12/03/2012 Stormont Today

Hello and welcome. They had been compared to the

porters, leading them has been described as herding cats, but

someone will have to take up the helm at the Ulster Unionist Party.

Danny Kennedy is first out of the traps, but will anyone take on the

popular minister? Or so should night, Martin

McGuinness makes a solemn pledge to the Assembly. I would -- I have put

my life on the line for the peace process on a number of occasions

and I would do so again tomorrow. And with major benefit changes on

the way, my guess is from the Housing Rights Service. -- my guest.

Today's timetable was given over to debating the final programme for

Government. The SDLP criticised what they say is a lack of action

of social housing. Do you agree with that? Yes. I think we would

echo that concern. We would like to have seen a greater commitment in

the programme. Not only in providing more social homes but

also to introducing a package of measures which would have helped to

support homeowners who are struggling and who are faced with

repossession and also that could have helped instil confidence back

into what they consider is a fairly fragile housing market.

programme talks about 8,000 new homes over the next four years, is

that adequate? Not really. 8,000 is over four years. That puts 2000

affordable homes and 6,000 social homes. There is a model which is

used to forecast the number of homes needed and they estimate we

will need to and have 1000 social homes -- 2.5000. That would

translate into 10,000 social homes over four years. My understanding

is that the programme is committed to 6,000. There has been some

criticism recently that we do not have enough of the right sort of

forms, not enough flats or a one- bedroom properties. Do you see that

changing? Absolutely. There has been a criticism. I think that is

one of the points that people locally have tried to make to the

ministers in the UK, that we do have a different stock here of

housing. We have many more family type homes. Space has never been at

-- space has ever been at a premium here, so we have a lot of family

homes and one of the concerns we have is, when we introduced the

benefit changes, and the plan is to introduce what is referred to as

the bed and tax, people will not receive if they do not have the

family size that requires a three- bed home. They will only receive

the benefit that they require. That may not be available in Northern

Ireland. There is some work to do been trying to assess what the

impact is going to be and match the size of accommodation we have

available. As we had been earring, well-filled

reform is a major issue hanging over the heads of tens of thousands

of people. -- welfare reform. During questions today, the Social

Development Minister was asked if there is any flexibility within the

changes being introduced by London. Myself and my colleagues have

recently started to explore a range of flexibilities, of which we

believe could exist. This important work is at an early stage and we

are trying to focus on maximising all flexibilities available to help

mitigate against the negative impact of the wealth lot reform

bill. I had a constructive meeting with the Secretary of State in

which we discussed how we could work together on welfare reform,

including exploring possible areas for flexibility. I will continue to

have regular contact with not only the Secretary of State for Northern

Ireland but also department for work and pensions ministers. As

already mentioned, I will be in London tomorrow to meet Ian Duncan

Smith and David Freud. Would the Minister acknowledge that due to

the conflict that we have had over 40 years, there are a lot of people

on disability benefits, particularly those with mental

health related matters will stop there has to be a special case --

special case made. We you assure the House of that message is taken

to London? I can assure the member that point will be raised to

tomorrow. It is one we have raced on a number of occasions and it is

clear indeed that there is a difference in the profile between

benefit in Northern Ireland as opposed to Great Britain. There is

a higher level of people on that particular benefit as a result of

mental health issues than in Great Britain. That is something we need

to look that. The reasons for it are fairly... No doubt a legacy of

the Troubles. That is very much in our thinking. They are aware of

that difference as we move forward. With people on waiting lists for

social housing, the Minister revealed plans to tackle the issue

of an attack -- unoccupied house in. Empty housing is a waste of

resource and can blight communities and attract anti-social behaviour.

I have seen this all too often in my own constituency, so why am well

aware of it. In the coming weeks, I will be bringing forward and new

housing strategy which will include plans on how we will make better

use of our existing stock. We also need to see what more we can do to

make better use of empty homes in the private sector. Some time ago,

the Housing Executive undertook the Housing Executive undertook

research that estimated there could be up to 40,000 empty homes across

be up to 40,000 empty homes across Northern Ireland. The Dat

underpinning the Cessna was unreliable and despite some initial

progress to tear down the owners of empty homes, this petered out and

this -- results were disappointing. I have asked for a plan to tackle

this wider issue and New work into specific Tiler - a pilot issues is

currently underway. I see this as an important way in addressing

housing need. Martin McGuinness was up next. The Alliance Party's

member it wanted to make out -- wanted to hear what he made of the

recent report. The report highlights the stability of

political institutions and the decrease that there has been by

violence. We are heartened by this finding. We want to see this

enhanced as our community continues to move forward. We know that there

is still work to do and the publication of this pop -- of this

report underlines where there continue to the challenge is for us

as a society. We're committed to addressing these issues, regardless

of how complex and challenging they might be. The First Minister and I

remain committed to building a united and shared Society for us to

achieve this vision, we must address the division that continues

to mar many areas of our community, tackle the segregation that has

enabled our people to live often separate lives for too long, and

nurture our environment for cultural diversity is celebrated

and embraced. We believe that the finalised strategy will be an

important building block for tackling these issues and this

report will be a very valuable reference for the continued

considerations of the cross-party working group. In the report, two

of the points are linked. One is reference to the strategy for

reconciliation and a solution to dealing with the past. Given that

those two things are very key to the future, or will he agree with

me that next time he or anyone else involved in terror or violence in

the past is asked to own up to their part and that, they will

actually do that rather than pleading the 5th and then read as

he did? The Minister and mayor may not wish to answer that question.

will answer the question. It has been a policy now for the

particular member asking the question to be as negative as he

possibly can be. That is something that I have come to terms with. I

think it says more about time that is about myself. I have been very

much involved in the work of peace and reconciliation. I would like to

think that over the course of recent times I have put my life on

the line for the peace process on a number of occasions and I would do

so again tomorrow without any hesitation whatsoever. I ate well

very positively and -- I work positively and constructively with

the First Minister and many other people within society, both in the

community and business sector and also with all the churches in

ensuring that we continue to move forward. No solution has been found

by anybody, a not least the member, in terms of how we deal with the

past. Let us go back to a couple of

points the Housing Minister made. He is going to have a housing

strategy in the looking at these empty homes. That is something that

has been on the agenda for a long time but nothing has been done.

Absolutely, and something that we have been calling for is a housing

strategy for Northern Ireland to. We are delighted to hear the

Minister making that commitment. He has been talking about it for the

last few weeks and we look forward to being involved in helping to

influence the content of that strategy. Potentially, what

difference could that may? It could make a huge difference. We have off

for a while that there has not been a strategic approach to housing in

Northern Ireland. We can go all the 10 years and the different

contributions that we can make to meeting the housing need in

Northern Ireland. We need that kind of comprehensive approach to their

housing situation, where we are looking across all 10 years, the

private-sector and the rented sector. Particularly at this time

when the impact of welfare reform is pending and it is going to

impact across this. Housing is one of the areas that we believe is

going to be most significantly impacted by the implementation of

this. This will be critical to address.

Members got the chance to give their tuppence worth up on the

final version of the Executive's programme for Government earlier.

The SDLP and the TV are not impressed and at times the debate

got personal. Here is the first Minister outlining the main targets

to the House. A commitment to promote 25,000 new

jobs remains at the top of the agenda, along with commitments in a

supporting young people into employment. �300 million of

investment by business is, with at least 25% coming from small and Jim

sized enterprises. Press for the devolution of corporation tax.

Includes social clauses in all of public procurement processes for

suppliers and construction. Liquidity of small and made him --

aid liquidity of small and medium- sized enterprises. Schemes to

improve landscape in public areas and promote public sector in but --

private sector investment in towns and city. A sure planning decisions

are made within six months. -- insurer planning decisions.

Introduce an extension of the small business rate relief scheme.

Eliminate our passenger duty on direct long-haul flights. We have

gone further. The final programme for Government includes enhanced

commitments on the economy, including commitments to achieve a

�375 million injection through foreign direct investment, and

increased from 300 million in the draft programme as part of a �1

It was disappointing To hear the Minister at suggest that another

look might be taken at senior citizens and the card allowing free

travel being possibly taken away from them, which would be to the

detriment of the senior citizens. don't want to be negative all the

time so we welcome the initiative. We should be welcoming it. Yes, a

great deal of it seems to be mother great deal of it seems to be mother

hard and apple pie, but there is much to praise. I am very pleased

to see job targets in it, an extra spend on health and many, many

other matters. But it is in many cases to vague with too few targets

and too few turn lines. This document is a glossy, a nicely

produced, it looks very well. If you flick through it, you would say,

it looks good. But content is utterly vague and vacuous. I want

to put on my record but I am surprised and disappointed that the

SDLP minister could not find it within himself to attend last

Thursday's crucial executive meeting which unanimously supported

the programme for government. It also it saddens me to say that I

find it equally surprising that the leader of the SDLP, Orston

Macdonald... Order. Mr Speaker, it is disingenuous of the deputy first

minister to criticise the Minister because he was in Brussels on

official business. I thought that he said he was at a funeral, but he

is in Brussels and now! Or! Allow the deputy first minister to

continue. I reiterate the point, I also find it equally surprising

that the leader of the SDLP, Alastair Macdonald, could not find

the time it to come into this assembly today and contribute to

our discussions on an issue his party say they feel very strongly

about. I note the Ulster Unionists are about to decide he will be

there next leader, but I think the SDLP are suffering from a

leadership deficit. The SDLP Deputy Leader joins us for

now. Clear that up for us, where was your leader today? He was here

this morning meeting the group. He then rushed off to Westminster to

take part in the delegation which is welcoming the Group Two Marks

and Patrick's Day. Is the SDLP at in the cold now? It was a shin pain

Das Sinn Fein and the DUP having a go today. We are used to them at

taking turns to denigrate the SDLP, but the SDLP are standing in

relation to the people. We have people coming into our offices who

are very concerned about their job losses, the impact it has had on

their ability to pay their mortgage and their rent, and indeed the very

many young people who now have to leave in order to search of work.

We are taking a stand to say that this programme does not measure up.

They have looked at 400 public concentrations of people saying

what things they want to see changed. Youth unemployment is one

of the areas they will look at again. I welcome back, but we are

10 months into this term. The programme for government normally

comes before the Budget. There are now one in five of our young people

unemployed. It is far too little. It is arguably too late or there

are some action is better than none. Let's look at the consultation

responses. It was less than three weeks when the closure... They had

turn this around, published three new programme for government inside

the three-week period and one has to ask what consideration did they

give to those consultations bearing in mind that it has taken over a

year to respond to the consultation? What would you have

done differently? What would you have included in the programme?

SDLP made a number of proposals and one of the things we believe is a

much more determined action in response to the economic downturn

and the welfare of of Tory cuts and reform. We need safety nets for

people who are going into mortgage arrears, increase in the housing

stock, but we have no definition yet but what an affordable home

will be. The number of people on the UN and -- housing list is over

10,000. The construction industry needs a boost and this would invest

Thank you for joining us. An event to mark European day for

victims of terrorism to place today in the Senate chamber. Three

victims of the Troubles told them living stories at the event which

was organised by Jim Allister. This year I was happy to host an

event where we could hear the very moving accounts of instant victims

of terrorism and reflect on how horrendous, unjustified glorified

terrorism is. It takes says aquatic and a deprived mind to commit these

acts. -- a psychotic. I'm one of many hundreds of problems -- people

suffering from these problems. I want to see justice and the mother

-- the murderer of my father It is part and parcel of trying to

deliver a message that as we age, and me it's become greater. -- Alan

needs. It is about being ensure that our needs will be met. This is

the 25th anniversary of the Enniskillen Poppy Day bomb. A

report is out soon, but whether it will disclose any answers for the

family 25 years down the line, we will see.

Pensioner poverty is a big concerns of the Public Accounts Committee

has been looking at attempts to encourage pensioners to take up

their full benefit entitlement. As we take our weekly look at the

worker committees here, we find the PAC chair has a very pertinent

question. If everyone took up the pension

poverty, what that eradicate the problem? No. Is that a wider it --

it is the white bishop of getting We have to get the wider issue of

people investing. Many pensioners can receive the full entitlement,

but they can still be in poverty. Poverty define 65 % of that level.

The other key issue is the fuel poverty issue and the fact that we

have here, and we know many pensioners are paying considerable

amounts. We need to get the pensions into the right housing

stock. I think we have done a good job in broad levels pushing up

housing in some areas and we are very committed to doing up further,

but the point is that unless we are getting better fixes so that a

single pensioners are in better accommodation, unless we achieve

that, we will not tackle anything. This issue requires more

contributions from employers and people's own investments and

pensions. It requires us to get the acts together as I have described

here. It is a really big challenge. It is such a core issue. It is a

growing population, 300,000, but the next 30 years it will be up on

that. It is a big group far as. is rather unusual, but not unheard

off. Although this is my first appearance of the justice can misty,

The formal separation of our respective constitutional roles

means that such roles -- appearances will be infrequent. But

I have a particular interest in the There are areas where I can

assisting your deliberations, but you will understand and welcome the

fact that I have a firm policy of not straying into areas which are

the responsibility of ministers of the assembly and unsure that

committee members likewise would not wish to stray into areas which

are the proper responsibility of the judiciary of legal knowledge

through to diversity, the ability to manage situations, understand

people who were in a highly emotionally charged situations,

community, right material that people could actually understand,

because a judgement is there for the benefit of the parties, the

public, the press, as well as fork commentators. My understanding of

the professions is that they are supportive of that approach and I

think that it has benefited in ensuring that there is greater

transparency. There is a much better opportunity for those no

wish to take these posts up. The Ulster Unionist Party met

tonight to discuss the leadership race. Candidates have until Friday

to join their hats in the ring. -- throw their hats.

We are aware that they are pressing ahead. This is as far as we are

aware. The elections are going on at the end of the month. The big

news today was that Danny Kennedy, the regional development minister,

seemed to indicate that he will be standing. Apparently he took

standings of the course of the weekend and felt he had the backing

of the much charity of the party, also its apart from the party's

peers and the MEP Jim Nicholson. He did not front up in front of the

cameras to actually launched his campaign. But he would seem, at

this stage, to be the front runner, although the current incumbent, Tom

Elliott, is still there. Before heading to do but -- a Dublin for

an engagement, he was asked whether Mr Kennedy would be the most

credible candidate, something he did not want to give a view on.

would be totally unfair as outgoing leader to recommend anyone. I just

In a statement from the culture minister. This has been an ongoing

saga to do with Alex Salmond -- salmon. Atlantic salmon is an

Atlantic species in Northern Ireland and the culture minister is

responsible for handing out licences. She was due to make a

statement some time ago which she pulled because there were ongoing

negotiations. Late this evening, she made a statement in which she

said that she was going to issue licences to six commercial

operators who catch salmon using nets here, but only on the

condition that they had given a promise that they are not going to

fish for the salmon during 2012 to try to conserve the species. She is

also asking anglers to release any salmon a cat and to fly fish and

use single barbless hooks up to catch the salmon in order not to

damage the species. She sees this as a first step on the way to

conserve the -- concerning an iconic species.

A final thought, we have talked about different issues around

housing, but we have not tackled the issue of homelessness and the

figure of 10,000 is mentioned, but how many people do not have

somewhere to live? That seems to be smaller in this part of the UK than

elsewhere. I don't know whether that is true. In Northern Ireland

our levels of homelessness are increasing. Last year there were

over 21,000 households are presented as homeless. Just over

10,000 of those were excepted -- accepted as the legal definition of

homelessness. You are right to say that the number of people we have

sleeping rough here is perhaps the most physical form of homelessness

is smaller, but generally we have a fairly significant problem with

homelessness and that is something which the Housing Executive are