:10:52 > 0:10:57particular case, I think the member is raising something which people
0:10:57 > 0:11:01feel they are being treated unfairly, I think it's our
0:11:01 > 0:11:05responsibility to try and ensure that they feel that all avenues have
0:11:05 > 0:11:09been explored for them. I don't think any of us can promise what the
0:11:09 > 0:11:13outcome will be. Were people feel they are being unfairly treated or
0:11:13 > 0:11:18an issue of equality that is why we find it easy to support this motion
0:11:18 > 0:11:23today. You have a situation as Mr McCrea outlined were you have two
0:11:23 > 0:11:27workers, doing the same job, effectively, but coming from
0:11:27 > 0:11:37different position, historically, in terms of employment, and they are
0:11:37 > 0:11:37
0:11:37 > 0:11:42not receiving the same wages, that creates a very serious in e
0:11:42 > 0:11:45inequality and there is an issue of fairness there. Let us not forget,
0:11:45 > 0:11:51Deputy Speaker, that this �26 million that I understand is
0:11:51 > 0:11:58ringfenced for this project, or fo this equal pay, there are people
0:11:58 > 0:12:02who, I believe, deserve that, but those people would just not be the
0:12:02 > 0:12:07end recipients of it. This is �26 million. If it's ringfenced for this
0:12:07 > 0:12:09project, that maybe cannot spent on any other project within the
0:12:10 > 0:12:13Northern Ireland Executive. Members have suggested that beyond the issue
0:12:13 > 0:12:17of liability, as I said, is an issue of fairness. Of course I understand
0:12:17 > 0:12:24that point. I am he a also very clear in my understanding that I'm
0:12:24 > 0:12:27bound by DFP rules. Any attempt by me to pass to DFP a business case
0:12:27 > 0:12:30that flies in the face of legal liability, now establisheded beyond
0:12:30 > 0:12:34question in the courts, would be a breach of those rules and would
0:12:34 > 0:12:38therefore be rejected. Members and affected staff have suggested that
0:12:38 > 0:12:44they believe that I have money in my department's budge to settle this
0:12:44 > 0:12:48matter. That is simply not the case. Such... Let me finish this point.
0:12:48 > 0:12:52Such money was only ever to be provided to the Department of
0:12:52 > 0:12:55Justice from the Treasury in the event that illegal liability was
0:12:55 > 0:13:02established. It is is part of the treasury reserve. It was never made
0:13:02 > 0:13:05available to even the DFP, never mind DOJ or the police.
0:13:05 > 0:13:11The Justice Minister, David Ford, and that motion was carried.
0:13:11 > 0:13:14The DUP MLA Jimmy Spratt is with me now. There is no legal requirement,
0:13:14 > 0:13:20therefore there is no money, were you expecting a different response?
0:13:20 > 0:13:25Well, I was. During my tenure in the Northern Ireland Policing Board the
0:13:25 > 0:13:31Minister and indeed other colleagues on the Executive fought a case for
0:13:31 > 0:13:37an additional �86 million, I think, was the figure. Part of that pack
0:13:37 > 0:13:47package, apart from the security element required, was a �26 million
0:13:47 > 0:13:51
0:13:51 > 0:14:00package which the police had asked he would write to the Finance
0:14:00 > 0:14:03Ministers. I wonder why you targeted this at at Justice Minister rather
0:14:03 > 0:14:08than Sammy Wilson? Well, this is something ministers need to sort
0:14:08 > 0:14:12out. This is a matter of fairness and equality in terms of mostly
0:14:12 > 0:14:17female staff from the 2009 claim which was settled. I think in terms
0:14:17 > 0:14:21of the court case, the court case is one thing. The judge probably was
0:14:21 > 0:14:31not in receipt of all of the evidence at the time in relation to
0:14:31 > 0:14:34the case. In terms of actually settling this, a wrong that has been
0:14:34 > 0:14:39perpetrated on the folks concerned, it needs to be sorted out and I
0:14:39 > 0:14:42think it can be sorted out and it was obvious the Treasury were
0:14:42 > 0:14:46prepared to give that money to help sort it out way back.
0:14:46 > 0:14:50The issue is the motion was successful today, but the civil
0:14:50 > 0:14:53servants involved with the PSNI and 9 NIO are not closer to getting
0:14:53 > 0:14:59their money? Well, I would hope as a result of today, the issue has been
0:14:59 > 0:15:08raised. It has been brought forward. I hope there will be discussions
0:15:08 > 0:15:11from the Justice Minister with my colleague, Sammy Wilson and
0:15:11 > 0:15:13collectively something can be done to sort this out and there is a
0:15:13 > 0:15:19liability also on the it Chief Constable and the Northern Ireland
0:15:19 > 0:15:25Policing Board on this issue. It was quieter up here than it was
0:15:25 > 0:15:30yesterday with a debate about the Special Advisers Bill. A good day
0:15:30 > 0:15:33for Jim Allister? It was a good day for common sense in terms of the
0:15:33 > 0:15:37legislation which only affected a few people, but in terms of what we
0:15:37 > 0:15:39are talking about today, it affects considerable more people who are
0:15:39 > 0:15:44lower paid than the people we were talking about yesterday.
0:15:44 > 0:15:50I can't let you go without asking you about the name of the new
0:15:50 > 0:15:53political party, NI 21? As a fellow Unionist, do you wish them well for
0:15:53 > 0:15:58their big launch on Thursday? I am sure everybody wishes them
0:15:58 > 0:16:02well. I don't know how successful it will be. I think the thing that I
0:16:02 > 0:16:08like most so far was that somebody tweeted that it sounded like a
0:16:08 > 0:16:12particular make of a car! So let's see what happens in the coming days.
0:16:13 > 0:16:17You are not quaking in your boots? Absolutely not and I don't think
0:16:17 > 0:16:20anybody in my party will be quaking in their boots as a result of what
0:16:20 > 0:16:23John and Basil are launching later this week.
0:16:23 > 0:16:26We will get more details in due course.
0:16:26 > 0:16:29Jimmy Spratt, thank you. Tackling unemployment among young
0:16:29 > 0:16:31and older people was also discussed during Question Time today. The
0:16:31 > 0:16:39Employment and Learning Minister, Stephen Farry outlined his strategy
0:16:39 > 0:16:47to get people from both age groups back into work as soon as possible.
0:16:47 > 0:16:51Since the Youth Unemployment Scheme, my department has won working trying
0:16:51 > 0:16:57to -- has been working trying to secure job opportunities for young
0:16:57 > 0:17:03people. Almost 1,800 agreements have been signed for the different
0:17:03 > 0:17:11elements of the youth employment scheme and 232,000 opportunities
0:17:11 > 0:17:20have been scoured. 94 -- secured. 966 this taken place in the scheme.
0:17:20 > 0:17:27Of the 94 had young people 290 have moved into jobs supported by the
0:17:27 > 0:17:31enhanced employer subsidy. A further 51 young people obtained employment.
0:17:31 > 0:17:3637% of participants moved into full-time employment.
0:17:36 > 0:17:46The minister has spoken about the importance of apprenticeships. He
0:17:46 > 0:17:47
0:17:47 > 0:17:54has spoken about the enthusiasm among businesses to get involved.
0:17:54 > 0:17:58Can I ask him what steps his department is taking a? We are
0:17:58 > 0:18:02dependant upon the goodwill of business, but I believe through
0:18:02 > 0:18:06sound leadership from Government, but also good leadership from the
0:18:06 > 0:18:12representative organisations of the business community that we can
0:18:12 > 0:18:15enthuse businesses to take on more apprentices. This is very much in
0:18:15 > 0:18:19their interest alongside the interests of young people and if a
0:18:19 > 0:18:23business does offer a person an apprenticeship they can be sure they
0:18:23 > 0:18:28are training a person in the very immediate and direct needs of their
0:18:28 > 0:18:31business rather than relying on the wider education system that maybe
0:18:31 > 0:18:35good at providing general skills, but perhaps not the direct skills
0:18:35 > 0:18:38that that company requires. The current economic climate and the
0:18:38 > 0:18:42increase in the unemployment register made the move from benefits
0:18:42 > 0:18:46to finding and sustaining employment more difficult for those who have no
0:18:46 > 0:18:54recent work history. This is true for those who are aged 50 or over.
0:18:54 > 0:19:04In direct response to the economic downturn and as part of the
0:19:04 > 0:19:08check'stive and -- executive's. S.committee. One of the initiatives
0:19:08 > 0:19:11is Step Ahead 50 Plus. This is available throughout Northern
0:19:11 > 0:19:15Ireland to those aged 50 and over who have been out of work and in
0:19:15 > 0:19:21receipt of a working aged benefit or a combination of benefits for a
0:19:21 > 0:19:24minimum period of 12 months. It will improve job outcomes by providing
0:19:24 > 0:19:30the participants with an opportunity to experience a real job, coupled
0:19:30 > 0:19:39with a recent employment history. These will enable them to compete
0:19:39 > 0:19:42for jobs. At March, by March 2015 it will provide 1100 supported
0:19:42 > 0:19:46employment opportunities. It was introduced in January of this year
0:19:46 > 0:19:51and in the short time it has been available, it is proving to be
0:19:51 > 0:19:59successful. It has provided 269 people with fixed term employment
0:19:59 > 0:20:02which is the most welcome and commendable achievement.
0:20:03 > 0:20:06Sport was on the agenda again today when the Assembly discussed the
0:20:06 > 0:20:09administration of amateur football. A motion calling for the removal of
0:20:09 > 0:20:13a rule requiring clubs in the Northern Amateur Football League to
0:20:13 > 0:20:19have their own ground was passed by a narrow margin. The motion seeks to
0:20:19 > 0:20:26redress the anomaly 2. 1 rule for prime assy rule as it is sometimes
0:20:26 > 0:20:30called. The purpose of the removal of this rule is to literally create
0:20:30 > 0:20:34a level playing field for all clubs across the various leagues. It is my
0:20:34 > 0:20:38contention and that of many of those involved in soccer, or football if
0:20:38 > 0:20:42you like, and its development particularly in Belfast, but
0:20:42 > 0:20:48elsewhere as well, that this is an impediment to the development of the
0:20:48 > 0:20:54sport and the advancement of teams in this and other leagues.
0:20:54 > 0:21:01The NAFL could remove the rule at the sweep of a pen. As every other
0:21:01 > 0:21:07division this is not an issue and I refer also to Crusaders at this
0:21:08 > 0:21:11point. Newington and the work that both Newington and crusade terse
0:21:11 > 0:21:19carried out in the interests of sport and in the community relations
0:21:19 > 0:21:23particularly in north Belfast and that will continue to be the case.
0:21:23 > 0:21:28This is an organisation that has been existence for something like
0:21:28 > 0:21:38150 years and one of the oldest such organisations in the worlgd. The IFA
0:21:38 > 0:21:38
0:21:38 > 0:21:43is the -- world. The IFA is the third oldest in the world. It is
0:21:43 > 0:21:48essential to recognise and respect that the Northern Ireland Amateur
0:21:48 > 0:21:55Football League is an organisation that is voted by majority to retain
0:21:55 > 0:21:59the prime assy rule that requires amateur football clubs to have sole
0:21:59 > 0:22:04control of their football ground. There is an issue in relation to
0:22:04 > 0:22:12FIFA and it is not a case of if, but when, fed ta gets their hands on the
0:22:12 > 0:22:18minutes of today -- FIFA gets their hands on the the minutes of today's
0:22:18 > 0:22:21meetings here. There is the possibility of sanctions and in
0:22:21 > 0:22:23Greece, FIFA threatened to implement the sanctions and we need to be
0:22:23 > 0:22:29careful where we take this debate today.
0:22:29 > 0:22:33I respect the caution that he has given to this assembly, not to be
0:22:33 > 0:22:38interfering in the internal affairs and governance of the Northern
0:22:38 > 0:22:48League, but this motion doesn't do that. It doesn't actually do that.
0:22:48 > 0:22:48
0:22:48 > 0:22:56But the point is this - it is up to us as I said before, as interested
0:22:56 > 0:23:02spectators to say to the Northern League, look at this rule and see if
0:23:02 > 0:23:07it can be changed for the better. Just let me clarify this
0:23:07 > 0:23:11straightaway. I don't believe for one minute that this motion is about
0:23:11 > 0:23:14me ex-health authoritying any political interference -- exhorting
0:23:14 > 0:23:19any political interference and it was asking me to do that, my answer
0:23:19 > 0:23:27is I am not prepared to do it. Do I believe the rule is fit for purpose?
0:23:27 > 0:23:31I don't. I don't. The Sports Minister, Caral ni Chuilin. There
0:23:31 > 0:23:33may be one coming to a hill near you - a wind farm that is. With planning
0:23:33 > 0:23:36applications for sites across Northern Ireland awaiting approval,
0:23:36 > 0:23:38the Environment Minister was asked today if the natural beauty of an
0:23:38 > 0:23:44area is taken into consideration when it comes to planning
0:23:44 > 0:23:49permission. All of those issues in terms of landscape character and
0:23:49 > 0:23:55visual amenity and the benefits and disbenefits economically and
0:23:55 > 0:24:05socially of a windfarm or wind turbine, these are interrogated.
0:24:05 > 0:24:10
0:24:10 > 0:24:14Yes, I think it is very important that decisions are made in respect
0:24:14 > 0:24:18of windfarms, wind turbines. Why? Because I believe it is important
0:24:18 > 0:24:21that we try to have self sue fishancy. Account minister give his
0:24:21 > 0:24:25assessment of the protection set out for those people who live close to
0:24:25 > 0:24:31wind turbines and does he recognise that a major complaint is in fact
0:24:31 > 0:24:39the noise level of these units? it on the issue of noise or the
0:24:39 > 0:24:43previous point he raised is that this is always work in progress.
0:24:43 > 0:24:51This is always going to be a situation where we will see what the
0:24:51 > 0:24:54latest noise advice might be or the late st advice in terms of economic
0:24:54 > 0:24:59and social impact, negative and positive. It will always be a work
0:24:59 > 0:25:02in progress. Does the minister recognise the
0:25:02 > 0:25:06importance of the Belfast City Airport to our local business and
0:25:06 > 0:25:10local economy especially in the Greater Belfast area? I recognise it
0:25:10 > 0:25:17and I have had conversations with the management of the airport
0:25:17 > 0:25:22acknowledging in terms of the City as an economic driver, and in terms
0:25:22 > 0:25:26of the City Airport as a regional opportunity, I acknowledge that has
0:25:26 > 0:25:32a major role, but we have to get a balance between the two airports and
0:25:32 > 0:25:36in the absence of an overall airport aviation strategy and we don't have
0:25:36 > 0:25:42one in Northern Ireland and that falls to other ministers, we do need
0:25:42 > 0:25:48to recognise that competition is good when it is done properly, but
0:25:48 > 0:25:53we need to sustain both airports, but I want to give this reassurance
0:25:53 > 0:25:59in respect of the City Airport. Every two months I get figures in
0:25:59 > 0:26:05respect of what is known as their extension log. The number of flights
0:26:05 > 0:26:11that arrive outside the proper time. Every two months I get that
0:26:11 > 0:26:14information. Every two months I share that information with the
0:26:14 > 0:26:19airport Watch organisation, but I am satisfied at the moment, the number
0:26:19 > 0:26:23of air traffic movements outside the permitted hours is justified and
0:26:23 > 0:26:28appropriate and that at the moment, the number of seats for sale in
0:26:28 > 0:26:31respect of which there is a cap around the City Airport namely �2
0:26:31 > 0:26:36million a year is not being breached. In that way, I think the
0:26:36 > 0:26:39airport can develop, but it has to be, it has to develop very much
0:26:39 > 0:26:47aware of the needs of the local community and within the constraints
0:26:47 > 0:26:53of a proper planning agreement. The Environment Minister, Alex
0:26:53 > 0:26:57Attwood. Martina Purdy has joined me again. Can you characterise the fall
0:26:57 > 0:27:00out from yesterday's debate on the Special Advisers Bill? We are
0:27:01 > 0:27:04hearing from Sinn Fein's sources that they are determined to take
0:27:04 > 0:27:08legal action. Perhaps not just in terms of Human Rights law, but
0:27:08 > 0:27:14employment law. There is scepticism around the place about how far Sinn
0:27:14 > 0:27:17Fein will be able to take this. We know that the Bill will still need
0:27:17 > 0:27:23Royal Assent which will take six to eight weeks and once the Bill comes
0:27:23 > 0:27:28into place, it will be another two months if you like before it could
0:27:28 > 0:27:32be effected. There is a right of appeal and there is a right of two
0:27:32 > 0:27:34months notice. He is going to be in place for at least four months and
0:27:34 > 0:27:39maybe longer depending on the legal process.
0:27:39 > 0:27:42What is the impact on the different parties? Well, I think Sinn Fein has
0:27:43 > 0:27:48a difficulty in that Paul Kavanagh, one of the reasons he might have
0:27:48 > 0:27:52been appointed as a special adviser sent a signal to the old IRA, that
0:27:52 > 0:27:56you know, this new process, Stormont, is still very much about
0:27:56 > 0:28:01them. It is not just about bringing in perhaps new, a new generation and
0:28:01 > 0:28:05so they might get a bit of grief from their base and from critics in
0:28:05 > 0:28:09the dissidents, the same old Stormont, the Unionists are able to
0:28:09 > 0:28:12call the shots. The SDLP, the differences of opinion have been
0:28:12 > 0:28:16exposed within that party. The divisions with the assembly team are
0:28:16 > 0:28:21probably reflected in their base. They may lose support, but they
0:28:21 > 0:28:27might gain support, but it was a week of sole searching for the SDLP
0:28:27 > 0:28:29and a good day's work for Jim Allister. The TUV are saying the
0:28:29 > 0:28:34requests for membership of applications are up.
0:28:34 > 0:28:38A quick sentence on the fact that the deputy leader of UKIP is in town
0:28:38 > 0:28:45later in the week? Yes, on Thursday he is expected to come here. The
0:28:45 > 0:28:54party wants to increase its profile. It is the same day that Northern
0:28:54 > 0:28:58Ireland 21 or NI 21 are launching. Coincidence? We will see.