:00:29. > :00:34.Hello and welcome to Stormont Today. Coming up: Saying no to health care
:00:34. > :00:41.reform. The Health Minister warns of dire consequences. If we do not
:00:41. > :00:47.proceed with welfare reform we will have longer waiting lists for hip
:00:47. > :00:53.operations and for people who require heart surgery. More money 4
:00:53. > :00:56.struggling farmers. We hear from the Agriculture Minister. And the
:00:56. > :01:01.First and Deputy First Ministers announced their strategy and say
:01:01. > :01:11.they have not given up their corporation tax fight. We are still
:01:11. > :01:12.
:01:13. > :01:16.With me today is our political correspondent Martina Purdy. The
:01:16. > :01:21.first thing to say is that welfare reform is in fact what everyone has
:01:21. > :01:26.been talking about here today. even Prime Minister David Cameron
:01:26. > :01:30.this evening was warning of serious consequences if Stormont does not
:01:30. > :01:35.pass this welfare bill. As you know, it has already passed in England
:01:35. > :01:40.and Wales. It is the biggest shake- up in welfare for decades and it is
:01:40. > :01:44.designed, they say, to simplify the benefit system which has become too
:01:44. > :01:52.complex and to encourage people into work. So some of the King
:01:52. > :01:56.changes -- key changes are six benefits will be made into one
:01:56. > :01:59.universal credit. Another big change that the disability living
:01:59. > :02:04.allowance will become something called Personal Independent's
:02:04. > :02:08.parent, and instead of solve assessing, filling in a full and
:02:08. > :02:13.getting that payment, you will have to go to an individual Assessor
:02:13. > :02:16.every three years. And not everyone is happy about those changes.
:02:16. > :02:22.long been controversial and Sinn Fein have been resisting them at
:02:22. > :02:26.Executive level for some months. But eventually last month agreed
:02:26. > :02:30.that the bill should come before Stormont, because the reality is it
:02:30. > :02:33.would cause a crisis in the finances of Stormont and would
:02:33. > :02:38.cause difficulties in the benefits system here. It would be really
:02:38. > :02:42.radical if they do not match this bill. So Sinn Fein have now decided
:02:42. > :02:46.that for the second reading tomorrow, which means a substantial
:02:46. > :02:50.debate on the issue, they want amendments. They have tabled an
:02:50. > :02:56.amendment and they want the bill deferred because they say it is not
:02:56. > :03:04.tailored for Northern Ireland. When Sinn Fein signalled last week
:03:04. > :03:09.during an Executive meeting, there is raised a press statement, they
:03:09. > :03:11.were accused of Pontius Pilate like tactics, of washing their hands of
:03:11. > :03:17.the responsibility of bringing it before Stormont and trying to blame
:03:17. > :03:22.others. So we are waiting to see how the other parties respond. The
:03:22. > :03:28.SDLP may try to have a working group set up here to understand the
:03:28. > :03:33.impact of this legislation in Northern Ireland. Just before we
:03:33. > :03:39.let you go, it was a busy week last week for the Ulster Unionists party.
:03:39. > :03:45.A difficult week, with Mike Nesbitt's sacking of his Assembly
:03:45. > :03:50.deputy, John McAllister. Have things settled down? There has been
:03:50. > :04:00.an embarrassing row. The feeling on the ground here it is that Mike and
:04:00. > :04:04.John have a breed -- agreed dues disagree. -- Mike and John have
:04:04. > :04:07.agreed to disagree. They are going to work at their problems behind
:04:07. > :04:11.closed doors, although Peter Robinson issued a speech today
:04:11. > :04:20.which she gave at the weekend and he spends a good lot of that speech
:04:20. > :04:23.attacking John McAllister. We will hear more from you later.
:04:23. > :04:30.It was the turn of the Health Minister to face questions at the
:04:30. > :04:34.dispatch box. Edwin Poots updated ministers on an incident at a care
:04:34. > :04:39.home in Londonderry last week which led to suspension of a number of
:04:39. > :04:43.staff. But first he was asked about primary care services. The Minister
:04:43. > :04:47.will know that change always causes some people concerned. Could I ask
:04:47. > :04:51.him to take the opportunity here this afternoon to assure the House
:04:51. > :04:57.that it is not part of his vision for the health service in Northern
:04:57. > :05:00.Ireland and any aspect of primary health care service delivery would
:05:01. > :05:09.be delivered through any other vehicle except the National Health
:05:09. > :05:15.Service. Of course changed has caused concern but that does not
:05:15. > :05:19.mean you should not be reached. If the member is asking am I looking
:05:19. > :05:25.to engage in some privatisation process of primary care, that is
:05:25. > :05:30.not something on the agenda. We are dealing with issues in more detail
:05:30. > :05:38.tomorrow but it's fair evident that is not part of this. Can I ask him
:05:38. > :05:42.to give an update on how the welfare reform cuts will impact on
:05:42. > :05:48.transforming the new care strategy. Devera interesting question to ask
:05:48. > :05:55.because welfare reform does have an impact. Were we to do something
:05:55. > :05:59.completely daft and cost the Assembly in Northern Ireland �220
:05:59. > :06:04.million, that would probably cost us in this department around �100
:06:04. > :06:09.million, so if we do not proceed with welfare reform and stay with
:06:09. > :06:13.parity, we will have longer waiting lists for hip operations, for
:06:13. > :06:18.people who require heart surgery, we will have people dying as a
:06:18. > :06:28.consequence of that. My overriding priority and that of the Western
:06:28. > :06:28.
:06:28. > :06:33.Trust is to ensure the safety and I can advise that the trust has put
:06:33. > :06:40.in place an improvement plan to bring about the change required to
:06:40. > :06:48.end sure that... The improvement plan will transfer the culture of
:06:48. > :06:54.care from a racing to a social care home, more in a keeping with a
:06:54. > :06:59.nursing home. Implementation is being ever seen by a board made up
:06:59. > :07:03.of senior managers within the trust. The trust is reporting progress to
:07:03. > :07:08.the Department through the Health and Social Care Board. The relation
:07:08. > :07:14.to the process which he has put in place, I know he is aware that
:07:14. > :07:21.staff training was a big issue. Is he satisfied that the process going
:07:21. > :07:27.forward and staff training is adequate? It is absolutely
:07:27. > :07:33.essential and we are doing a considerable amount of work. When
:07:33. > :07:42.we have for Cannes people in care, the ability for individuals to take
:07:42. > :07:48.advantage of that -- vulnerable people. The ability for individuals
:07:48. > :07:55.to take advantage of that is increased greatly. I think that
:07:55. > :08:01.after all the time we have had to take into consideration vulnerable
:08:01. > :08:03.people, in terms of the care provided for them, it would be very
:08:04. > :08:08.disappointing in 2012 that this sort of behaviour can still happen
:08:08. > :08:12.in our facilities. The Health Minister, Edwin Poots.
:08:12. > :08:17.From hate crime to body scanners, just some of the areas discussed
:08:17. > :08:22.during Justice Questions, but first Mr David Ford began by asking a
:08:23. > :08:29.question of when the new Police Ombudsman will start to look again
:08:29. > :08:33.at historical cases. It has made the issue of lifting the suspension
:08:33. > :08:37.of investigation into historic cases a priority. There's a lot of
:08:37. > :08:41.work going on in the ombudsman's offers at the moment and the
:08:41. > :08:47.expectation is the criminal justice inspection will do the Independent
:08:47. > :08:50.allegation which spot of restoring confidence during December. We hope
:08:50. > :08:55.the work would be able to proceed from January onwards. Would he
:08:55. > :09:01.agree that we have to take steps, that one of the things that let you
:09:01. > :09:08.lack of public confidence in the past was external interference,
:09:09. > :09:12.which we must be free of in future? I appreciate his point about the
:09:13. > :09:17.allegations of interference which went on previously, including the
:09:17. > :09:21.findings of the Tony McCluskie report of inappropriate behaviour
:09:21. > :09:26.as suggested between an official of the Northern Ireland Office as then
:09:26. > :09:32.was. But the suggestions that there was interference historically have
:09:32. > :09:38.not been suggested in terms of current operation. I am determined
:09:38. > :09:44.to see that the good work being done by my department in terms of
:09:44. > :09:48.sponsoring the Ombudsman office will continue. Given the increasing
:09:48. > :09:51.sectarian hate crime, will the Minister strengthened the court's
:09:51. > :09:56.capacity to increase sentences to highlight the odious nature of
:09:56. > :10:02.these crimes? It can be very difficult to obtain a conviction to
:10:02. > :10:06.include the hate element of a hate crime, even though it may be
:10:06. > :10:11.relevant league -- a relatively easy to get a conviction for the
:10:11. > :10:16.offence at such. I have asked for people to look at this and it
:10:16. > :10:20.changes are needed I will consider them. In many cases we should
:10:20. > :10:25.recognise that we should recognise that even though a case is not
:10:25. > :10:29.prosecuted with the addition of hate crime, cases are successfully
:10:29. > :10:34.prosecuted for the basic underlying offence and that does not mean that
:10:34. > :10:44.people are getting off, but there's obviously work to be done. Can he
:10:44. > :10:44.
:10:45. > :10:49.give us an indication that there is a prison in Magilligan in the
:10:49. > :10:53.future and that it will remain where it is and not be moved to the
:10:53. > :10:59.proposed location? Given that there is an ongoing consultation, I
:10:59. > :11:05.cannot give this assurance. I can give an assurance that contrary to
:11:05. > :11:10.what -- what may be the perception, it is because the consultations are
:11:10. > :11:14.genuine and seeking people's opinions. I am determined to see we
:11:14. > :11:19.have a prisoners' state which is fit for purpose in the future and
:11:19. > :11:24.not dealing with the situation of 30 or 40 years ago. If people can
:11:24. > :11:30.suggest appropriate ways to using the -- of using the Magilligan of
:11:30. > :11:36.site rather than another site, then I looked forward to seeing bring --
:11:36. > :11:43.hearing from them. The Justice Minister, David Ford.
:11:43. > :11:47.The Agriculture Minister has announced new methods to help solve
:11:47. > :11:51.what farmers today describe as a crisis. Supermarkets were in the
:11:51. > :11:56.firing line, with claims that farmers are often paid less for
:11:56. > :12:00.their food than it costs to produce. At the very foundation of potential
:12:00. > :12:03.economic growth is farming and the industry is under severe strain.
:12:03. > :12:08.The heart of this matter is that many of our local farmers who are
:12:08. > :12:13.being paid less for their products than they cost to produce. This is
:12:13. > :12:17.putting them under severe financial pressure. More must be done to help
:12:17. > :12:20.our farmers receive a fair price for their produce, but there was
:12:20. > :12:26.one of the most important industries in Northern Ireland
:12:26. > :12:34.could collapse. The IFE chain is controlled by major retailers. --
:12:34. > :12:39.the food chain. They are controlling the farm gate price. It
:12:39. > :12:44.is a vicious circle that goes round and round. The one person that is
:12:44. > :12:47.suffering all the time is of the farmer. The Ulster Farmers' Union
:12:47. > :12:51.are absolutely right to stand up for the clear and Present danger
:12:51. > :12:55.which exists and indeed threatens the long-term future of this
:12:55. > :13:00.industry. Would she agree that because there is such an imbalance,
:13:00. > :13:05.as many of us would describe it, at the amount of profit coming back
:13:05. > :13:10.from the retailers to the farmers, that one way of actually resolving
:13:11. > :13:15.that might be at the planning service could actually but criteria
:13:15. > :13:21.into planning that those major retail stores could not give -- get
:13:21. > :13:31.planning permission without giving back a reasonable profit? I welcome
:13:31. > :13:51.
:13:51. > :13:55.With shorter days and the less likelihood of good drying, some
:13:55. > :14:00.feel so will never be done. Potato prices are better but will not
:14:00. > :14:05.compensate. The Agriculture Minister is with me
:14:05. > :14:09.now. Thank you for joining us. How serious are the challengers for
:14:09. > :14:15.farmers? It has been a difficult farmers? It has been a difficult
:14:15. > :14:22.farmers? It has been a difficult year. Factors have impacted upon
:14:22. > :14:28.the farmers like the weather, they have used up their winter feed.
:14:28. > :14:33.Also there are falling farm gate prices. And we have the rise in
:14:33. > :14:38.input costs. It has been a difficult year. I welcome the fact
:14:38. > :14:42.that we had the debate. I was able to announce that I will be able to
:14:42. > :14:49.put additional money into farmers' pockets. This has been widely
:14:49. > :14:54.welcomed by the industry. Will this extra money which is being paid
:14:54. > :14:59.through Single Farm Payments make a difference? It is �50 million, will
:14:59. > :15:05.it make a tangible difference? you ask people individually, they
:15:05. > :15:10.would say no. It is alongside a range of other programs and schemes
:15:10. > :15:15.that we have. We are providing practical advice and information
:15:15. > :15:22.and working closely with them to help them in terms of how they do
:15:22. > :15:29.things, can be streamlined things, but is it enough money? It is
:15:29. > :15:34.progress. Can I be clear, Minister, is it new money? Is is an
:15:34. > :15:44.additional �50 million or you robbing Peter to pay Paul. It is
:15:44. > :15:50.
:15:50. > :15:52.new money. It is an addition. ask you about a you moving at the
:15:52. > :15:57.Department of Agriculture and Rural Development headquarters to
:15:57. > :16:01.Ballyclare Kelly -- Ballykelly. You think it will be more efficient,
:16:01. > :16:07.are the buildings that are there, a former MoD buildings, are they fit
:16:07. > :16:11.to be told furred to the use as your new headquarters. When you
:16:11. > :16:21.look at some of them, they are for sale on Ferris website, they look
:16:21. > :16:21.
:16:21. > :16:26.pretty ropey! Some buildings are less than 20 years old. We may need
:16:26. > :16:30.to have new buildings alongside. I have been in some of them and in my
:16:30. > :16:35.opinion they are fit for purpose and can be transformed into
:16:35. > :16:40.practical office accommodation. The wider point is that we are looking
:16:40. > :16:44.at decentralising and bringing public sector jobs to be more
:16:44. > :16:49.widely spread. I would like to see other departments following suit.
:16:49. > :16:53.You should not always be able -- have to travel into the Belfast
:16:53. > :17:00.area to get a job. So we are spreading jobs and giving
:17:00. > :17:05.opportunities to other areas.. will see what happens, and when it
:17:05. > :17:07.happens. The Investment Strategy for the next nine years was
:17:08. > :17:10.announced by the First and Deputy First Ministers. Martin McGuinness
:17:10. > :17:20.told Assembly Members that the strategy will tackle years of under
:17:20. > :17:21.
:17:21. > :17:31.investment. The new strategy for 2011-2012 will add a 5 billion in
:17:31. > :17:31.
:17:32. > :17:41.the first four years and a total of �13.3 billion over its lifetime.
:17:42. > :17:42.
:17:42. > :17:49.Despite a previous investment package to adjust the deficit, the
:17:49. > :17:55.amount received through the block grant will fall by 20 % up to 2014-
:17:55. > :18:02.15. Because of the financial constraints, it is essential that
:18:02. > :18:06.we make every pound spent matter to get best value. The strategy
:18:06. > :18:11.focuses on investment on the right infrastructure in the right place
:18:11. > :18:16.using the most effective method. This means that we programme our
:18:16. > :18:22.capital expenditure so that whatever the budget it is being
:18:22. > :18:29.fully used to improve the lives of everyone. Will want to address the
:18:29. > :18:33.needs of the economy. Ultimately, the economy will recover and it is
:18:33. > :18:37.important that when we get to that point, that the economy is growing,
:18:37. > :18:41.that we have retained the skills and the abilities of those
:18:41. > :18:46.currently in employment and we will be able to benefit from that
:18:46. > :18:50.recovery and drive on Northern Ireland's economy. There are too
:18:50. > :18:55.many of our young people who are having to leave these shores to
:18:55. > :18:59.gain employment and whatever the Executive can do to retain them in
:18:59. > :19:07.all the island, it should be welcomed. The rises in unemployment
:19:07. > :19:14.have been higher here than in England, Scotland, All Wales. So in
:19:14. > :19:23.that -- that in itself can hardly be viewed as a success. We want to
:19:23. > :19:27.see an Investment Strategy to deliver jobs in all areas of.
:19:27. > :19:36.welcome today's debate but I welcome its true value, given that
:19:36. > :19:44.it is month after the publication of the report. You would have
:19:44. > :19:51.thought that the 2011-2012/you would have wanted to enter in
:19:51. > :19:55.tandem with those. But it is welcome. We get attacked for
:19:55. > :20:05.pushing things through the Assembly and not allowing sufficient
:20:05. > :20:07.
:20:07. > :20:17.consultation time. This time, I said to be first -- deputy first Mr
:20:17. > :20:21.-- this is our attempt to encourage debate. We have been able to
:20:21. > :20:27.include �1 billion of alternative finance. A number of other members
:20:27. > :20:30.have raised the issue of corporation tax and I would like to
:20:30. > :20:37.point that that the ministerial working group will meet on 18th
:20:37. > :20:40.October. We are still promoting Plan A.
:20:40. > :20:41.The First Minister, Peter Robinson, extolling the virtues of working in
:20:41. > :20:45.harmony with the Deputy First Minister.
:20:45. > :20:48.Next to the claim by the DUP that more and more people here are
:20:48. > :20:50.relying on charity to feed their families. The party is keen that
:20:50. > :20:54.the Social Development Minister, Nelson McCausland, should support
:20:54. > :20:58.and promote the work of foodbanks. We know that jobs are being lost,
:20:58. > :21:02.that in comes are going down and people claiming benefits. Some
:21:02. > :21:09.people claiming them for the first time in their lives. People are
:21:09. > :21:15.getting increasingly indebted. They have unexpected bills and they have
:21:15. > :21:21.unexpected -- a hard impact. We see right across Northern Ireland a
:21:21. > :21:25.growth in food banks. I think this is in some ways an unfortunate
:21:25. > :21:30.development. It should not be that they have to exist but at least it
:21:30. > :21:34.is a positive response by that sector to one ongoing problem. They
:21:34. > :21:40.have seen it in the community they are living in. It is remarkable
:21:40. > :21:47.what these people are doing. It is often done on a voluntary basis. We
:21:47. > :21:52.are seeing big numbers in terms of the food donated and it is done on
:21:52. > :21:59.a denominational basis -- non- denominational basis. No one would
:21:59. > :22:04.suggest that food banks are the cure to all ills of in society but
:22:04. > :22:10.they are making a vital contribution. My Department is
:22:10. > :22:18.responsible for volunteering and we have published novel island's
:22:18. > :22:22.volunteering strategy for the first time ever. I am continuously
:22:22. > :22:31.astounded -- Northern Ireland's voluntary strategy. I'm continually
:22:31. > :22:36.astounded by the voluntary and that takes place. Millions of pounds are
:22:36. > :22:39.donated annually to support volunteering across the province. I
:22:39. > :22:45.recognise those who give of their time and expertise to support
:22:45. > :22:48.people., Nelson McCausland.
:22:48. > :22:50.The Finance Minister, Sammy Wilson, took the opportunity last week to
:22:50. > :22:54.update the Finance Committee on the situation surrounding the tax on
:22:54. > :23:00.flights out of Northern Ireland, as we can hear now in our weekly look
:23:00. > :23:07.at committee business. This arose because of the very real
:23:07. > :23:14.danger that we were going to lose the Director haul flight to Newark
:23:14. > :23:21.if we did not get to the issue of passenger duty dealt with. It was
:23:21. > :23:27.made quite clear that because of the difference in the rate at -- of
:23:27. > :23:34.flight from Dublin -- because of the writ, flights from Dublin would
:23:34. > :23:39.be more competitive than flights from Belfast. We took the view we
:23:40. > :23:49.could not afford to lose that. The recommendations in your report,
:23:50. > :23:50.
:23:50. > :23:58.first of what you are concerned generally, so a mine. So are the
:23:58. > :24:04.finance ministers of both regions. It probably affects us more than
:24:04. > :24:10.anywhere else because at least in Scotland and Wales are, there are
:24:10. > :24:16.direct road links. Most of our links with the rest of the United
:24:16. > :24:21.Kingdom have to be done through flight. We were referring to the
:24:21. > :24:31.importance of connectivity through the economy and especially tourism
:24:31. > :24:41.industry. Have you any indications what this measure will open up? In
:24:41. > :24:44.
:24:44. > :24:47.terms of of collectivity in the future? As I said earlier, both
:24:47. > :24:56.departments are looking at what other companies may well be
:24:56. > :25:02.preferred as a result of having a zero rate in Northern Ireland to
:25:02. > :25:07.take flights directly from Northern Ireland to the rest of the world.
:25:07. > :25:14.Identical I'm breaking confidences but we are speaking to a Canadian
:25:14. > :25:21.airline. The target of the programme is to grow exports from
:25:21. > :25:29.Northern Ireland Fortran at -- 20 %. To do that, you are looking beyond
:25:29. > :25:38.Europe. To places where this will is economic growth. Some of those
:25:38. > :25:48.countries are are ready. The we will be trying to get links to the
:25:48. > :25:56.
:25:56. > :26:03.Far East, to South America, to the Middle East. Can you elaborate on
:26:03. > :26:10.of thinking that money might be so better spent elsewhere? There will
:26:10. > :26:20.be far greater merit than having it -- in having better links within
:26:20. > :26:22.
:26:22. > :26:31.Northern Ireland, that might be shown by a cost benefit analysis.
:26:31. > :26:33.It might help businesses more. Or perhaps better rail links!
:26:33. > :26:35.The Finance Minister, Sammy Wilson, contemplating the benefits of an
:26:35. > :26:38.improved rail link with "down there"!
:26:38. > :26:43.Our political correspondent, Martina Purdy, is still with me.
:26:43. > :26:48.This evening, This evening, MLAs have been
:26:48. > :26:55.discussing austerity measures - who's been talking about that?
:26:55. > :26:59.Sinn Fein led the debate and they are talking about the austerity
:26:59. > :27:03.measures coming from London and Dublin and asking the government
:27:03. > :27:08.how they're going to see the economy through this? The DUP
:27:09. > :27:14.thought they had a better way of doing this. They tabled an
:27:14. > :27:18.amendment focused on what London could do, focused on VAT reduction.
:27:18. > :27:23.The SDLP wanted a Scottish * Commission to see how devolved
:27:23. > :27:29.powers might help us to help ourselves. Both amendments fell as
:27:29. > :27:39.to the original Sinn Fein motion. It was defeated 46 votes to 43. So
:27:39. > :27:41.
:27:41. > :27:49.back to the drawing board. Lord Carson's statue has been
:27:49. > :27:53.getting people talking. But it isn't going anywhere? No, although
:27:53. > :27:58.I notice the scaffolding last Friday and it was covered in wood
:27:58. > :28:03.and metal. So I asked about it, perhaps a national symbol was going
:28:03. > :28:09.to go on the plinth? I was assured that Lord Carson would be remaining