18/06/2013 Stormont Today

Stormont Today. Coming up: The Prime Minister calls Northern

Ireland's recent political progress an inspiration. It is a

transformation that I believe can be an intir ration to the world -- an

spir ration to the world. All of the G8 leaders who came here, commented

how remarkable it was to hold this G8 here.

We will discuss the G8 and Obama and what it means for Northern Ireland

with Stephen McCaffery. A new planning policy to promote tourism

in Northern Ireland is announced by the Environment Minister. This is a

pathway for the provision of sustainable and high quality tourism

Well, it has been quite a week so far. We have had the President of

the United States urging teenagers in Belfast to keep pushing the peace

process forward and for the past 24 hours, the leaders of eight of the

most influential countries in the world have been hold up in Fermanagh

discussing a host of issues. The leaders have left with a deal on tax

evasion in place and a plan to tackle the Civil War in Syria. It

has been a remarkable 48 hours, hasn't it? It has. It has been a

success from the prospective of the Northern Ireland Executive. If they

had written the script, they couldn't have drawn it up better.

David Cameron was clearly delighted delighted himself to host the summit

in Fermanagh. Let's have a flavour of what had he had to say

afterwards. 25 years ago when a terribling bomb

attack killed -- terrible bomb attack killed people down the road a

G8 in count County Fermanagh would have been unimaginable. Today, the

world has seen a new Northern Ireland that is not only beautiful

as you can see from the scene behind me, but a Northern Ireland that is

open for business. It is a transformation that I believe tb an

inspiration to the world. And many of the, I think all of the G8

leaders who came here, commented on how remarkable it was to hold this

G8 here and what a powerful message it sent and what it meant to them.

As you you say, Stephen, the power of pictures there, should not really

be under estimated. The weather was kind, but it did look stunning?

Yeah. I think if you think of this all of this from the prospect

prospective affen an international audience -- of an international

audience, people would be used to seeing riots. Now they get to see

the place from a different prospective and it is hard to expect

that won't have an impact, it is a question of how big or not it will

help tourism. You were down there yesterday so you

got a sense of what was what it was like. Did you feel removed from the

discussion in the resort? The real action was at removed from the local

community. There was a really positive atmosphere and I just

happened to be from Enniskillen and spoke to people I know locally and I

think people are pleased that it happened and they were enjoying the

fun of watching the cavalcades pass through the town.

It is hard to put your finger on the benefits. There were all sorts of

suggestions about hundreds of millions of pounds for the economy.

It will take sometime before we see that come through one way or the

other? There will be a few pinches of salt taken with the prediction of

a multi-million pound benefit. It is hard to see that the benefit

couldn't be positive. We had the President here and that is a major

benefit not just to tourism but as a further support of the political

process. The Environment Minister has

introduced a new planning policy allowing developers to build in the

countryside if it promotes promotes tourism and helps create jobs.

With the spotlight of the world on us, with the particular tension in

Fermanagh -- attention in Fermanagh this new policy is timely and

relevant. As we do so, safeguard our great heritage. It deals with

tourist development in settlement areas and in rural areas. It

protects from inappropriate development. It safeg tour tourism

assets, but it creates opportunities at the same time. The targets for

achievement by 2020 are to increase visitor numbers to 4. 5 million and

to double earnings from tourism to �1 billion. All of that, Mr Speaker

will revolve around the scale of our natural and built herltage where six

out of ten top visitor attractions in Northern Ireland are built on

natural heritage. And the tourist opportunities around them will

create jobs and opportunities for many people. This is not a

free-for-all of tourist development in settlement areas and rural

locations, Mr Deputy Speaker. This is a pathway for the provision of

sustainable and high quality tourism developments. Tourism development

should preferably revolve around settlements whether defined in terms

of being a village or hamlet or a town or a city, clearly because the

sin erge that can be created, tour tourism opportunities can arise.

That's why PPS 16 has a general presumption in favour of tourism

development within settlements. question is a follow on to Ms

Lowe's. And will that criteria include issues of natural tourist

attractions? Like the Mournes like the scausway Coast and would the

Lough Erne Golf Resort get planning permission because there wasn't

always a golf course or other attractions on that site? I am not

saying whether those new standards would apply to Lough Erne Golf

Resort. It is safe to say this, in terms of the use of that piece of

land for tourism opportunities, matching hotel of a high standard

would have a high standard, my judgement is that under previous

policy or under this future policy, in my view, it gets over the line.

Am I right in thinking that for example, under exceptional

circumstances, this new PPS 16 has the worthwhile all to override the

restrictions. Otherwise we would still be coming back to the same old

arguments that we have had for year to get planning in, especially for

the farming community and for the non-farming rural dweller?

member is reading the mood of the House wrong and the content of the

document wrong. If it ends up that we have the same outcome as we did

under the previous needs based test then the member might be justified

in drawing that conclusion. But to draw that conclusion this, the same

old restriction to borrow his language, in terms of this policy,

shaped in that environment reworked since the consul consultation in

order to acknowledge there might be a need in the rural location, I

don't think you can draw the conclusion based on a document

that's just been issued that it will have the same old restriction when

the policy contend is about trying to rework all restrictions and to

have the right constraints and the right opportunities.

The Environment Minister. High level issues were debated during Question

Time today when the roof of Parliament buildings and what flag

flies on it were discussed. Members of the Assembly Commission answered

questions on both topics with the Alliance MLA making it clear, there

is no predetermined outcome for the number of days the Union flag should

be flown over Stormont. The commission has not set out to

outline the number of days in which the Union flag will fly over

Parliament Buildings. The commission tasked officials to bring back a

report following consultation with Assembly parties reviewing the

number of days upon which the Union flag flies from Parliament Buildings

and arrangements for carrying out an EQUIA.

Parties were invited to submit written statements and the responses

have been analysed. Why is there feet dragging on this important

issue? Well, I thank the member for his question. What the commission

agreed to was to detail a range of options and to set out how a preses

of public consultation -- process of public consultation would be carried

out, not to go ahead and proceed with that. There will be a number of

options which we will look at in the report when it is brought to us next

week. Would she agree with me that the

commission took the wise position in June 2002 when it decided ra that

rather the contentious the issues of flags, it would be the issue of the

parties. .s .s. The commission did agree back in 2000 that the flags

issue is a political issue. The procedures of the commission do

allow members to bring a motion forward at any time. When the

commission member brought that motion forward, options have been

looked at and again, one of the options maybe, I have not seen the

paper yet, we will see it next Wednesday, but one of the options

maybe to ask for the assembly working group to look at this and

take it forward. To clarify that point, will the

commission leave it until the deliberations of the working group

on flags and symbols commissioned commissioned has completed this

work? As I have said already, the commission will look at the way

forward on Wednesday. We will look at the options detailed there. I

would imagine that one of the options outlined would be to await

the outcome of the working group, but I can't comment on what the

commission will decide to do. The commission has confirmed that no

noise and disruption to plenary sittings will be toll ratedz during

the construction period and it is looking at options to mitigate

disruption to committee meetings. Is it likely that committee meetings

will be held outside Parliament buildings? Clearly, the assembly

commission looked at a variety of options including holding the

meetings here and we have some staff in the building that will be leaving

the building due to the seriousness of the boshing. There is an option

to -- seriousness of the work. There is the option of retaining the

integrity of the committee meetings within Parliament buildings, but

both that comes with restrictions on the contractor, we have to ensure

there will be no disruption and noise levels when the committees are

taking a place as well due to a number of matters including the

Hansard and the television recordings of those meetings. We are

intending holding a further meeting. This is an issue we need to resolve

before the surmer to get the best -- summer to get the best deal for this

House. The Regional Development Minister

outlined his hopes to cut a deal to finance new road projects following

delays to the A 5 scheme. But when he took to his feet, Danny Kennedy

wanted to recognise the historical days just past. Can I, as it is the

first opportunity I had, to pay tribute I think and place on record

on behalf of myself and indeed my party and I hope the whole House for

the iconic images that Northern Ireland has benefited from as a

result of the G8. I think the whole House will share that. You made

reference to the iconic scenes within the last two hours but some

of those are marked by illegal flags another emblem is being flown from

lamp posts and other buildings that are part of your responsible to you.

What actions are you going to take, Minister, to attempt to have these

flags removed? My department has signed up to the joint protocol and

is generally not perceived to be the lead agency. The Housing executive

and DST are better placed to assume that lead role. My department's main

role under the protocol is to provide the access equipment and the

resources to remove unwanted flags once agreement has been reached that

they should be taken down and the local community is unable to easily

gain access to them. So the onus is working with local communities, as

the member will understand. Following the recent ruling on the

scheme, I wrote to the Finance mist on the 9th of May 2013 to declare a

reduced Budget requirement in relation to the 2013-14 year. It is

essential we quickly be deployed this reduced requirement to apply to

the construction sector and the economy at this time. How many of

those projects are pretty much ready -- our procurement ready? It was a

situation I inherited as roads Minister and to deal with that very

issue and looking forward in terms of financial allocations, there are

schemes that I want to bring forward. They might be described

currently as procurement ready but not otherwise ready and they include

the Asix and indeed the bypass and the A55 and the A26 scheme, so those

schemes that are in the next wave, if you like, of strategic schemes to

be carried out. And I hope it much that both he and his party, at an

executive level particularly, will give me the necessary reassurance to

bring forward other schemes so that we're not in a situation where this

executive has two had money back to the Treasury. The Regional

Development Minister. Access to broadband in rural areas is an issue

brought forward frequently to the House. A Sinn Fein motion called on

targeting areas with greatest need. This is an important issue. This

does not just affect people who are working at home, who have

businesses, but it also affects regular people, just like you and

me, there I said -- dare I say it. It is exhume the frustrating

whenever speeds are so slow at times. There is something that is

more frustrating and I think it is the fact that the broadband

providers almost do treat everyone the same, regardless of the speed of

Internet that they are receiving. All rural consumers should have the

Saints beat as their urban counterparts. Our schools need a

good service. This was one of the problems we had with computer-based

assessment. I have heard concerns raised recently, indeed by the first

Minister, about the displacement of jobs should enterprise areas be set

up in Northern Ireland. The reality is that such poor broadband

provision is having a similar effect in rural areas because it is leading

businesses to relocate elsewhere. Some of the reports that have been

brought forward by Ofcom, be of the structure report, looks at broadband

figures. I do think it is important to reflect on the north-west only

compare Derry as a connected city to the likes of others, were me look at

figures of 12.7% receiving less than two megabytes in Derry. I am afraid

I cannot rise and support the general goodwill on this issue. I am

rather disappointed by the progress that we have actually made in the

process. The four of the top local authorities survey by Ofcom for the

broadband blackspots were Omar and three others , . We have had many

opportunities to discuss this, even though I have said previously that I

was not available. I have made myself available and I'm happy to do

that. I am very happy to agree that there is a continuing need for

further improvement of broadband. That is what we are looking at at

present in its infrastructure, both in roll and urban areas -- in rural

and urban areas. Telecommunications matters are reserved immolation to a

lot of the areas and my department really only has limited powers to

intervene in what is a privatised and regulated market, regulated by

Ofcom. Your party put this motion forward but as we had the minister

say that, it is not a devolved issue. There is not a great deal

more she can do. In terms of rewarding licences and the

regulation of broadband, there is that she can do. It is the private

companies who invest. She can encourage further investment into

those areas. Is she doing a good job or do you think she can do more?

Compared with England, Scotland, Wales and the rest of Ireland, the

percentage of superfast broadband is higher than we have. There are still

do many gaps. We heard about some of the blackspots, if you like,

particularly in the West. Your view is that they are outstripped by

parts of the manor. Places like Fermanagh would be the worst

affected areas because they are the most sparsely populated areas. It is

less attractive for commercial operators to go into those areas.

The view we put forward as MLAs was we need encouragement for these

commercial providers to go into these areas and provide services to

the citizens. Did some businesses not do well out of G8 because

telecommunications got a shot in the arm over the last weekend. Will that

be a lasting thing? There were a few temporary masts put up in

Enniskillen and Lough Erne, so it is not a lasting impact. We are hoping

to see a lasting impact in the long-term. On the G8, you have been

a critic about it in the run-up to it happening. Now it has happened

peaceably, now that mobile man the other leaders have said what they

said as we saw David Cameron saying how wonderful it had been, a great

backdrop to the summit, al you any more positively disposed towards it?

In terms of the actual G8 that took place, I'm happy that there was no

trouble. Fermanagh's image has been promoted around the world as a

friendly place where people are welcome and thankfully the good

weather was there. I'm delighted that the positive image has been

said around the world. Thank you. The Culture Minister today rejected

a suggestion that she should help fund uniforms for marching bands.

She was asked to fund the 600 bands in Ireland. We offer funding to

marching bands from all communities to maintain music making. We're

Premier League concerned with the funding of musical as rents and

tuition to ensure that characters in can be maintained. That does not

covered uniforms. Can we explore further the possibilities that the

marching bands have? I'm happy to meet any minister at a time about

any subject and the test that all ministers are charged with is public

interest. There is an interest here in providing musical as rents and

tuition because that is a skill and talent. The area of uniforms is a

private things for the bands themselves. I'm happy to see any

minister to see what can come forward from that. As of June, the

total number of athletes registered for the games is 5815 with an

expectation of reaching over 7000. This will provide a compressor set

of education resources to inform people about the The World Police

and Fire Games. Just in response to some of the negativity going around

especially from one journalistic source in terms of the reduced

numbers that were predicted. Can the Minister give us any indication of

the results of the spin-off from the competitors and the further spin-off

from those who come with the competitors? It is a good economic

situation and will the Minister ensure that the parliament be

positive in terms of the figures we have? I share the members concerns.

Like spirit as last year around the Olympic and Paralympic Games,

particularly around the torch relay. Not to be petty but there was a

degree of eating humble pie from certain sections of the media. I

expect people, although it is mainly based in Belfast, people will come

out to support the athletes and their families. We will welcome

them. There will be a cultural event around this. The work from the

schools is excellent. The volunteering has been

oversubscribed. That is the -- that is an important aspect. We all

recall the success of the Olympic torch relay and the enthusiasm of

the Minister to be seen to be present when the torch arrived. Will

we have the same enthusiasm and presence when the Queen's Batten

arrives in the run-up to the edges, mother games? -- the Commonwealth

Games? Organisers, coaches and athletes that are taking part in the

Commonwealth Games in 2014, they will be welcome. To suggest anything

else would be churlish. We have had a lot of talk about big

politics over the last 48 hours. Now the focus will be remarked back to

day-to-day politics in Northern Ireland, isn't it? We are back to

business now. In the rap to the and the president 's speech and the

knowledge he was arriving, we had a lot of action with the negotiation

between the parties. What we have seen now is that the welfare

legislation has not been settled so that is a bit of a hangover from

that negotiation ways. That is something that has to be dealt with

as soon as possible and will affect a huge amount of people who are all

be under pressure because of the recession. The clock is really

taking on that because the House breaks up in the first week of July.

It is not act until the start of September. This is indeed be made

now. If people aren't going to lose outdoorsy end of the year. It does

come down to that, doesn't it? were one or two deadlines that could

not be passed and we have passed them. It shows how difficult a topic

it is it affects modern peeping directly than some future projects

because when these cuts to hit, they will hit the people who are already

feeling the pinch from the economic problems. There is obviously a high

degree of nervousness between the parties about how they will be all