27/11/2012 Stormont Today

Welcome to in Stormont Today. It has been an interesting days on the

hill as MLAs got their wrists slapped for wasting the First and

Deputy First Minister's the time. Having it is time for the Speaker

to consider penalising those members who did not turn up. Also,

the Agriculture Minister explains the measures taken to combat a

deadly trade disease. The Justice Minister response to concerns

following the murder of prison officer, David Black. Since I last

reported on this matter, a number of changes have been made to the

protection scheme and to the processes -- processes for officers

are leaving the prison service. joining us to share his sense dinks

-- his insights, the journalist Sam Dick bright.

-- Sam my pride. Question time at the Assembly is

the ideal opportunity for MLAs to hold ministers to account. Today,

that session became more about to was not in the chamber rather than

he was. The deputy brush Minister - - the Deputy First Minister spoke

out against the absent MLAs. Can he say how there has been a slippage

in the monitoring compared to other departments, and when that the

relevant committee will have insight to the up-to-date

information? There is not delay. There is ongoing monitoring of the

programme for government targets within the parliament. As I

understand it, the delivery plan has been given in its initial form

to the committee and I understand that officials are meeting with the

that officials are meeting with the that officials are meeting with the

committee tomorrow and will provide a more up-to-date delivery plan. As

far as the overall assessment of where we stand, I believe that a

meeting has been scheduled later today -- later this week to sign

off on the copy that will go to all of the department committees,

depending on the position of each of the ministers. I'm sure the

House is encouraged to hear that the First and Deputy First Minister

have received real-time information on the performance against the

Government targets. He will be able to confirm in real time terms that

used unemployment has risen every month for the past 12 months and is

now at a historically high level. - - youth unemployment. Maybe he can

tell the House what steps within the programme for government had

been taken to address it. I can confirm that around the world youth

unemployment has risen very considerably over the last few

months. It is a worldwide recession. If there is a global downturn, it

has an impact. That is why we have tailored the proposals we have

brought in, and they do not know what he is talking to the sky for.

If he is looking for divine intervention, I am happy to pray

with them. The fact is, we brought forward proposals which recognise

that there has been the need to increase skills available so that

people would be able to move into jobs when jobs became available. I

am convinced that the economic strategy of this Assembly is the

right one. I recognise that because of the problems with the downturn,

that there are immediate steps that we can take to alleviate some of

the hardships that have been felled and that is why we have taken the

immediate action of bringing those interventions forward. Far better

that people are acting than carping. Question number six. I hope we will

come back to the subject of members withdrawing questions without

notice being given before we stand. That is to be members during the

course of today. Corrals the First Minister what role he and the

Deputy First Minister might play if any at Beachy eight conference wed

comes to Fermanagh? -- can I ask the First Minister. Like him, I am

very glad that eg age will be coming to Northern Ireland, and

Fermanagh is the ideal place. -- the G8. Given the beauty of the

countryside, I think a landscape lends itself to the atmosphere they

would want to create. Of course, Northern Ireland will want to show

its -- showcase itself to the world when the attention is on that

conference. And we have discussed the issue with the Prime Minister.

Of course, there will be a role for Northern Ireland to play. It is

possible that some of the G8 leaders may decide to do something

outside the conference itself, and we would encourage them to do so.

Joe Byrne is not in his place. Tom Eliot, not in his place. David Mack

nori is not in his place. We have just witnessed a question-time or

where seven questions that were table for a response were not asked.

I understand that two were withdrawn but five other members

were not present to ask their questions. I think given the amount

of effort and time that is Putin to the work in responding to these

questions by civil servants, in particular, not to mention the work

of the First Minister, who has to stand up along with the Junior

Minister in his apartment, and given the workload, being in China

and Cardiff and all the other responsibilities that ministers

have at that level of government, I have to say I think it is a

disgrace that so many members were not present to answer -- and to ask

their questions. I figured is time consider penalising those members

who did not turn up. -- I figure it who did not turn up. -- I figure it

is time. Martin McGuinness not happy. Sam McBride is with me. Not

the first time that this has happened but today it was on a

scale that we have not seen before. Do you agree? The scale was

completely novel and a think, you got a sense in a clip of the chaos

behind the Speaker's desk as they called MLA after MLA. And clerk was

saying, not in his space, not in his place. It normally, in defence

of the MLAs, normally they do not get beyond five or six questions

because the ministers give long answers. Also, there is a clear

issue here, MLAs are not terribly excited by Question Time. They do

not rush to the chamber in the way that they do at the House of

Commons. I think that plays a part in it not being a compelling

spectacle. But they do not feel they have to be there for it.

was a call from the Deputy First Minister for the Speaker to look

again at the structure of questions and the way in which MLAs can

perhaps be persuaded to be in their seats. That needs to happen quite

quickly. I think it needs to happen urgently. Not just for the

credibility of the Assembly but I think it would improve the

credibility of the Executive if ministers were seen to be being

held to account by the Assembly and taking tough questions, topical

questions. At the moment, they tabled questions to Matt weeks in

advance and issues are often a lot out of date by that stage. It is

completely dated at this point. Shortly after as we sh -- shortly

afterwards we heard explanations for why some of the MLAs have not

been in their places. On a similar subject, can I apologise to the

House for my absence during question time. Personally, I accept

the rebuke and they do not think it was anybody's place for me to be

rebuked. I wanted to make that position clear. I do not think that

question 11 would be reached. I was absent with a reason but not an

excuse and I trust I will be indulged with a written answer.

With regard to the missing members, two Ulster Unionists were not in

their place and we would like to point out that they were serving on

the at hoc committee on welfare reform. I believe the party took

all reasonable steps to inform the business office that they would be

absent and as they have requested written answers in lieu of oral

questioning, I believe the Deputy First Minister is wrong to allege

that the work by officials will be wasted. It will not. The SDLP and

Sinn Fein have also sought to explain the whereabouts of absent

MLAs but Jim Allister focused his criticism on all end -- 0FN DSM. --

OFMDFM. It is rich coming from them. I have a sheaf of questions where

it has taken up to 16 months to get an answer. I have other questions

outstanding for 14 months. The last people to talk about penalising

anyone for failing to be there to ask him or question are those who

are serial offenders when it comes to refusing and failing to answer

dozens of written questions. Does Jim Allister have a point? To a

certain extent, yes. The MLA should have been in their place today,

despite whatever reasons they had. But, it has to be said, government

departments, in particular OFMDFM have been poor in answering

questions, sometimes some of the most difficult questions. Also,

Freedom of Information requests, which have previously had to go to

court to get the request after 360 days. That is pretty poor by any

standard. For now, thank you very much. The agricultural minister

reveal today that ash dieback, the tree disease, has been found a day

for the six sites here. Emergency legislation to combat it has been

co-ordinated on both sides of the border. These images show how it

can affect trees. The Minister was asked what else she is doing to

prevent the spread. Can the Minister outlined if the court --

the co-ordinated approach goes beyond the legislative processes

and what other implements are being used, apart from the Actual

emergency legislation? Ash dieback emergency legislation? Ash dieback

is a very serious disease with is a very serious disease with

devastating consequences and another committee is aware of that.

I am grateful for the support for the emergency legislation that were

brought forward. It is important that we take a proactive approach

with regard to this. In this instance, we have co-ordinated

legislation on both occasions, but I'm also regularly in contact with

the Minister responsible for this area of work. We are regularly in

contact every day on the phone. Officials are continuing engagement

and they have another meeting this evening. I think it is important

that we continue to work together. By way of an update, we have had

five recently planted premises confirmed to have cases. There are

another number of sites currently being filed up -- followed up as

part of this exercise. We have destroyed 4500 saplings, which

shows you the scale to date of the work we are involved in. As part of

the exercise, six premises have been confirmed to have the fungus,

bringing the number of positive confirmations to 11 across the

counties of Antrim and Derry and Down. I want to stress that these

are all recently planted sites, so they are relatively young. We will

continue that engagement and I will continue to engage with my

colleagues in Britain because they are obviously in a worse situation

than we currently are. We will have to continue all of that ordination

as we make our way through this path, and see where it develops in

Was there any discussion at your meeting about possible compensation

to those people who have suffered all will suffer in the future?

Compensation was not an area that was discussed. As I said, this is a

very serious disease and something that we are very much involved at

this moment in time in a process of ratification. We are fortunate in

that today, the confirmed sites have all come from one import of

plants. However, at this stage, I cannot say that that will be the

case going forward so compensation is not something I am concerned

with at this moment in time. I am concerned with eradicating the

disease, we keep the disease out and minimise the impact it has on

industry. He will be aware from presentations in the culture

committee on the devastating impact this can have, not just in people

involved in forestry but other industries.

The introduction of plain packaging for cigarettes and how it might

help tobacco smugglers was put to the Justice Minister during

Question Time this afternoon. First, though, with the recent murder of

David black by dissident republicans on their minds, MLAs

focused on the security of prison officers. My department in the

Prison Service or regard the safety and security of prison staff as a

high priority. The director-general has therefore already arranged for

all prison staff to be issued with advice on personal security and a

reminder of the need for vigilance, both on and off duty. My department

on the Prison Service will continue to work closely with the British

authorities -- appropriate authorities. I have met with

colleagues to discuss the current security situation and discuss what

measures are in place to protect prison staff. Since I last reported

to the Assembly on this matter, several changes have been made to

the Prison Service protection scheme and to the process for

officers leaving the prison service who wish to apply to have a

personal protection weapon. However, I trust members will agree that it

is not in the best interest of prison staff to discuss individual

details all the changes made to. A number of meetings have now taken

place between the PSNI and prison service senior managers and I'm

confident that appropriate and up- to-date advice on personal security

will continue to be provided to staff. I can also confirmed that a

watch with an in-built camera and recording facility was found on a

prisoner during a routine search at a prison on 18th October this year.

The prisoner concerned was charged under prison rules. Can the

Minister, without going in to find still, assure us that in regard to

firearm licensing, past delays will no longer be an issue in terms of

issuing and granting personal protection weapons? I thank him for

that point. I have received assurances from the PSNI about

speeding up the issue of the application for approval for

personal protection weapons for those retiring from the prison

service, and it will be done within the timescale of the notice

individuals will have on leaving. Could I ask the Minister, in his

review, touching upon the serious issue of security, as he reviewed

the arrangements for home security in respect to prison officers,

particularly in respect of those who were removed from behind

security scheme in terms of being told that it was their own

responsibility to pay for and maintain such facilities. --

removed from the home security scheme. Will heave reinstate that

scheme so that members might have the comfort of some security at

home? I have previously advised the house but I am happy to repeat

today that the protection scheme for officers' Homes has been re-

examined in recent weeks and it has been decided that where equipment

is being supplied, it will continue to be maintained, contrary to the

position best short time ago, so I believe the issue is already being

addressed. I am sure the whole house will find it disturbing that

one in five packets of cigarettes sold and Northern Ireland castles

to the eagerly and these are not subject to controls or regulations.

Treasury cannot collect any tax from them. The minister will be

aware that there is the push nationally and locally by some to

introduce plain packaging for tobacco products and health grounds

but would he share my concern that one of the unintended consequences

of this could be that it makes it much easier for criminal gangs

organisations to produce and distribute counterfeit tobacco

across Northern Ireland? I must dress that the issue of plain

packaging for tobacco is an issue for a colleague and I did not wish

to interfere. I saw at an event went for business groups last week

that the quality of printing on counterfeit goods is sufficiently

good that I am not sure it is a significant deterrent at this stage.

The could ask him directly, please, in his capacity as chair of the

organised crime Task Force, to confirm which paramilitary groups

he believes are involved in the Sale and distribution of

counterfeit cigarettes and other illicit material? I do not suspect

he expects that I have access to all the available intelligence in

the detail which he perhaps asked the question. It is her, however,

certainly the case that there are a number of gangs involved in tobacco

smuggling and counterfeit cigarette production who have links with

paramilitary groups, both republican and loyalist and it is

clearly an issue of concern to the society that level of ongoing

criminality. The Justice Minister. Funding is always a big issue up

here but today, MLAs were reaching out beyond Westminster to Europe.

Sinn Fein called for the Regional Development Minister to work with

the Irish government to advance the so called Prix identified projects

list for inclusion in the next round of EU funding.

European fund in the past has paid dividends and advantages to the

island of Ireland, particularly the South. Only for this European fund,

I do not think that the state would have been as competitive as it has

been. I know that there has been a downturn in the economy there but I

think if people all states... I think it needs to deal with its

infrastructure across the region. It is important to identify that

funding now because Ireland will become president in January and we

hope that the decision is made and agreed during that period. But as

somebody who travelled to Europe, to Brussels, as part of a committee

- and other members can confirm this - there are difficulties with

in Europe, having a vision of where Ireland is situated. They actually

thought that we were connected to the mainland of Europe. We had to

take out a map and show them that the blue stripe between us was

water. These were the people who were making the decisions as to the

next funding. Yet again, this motion farcically comes before this

House at a most unsatisfactory time. The list still does not include any

actual projects in Northern Ireland and they are only indicative

projects. Until regulations are settled, there will not be any

definitive list with actual projects. It will probably not come

to the house as a surprise that I have a different take on this

nation than maybe most of those who who have spoken today. Regional

funding in the EU is something which we are citizens of the UK

should examine very carefully because the reality is that it is

our own money that we are looking to recover park. When that funding

comes back, it is not Europe's money. It is not money that

somebody else has given to subsidise the United Kingdom. Far

from that, it is our own money being returned. But being returned

with all sorts of constraint upon it. And then we are supposed to be

great for and to speak about the largesse of the European Union for

being so graciously to give us back some of our own money. The projects

list does not really identify any specific projects. It refers to the

upgrading of the network on a pre- identified section from Dublin to

Belfast. In addition, I would wish to see opportunities for road

projects to be included on the list but I must Cathy at this by stating

that until there is more clarity around national and regional

capital budgets -- I must qualify this. A disability campaigner has

predicted that the introduction of welfare reforms will be

excruciating for disabled people. Michael Wilson of Disability Action

gave evidence to the OFMDFM committee. -- Monica Wilson. There

are a couple of areas. One is, there's no focus on older people

with disabilities, and they comprise a large percentage and

there is a direct correlation between age and disability. So we

think, although it may be presumed, we would rather see it as a more

formal approach and the massively important thing is that there is no

action plan. So if there is no action plan, there is no action, in

my opinion. There is no action plan? There is no action plan.

two-year strategy hardly seems worth the effort. I accept your

concern, don't stop the process. But for victims and survivors of

conflict, there is a ten-year strategy. Is there anything to stop

saying, we will plan to run this longer than 2015? The walls that

are between government departments are very difficult for stop for

example, the health and social care "transforming your care" document,

which is the Labour strategy on community care, most disabled

people already live in the community and to not have a good

service. So if the Health and Social Care Board is to ring of

physical and sensory disability strategy, there is the autism

strategy, there is a lot that needs to be joined up. They wrap pieces

in all of them that could make an action plan but at gathering is

OFMDFM's job, I pity him, -- I presume, and I think it would take

a reasonable amount of resources and this piece of work within

OFMDFM needs to be much better resourced. The strategy, even when

you get it, sits high above the ground and without smart targets

and an action plan, you do not actually achieve anything. And how

long will it take to compile an action plan, up when we are moving

into the second year? How long would it take you to devise an

action plan? Based on this? It would take to months' hard work.

your opening presentation committee said the environment is getting

worse for disabled people. Can you expand on that? We have been having

meetings. I will give you an example of a person. We have been

having meetings around Northern Ireland trying to support disabled

people and explain what the changes that are coming in are and when

they are coming in. At one meeting, a man was they who that not slept

for two nights because he was worried about losing his benefit

and that is not unusual. Our information advice service is

getting about 20% increase only on welfare reform. The issues around

welfare reform are many and complex and disabled people are not saying,

"don't adapt it, and, but saying that this is the wrong way to go by

just cutting people off." For example, if there was a check on me,

I did not be entitled to anything because I used a wheelchair. We

need to address the issues that make people like this. A 20% cut

will be excruciating for disabled people. If you look at the housing

issue, we have managed to get it changed from the spare room issue

so that a wheelchair user can have a care whether but, for example, if

you are alone -- a lone parent, you need someone coming for the weekend.

I understand the purpose but I do not think the purposes as preached.

But I think it is going to be disastrous because it is going to

put lots of resource needed in the existing services that are not able

to cope at present. We are going to have a disaster by next year.

Monica Wilson from Disability Action. A final thought, Sam, on

the subject of committees. A man who has been in the headlines a lot

recently, the Attorney General John Larkin, appeared before the just as

committed but we could not hear what he was having to say. It was

quite unusual. It happens quite often in councils were able send

out the press and members of the public to say they want to hear

something in private. It is not so common instalment and that has a