:00:24. > :00:26.Good evening and welcome to Stormont Today.
:00:26. > :00:29.Coming up on the programme: The First and Deputy First
:00:29. > :00:33.Ministers appear in public for the first time since their falling out
:00:33. > :00:37.last week. Look, we have the ability to have a good row every
:00:37. > :00:41.now and again. Not like others in the past who huffed and puffed and
:00:41. > :00:44.refused to speak to to one another. Are Peter Robinson and Martin
:00:44. > :00:46.McGuinness now back on the right track? We'll have analysis from
:00:47. > :00:53.politics professor, Rick Wilford. Also tonight, a debate on tobacco
:00:53. > :00:57.retailing prompts some soul- searching on the back benches.
:00:57. > :01:01.an early age my life has been ruled by cigarettes. I plan my day around
:01:01. > :01:10.cigarettes. I plan what time I get up in the morning around cigarettes,
:01:10. > :01:12.I plan meetings around cigarettes. It is a week since Peter Robinson
:01:12. > :01:15.and Martin McGuinness had to schedule so-called clear-the-air
:01:15. > :01:19.talks in an attempt to mend their reportedly faltering relationship.
:01:19. > :01:21.Today, as if to prove that a week is a long time in politics, the
:01:21. > :01:24.pair made their first public appearance together since the row.
:01:24. > :01:30.They spoke to our Political Editor, Mark Devenport, who asked them
:01:30. > :01:34.first how they're now getting on. The only thing that surprises me
:01:34. > :01:37.about some of the press commentary on these matters is they are
:01:38. > :01:42.surprised that occasionally we might might have a different
:01:42. > :01:46.opinion on issues. The fact is we come from very different political
:01:46. > :01:50.parties with different ideologies and different backgrounds. The
:01:50. > :01:55.remarkable thing that we reach agreement on so many issues and the
:01:55. > :01:58.issue isn't so much that we find something we disagree on, the issue
:01:58. > :02:01.is that we are able to resolve it and that's what is important and
:02:01. > :02:04.that's what is important for Northern Ireland. We have made
:02:04. > :02:09.spectacular progress in Northern Ireland. We don't get credit from
:02:09. > :02:11.the media for it, but nonetheless, this is a completely new era,
:02:11. > :02:15.people are living in a very different Northern Ireland than the
:02:15. > :02:19.one that Martin and I grew up in. I think we have a massive potential
:02:19. > :02:22.for the future and we are resolved and determined that we're going to
:02:22. > :02:27.lead this country through peace and stability.
:02:27. > :02:32.Look, we have the ability to have a good row every now and again. Not
:02:32. > :02:35.like others in the past who huffed and puffed and refused to speak to
:02:35. > :02:39.each other. We have been in Government together for the last
:02:39. > :02:44.six years and there has never been a threat to the institutions. So,
:02:44. > :02:47.we are well rounded individuals. We have the ability to sit down and
:02:47. > :02:51.have reasoned dig log and discussions about what we need to
:02:51. > :02:55.do and we know there are things we need to do. We're not trying to
:02:55. > :02:59.bluff people. There are decisions that have to be made and we have
:02:59. > :03:03.been involved in trying to get agreements on a range of decisions
:03:03. > :03:06.which will bring, I think, enormous benefits to our people. There is
:03:06. > :03:08.not a coalition Government anywhere in the world that doesn't have to
:03:08. > :03:12.deal with that sort of stress and difficulty.
:03:12. > :03:17.REPORTER: So you think having the rows is healthy? I think every now
:03:17. > :03:21.and again it does no harm at all. Well, I think that over coming
:03:21. > :03:26.differences is the process that we are engaged in is about. We are
:03:26. > :03:30.involved and have been for a long period of time in resolving a raft
:03:30. > :03:34.of issues and making real progress. I think over the next number of
:03:34. > :03:37.weeks you will see the product of that. But from the point of view of
:03:37. > :03:42.the people of Northern Ireland, I think it is important that we don't
:03:42. > :03:45.have a daily diet from our media indicating that the Executive isn't
:03:45. > :03:50.delivering. The Executive is delivering. Maybe our failure is
:03:50. > :03:54.not being able to transmit the message of how successful this
:03:54. > :03:59.Executive has been to the wider public and we are having to sift it
:03:59. > :04:04.through newspapers who glory in the fact... Hang on, he made a speech
:04:04. > :04:08.having a go at you, it wasn't the media? When you have you have
:04:08. > :04:11.newspapers who glory in the fact that they are the official
:04:11. > :04:17.opposition. We have to have our information transmitted to the
:04:17. > :04:21.public. That doesn't seem fair to You are convinced the DUP are in
:04:21. > :04:28.power because they want to be, not because they have to be which is
:04:28. > :04:33.what you said at the ARDESH? From my prospective, there will be times
:04:33. > :04:39.at party conferences, whether it be a DUP party conference or a Sinn
:04:39. > :04:44.Fein party conference where people will make speeches. My speech was a
:04:44. > :04:47.genuinely held view. There is a difference of opinion about my
:04:47. > :04:51.speech. We have had our own discussions about that. It is now
:04:51. > :04:53.time to move on. The First and Deputy First
:04:53. > :04:56.Ministers speaking to Mark Devenport. Well, I'm joined now by
:04:56. > :05:00.Professor Rick Wilford from the School of Politics at Queen's
:05:00. > :05:03.University. First of all, do you get a sense that they have
:05:03. > :05:06.metaphorically kissed and made up? Well, I think for the time being
:05:06. > :05:12.they have put together a working relationship because there did seem
:05:12. > :05:16.to be some distance between them. I don't know whether they they hugged.
:05:16. > :05:20.There has been agreement for the future. But there are still
:05:21. > :05:24.potholes ahead on the road, aren't there? There are. It was
:05:24. > :05:30.interesting that Robinson talked about making some announcements in
:05:30. > :05:40.the next short period really. I suppose one of of moz may relate to
:05:40. > :05:43.
:05:43. > :05:47.-- those may relate to issues. The other one which will cause real
:05:47. > :05:51.difficulty and I can't see a way they will agree is on the scope of
:05:51. > :05:55.Welfare Reform in Northern Ireland and that's going to prove difficult
:05:55. > :05:57.because they are far apart on some of the aspects of the proposals
:05:57. > :06:02.that the coalition Government in London put forward. Not least of
:06:02. > :06:08.which is the so-called bedroom tax or spare room subsidy and that's
:06:08. > :06:12.going to be an issue. But for the time being, given that the
:06:12. > :06:17.atmosphere has cooled, we can only welcome that, but that's not to say
:06:17. > :06:22.there aren't further, as you put it Mark, potholes or bump in the road.
:06:22. > :06:26.What about the idea that elements of the press are a self appointed
:06:26. > :06:29.opposition. Is that a threat or a safeguard? Well, it is a safeguard.
:06:29. > :06:33.The press are there to be a thorn in the flesh of all politicians,
:06:33. > :06:38.whatever party they come from and wherever they practise their
:06:38. > :06:42.politics. The fact, I suppose, the choice of phrase of Peter Robinson
:06:42. > :06:48.used about being in opposition, it maybe points up the fact there is
:06:48. > :06:52.no formal opposition in the assembly itself and the local press
:06:52. > :06:57.found themselves in the position where they felt in a sense they
:06:57. > :07:04.have some warrant to act in that capacity, but it is a bit rich, you
:07:04. > :07:10.know, that politicians spend a lot of their time mingling with and
:07:10. > :07:15.briefing politicians, some people liken it to dogs and lamp posts and
:07:15. > :07:22.I don't think we should be surprised when some elements of the
:07:22. > :07:28.press criticise politicians, justifiably or not, that's part of
:07:28. > :07:38.their remit. Let's move move to this petition
:07:38. > :07:38.
:07:38. > :07:44.launched against the conflict cons formation -- conflict
:07:44. > :07:48.transformation site the Maze Prison. They had an agreed candidate in the
:07:48. > :07:54.mid-Ulster constituency a month ago. I suppose what it does is it
:07:54. > :07:57.highlights the fact that McGuinness and Robinson and the DUP and Sinn
:07:58. > :08:06.Fein have been able to cobble a working relationship. It looks as
:08:06. > :08:14.if the Unionist family, is resembling more. And it is
:08:14. > :08:21.dysfunctional and this is going to place strain on this grand project.
:08:21. > :08:24.Thank you very much for joining us. Today's proceedings in the chamber
:08:24. > :08:26.began with the latest stage of the Tobacco Retailers Bill introduced
:08:26. > :08:29.by the Health Minister. Its provisions include strengthening
:08:29. > :08:31.the penalties for those who sell tobacco to children as well as
:08:31. > :08:36.scrutinising the legislation, the debate featured several personal
:08:36. > :08:42.interventions over the dangers of smoking. While we have made
:08:42. > :08:47.substantial progress since the 1960s when over half the population
:08:47. > :08:51.smoked, our smoking rates remain too high. Rates are particularly
:08:52. > :08:56.high in areas of social and economic deprivation. Because there
:08:56. > :09:00.is around one in three people smoking in those areas compared to
:09:00. > :09:05.the average of one in four for the general population. The reasons why
:09:05. > :09:11.young people take up smoking, despite the evidence of harm it
:09:11. > :09:17.causes, are complex and varied. Of the 8% of children who smoke on a
:09:18. > :09:23.regular basis, over half frequently purchase tobacco products from a
:09:23. > :09:28.newsagent, Tabakonist or sweebg shop. My ob-- sweet shop. My
:09:28. > :09:34.objective is to ensure the minimum age of sale policy is more
:09:34. > :09:38.rigorously applied by retailers as the proposed legislation will
:09:38. > :09:41.introduce tougher measures for non- compliance. The evidence is that a
:09:41. > :09:49.significant number will continue to sell tobacco products to those
:09:49. > :09:52.under the legal age unless we apply stricter sanctions.
:09:52. > :09:57.The Tobacco Retailers Bill would aim to achieve this. Making it
:09:57. > :10:05.compulsory for all tobacco retailers in Northern Ireland to
:10:05. > :10:10.register with their local District Council. Granting courts the power
:10:10. > :10:13.to ban the sale of tobacco either on a named premises or by a named
:10:13. > :10:19.person for up to 12 months following an application by a
:10:19. > :10:23.District Council. An application can only be made if three tobacco
:10:23. > :10:28.offences have been committed within three years. Creating new offences
:10:28. > :10:32.in relation to the register including failure to register and
:10:32. > :10:38.failure to notify of changes. Creating the offence of breaching a
:10:38. > :10:43.banning order and allowing for Fixed Penalty Notices to apply for
:10:43. > :10:49.a number of offences including that of selling tobacco to under 18s.
:10:49. > :10:54.One issue has arisen which is of course, which is of concern to the
:10:54. > :10:59.committee. The Bill will introduce a three strikes in three years and
:10:59. > :11:03.you are out rule. If a retailer commits three offences, of the sort
:11:03. > :11:07.specified in the legislation within a three year period, they can be
:11:07. > :11:12.banned from selling tobacco. The committee welcomes this sanction.
:11:12. > :11:16.However, we are concerned that the offences leading to a banning order
:11:16. > :11:21.are too narrow. Currently, the Bill states that the type of offences
:11:21. > :11:26.which can be counted towards a banning order are not registering
:11:26. > :11:29.the premises to sell tobacco, failing to notify changes to the
:11:29. > :11:33.register and selling to under-age persons. The committee has
:11:33. > :11:39.suggested that the Bill should contain a provision to allow the
:11:39. > :11:42.courts to include a conviction for selling tobacco as as one of the
:11:42. > :11:46.three strikes which would lead to a banning order. When the committee
:11:46. > :11:55.made this suggestion to the department, it initially advised
:11:55. > :12:00.that the tobacco sales were dealt with by HMRC under the Duty Act and
:12:00. > :12:06.someone could be banned from selling tobacco if convicted. When
:12:06. > :12:14.the committee inquired further into this matter and we contact the
:12:14. > :12:18.Department of Justice we learned that the tobacco duties Act had
:12:18. > :12:23.never been applied here. There is a worrying situation at
:12:23. > :12:28.the moment where 20% of tests fail where people who are under-age go
:12:28. > :12:31.in and are able to buy cigarettes and the majority of those who
:12:31. > :12:36.consume tobacco products start when they are young. I have only
:12:36. > :12:42.consumed two cigarettes in my life. Back 40 years ago and I have to say,
:12:42. > :12:46.I have to say, I found them disgusting. I through them tht bin
:12:47. > :12:51.and I -- in the bin and I never touched them since.
:12:51. > :12:54.The minister might take the opportunity to talk a little bit
:12:54. > :12:59.about the need for other departments and the Executive as a
:12:59. > :13:06.whole to seize this issue. I lost both my parents to tobacco. And I
:13:06. > :13:12.make no apology for having little tolerance for it. I am quite happy
:13:12. > :13:15.to describe myself when it comes to tobacco and the regulation of
:13:15. > :13:19.cigarettes and tobacco to be a bit of a fascist. I think that's the
:13:19. > :13:24.sort of stage stage we need to get to in this society.
:13:24. > :13:29.We have a duty to ensure that we do everything in our power to prevent
:13:29. > :13:33.people becoming addicted to this vile drug. Mr Speaker, I can call
:13:33. > :13:39.this a vile drug and a filthy and disgusting habit because I'm one of
:13:39. > :13:44.the 24% of adults in Northern Ireland addicted to tobacco. I
:13:44. > :13:49.started smoking almost 30 years ago as a teenager and I can remember
:13:49. > :13:53.that within a very, very short time, I had become an addict to the
:13:53. > :13:58.properties of this drug. And from an early age, my life has been
:13:58. > :14:01.ruled by cigarettes. I plan my day around cigarettes. I plan what time
:14:01. > :14:06.I get up in the morning around cigarettes. I plan meetings around
:14:06. > :14:12.cigarettes. I even plan the time I spend in this chamber around
:14:12. > :14:19.cigarettes and it is correct what will Wells stated early, smoking is
:14:20. > :14:25.one of the biggest regrets of my life. I welcome the minister's
:14:25. > :14:31.presentation of this Bill, I do so as a smoker. I do not recommend
:14:32. > :14:38.smoking to anyone. I was not an under-age smoker or even a teenage
:14:38. > :14:46.smoker. In fact, I got hooked on it when I stopped playing football and
:14:46. > :14:51.sport at the time. In welcoming the Bill, I would like to say to the
:14:51. > :14:56.minister and he is fair and he is straight and he is consistent on it
:14:56. > :15:05.which I respect, but I would like to say to him now, and I don't
:15:05. > :15:09.normally speak on these issues. Just ease back on the voluntary
:15:09. > :15:18.smoker. None of this this nonsense that we were picking up yesterday
:15:18. > :15:24.on banning a person from smoking in their own car. I just find that
:15:24. > :15:29.intolerable. A number of members raised the 1979 Act. Why has there
:15:29. > :15:35.been no prosecutions under the 1979 Act? That's a good question. All of
:15:35. > :15:45.us need to know the answer. Why are we not doing more to go after those
:15:45. > :15:49.
:15:49. > :15:56.who engage in the is in the ill lis it tobacco industry. Mr Wells
:15:56. > :16:02.confessed to having two cigarettes. I don't know why he had two
:16:02. > :16:05.cigarettes. One did me! The Health Minister, Edwin Poots,
:16:05. > :16:08.like some of his fellow MLAs, in confessional form about cigarettes.
:16:08. > :16:11.The Enterprise Minister has called the G8 summit in County Fermanagh
:16:11. > :16:13.the biggest opportunity Northern Ireland has ever had on the world
:16:13. > :16:15.stage. Speaking during Question Time, Arlene Foster also reiterated
:16:15. > :16:18.the importance of devolving corporation tax and continued
:16:18. > :16:20.growth in the tourism sector to reinvigorate the local economy.
:16:20. > :16:23.am disappointed that the Prime Minister delayed his decision on
:16:23. > :16:27.devolving corporation tax powers until the autumn of 2014. The
:16:27. > :16:31.Executive remain committed to securing this additional policy
:16:31. > :16:34.leaver. We will continue to work together to deliver the actions
:16:34. > :16:38.contained within the economic strategy and the more recent
:16:38. > :16:44.economy and jobs initiative. However, it must be recognised that
:16:44. > :16:49.the economic strategy's key objective of rebalancing the local
:16:49. > :16:53.economy would be delivered more quickly if we had the power to vary
:16:53. > :16:56.the rate of corporation. The delay isn't an indefinite one. We have
:16:56. > :17:00.been told once the Scottish referendum is out of the way, that
:17:00. > :17:03.a decision will be taken. I want to say that I think that it is a
:17:03. > :17:08.fundamental mistake that we have not, from the Prime Minister, that
:17:08. > :17:13.he has not made the decision now. Frankly, if I was Alex Salmond, I
:17:13. > :17:18.would use it as a way to argue for independence because I would say
:17:18. > :17:21.the Northern Ireland Executive put forward a compelling case in in
:17:21. > :17:24.respect of corporation tax, however the Westminster Government decided
:17:24. > :17:32.not to devolve that and if I was Alex Salmond I would say what you
:17:32. > :17:38.need is independence. In actual fact, I think it goes contrary -
:17:38. > :17:41.well, I am not arguing for independence. I can actually join
:17:41. > :17:45.the dots unlike some people across the way. My department is working
:17:45. > :17:47.closely with the Prime Minister's office, the Foreign and
:17:47. > :17:51.Commonwealth Office and local stakeholders to maximise
:17:51. > :17:54.opportunities to show case Northern Ireland's business development and
:17:54. > :17:59.tourism offering to visiting delegations as a positive place to
:17:59. > :18:06.live, work, visit, study and invest and do business with to a global
:18:06. > :18:10.audience. Could she add to her previous answer, what excess she is
:18:11. > :18:16.-- access she will have to these potential important investors?
:18:16. > :18:20.we are meeting with some of the forward delegations already that
:18:21. > :18:24.have visited Northern Ireland and Fermanagh and they are engaging
:18:24. > :18:27.very much with Invest Northern Ireland and all of the other
:18:27. > :18:31.partners. This is the biggest opportunity we have ever had on the
:18:31. > :18:37.world stage and therefore, we must take those opportunities and that's
:18:38. > :18:41.what we intend to do. There have been many meetings as the member
:18:41. > :18:45.might appreciate over the past period since the G8 was announced
:18:45. > :18:47.as come to go Northern Ireland and I very much welcome the officials
:18:47. > :18:53.from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Prime Minister's
:18:53. > :18:58.office to Fermanagh on a regular basis. We are increasing their air
:18:58. > :19:04.miles to Northern Ireland. Despite the challenging and economic
:19:04. > :19:08.conditions, I remain positive about our prospects. Full year figures
:19:08. > :19:13.for 2012 on visitor numbers are not available, there are many
:19:13. > :19:18.indicators of the success of the NI 2012 campaign. I am encouraged by a
:19:18. > :19:28.10% increase in hotel occupancy rates during 2012 and by the
:19:28. > :19:28.
:19:28. > :19:36.excellent first year visitor number figures for Titanic Belfast and the
:19:36. > :19:43.giants Causeway Visitor Centre. We have the UK City of Culture and the
:19:43. > :19:50.G8 Summit in Fermanagh. I know that the first and Deputy First Minister
:19:50. > :19:55.have been along to Titanic Belfast this morning to celebrate the the
:19:55. > :20:01.that 807,000 visitors have come to Titanic Belfast since it opened in
:20:01. > :20:04.April last year. Noi, Noi now, that's a tremendous success. From
:20:04. > :20:09.128 countries as well. They have come from across the world and I
:20:09. > :20:13.think that shows the benefit of having a centre like the Titanic
:20:13. > :20:16.Belfast. The Enterprise Minister, Arlene
:20:16. > :20:20.Foster. Northern Ireland's first Sexual Assault Referral Centre is
:20:20. > :20:23.to open at Antrim Area Hospital next month. It has previously been
:20:23. > :20:26.billed as a national model of good practice, but in an Assembly debate
:20:26. > :20:32.today, some Members expressed concerns that it might not live up
:20:32. > :20:36.to victims needs. My first concern is about the opening hours of the
:20:36. > :20:41.centre. Currently it is proposed that the core core business hours
:20:41. > :20:47.of the centre will be from Monday to fid from 9am to -- Friday from
:20:47. > :20:57.9am to 5pm. Perpetrators do not carry out their attacks to ensure
:20:57. > :21:01.
:21:01. > :21:07.they fit in with office opening hours. They should know they are
:21:07. > :21:15.not alone in their battle. We are here to help. There is the issue of
:21:15. > :21:19.access to counselling. The Rowan will refer people to other
:21:19. > :21:23.organisations. The committee has written to one of the main
:21:23. > :21:28.providers of counselling and they have confirmed that their waiting
:21:29. > :21:34.list are long and some areas up to four months. We should recognise
:21:34. > :21:37.the fact that we will have a specialist facility which will dot
:21:37. > :21:40.important job of providing the care services alongside the justice
:21:40. > :21:46.services which the victims of domestic and sexual violence
:21:46. > :21:51.require and I think that is a key way which will ensure the people
:21:51. > :21:53.were to give best evidence and that cases will stand up in court and at
:21:53. > :21:57.the same time ensuring that people's needs are met in the
:21:57. > :22:04.aftermath of the troubles. There is a culture issue in our society
:22:04. > :22:10.about men, in particular, finding it impossible to appreciate the
:22:10. > :22:15.right of women, children, other men to their own bodies. The right and
:22:15. > :22:19.the sanctity and the integrity of someone's body and there is a
:22:19. > :22:29.cultural under under currant that does lead people to think that it
:22:29. > :22:30.
:22:30. > :22:36.is OK to abuse. The Rowan will be open to deal with a victim at any
:22:36. > :22:40.time, 365 days a year. All victims will receive the same level of
:22:40. > :22:45.specialist support whether they attend out-of-hours or during core
:22:45. > :22:50.hours. This is a significant step forward in supporting the victims
:22:50. > :22:53.of rape and sexual assaults within a safe, a secure and confidential
:22:53. > :22:56.environment and working in partnership with the voluntary
:22:56. > :23:00.sector, we will provide better support to the victims and
:23:00. > :23:05.survivors of sexual crime and seek to bring those responsible to
:23:05. > :23:09.justice. The Health Minister, Edwin Poots
:23:09. > :23:16.and the DUP's, Pam Brown joins me now. Thank you very much indeed for
:23:16. > :23:20.joining us. You raised the point there that the Rowan will only be
:23:20. > :23:25.open during office hours. The minister tried to reassure people
:23:25. > :23:29.it would be 365 days a year in terms of phone access. Did that
:23:29. > :23:34.allay your fear as soon as. Somewhat it did, Mark. The service
:23:34. > :23:40.is to be there, the core hours are to be Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
:23:40. > :23:45.and that strikes you as well, it struck me as unusual because when
:23:45. > :23:50.you think of rapes and sexual attacks, you don't think of them
:23:50. > :23:56.happening between am and 5pm and -- 9am and 5pm and from Monday to
:23:56. > :23:59.Friday, it is something you expect to happen at the weekend or
:23:59. > :24:05.evenings. But somebody can speak to another
:24:05. > :24:08.human being quickly? Yes, there is an on call service 24/7 and that's
:24:08. > :24:13.very reassuring. As far as I know you will be in touch with a
:24:13. > :24:16.specialist nurse initially and they will make the arrangements for you
:24:16. > :24:20.to attend the clinic. How much is a service like this
:24:20. > :24:24.needed in Northern Ireland, do you think? It is greatly needed. I mean
:24:24. > :24:31.at the moment there is the service, but it wouldn't be the one stop
:24:31. > :24:36.shop that the Rowan is intended to be. Hopefully all the services that
:24:36. > :24:42.a victim would require after such an assault, hopefully all those
:24:42. > :24:50.needs would be met in the one place which would be in the Rowan. So it
:24:50. > :24:52.is good news? It is very good news. 86% of Department of Agriculture
:24:52. > :24:55.staff are unhappy with its planned move to Ballykelly in County
:24:55. > :24:57.Londonderry. The Finance and Personnel Minister told the chamber
:24:57. > :25:00.this afternoon. Speaking during question time, Sammy Wilson said
:25:00. > :25:10.help will be given to staff who want to be reallocated in another
:25:10. > :25:11.
:25:11. > :25:21.department. There has been some work done with DARD staff to assess
:25:21. > :25:21.
:25:21. > :25:27.their response to the relocation. 86% of sap of DARD staff indicate
:25:27. > :25:31.ter not prepared to work -- they are not prepared to work in
:25:31. > :25:37.Ballykelly. There are procedures which can be used where staff are
:25:37. > :25:40.unwilling or unable in some cases to move to a new location which
:25:40. > :25:48.will assist staff to either locate to other departments or help them
:25:48. > :25:53.with the move to the new location. The Secretary of State has recently
:25:53. > :25:57.suggested and somewhat scatheingly that Northern Ireland departments
:25:57. > :26:02.currently under spend and somehow or other she regarded that as an
:26:02. > :26:06.example of economic under performance. I have got to say, as
:26:06. > :26:12.in so many other cases, the Secretary of State displays either
:26:12. > :26:15.a lack of understanding or a lack of briefing about affairs in
:26:15. > :26:19.Northern Ireland. Because, of course, and I am not too sure what
:26:19. > :26:23.she was actually referring to. If she was referring to the fact that
:26:23. > :26:29.we have budget flexibility arrangements which were negotiated
:26:29. > :26:33.by the Executive, with the Treasury, which allow us to carry money over
:26:33. > :26:38.on our capital Budget and on our current spend budget every year,
:26:38. > :26:43.then, of course, that is something which we are entitled to do and
:26:43. > :26:47.represents and was sought indeed, so that we could have good, prudent
:26:47. > :26:51.financial management and not have a frenzy of unnecessary spend at the
:26:51. > :26:55.end of the financial year. So I'm not really too sure what she is
:26:55. > :27:00.referring to. All I can say is that our record on under spends has been
:27:00. > :27:04.far better than previous direct rule ministers ever showed when
:27:04. > :27:11.they were this charge. Can I thank the Minister for His
:27:11. > :27:14.answer which I note consisted of excuses at a time of record high
:27:14. > :27:19.levels of youth unemployment and a lack of political decision making
:27:19. > :27:24.at the Executive. But it might be helpful if the minister could
:27:24. > :27:28.outline whether or not he posed some of those questions to the
:27:28. > :27:35.Secretary of State and if so, what were her answers? I think the lady
:27:35. > :27:41.fails to listen to answers. Maybe somebody in the SDLP writes a
:27:41. > :27:46.question for her which she feels she has got to read out
:27:46. > :27:51.irregardless of what has gone on before. I would like her, I mean,
:27:51. > :27:56.where were the excuses? There weren't any excuses.
:27:56. > :28:00.Can I ask him if he has received any assurances from the Ulster Bank
:28:00. > :28:03.in relation to the relation IT glitches at the bank? Does he
:28:03. > :28:08.believe that they have got this problem under control?
:28:08. > :28:14.Well, all I can do, I am not an IT expert and I suspect the people I
:28:14. > :28:19.speak to in the Ulster Bank have not, are not IT experts either.
:28:19. > :28:25.They take the assurances from the anoraks and the people with the
:28:25. > :28:30.technical knowledge and the geeks who deal with these particular
:28:30. > :28:33.issues. All I can say is that in the conversations I have had with
:28:33. > :28:39.them, Ulster Bank assured me that they believe that they are on top
:28:39. > :28:43.of the technical problems now. Point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker.
:28:43. > :28:48.I ask that you read the record of the minister's response to my
:28:48. > :28:52.question where he suggested that I read a pre-prepared supplementary
:28:52. > :28:57.question and he replied in a sexist manner and furthermore, the
:28:57. > :29:06.particular minister has a record of sexist abuse and could I ask to