:00:31. > :00:34.Welcome to Stormont today. Coming up: Debate and discussion over
:00:34. > :00:39.flags has dominated political proceedings in recent months. Once
:00:39. > :00:46.again it was the hot topic in the Assembly chamber. We come up the
:00:46. > :00:49.Prince of Wales avenue. We come past car sons statue. We come in
:00:49. > :00:55.under Britannia' lines. Poppies are sold in November. Yet our national
:00:55. > :01:00.flag is not flown. We'll hear more on that topic from Alex Maskey and
:01:00. > :01:05.Tom Elliott. The Finance Minister spells out the extent of our
:01:05. > :01:11.financial dependence on Westminster. Will we ever get to the position we
:01:11. > :01:14.don't have a deficit? I doubt it very much.
:01:14. > :01:16.Since the flag decision at Belfast City Hall last December, the DUP
:01:16. > :01:19.and the Ulster Unionists have been pushing for the assembly commission
:01:19. > :01:25.to look at the issue of flags and emblems here at Parliament
:01:25. > :01:31.buildings. The commission is made up of one member of each party, but
:01:31. > :01:34.since December, the SDLP and Sinn Fein have boycotted it. These
:01:34. > :01:38.parties want a new ad hoc committee to look at flags and emblems and
:01:38. > :01:42.today they put forward a motion to that effect. The DUP before
:01:42. > :01:46.Christmas were calling for a forum to discuss the issue of flags and
:01:46. > :01:51.identity. Today, they have tabled a petition of concern in order to
:01:51. > :01:58.block the establishment of such a forum. Seems to me that both
:01:58. > :02:00.Unionist parties are letting themselves be led by the illegal,
:02:00. > :02:05.anti-democratic protesters. Some of the staff in this building have
:02:05. > :02:10.come to me saying they feel their traditions and identity have not
:02:10. > :02:15.been respected. They do not work in a neutral environment. And they
:02:15. > :02:20.feel discriminated. Would you allow a situation where a member is
:02:20. > :02:25.making reference to members of staff in this House and I ask the
:02:25. > :02:31.Speaker to rule on this issue and I ask the member to withdraw what is
:02:31. > :02:34.a scurrilous and a very dangerous position. On the point of order,
:02:34. > :02:38.there is a mechanism outside the chamber if staff have a problem
:02:38. > :02:42.with this building. I would be careful and caution members on
:02:42. > :02:50.drawing staff into a political situation. We come up the Prince of
:02:50. > :02:55.Wales avenue. We come past Carson s statue. Poppies are sold at every
:02:55. > :03:00.entrance during November. Yet our national flag is not flown. Our
:03:00. > :03:07.Irish language is not given the place it deserves. Our symbols, for
:03:07. > :03:11.example the Easter lily, are not given parity of esteem. It's really
:03:11. > :03:14.not conducive to good debate for the member or anyone else to wave
:03:14. > :03:19.redundant documents from 15 years ago. That really isn't conducive to
:03:19. > :03:24.where we are now and the progress that we need to make for the future.
:03:25. > :03:28.The issue at the moment is this: That the factual position in law is
:03:28. > :03:34.that Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom. Now I know the
:03:34. > :03:42.member for south down doesn't like that, doesn't want that, but has to
:03:42. > :03:45.accept that. Now that's the reality. It doesn't matter how many ad hoc
:03:45. > :03:50.committees she wants established. It doesn't matter how many votes
:03:50. > :03:54.she wants, that's the reality. A reflection of that reality is that
:03:54. > :03:59.the flag of the United Kingdom flies in the Parliament of the
:03:59. > :04:03.United Kingdom in London. Why do we need a new way of dealing with
:04:03. > :04:06.these areas when we already have an appropriate mechanism? The
:04:06. > :04:11.commission has attempted to meet on a number of occasions recently to
:04:11. > :04:16.progress this matser with the SDLP and Sinn Fein also the Alliance
:04:16. > :04:20.Party on two occasions boycotting the meetings. If these parties are
:04:20. > :04:23.not prepared to discuss these issues within the context of the
:04:23. > :04:26.commission meetings, then why should we expect any progress
:04:26. > :04:31.within an ad hoc committee? My party is seeking to effect change
:04:31. > :04:34.which is fair through reaching a consensus. That is why it is so
:04:34. > :04:41.disappointing that others are not willing to participate through the
:04:41. > :04:45.usual forum. We are all here to lead and this is what leading does,
:04:45. > :04:50.by the setting up of this group. Not just looking singly at the
:04:50. > :04:54.flags, but looking at emblems, symbols and language strategy, a
:04:54. > :04:59.mature discussion in this chamber by all should take place and that
:04:59. > :05:03.is how we demonstrate to those in the community and to the outside
:05:03. > :05:12.world that this Assembly does not shy away from the difficult
:05:12. > :05:16.decisions and that we are capable of maintaining political
:05:16. > :05:18.recognition over the flags and symbols. Rpbgts I believe the
:05:18. > :05:22.existence of an ad hoc committee and the work proposed for the
:05:22. > :05:25.commission are not mutually exclusive. One might inform the
:05:25. > :05:33.other. Therefore I'm content to support the motion. There is a need
:05:33. > :05:38.for mature debate. No I won't give way. There is need for mature
:05:38. > :05:43.debate. Order. The member shouldn't persist. We need to balance the
:05:43. > :05:46.role of the commission where the members are to act with integrity
:05:46. > :05:51.including political impartiality and with the views of members which
:05:51. > :05:55.could be expressed viate committee. We should see this motion today not
:05:55. > :06:00.as a threat but as an opportunity to look at issues which will allow
:06:00. > :06:03.the Assembly to be' flected as an Assembly for everyone. Sometimes
:06:03. > :06:07.people say also political traditions aren't represented here.
:06:07. > :06:12.We need to deal with symbols an emblems. There's no reflection of
:06:12. > :06:19.Irish Republicanism in this building. Will he give way? Yes.
:06:19. > :06:26.am happy to see -- pleased with what the member is saying so he
:06:26. > :06:33.could have an added minute. Could I just say to the whole House, I will
:06:33. > :06:37.not allow members to abuse interventions. For allowing a
:06:37. > :06:41.member an extra minute. Order, interventions should be making a
:06:41. > :06:46.contribution to the debate. They should be genuine interventions. I
:06:46. > :06:48.warn the whole House. I hope I don't have to warn the member again.
:06:48. > :06:51.The speaker delivering a stern rebuke to the DUP's William
:06:51. > :06:54.Humphrey for what he deemed an inappropriate intervention in
:06:54. > :06:56.today's debate. And with me now Sinn Fein's Alex Maskey and Tom
:06:57. > :07:02.Elliott of the Ulster Unionist party.Tom Elliott and Alex Maskey,
:07:02. > :07:06.thank you. Your effort to establish this new committee failed today. Do
:07:06. > :07:10.you accept the outstanding issues will now have to be dealt with by
:07:10. > :07:14.the Assembly commission? All these things have to be dealt with. They
:07:14. > :07:19.all are very important. I do think it's important to say that on a day
:07:19. > :07:23.in which the Assembly was discussing the future of the
:07:23. > :07:27.provision for social housing, the issue around school closures, all
:07:27. > :07:30.these important mattersant highlight of the news coverage of
:07:30. > :07:34.the Assembly is the issue of flags and emblems. That should not be the
:07:34. > :07:39.case. They are very important. Yes, they will have to be dealt with.
:07:39. > :07:42.That's why we were saying, let's set up an ad hoc committee, go and
:07:42. > :07:47.have a rational, mature, informed discussion and then deal with all
:07:47. > :07:50.the issues around flags and emblems and symbols and languages. Do you
:07:50. > :07:53.accept now that the commission is the place, even though you don't
:07:53. > :07:59.necessarily like it, that is the place where that debate has to take
:07:59. > :08:02.place? Or what's your next move? a way, if those want, if the other
:08:02. > :08:07.parties want to take it in the Assembly commission they'll raise
:08:07. > :08:11.it and the commission deliberations will happen. Will you attend those
:08:11. > :08:15.meetings, up till now you haven't? We'll see. As far as we're
:08:15. > :08:17.concerned we will not be railroaded into continuing to have the
:08:17. > :08:21.environment at Stormont representative of only one
:08:21. > :08:26.community. That is not tenable. It's not sustainable or acceptable.
:08:26. > :08:30.Therefore people think that by using the commission they will
:08:30. > :08:34.railroad a one-sided reflection of our symbols and emblems, that's not
:08:34. > :08:39.going to happen. You might have won the battle today, but you haven't
:08:39. > :08:43.won the war. Well, what we need to recognise is we have a process for
:08:43. > :08:46.dealing with these issues, through the commission. Just the same as we
:08:46. > :08:50.have other committees in the Assembly to deal with these matters.
:08:50. > :08:56.With respect, not if Alex Maskey and the SDLP and Alliance Party
:08:56. > :08:59.don't turn up. The commission can't meet to discuss them. We did listen
:08:59. > :09:03.to members Sinn Fein today saying we are all for democracy, bring it
:09:03. > :09:06.on. That's democracy. That's how we work it. I didn't hear complaints
:09:06. > :09:10.from Sinn Fein and others around the Belfast City Hall decision
:09:10. > :09:14.simply because they claim that was democracy. We're in a democratic
:09:14. > :09:17.process, so why not deal with it through that process? I don't see
:09:17. > :09:19.what the issue is around the flag. We're part of the United Kingdom.
:09:19. > :09:23.Everybody should recognise that irrespective of whether you don't
:09:23. > :09:28.like it or not. We're part of the United Kingdom. I don't complain
:09:28. > :09:30.when I go to the Republic of Ireland and see the tricolour
:09:31. > :09:35.flying. If it was that simple, there wouldn't be the debate that
:09:35. > :09:39.there is about it. It's much more complicated than that. It is, but
:09:39. > :09:43.that's only because people want to make it complicated. I hear all
:09:43. > :09:51.this about inclusiveness about democracy. Why don't they accept
:09:51. > :09:56.it? They continue their cultural warfare. I have been in an ad hoc
:09:56. > :10:02.committee that Sinn Fein and the SDLP established because they
:10:02. > :10:07.wanted a working environment. Now they have put language things on
:10:07. > :10:13.the paper. That's not inclusive. That's nonsense. He might have
:10:13. > :10:19.difficulty in regard to his party. The DUP never accepted the Good
:10:19. > :10:22.Friday agreement. When you read the agreement and understand it, it is
:10:22. > :10:26.about respecting everybody's symbols and emblems. That's what
:10:26. > :10:31.this discussion boils back down to. The Belfast City Council decision
:10:31. > :10:36.was not a decision taken overnight. There's been years of discussions
:10:36. > :10:40.in the City Hall as in other council chambers. That was a
:10:40. > :10:44.compromise. This building and the parties in here have to work
:10:44. > :10:49.together. Assembly commission, obviously as Tom may think, may end
:10:49. > :10:53.up with a majority rule decision. That will not resolve the problem
:10:53. > :10:57.of how we respect each other. can't agree on the issues of
:10:57. > :11:01.emblems and symbols, but not only, that you can't agree on the
:11:01. > :11:03.mechanism for discussing that to try to reach agreement. You say the
:11:03. > :11:06.commission's the place, Tom Elliott, the commission is tasked with
:11:06. > :11:11.ensuring the Assembly is provided with the property, staff and
:11:11. > :11:15.services required for the Assembly to carry out its work. It's not
:11:15. > :11:23.about debating huge issues. That is the place for it to be dealt with.
:11:23. > :11:27.Why? That's what the commission does. I think we have to be clear.
:11:27. > :11:31.Alex says... Briefly. Alex goes back to the Belfast Agreement. If
:11:31. > :11:34.we want to quote that, that enshrines Northern Ireland as being
:11:34. > :11:44.an integral part of the United Kingdom. Why can't his people
:11:44. > :11:56.
:11:56. > :11:59.accept that until the majority of We all have to be respected.
:11:59. > :12:02.Elliott and Alex Maskey, thank you. During last week's Budget Bill
:12:02. > :12:06.debate, Sinn Fein MLAs clashed with the finance minister, Sammy Wilson,
:12:06. > :12:09.over the size of Northern Ireland's subsidy from London. Sinn Fein says
:12:10. > :12:12.it believes the size of the deficit may be exaggerated. And it had more
:12:12. > :12:15.questions for Mr Wilson at Question Time this afternoon.
:12:15. > :12:19.The purpose of the latest net fiscal balance report is to provide
:12:19. > :12:26.a broad overview of the public sector finances in Northern Ireland
:12:26. > :12:32.for 2006, 2007, 2010 and 2011. The report provides an estimate of
:12:32. > :12:36.overall net fiscal balance position, which is essentially the difference
:12:36. > :12:43.between Government expenditure and the revenue which is raised locally.
:12:43. > :12:53.In that regard, VAT estimates is only an element. It is indicated in
:12:53. > :13:02.the report, it is not provided for an accurate estimate of VAT, which
:13:02. > :13:11.has been estimated it in the absence of regional data.
:13:11. > :13:18.minister well known that income tax, VAT, corporation tax, estimated
:13:18. > :13:22.makes that up. That is based on two surveys and in terms of corporation
:13:22. > :13:27.tax, there is questions as to whether the headquarters of
:13:27. > :13:31.companies are based here will affect those figures. Can I ask the
:13:31. > :13:36.Minister does he agree the estimates are insufficient for the
:13:36. > :13:41.Executive? Also there is a need for the minister and Executive to put
:13:41. > :13:46.pressure on the Treasury to release more accurate figures? Of course,
:13:46. > :13:51.not in all cases do we have the exact figures for revenue collected
:13:51. > :13:56.here in Northern Ireland, and that is not of course just true for
:13:56. > :14:00.Northern Ireland, it is true for other devolved administrations.
:14:00. > :14:06.Does the minister had a strategy for reducing the fiscal deficit,
:14:06. > :14:13.and what would be within that strategy? Of course, we don't want
:14:13. > :14:20.to be reliant on subsidies from central Government, because of
:14:20. > :14:23.course that leaves the Northern Ireland economy evict interchanges
:14:23. > :14:30.at central Government level when it comes to fiscal decisions. The
:14:30. > :14:36.reason why we have given primacy to growing the economy, especially
:14:36. > :14:41.growing deprive its sector of the economy, is to reduce our
:14:41. > :14:46.dependence upon the transfer of funds from Westminster, or from
:14:46. > :14:52.parts of the United Kingdom to Northern Ireland. I would point out
:14:52. > :14:57.to the member of course, we are not in a unique position here. Of all
:14:57. > :15:01.the regions in the United Kingdom, only two are in surplus, the others
:15:01. > :15:06.are in deficit. That is because economic activity is mostly
:15:06. > :15:11.generated. Will we be in the position where we won't have a
:15:11. > :15:16.deficit? I doubt it very much. I think it is nine other regions in
:15:16. > :15:20.the United Kingdom also in debt as a because of their geographical
:15:20. > :15:26.position, and it is difficult to attract investment and generate
:15:26. > :15:30.economic activity, and that it will always be. That is the benefit of
:15:30. > :15:34.being in the Union, we have that ability as part of a bigger
:15:34. > :15:38.constitutional units, we have that ability for the weaker areas to be
:15:38. > :15:40.helped out by the stronger areas. The finance minister, Sammy Wilson.
:15:40. > :15:44.During health questions, the minister found himself dealing with
:15:44. > :15:47.two highly topical issues - waiting times at the Ulster Hospital's A&E
:15:47. > :15:50.department and the ongoing issue of horsemeat. Here is Edwin Poots
:15:50. > :15:58.taking a question from Sinn Fein's Southdown MLA, Chris Hazzard, on
:15:58. > :16:04.the horsemeat scandal. Can the Minister outlined who funds the FSA
:16:04. > :16:09.here and who they are accountable to? The Food Standards Agency is
:16:09. > :16:15.funded directly by ourselves, but it is not responsible to this
:16:15. > :16:20.Assembly, as such. It is a body which is outside the Assembly. That
:16:20. > :16:25.has been set up because of the issues that surrounded the BSE
:16:25. > :16:32.problems. The lack of fate there was in politicians at that point in
:16:32. > :16:36.time. And I note the party has been suggesting Food Standards Agency
:16:36. > :16:39.should come under political authority. This is the same party
:16:39. > :16:44.that called for an independent Environment Protection Agency just
:16:44. > :16:49.a few years ago. It would appear the party has done somersaults on
:16:49. > :16:54.this particular issue. Can I ask him to clarify what the position is
:16:54. > :16:58.on the slaughter of courses in Northern Ireland? It is legal to
:16:58. > :17:02.slaughter and sell horsemeat in the United Kingdom, provided it is from
:17:02. > :17:06.an approved abattoir and an official stamp it is fit for human
:17:06. > :17:13.consumption. There were horses killed in Northern Ireland up until
:17:13. > :17:18.a relatively short time ago. Around 40 every fortnight. Those were
:17:18. > :17:23.exported, and all of that trade was legal and legitimate. It was being
:17:23. > :17:27.carried out properly. The company has since discontinued doing that
:17:27. > :17:32.course of work because it was interfering with other aspects of
:17:32. > :17:36.business. But there was no indication whatsoever, no evidence
:17:36. > :17:41.of any kind which would indicate that particular horsemeat was
:17:41. > :17:46.ending up in the food market. There has been a huge amount of testing
:17:46. > :17:51.carried out. We are satisfied from a food safety perspective, this is
:17:51. > :17:55.not a danger to the public. This is a labelling issue, an issue of
:17:55. > :18:00.fraudulent behaviour and I trust people will be in court and charged
:18:00. > :18:05.in due course over this. Some of them are very big companies. Let's
:18:05. > :18:10.be honest, the need to be went after and pursued rigorously.
:18:10. > :18:16.you are a work, the stuff that is in the media around the Ulster
:18:16. > :18:19.Hospital, can you outline to me why patients were laying with the
:18:20. > :18:27.ambulance crew for four hours, and the ambulance crew were held up for
:18:27. > :18:33.four hours? If you can outline, was there a divert on by the Ulster
:18:33. > :18:38.Hospital, and it the Ambulance Service put a divert on away from
:18:38. > :18:42.the Ulster Hospital? There are diverts on an ongoing basis from
:18:42. > :18:49.the Ulster Hospital to the Royal, and I will deal with that a little
:18:49. > :18:53.more in a moment. There was 66 ambulances yesterday at the Ulster
:18:53. > :18:59.Hospital. Last Monday there were 68 ambulances. Normally it is in the
:18:59. > :19:06.50s. When you have ambulances are pulling up, you get 60% of patients
:19:06. > :19:10.being admitted to the hospital. It has proved a very tight in terms of
:19:10. > :19:14.the number of missions that it was taken place in the South Eastern
:19:14. > :19:17.Trust area. There has been more medical admissions taking place of
:19:17. > :19:22.the elderly population, and consequently the hospital is under
:19:22. > :19:27.greater pressure. The Royal does take diverts from the Ulster
:19:27. > :19:31.Hospital. It is something we need to give some consideration to,
:19:31. > :19:36.because the Ulster does not have the capacity, it is the main
:19:36. > :19:42.hospital. It does not have the capacity the Belfast Trust have in
:19:42. > :19:46.terms of acute bed numbers. I think that we would do well to give some
:19:46. > :19:51.consideration to the numbers of birds that are likely to become
:19:51. > :19:55.available in the Ulster Hospital on a particular day, and if it is
:19:55. > :20:00.recognised there is pressures on to put the diverts in at an earlier
:20:00. > :20:04.point, to ensure the pressure is absorbed in a better way. We don't
:20:04. > :20:08.want to see people waiting in ambulances outside hospital. It is
:20:08. > :20:11.not the type of care this Assembly wants.
:20:11. > :20:13.The health minister, Edwin Poots. Speculation about proposals for
:20:13. > :20:16.reform of social housing has been unhelpful and perhaps uninformed,
:20:16. > :20:19.according to the social development Minister. In a statement this
:20:19. > :20:27.morning, Nelson McCausland, also stressed that change was needed in
:20:27. > :20:32.order to deliver value for money. The housing Executive has a long
:20:32. > :20:37.track record over the past 40 years of improving social housing stock.
:20:37. > :20:42.My proposals for the form of social housing is about acknowledging past
:20:42. > :20:46.achievements in terms of social housing provision while it is
:20:46. > :20:51.focusing on future sustainability and delivery, for the benefit of
:20:51. > :20:56.tenants and the taxpayer. The fundamental review of the Northern
:20:56. > :21:02.Ireland Housing Executive by Price Waterhouse Coopers in 2011, found
:21:02. > :21:06.the current model and structures no longer allow optimal delivery of
:21:06. > :21:10.either strategic housing or landlord services. The general
:21:10. > :21:15.consensus from a series of meetings from stakeholders, concluded that
:21:15. > :21:21.do-nothing option was not a realistic solution. Over the last
:21:21. > :21:24.few weeks, since I made the written statement, there has been a lot of
:21:24. > :21:29.unhelpful and uninformed speculation about my proposals.
:21:29. > :21:33.They are not about abolishing the Housing Executive, they are about
:21:34. > :21:37.improving the structures for the delivery of those functions. They
:21:37. > :21:42.do not herald large-scale job losses, as I made it quite clear
:21:42. > :21:46.that staff in the housing Executive, currently delivering landlords and
:21:46. > :21:51.none landlord functions, will still have to deliver those functions,
:21:51. > :21:56.but in different, more focused and financially sustainable structures.
:21:56. > :22:02.By the end of 20th March 15, I aim to have in place, a sustainable
:22:02. > :22:06.housing system which delivers regional housing needs through
:22:06. > :22:11.landlord structures and housing associations and which is
:22:11. > :22:16.strategically Govan, and regulated. With regard to a rent setting
:22:16. > :22:21.regime, I propose an independent setting rent Panel is established,
:22:21. > :22:25.which will agree annual rent levels within the parameters of the fiscal
:22:25. > :22:29.rental policy based on affordability, set by me as
:22:29. > :22:34.minister and subject to scrutiny of the Assembly. In the establishment
:22:34. > :22:36.of a regional housing body, I intend the current housing
:22:36. > :22:40.Executive and on landlords functions will fall under the remit
:22:40. > :22:45.of a Northern Ireland regional housing body. It is disappointing
:22:45. > :22:50.he has said little apart from wishing to explore and develop
:22:50. > :22:53.proposals are ready in scant detail. In 2012 the minister accused the
:22:53. > :22:59.Housing Executive of having failed its tenants. I am sure he denied
:22:59. > :23:03.his party and other reasons, will be sad to see it go? The issue the
:23:03. > :23:06.Member refers to what comments I made about failures and
:23:06. > :23:11.shortcomings in the Northern Ireland exec -- Housing Executive.
:23:12. > :23:16.And I'm sure the concerns I expressed that time were shared by
:23:16. > :23:22.members of all parties, right across the chamber, because there
:23:22. > :23:28.were very serious matters in terms of the quality of the delivery for
:23:28. > :23:34.tenants. And also serious questions with regard to the value for money
:23:34. > :23:36.issue in terms of some of the management and maintenance contract
:23:36. > :23:39.issues. The social development Minister,
:23:39. > :23:43.Nelson McCausland. Now, Stormont will be few politicians lighter
:23:43. > :23:46.next month as a posse of them heads off to the annual St Patrick's Day
:23:46. > :23:49.festivities in Washington. But precisely how many should go from
:23:49. > :23:59.the OFMDFM Committee was a source of disharmony at its meeting last
:23:59. > :24:04.
:24:04. > :24:10.Wednesday. This is an annual picture that the Kennedy travelled
:24:10. > :24:16.to Washington in and around St Patrick's Day. As I understand it
:24:16. > :24:23.is normal an invitation is extended to ditcher and deputy chair of this
:24:23. > :24:28.committee, whereas clearly, in paragraph two, in this instance the
:24:28. > :24:32.invitation is to five members of the committee, the chair, deputy
:24:32. > :24:40.chair and one representative from each of the other three parties. I
:24:40. > :24:48.am just wondering if members have any views? It is up to the parties
:24:48. > :24:52.if they want to send a representative. We are content to
:24:52. > :25:02.discuss and do the same. Beyond the top sheet it you will see a draft
:25:02. > :25:03.
:25:03. > :25:12.from the clerk. Which I suppose is a reasoned argument for accepting
:25:12. > :25:19.the invitations. And on the back page, we can see a best estimate of
:25:19. > :25:26.the implication for costs if we went with what has gone in previous
:25:26. > :25:32.years, we're looking at 5,700, approx. If all five parties decide
:25:32. > :25:36.to send a representative, that could trouble. I have read the
:25:36. > :25:40.letter and I don't see any rigorous just to vacations from moving to
:25:40. > :25:46.two to five people travelling. So, I would like the committee to reach
:25:46. > :25:55.a decision and I have to say, I see no rationale for extending it to
:25:55. > :25:59.fire people. I think on the one hand, nobody else does, because
:25:59. > :26:08.they are representing their parties then fair enough. I wouldn't be
:26:08. > :26:13.happy under the current claim to go to do not represent everybody. If
:26:13. > :26:18.we can facilitate a representative of every delegation, leave it up to
:26:18. > :26:22.the party whether they want to go or not. We had previously discussed
:26:22. > :26:28.this with Danny Kennedy as minister for regional developments and we
:26:29. > :26:32.have reached a decision were one or all of us would go, but not both
:26:32. > :26:36.travel at the taxpayers' expense. Danny went last year as minister,
:26:36. > :26:45.we took the view that it one of us was going this the it would be me
:26:45. > :26:50.as capacity of the chair. But that is your party represented. I hope
:26:50. > :26:56.you don't mind me telling you it is for information. You are entitled
:26:56. > :27:04.to do that, obviously. Do you want to vote on the invitation to one
:27:04. > :27:07.from each five? I think it is an invitation and if it can be a
:27:07. > :27:12.facilitator to have a representative grouping, I think we
:27:12. > :27:19.should consider that in a positive light but leave it to the parties
:27:19. > :27:24.if they want to send someone on Oct. So the proposal is if it is left to
:27:24. > :27:27.individual parties to decide if they accept the invitations he can
:27:27. > :27:31.only extend to the chair, the vice- chair and one representative from
:27:31. > :27:36.the other three parties on the committee? Should we have a
:27:36. > :27:41.recorded vote of those who are in favour, please. Why do we need a
:27:41. > :27:49.recorded vote? Because I would like a recorded vote so I know who I am
:27:49. > :27:55.voting against? Do we have anybody in favour of the proposal? Yes.
:27:55. > :27:58.against? Myself. I won't be travelling to Washington as chair
:27:58. > :28:03.of this committee because I see no just a vocation for sending five
:28:03. > :28:13.people, when in previous years, two seemed perfectly adequate. Does
:28:13. > :28:18.
:28:18. > :28:25.that mean Danny Kennedy will now go? Note. As explained, you are
:28:25. > :28:30.making a political point,. I am worried about the cost to public
:28:30. > :28:37.purse and value for money. I made the point about you and Danny
:28:37. > :28:42.Kennedy, you agreed one or other would go. You are now opting out.
:28:42. > :28:47.With your party be represented in Washington? I need to be speaking
:28:47. > :28:52.to a Danny. You said no, and minutes ago. You said does this
:28:52. > :28:56.mean, I said no, because I cannot tell you that because I have not
:28:56. > :29:03.spoken to Danny. The question you asked, does this mean Danny will be
:29:03. > :29:07.going? You said no, he wouldn't. said no, not necessarily. I did not
:29:07. > :29:10.hear that. The answer is No, not necessarily.
:29:10. > :29:14.Mike Nesbitt and Alex Maskey in discussion at last week's meeting