:00:35. > :00:39.Good evening. Welcome to Stormont Today. The big Ripon is BP motion
:00:39. > :00:45.calling for the removal or Nelson McCausland. The Post Minister made
:00:45. > :00:54.his views very weird. There is clearly as it the green agenda with
:00:54. > :01:02.a sectarian pact team put England the motion. -- sectarian agenda.
:01:02. > :01:10.all kings of reasons which I cannot going sooner. During in the in the
:01:10. > :01:18.studio is the Shadow Secretary of State, Brown incorporate. -- Vernon
:01:18. > :01:23.Coker. The motion said that by failing to condemn loyalist bans
:01:23. > :01:28.which preached at rates Commission ruling, he had breached the
:01:28. > :01:37.ministerial code of conduct. When Nelson McCausland became a minister
:01:37. > :01:42.he signed up to the ministerial code. In those he promised to up
:01:42. > :01:49.old law and order and promote good community relations. We contend
:01:49. > :01:54.that his bill you to condemn these actions on these two occasions
:01:54. > :01:58.exacerbated the buyer was that arose out of them. These dangers
:01:58. > :02:04.constitute appeal you to uphold law and order and promote good
:02:04. > :02:10.community relations and he must these the consequences. A hyping
:02:10. > :02:17.the proposal buried disappointing. Indeed, it is depressing. The
:02:17. > :02:21.proposal indicates that the motion is not part of an arrow, sectarian
:02:21. > :02:31.agenda and there was nothing a row about it. But, it is clearly a
:02:31. > :02:38.sectarian agenda with a sectarian pack team putting down a motion.
:02:38. > :02:43.the SDLP membership and then the breaking of the law, he entering of
:02:43. > :02:47.houses, the illegal parades carried out by the civil rights movement
:02:47. > :02:54.and a founding fathers of their party? Will one of them stand on
:02:54. > :02:57.their feet and see my -- that they condemn that. We need to set the
:02:57. > :03:02.tone and demonstrate leadership this week and that mistakes have
:03:02. > :03:07.been made and we could up and bitter, the leadership can stand up
:03:07. > :03:12.and accept that we need a mystic and we need to seize up. The pledge
:03:12. > :03:17.that he took his clear, precisely to find in relation to the
:03:17. > :03:22.minister's responsibility to uphold the rule of law, it lays out how
:03:22. > :03:25.that pledge you'd be practice. In particular order minister by
:03:25. > :03:31.stating that those who deliberately and knowingly broke the termination
:03:31. > :03:36.of the Parades Commission in this instance, the band's playing as
:03:36. > :03:41.passing St Patrick's Chapel on the 20 per of August were and his words
:03:41. > :03:45.are totally justified is in clear breach of that pledge. This house
:03:45. > :03:49.has a duty to uphold the highest standards so that the people of the
:03:49. > :03:57.north, who put us here, can have convinced that those unique that
:03:57. > :04:02.rules play by the rules. This motion, it is about decency and
:04:03. > :04:07.accountability and it is about order. The SDLP went on the attack
:04:07. > :04:12.in relation to what can be described as "civil disobedience".
:04:12. > :04:19.That was the initial porkies but they were on the pickled go and and
:04:19. > :04:23.they still Ark and stop the SDLP was born to it at a movement that
:04:23. > :04:30.employed civil disobedience as a tactic including the illegal
:04:30. > :04:34.occupation of public property. Does he can be in his predecessors for
:04:34. > :04:40.their actions? Alistair MacDonald is not a member of the Exchequer
:04:41. > :04:46.that and so, I eat pose a second question, does Alex at we condemn
:04:46. > :04:50.the founding fathers of the SDLP boarder Action? It is clear back
:04:50. > :04:57.they are Anne will position to bring or what such a motion that
:04:57. > :05:02.that bringing themselves up to charges of gross hypocrisy can stop
:05:03. > :05:07.Nelson McCausland, but unbowed and unapologetic today. Stephen Walker
:05:07. > :05:15.is what we know it. Quite heated debate which split along
:05:15. > :05:20.traditional lines. Is it was quite a heated debate. We got a labour of
:05:20. > :05:27.it in those clips. People will remember this debate was on time.
:05:27. > :05:36.The SDLP motion was supported by Sinn Fein, by the Alliance Party
:05:36. > :05:42.and by the Greens. It divided what the majority of Ulster Unionists
:05:42. > :05:46.rolling in behind Nelson McCausland. Two Ulster Unionists did not cope.
:05:46. > :05:51.An independent Unionist go put of the SDLP emotion and afterwards, he
:05:51. > :05:56.explained why it. The Post minister and his party had an opportunity
:05:56. > :06:04.today to put a marker down and show they are determined to stamp out
:06:04. > :06:10.sectarianism. All I had today from Nelson McCausland and his party
:06:10. > :06:14.colleagues was all the averages of the other side. Nothing about him
:06:14. > :06:23.being unable to condemn the violence that was happening,
:06:24. > :06:28.condemn others, who were breaking the law. Explaining why he bloated
:06:28. > :06:34.the way he did, there. The boat bailed - Does that mean there isn't
:06:34. > :06:39.into the matter? 47 members voted for the motion, and Baltic it's, so
:06:39. > :06:43.the motion failed, but the SDLP leader Alistair MacDonald made it
:06:43. > :06:49.clear that as far as she is concerned, it is not the end of the
:06:49. > :06:51.matter. We intend pursuing this. We intend speaking to the Assembly
:06:51. > :06:57.ombudsman and going through the committee of privileges and
:06:57. > :07:01.procedures, because this needs to be established once and for all.
:07:01. > :07:04.Those are the views of Alastair Macdonald, making it clear that
:07:04. > :07:14.although the vote was lost he's going to try to take the matter
:07:14. > :07:19.
:07:19. > :07:23.brother. -- brother. -- further. The national allegiances of
:07:23. > :07:27.athletes and the legacy of the Olympic and Paralympic Games was
:07:27. > :07:32.what all the Jane de today. I agree with the minister that it was a
:07:32. > :07:38.wonderful location or our sports people, with a Olympian or
:07:38. > :07:46.Paralympian, in particular might own constituency was blessed with
:07:46. > :07:48.Michael McKillop and Paddy Barnes. As the minister any plans for
:07:48. > :07:57.developing a boxing strategy arising out of the wonder of
:07:57. > :08:04.success of our boxers in the Olympics? The minister did announce
:08:04. > :08:11.a strategy for the boxing fraternity, and I note that he is a
:08:11. > :08:15.great interest in boxing, but, there is a planned in place, so
:08:15. > :08:20.being boxing clubs to see what equipment and materials are
:08:20. > :08:26.required across the North and that will report back to the minister.
:08:26. > :08:30.Boxing is a great we, as a diversion, for boys and girls, in
:08:30. > :08:35.relation to bringing Bin in of the streets and so intimate different
:08:35. > :08:42.way, and a very old pulling spoke. It might be one or and one in the
:08:42. > :08:50.ring but there is a great team at this you have won a boxing club.
:08:51. > :08:53.Passed - aren't a boxing club. Everyone is aware of the difficult
:08:53. > :08:58.choice that the maerl will we will have to make in terms of allegiance
:08:58. > :09:01.and we support them, what the readers, but will the Minister
:09:01. > :09:07.asked his brain that the same opportunity that that presently
:09:07. > :09:11.afforded to the likes of Roy Wii Boy and Graeme it will and others,
:09:11. > :09:15.to play well at the Team GB will team Ireland, should be reported in
:09:15. > :09:24.the Olympic Games to boxers so that they are not compelled to pick or
:09:24. > :09:30.team Ireland which they could fight or Team GB if they used to do so?
:09:30. > :09:35.One thing that has been shown, over the Olympics and this last period
:09:35. > :09:44.of time, regardless of what team anyone plead for all drawing, the
:09:44. > :09:49.whole community got behind been to support them. I noted for Rommel's
:09:49. > :09:56.riches of the committee that someone from you was achieving, on
:09:56. > :10:01.the world stage. It is a huge achievement to secure the world
:10:01. > :10:05.police and borough games, and it is enough to capture the imagination
:10:06. > :10:11.of people in Northern Ireland and put it the end with the scale and
:10:11. > :10:14.possibility of this event, and if she is working with the tourism
:10:14. > :10:19.minister and volunteering to make sure we get as much information out
:10:19. > :10:29.there about the opportunities for volunteering and tourism in gold in
:10:29. > :10:30.
:10:30. > :10:35.as it it, or so. -- in gold in this event. Now that the Olympics and
:10:35. > :10:41.Paralympics up past, there will be a focus on the world police and
:10:41. > :10:45.borough games. This is a major international sporting event and
:10:45. > :10:50.when people look back to the Olympics and the many programmes
:10:50. > :10:55.and articles in relation to the Olympics and Paralympics, one of
:10:55. > :10:59.the main features has been the role of volunteers, who meet in dipping
:10:59. > :11:04.League games, they broke that extra dimension to the Olympics, and I
:11:04. > :11:07.have no doubt that the department will be able to recruit three
:11:07. > :11:17.doesn't buy put the ball it appears to do their up on the streets of
:11:17. > :11:18.
:11:18. > :11:23.Belfast, to make these the crinkly police and fire games. -- friendly.
:11:23. > :11:29.The centenary of the signing of the Ulster Cup it was marked at public
:11:29. > :11:37.buildings with a lecturer in the long gallery. Among those attending
:11:37. > :11:42.was Vernon Coker. An important event would you to attend? It is a
:11:42. > :11:46.very significant historical event, the start of the decade of
:11:46. > :11:51.commemoration and it sets the tone all the rest of the decade will go,
:11:51. > :11:56.so it is an extremely important event and an interesting one for me
:11:56. > :12:03.to be at. And you have done it and -- several other appointments
:12:03. > :12:09.related to it. I wanted to come and see what was going on with respect
:12:09. > :12:12.to the marking of the same thing or the Cup at 100 years ago. And went
:12:12. > :12:17.to the Spectrum Centre on the Shankill Road. What was important
:12:17. > :12:21.about that, it was historians reflecting on what happened all
:12:21. > :12:26.that time ago, talking about the significance of it to ordinary
:12:26. > :12:31.people, people are bringing in memorabilia from the time, people
:12:31. > :12:36.who had been talking to and went back there about what happened, so
:12:36. > :12:45.it was the people's history that was recorded at the Spectrum Centre.
:12:45. > :12:53.That was what made it so important for me, do you that. A picture of
:12:53. > :12:56.you signing a book, singing a visitors' book. I think it is
:12:56. > :13:00.important. If you're the Shadow Secretary of State for Northern
:13:00. > :13:06.Ireland, it is important the company will Bono when, to talk to
:13:06. > :13:13.people about these important, historic events. There are more to
:13:13. > :13:19.come, that MPs 16 rising, that will be marked in an important way.
:13:19. > :13:21.any people are saying that it is important that this first event in
:13:21. > :13:25.this decade of centenary commemorations gets off on the
:13:25. > :13:29.right Britain, that the process gets off to a good start, and there
:13:29. > :13:36.is some nervousness, and he will be aware of this ahead of the parade
:13:36. > :13:39.on Saturday, that things have the potential not to go as well as they
:13:39. > :13:49.might also what are you doing about the tops going on behind closed
:13:49. > :13:54.doors to make sure Saturday passes The vast majority of people wanted
:13:54. > :13:57.these events to be marked in a peaceful way. There are discussions
:13:57. > :14:03.going on looking at how these events can be marked in an
:14:03. > :14:10.appropriate way. I think what is needed is local leadership. People
:14:10. > :14:14.need to come together to see were compromises can be found. I
:14:14. > :14:20.expected to go well. I am sure the vast majority of people would
:14:20. > :14:27.expect that. You have to hope that the discussions that no doubt will
:14:27. > :14:32.be going on, in which people will seek to market in an appropriate
:14:32. > :14:37.way -- to market... That is what everybody will work towards
:14:37. > :14:43.achieving. Did you give direct advice about dealing with
:14:43. > :14:46.residents' groups, for example? Certainly what you would want to
:14:46. > :14:51.see his everyone talking to everyone. Local leadership, people
:14:51. > :14:55.on the ground. Seeing how these occasions can be marked in an
:14:55. > :15:05.appropriate way. Certainly that is what you would hope to be happening.
:15:05. > :15:08.You are here at Stormont on the day the SDLP tabled a vote of no
:15:08. > :15:12.confidence in Nelson McCausland. Some people think that was not a
:15:12. > :15:18.great idea in the lead-up to Saturday's parade. Do you think it
:15:18. > :15:23.was wise? The Assembly will decide on which Motion's are put forward.
:15:23. > :15:27.That is a matter for the Assembly. We want to see all of these
:15:27. > :15:31.occasions, starting with the Ulster Covenant, marked in an appropriate
:15:31. > :15:36.way. That will require local leadership and people coming
:15:36. > :15:43.together to discuss these events. Certainly that is what I expect to
:15:43. > :15:48.happen. If you remain in this position, you would expect that you
:15:48. > :15:54.would be back and attending other events that different parts of the
:15:54. > :15:58.community would be celebrating? There are quite a lot of
:15:58. > :16:01.commemorations and celebrations in the next 10 years. Exactly.
:16:01. > :16:10.Starting with the marking of the signing of the Ulster Coburn up
:16:10. > :16:15.this weekend, hugely significant event. -- also covenant. To --
:16:15. > :16:19.Ulster. I think sensible people in Northern Ireland and the rest of
:16:19. > :16:22.Ireland, they will be looking to see how it can be marked in the
:16:22. > :16:29.wake that would do everyone credit. Thank you for coming in. Nice to
:16:29. > :16:33.meet you. The Department of Agriculture's decision to move its
:16:33. > :16:40.headquarters from Belfast got a mixed reaction from staff,
:16:40. > :16:46.according to the union. Today it was the turn of MLAs to quiz the
:16:46. > :16:50.Minister. It is a very difficult time in
:16:50. > :16:55.terms of the weather, the increasing prices on the global
:16:56. > :17:00.markets. We have to continue to work with the industry. That is one
:17:00. > :17:05.of the reason -- reasons we established the board. A lot of
:17:05. > :17:12.these things, such as pricing in global markets, are B and our
:17:12. > :17:15.control. We have to work with industry and do our best for all
:17:15. > :17:20.involved. There is distinct difference between the set up we
:17:20. > :17:24.have and what is in Britain, that most of our farmers are involved
:17:24. > :17:33.with co-operatives. We have to continue to work with the industry
:17:33. > :17:38.to make sure we promote all our sectors. They need... Car and the
:17:39. > :17:42.Minister guarantee this House that she will bring measures in to bring
:17:42. > :17:49.stability to the local milk producers before the end of milk
:17:49. > :17:58.quotas? One of the pieces of work we have taken forward as getting
:17:58. > :18:03.involved in the UK dairy package. Looking at the potential market we
:18:03. > :18:08.should be exploring. One of the differences is that we're self-
:18:08. > :18:12.sufficient in milk and milk products. In Britain, they are not.
:18:12. > :18:18.We are target in the export market. We will continue to work with
:18:18. > :18:27.industry. The Department's headquarters at Dundonald House and
:18:27. > :18:33.higher bank or no longer fit for purpose. We saw an opportunity to
:18:33. > :18:37.spread high quality public sector jobs across the North. I secured
:18:37. > :18:45.the programme for Government commitment and an outline of the
:18:45. > :18:54.project has been approved. The top two were in the north-west. I made
:18:54. > :18:59.my decision to relocate to Ballykelly. The availability of an
:18:59. > :19:03.Assembly owned Star -- side and the availability of buildings on that
:19:03. > :19:11.side. Can the Minister confirm that no staff will be forced to relocate
:19:11. > :19:16.to Ballykelly? I recognise the location could create problems for
:19:16. > :19:19.existing staff. I am going to take the time that we have to develop
:19:19. > :19:24.and implement change. That can include looking at more flexible
:19:24. > :19:28.working, looking at doing things a little bit differently. I do not
:19:28. > :19:36.expect that existing members of staff will be forced to move. Of
:19:36. > :19:41.course, the one thing I would say is that their responsibilities
:19:41. > :19:44.under existing contracts and they have to be honoured. We are
:19:44. > :19:51.locating high-value public sector jobs and creating a fair
:19:51. > :19:58.distribution of those jobs across the North. It was recommended some
:19:59. > :20:02.time ago in the Bain report. It helps to build a our economy in a
:20:02. > :20:11.fair wear. There is a better distribution of jobs. Michelle
:20:11. > :20:16.O'Neill. Welfare was back on the agenda today. The direct payment of
:20:16. > :20:22.housing benefit to social landlords was called for.
:20:22. > :20:26.We have emphasised the urgent need for this Assembly to shape the
:20:26. > :20:29.legislation to suit Northern Ireland, rather than merely rubber-
:20:29. > :20:35.stamped something that has been made in England and has no
:20:35. > :20:41.cognisance of the realities of life here. The move towards universal
:20:41. > :20:45.credit is being packaged as a means of giving and teaching the
:20:45. > :20:49.claimants financial responsibility. There is to be a single household
:20:49. > :20:54.payment of benefits to one nominated person per household.
:20:54. > :20:59.This move in itself is fraught with danger. I fear that many households
:20:59. > :21:04.will have to learn the hard way. Families will have major difficulty
:21:04. > :21:10.managing budgets. Some think that many have not done before.
:21:10. > :21:15.Especially when these budgets are already reduced due to benefit cuts
:21:15. > :21:21.and rising unemployment. Problems will also rise within families,
:21:21. > :21:25.especially where there may be addiction problems. Will the
:21:25. > :21:29.benefit find its way to its intended target? Within the
:21:29. > :21:33.constraints of the parity principle, I am pursuing other adjustments to
:21:34. > :21:37.make sure Universal Credit is better tailored to meet the needs
:21:37. > :21:41.of Northern Ireland customers once we have the Welfare Reform Bill
:21:41. > :21:47.through Assembly. I have asked that the IT functionality be put in
:21:47. > :21:51.place to allow the credit payment to be split between members of the
:21:51. > :21:54.household. I have asked the Department for Work and Pensions
:21:54. > :21:59.for the IT capability to make universal credit payments more
:21:59. > :22:05.frequently than on a monthly basis. While other continue to vigorously
:22:05. > :22:07.pursue these changes -- I will continue, Assembly Members should
:22:07. > :22:12.not there are practical considerations because of the
:22:12. > :22:15.extent to which we utilise the computer systems provided by the
:22:15. > :22:19.Department of Work and Pensions for the delivery of benefits in
:22:19. > :22:26.Northern Ireland. The best way is for Northern Ireland to be part of
:22:26. > :22:30.the main system with the flexibility require. -- we require.
:22:30. > :22:34.Everybody in this Assembly is looking for the same thing, to
:22:34. > :22:42.deliver firm or the Ryland the flexibilities we want, we need and
:22:42. > :22:48.would require. Last week there was a private member's bill concerning
:22:48. > :22:58.the employment of special advisers. There were questions about whether
:22:58. > :22:59.
:22:59. > :23:07.or not individual MLAs could be provided with legal advice. Jim
:23:07. > :23:12.Allister was first to speak. Special manager is a special person
:23:12. > :23:19.in that they have the status of not just a civil servant, but a senior
:23:19. > :23:27.civil servant. They have access to all Government papers. They advise
:23:27. > :23:32.that the highest level. Indeed, some might say on some occasions
:23:32. > :23:37.that they are and effective Government. They advised the
:23:37. > :23:45.ministers and many of the arrangements made our probably the
:23:45. > :23:52.product of agreements between special advisers. Is everyone who
:23:52. > :23:56.purport to be a special adviser being paid from public funds? The
:23:56. > :24:01.Department of Finance has not accepted that their appointment has
:24:02. > :24:06.been regular. That is my belief. If I am wrong about that, I am wrong.
:24:06. > :24:13.Certainly that is my belief based on what is in the public domain.
:24:13. > :24:18.Vetting is a requirement for every other senior civil servant. Why
:24:18. > :24:28.should special advisers be different? Why should they be
:24:28. > :24:30.
:24:30. > :24:36.exempt from that basic fundamental requirement? Why are you proposing
:24:36. > :24:44.to single out special advisers in this way beyond the policy on
:24:44. > :24:48.convictions which is correct Northern Ireland civil service
:24:48. > :24:54.recruitment policy and procedure? ASBOs because of the controversy
:24:54. > :25:00.brought upon the issue by the insensitive appointment of Mary
:25:00. > :25:05.McArdle, which drew such public disquiet and brought such hurt to
:25:05. > :25:12.the family of Mary Travers. I am simply saying, never again should
:25:13. > :25:16.that be capable of having -- happening. Is part of what I see as
:25:16. > :25:25.good governance arrangements, when I'm happy to give as much
:25:25. > :25:31.assistance -- assistance as I can. Does that assistance extent to
:25:31. > :25:36.individual Assembly Members? From time to time it could, yes. Why BG
:25:36. > :25:43.declined to give me advice when I asked for your advice on the autism
:25:43. > :25:52.Bill? -- why did you decline? are all sorts of reasons as to why
:25:52. > :26:02.I cannot answer that. I thought -- I cannot go into them now. I cannot
:26:02. > :26:07.answer that question. A baby you could try to explain. -- ready.
:26:07. > :26:17.am not sure I could. If you write to me, I will try to answer your
:26:17. > :26:24.question. John Larkin and Dominic Bradley agreeing to disagree.
:26:24. > :26:29.Stephen water is here. Just to return to the special advisers Bill,
:26:29. > :26:34.it moves on a stage in Parliament Buildings Tamara? It does. It comes
:26:34. > :26:37.before the House tomorrow. Some of the issues we saw highlight of last
:26:37. > :26:41.week will be highlighted tomorrow. The issue has been incredibly
:26:41. > :26:47.controversial. Some of the arguments rehearsed last week, we
:26:47. > :26:52.were here tomorrow. We have talked a lot about the covenant tonight
:26:52. > :26:56.and in recent weeks. It looks like it is going to remain very much at
:26:56. > :27:02.the top of the agenda certainly for the foreseeable future? I think it
:27:02. > :27:06.well. I think the commemorations surrounding it up and be hard to
:27:06. > :27:12.miss this week. We had a service yesterday at St Anne's Cathedral in
:27:12. > :27:19.Belfast, attended by many people. We have an event tonight at
:27:19. > :27:25.Stormont. There is a dinner on Friday night. And a lot of focus on
:27:25. > :27:29.the parade taking place in Belfast on Saturday. We expect a ruling
:27:29. > :27:34.from the Parades Commission very soon on that March. A lot of
:27:34. > :27:41.coverage in the papers and on the radio and television. A lot of
:27:41. > :27:44.special programmes? That is right. A lot of features on BBC Northern
:27:45. > :27:51.Ireland. As special documentary being prepared. It will be hard to
:27:51. > :27:56.miss. An interesting development tonight relating to the Scot has
:27:56. > :28:04.referendum vote. What can you tell me? David Hulme from the Orange
:28:04. > :28:09.Order has issued a statement on the Scottish referendum. He has
:28:09. > :28:13.suggested that Ulster Scots should be given a vote in that referendum.
:28:13. > :28:19.Obviously the vote is for people in Scotland. He is suggesting because
:28:19. > :28:23.of the historical links, Ulster Scots should get their opportunity
:28:23. > :28:28.to describe Scotland's future. Some people may say it is tongue-in-
:28:28. > :28:34.cheek. David Hume believes there are great historical and political