:00:25. > :00:31.After weeks of deals, deadlines and discussion over the DUP leadership,
:00:32. > :00:35.it was back to more procedural politics on the hill today.
:00:36. > :00:38.But that's not to say the matters they talked about weren't important.
:00:39. > :00:43.MLAs discussed the recent closure of some private care homes, the
:00:44. > :00:47.powers of the new Stormont watchdog and funding in local football.
:00:48. > :00:49.So tonight, The Health Minister comes out fighting when accused
:00:50. > :01:03.I think it is disappointing that the member in his opening comments chose
:01:04. > :01:07.to make a baseless political attack on me and that is absolutely
:01:08. > :01:09.disgraceful on such an important day that he would seek to do that
:01:10. > :01:14.without any justification. And there's some difference
:01:15. > :01:23.in opinion about the powers given to It may well be you will have an
:01:24. > :01:26.ombudsman here, claiming against a doctor or a dentist when there has
:01:27. > :01:30.not been legal representation. And with me to share his thoughts
:01:31. > :01:33.on today's developments is the The Health Minister has been accused
:01:34. > :01:44.of being "asleep at the wheel" after the
:01:45. > :01:46.announcement that seven privately Last week Simon Hamilton halted the
:01:47. > :01:50.planned closure of ten state-run homes after Four Seasons said it was
:01:51. > :01:53.shutting several facilities. The decision will affect more than
:01:54. > :01:58.250 patients and almost 400 staff. Today, an urgent oral question
:01:59. > :02:12.was tabled and MLAs were keen to This decision was taken
:02:13. > :02:17.independently of the department and we are no input to the analysis
:02:18. > :02:21.conducted by Four Seasons. We appreciate the closure of seven
:02:22. > :02:27.nursing homes by Bontnewydd will impact on many residents and their
:02:28. > :02:32.families and cause great anxiety for those directly affected by the
:02:33. > :02:38.closures. My colleagues are working closely with the health and social
:02:39. > :02:42.care trust and Four Seasons in developing plans to manage the
:02:43. > :02:47.transition for alternative care arrangements. We aim to ensure any
:02:48. > :02:50.relocation will be managed with minimal disruption to residents and
:02:51. > :02:54.that they are able to remain as close to their original location as
:02:55. > :03:01.possible. The continued well-being of residence will be the priority
:03:02. > :03:06.it. Should we conclude the minister has been caught asleep at the wheel
:03:07. > :03:11.on this issue? Given the fact it's such a serious issue which affects
:03:12. > :03:16.254 residents and their families, and indeed over 300 staff, I think
:03:17. > :03:20.is disappointing that the member in his opening comments chose to make a
:03:21. > :03:24.baseless political attack on me and it's absolutely disgraceful that on
:03:25. > :03:29.such an important issue that the member would seek to do that without
:03:30. > :03:35.any justification whatsoever. I am aware there are a range of issues
:03:36. > :03:38.facing this sector and some of them are around staffing issues and
:03:39. > :03:42.shortage of nurses which is something this sector and all
:03:43. > :03:45.sectors in health and social care and parts of the UK and beyond are
:03:46. > :03:50.facing in terms of a shortage of staff. And as the minister
:03:51. > :03:57.specifically whether he now agrees that either him or his predecessors
:03:58. > :04:05.have actually perceived this as a failure in terms of planning for our
:04:06. > :04:15.ageing population? I don't accept the chemists of a failure by my
:04:16. > :04:19.predecessors. -- premise. While we been aware of difficulties that we
:04:20. > :04:23.are facing, we were not aware until the very luckily that we were
:04:24. > :04:27.specifically going to close seven homes when indicated last Tuesday
:04:28. > :04:30.they were going to close. I do not accept that there is much I could
:04:31. > :04:36.have done in my position as health Minister in a devolved region to be
:04:37. > :04:43.allowed a company who have over 10% of... Think of their debts, there
:04:44. > :04:48.was very little I could have done to arrest that. Permit me important
:04:49. > :04:51.distinction between nursing care and visit ensure care. What extra
:04:52. > :04:56.support will be available at the residential homes if they are going
:04:57. > :05:05.to accommodate some of these people moving from... ? You are right,
:05:06. > :05:09.there is an important distinction that is important we follow that
:05:10. > :05:11.flew in terms of the question he has asked about moving people with
:05:12. > :05:16.complex nursing needs into residential care. That would not be
:05:17. > :05:20.appropriate for particularly those who are very, very complex needs.
:05:21. > :05:24.They were not get the standard of care that we would want to see them
:05:25. > :05:30.gets. We need to be very, very careful. This is not the statutory
:05:31. > :05:34.residential care homes, it is not a solution to issues with those of
:05:35. > :05:37.complex nursing care needs. That doesn't mean there may not be
:05:38. > :05:41.opportunities elsewhere within the state sector for those who do have,
:05:42. > :05:44.let's nursing needs to be looked after all indeed elsewhere within
:05:45. > :05:49.the independent sector. That's why there emphasis should be on us
:05:50. > :05:54.seeing that the residents get the appropriate care they need, and in
:05:55. > :05:58.most cases that is nursing care. And to try getting as close to their
:05:59. > :06:02.care location as we possibly can. We will be working to that but it will
:06:03. > :06:05.not be a matter of moving people with complex needs and put them into
:06:06. > :06:08.residential care homes, that would not be right for them.
:06:09. > :06:14.We saw the Health Minister being accused of being asleep
:06:15. > :06:28.It is an affair. This is a private company running its own homes. There
:06:29. > :06:31.is no evidence that anyone in the Department knew they had huge
:06:32. > :06:38.financial problems, so huge they would have to close homes. This came
:06:39. > :06:43.as a bombshell. Suddenly, you have seven homes closing, the other ten
:06:44. > :06:50.are not closing, still having to find room for 450 odd patients. I
:06:51. > :06:52.don't you can claim he was irresponsible, because it was out of
:06:53. > :06:54.his hands at that stage. But Simon Hamilton was very
:06:55. > :07:03.keen to defend his position? You don't offer seem angry. He
:07:04. > :07:10.doesn't jump up and down, that is as close as I have seen Simon to
:07:11. > :07:14.steaming. He was angry. Usually Simon is confident and relaxed, he
:07:15. > :07:19.was very angry. And in this case defender of the policy of the
:07:20. > :07:27.departments, I think in this case he was justifiably angry. This was not
:07:28. > :07:37.his fault. How do you think Simon is doing? And then the health ministry
:07:38. > :07:40.as a grave political careers. There's always something, so we need
:07:41. > :07:44.people go through that system, some of the compliments. I think he was
:07:45. > :07:48.much more comfortable, it is partly his background, he was much more
:07:49. > :07:51.comfortable as finance minister. But we've you talk to people coming but
:07:52. > :07:55.the two bombers, senior civil servants, people who have met him,
:07:56. > :08:00.they all say he is enormously likeable, but he is also remarkably
:08:01. > :08:05.well briefed. He is well thought of, but that may not come across to the
:08:06. > :08:10.public, though I think he is one of the best ministers we have. Not for
:08:11. > :08:15.the top job this time, but do you think we might see that in the
:08:16. > :08:24.future? It is possible. He is after generation and younger, he needs to
:08:25. > :08:29.learn the ropes. I would think that maybe in 7-10 years' time, Simon may
:08:30. > :08:32.be First Minister. If he keeps the performance up that he has over the
:08:33. > :08:36.last few years, it would take an awful lot at this stage to blot his
:08:37. > :08:40.copybook. He is on the ladder. Thanks, Alex.
:08:41. > :08:42.Ombudsman or Ombudsperson? That, again, was the question during the
:08:43. > :08:45.further consideration stage of the Public Services Ombudsperson's Bill.
:08:46. > :08:47.It aims to merge the posts of Commissioner for Complaints
:08:48. > :08:51.and Assembly Ombudsman into a new office.
:08:52. > :08:53.MLAs raised a number of concerns over the ombudsman's powers and
:08:54. > :09:06.The amendments all relate to a change in the title of the new
:09:07. > :09:12.office from Ombudsperson to ombudsman. The committee considered
:09:13. > :09:17.the use of the term Ombudsperson in the bill and noted that it was
:09:18. > :09:21.several committees and their intentions that it should be gender
:09:22. > :09:29.neutral. The committee received evidence from the the ombudsman
:09:30. > :09:34.Association and the Welsh and Irish ombudsman, that the term ombudsman
:09:35. > :09:38.is already gender neutral. Our view was that we will prefer the title to
:09:39. > :09:42.remain Ombudsperson and we do understand origins of the word and
:09:43. > :09:48.the whole question relating to the gender issue. And it been a gender
:09:49. > :09:52.neutral word. By the same token, we believe there has been an ongoing
:09:53. > :09:58.cultural change in the last number of years whereby people tend to move
:09:59. > :10:03.away from using the word manner. Amendment 139. It has been
:10:04. > :10:09.considered by the OFM committee and it cannot support it. This amendment
:10:10. > :10:13.would remove entirely clause 46 of the bill for delay before the
:10:14. > :10:16.Assembly special report where injustice has been sustained by a
:10:17. > :10:24.person aggrieved and that injustice not been, nor will be, remedied. The
:10:25. > :10:27.power for an ombudsman to make a special report to the Legislature in
:10:28. > :10:33.such circumstances is common to all UK ombudsman. It would seem strange
:10:34. > :10:36.to say the least if this Assembly were to establish an ombudsman with
:10:37. > :10:40.very effective powers of investigation and yet, by the
:10:41. > :10:45.ombudsman finds the person who suffered injustice and that that
:10:46. > :10:50.injustice has not and will not be remedied, to strip the ombudsman of
:10:51. > :10:56.the power to make a special rapport before this Assembly. We cannot just
:10:57. > :11:03.give a blanket permission to an ombudsman to make a special report
:11:04. > :11:10.which could, as the chair has a very fairly pointed out, could have a
:11:11. > :11:15.reputational impact, and adverse position of impact. In other words,
:11:16. > :11:20.the person who has reported could well suffer reputational or
:11:21. > :11:24.professional and damage. You can have a situation where it really is
:11:25. > :11:30.around the medical profession that we are speaking, a situation where a
:11:31. > :11:35.doctor is brought before the ombudsman because of the complaint.
:11:36. > :11:40.At the moment, it it is the ombudsman's discretion and that's a
:11:41. > :11:46.discussion for another day. But he may well be that you will have an
:11:47. > :11:50.ombudsman involving a complaint against a GP, Doctor or dentist,
:11:51. > :11:55.whether as be no legal representation. What happens over
:11:56. > :12:00.special adviser, perhaps under the encouragement his or her minister,
:12:01. > :12:09.acted outside the code of conduct? Does they all think such a minister
:12:10. > :12:13.would agree to initiate an investigatory disciplinary action
:12:14. > :12:22.against against their special adviser? Clearly there is a weakness
:12:23. > :12:28.in the current system and my concern is that the legislation in front of
:12:29. > :12:35.us today may not be specific enough and enable that to continue into the
:12:36. > :12:39.future. I think some people may be misunderstanding the importance of
:12:40. > :12:45.this amendment. This is to give you remedy to someone like Jenny Palmer
:12:46. > :12:53.-- a remedy, who felt she had been bullied and oppressed by a special
:12:54. > :13:01.adviser. That special adviser was protected internally from any
:13:02. > :13:04.discipline by his minister, who superseded handover of the
:13:05. > :13:09.recommendation to that effect. But the individual effects that Mrs
:13:10. > :13:15.Palmer was left effectively without remedy. This amendment would give
:13:16. > :13:21.her the potential of remedy to make a complaint to the ombudsman about
:13:22. > :13:27.the bullying and oppressive behaviour to which she was subjected
:13:28. > :13:29.by a fully paid civil servant under the guise of being a special
:13:30. > :13:33.adviser. And after a series of votes
:13:34. > :13:36.on amendments, that bill passed There was some difference
:13:37. > :13:41.in opinion during that debate over the right of representation
:13:42. > :13:52.for anyone subject to a complaint? I think what we already his system
:13:53. > :13:58.is a number of Ombudsperson all. It takes an extraordinarily long time
:13:59. > :14:03.for them to do a report. In some cases it has taken almost two years.
:14:04. > :14:07.I'm not sure if bundling them into what is almost like a soup
:14:08. > :14:13.Ombudsperson is going to help. They might make it much more difficult.
:14:14. > :14:20.If you talking about a remedy, I'm not sure this is the best way, I
:14:21. > :14:25.think it is actually complicated. Some MLAs were bringing up special
:14:26. > :14:31.advisers there. I take the point that Jenny Palmer may have been able
:14:32. > :14:34.to go, but I'm not sure that is the case. The nature of special
:14:35. > :14:39.advisers, they are protected by the party, by the Minister, and they
:14:40. > :14:46.will be protected if the Minister of the word in the ear of key
:14:47. > :14:50.departmental figures. If 18 years -- months down the line, some
:14:51. > :14:54.Ombudsperson says Jenny, everything's fine, it is too late.
:14:55. > :14:59.It will have moved on. In a case like that community and still are. A
:15:00. > :15:03.matter of weeks at most. She would still be waiting now, maybe for
:15:04. > :15:06.another six months! She can do nothing else, she will not be able
:15:07. > :15:18.to move into the Ombudsperson brings out the report. -- until the
:15:19. > :15:26.Ombudsperson brings out the report. John O'Dowd brought out and
:15:27. > :15:31.anti-bullying bill. We are asked about another layer of red tape and
:15:32. > :15:36.teachers will be expected to make notes and it is just nonsense. We
:15:37. > :15:39.have to sometimes sated teachers that they are running a class are
:15:40. > :15:45.acting on our behalf and use your judgment, not everyone makes a
:15:46. > :15:48.bully, kids make mistakes. Deal with it.
:15:49. > :15:51.The Education Minister faced Question Time today and he revealed
:15:52. > :15:54.to MLAs that some legal action by unions, challenging how teachers
:15:55. > :16:00.assess pupils here, has been dropped.
:16:01. > :16:03.John O'Dowd told that the so-called Levels of Progression are the best
:16:04. > :16:07.The Minister was asked for an update on the matter by
:16:08. > :16:17.I have listened to the views and concerns and they have listened to
:16:18. > :16:23.mine and demonstrated that this is accurate. We have common ground and
:16:24. > :16:27.it is my view there can now be no possible justification for continued
:16:28. > :16:30.industrial action in this area. On October the 22nd wrote to the
:16:31. > :16:34.teachers Council representing all of the unions and I set out the
:16:35. > :16:41.significant steps I am prepared to take on the end of Key stage
:16:42. > :16:46.assessments at 16 and 15 and I recognise those must evolve as they
:16:47. > :16:49.embed. If other unions follow the examples of those thus far it will
:16:50. > :16:54.give us space to continue discussions and allow the
:16:55. > :16:57.assessments to begin and, as I repeatedly said during my
:16:58. > :17:01.discussions with the unions, that we need to allow this process to
:17:02. > :17:07.begin. It will evolve over a period of time and we all want to ensure
:17:08. > :17:13.that we can achieve the best education possible for our young
:17:14. > :17:20.people and we have the correct way of recording our data for that
:17:21. > :17:25.purpose. Principal Deputy Speaker, can I ask the Minister that at the
:17:26. > :17:27.heart of this there seems to be a lack of confidence over Levels of
:17:28. > :17:32.Progression as a means of assessment. When the minister talks
:17:33. > :17:36.about our evolving situation, one of the evolution that has two skirt is
:17:37. > :17:41.the continuation of alternative means of assessment as we move
:17:42. > :17:47.forward. For this process to evolve, it has to begin. For it to begin, I
:17:48. > :17:52.welcome the fact that our own number of unions extending -- suspending
:17:53. > :17:57.their industrial action. We must achieve an assessment process that
:17:58. > :18:03.makes the neat -- meets the needs of young people in our education system
:18:04. > :18:09.and our teachers. Perhaps some simple English and using more than
:18:10. > :18:12.-- no more than two syllable words, would the Minister agree with me
:18:13. > :18:15.that the Levels of Progression were used as an accountability measure
:18:16. > :18:23.and eroded any possible use they might have had as an assessment for
:18:24. > :18:27.learning tool. What is wrong with the Department for Education, or an
:18:28. > :18:32.education authority having an accountability mechanism? How do we
:18:33. > :18:34.ensure that our young people are receiving the educational
:18:35. > :18:41.opportunities they should receive? I make no apologies whatsoever for the
:18:42. > :18:47.accountability. I have told the unions I have no apologies for Si
:18:48. > :18:52.King accountability routes and it is how those tools I use that are at
:18:53. > :18:57.cause for concern for the unions and the unions themselves are not shying
:18:58. > :19:00.away from accountability. It is the purpose of what the accountability
:19:01. > :19:06.is used for and they were concerned that Levels of Progression would be
:19:07. > :19:09.a blunt tool to identify schools under the Levels of Progression that
:19:10. > :19:13.can be identified as underachieving and therefore all the power of the
:19:14. > :19:17.Department for Education falls upon them and I have assured the unions
:19:18. > :19:21.that that is not possible and output changes in place to ensure that is
:19:22. > :19:24.not the purpose of them and the purpose of them is to ensure that
:19:25. > :19:24.young person's education is up to standard.
:19:25. > :19:26.Tuition fees, budget cuts and funding
:19:27. > :19:29.for further and higher education all came up during questions to the
:19:30. > :19:33.But first, Stephen Farry was asked to give an update on the current
:19:34. > :19:37.business case for the expansion of Ulster University's Magee campus.
:19:38. > :19:45.We have asked for further clarification on a number of points
:19:46. > :19:49.and that request was made by my officials at the beginning of July
:19:50. > :19:53.this year and we have yet to receive the revised business case and I
:19:54. > :19:57.would encourage those who are finalising it to get it to us as
:19:58. > :20:04.quickly as possible, not least given that decisions and budgets are
:20:05. > :20:08.looming. Ultimately the issue of the expansion lies with higher
:20:09. > :20:11.education, has the member will appreciate and higher education is
:20:12. > :20:16.set to be part of the new Department of the economy from May 2016
:20:17. > :20:20.onwards. Does he accept that proposals to increase tuition fees
:20:21. > :20:24.would have a negative impact on his department's commitment to widening
:20:25. > :20:28.access to people in disadvantaged areas. I have not proposed an
:20:29. > :20:32.increase in tuition fees, I have simply outlined the fact that our
:20:33. > :20:36.current system is unsustainable. My first priority is to ensure we have
:20:37. > :20:41.a sustainable system for the future of our economy and the future of
:20:42. > :20:45.society, and also to give young people opportunities. Until we can
:20:46. > :20:50.find a solution around which we have a bill of consensus all options
:20:51. > :20:54.remain on the table and stage I am not advocating an increase in
:20:55. > :20:57.tuition fees. The cuts that the executive have imposed on my
:20:58. > :21:01.department, and I have had to pass on to universities have already had
:21:02. > :21:04.an impact in terms of people's ability to access higher education.
:21:05. > :21:08.We have had a situation where we have fewer places on offer from this
:21:09. > :21:39.year so some people will be forced to forced to go to Great Britain or
:21:40. > :21:42.elsewhere in the world and be forced off to pay higher tuition fees than
:21:43. > :21:44.would be on offer in Northern Ireland and in some cases people
:21:45. > :21:47.have had no opportunity to go to university at all and therefore lost
:21:48. > :21:49.out on a life transformational opportunity, so we are seeing very
:21:50. > :21:51.real costs already. Does the Minister intend to make his
:21:52. > :21:53.recommendations on the funding of higher and further education decided
:21:54. > :21:55.the election or was the big conversation be delaying tactic to
:21:56. > :21:57.avoid potentially unpopular decisions? I hear the former
:21:58. > :21:59.minister did exactly that saying here here so clearly we know where
:22:00. > :22:02.the form lies in this particular regard to, which I think was why my
:22:03. > :22:04.department was chosen last because of the political hot potato of
:22:05. > :22:09.tuition fees was left unresolved until after the Assembly Election.
:22:10. > :22:13.What happens is very much in the hands of the executive and also the
:22:14. > :22:17.Assembly. Let me be very clear, I am determined to get this issue
:22:18. > :22:21.resolved. We cannot park this issue it cannot afford to park this issue.
:22:22. > :22:25.Our universities are bleeding already and we have issues that are
:22:26. > :22:30.unresolved will undermine our credibility. With the Minister agree
:22:31. > :22:35.that the corporation tax to work properly and benefit all in society
:22:36. > :22:38.we need a high productivity, high waged and high skilled economy and
:22:39. > :22:42.with recent cuts in places of universities are entirely counter
:22:43. > :22:48.strategic to the introduction of corporation tax and that ambition.
:22:49. > :22:50.Yes, I entirely concur with the sentiments that the member has
:22:51. > :22:56.expressed anger has been a major focal point of question Time to date
:22:57. > :23:00.and I would echo the point that I have made, that was important as we
:23:01. > :23:04.look ahead to making our own budget decisions over the coming weeks and
:23:05. > :23:07.months that we very much have in mind some of the things have been
:23:08. > :23:11.done in the past and the requirements of the future and it is
:23:12. > :23:14.important that we start now to further invest in skills.
:23:15. > :23:16.The stop-start upgrade for Windsor Park has attracted much
:23:17. > :23:18.attention in recent months, but today the Culture Minister
:23:19. > :23:21.revealed that it's not the only stadium that can expect an upgrade.
:23:22. > :23:31.Caral Ni Chuilin today launched a 12-week consultation aimed at
:23:32. > :23:33.invigorating grassroots football in Northern Ireland, with more than ?36
:23:34. > :23:44.The consultation document has been developed to reflect priorities
:23:45. > :23:49.outlined in the draft paper prepared by the IFA in 2011. Today's launch
:23:50. > :23:54.takes into account these priorities as well as subsequent needs that
:23:55. > :23:59.have emerged in soccer since then, by providing an opportunity over the
:24:00. > :24:03.next 12 weeks for every one to input before the programme is finalised.
:24:04. > :24:07.Will the Minister recognise the Minister recogniser into media and
:24:08. > :24:12.junior football in real need of support for the individual and
:24:13. > :24:18.community outcomes it achieves four groups in areas of particular high
:24:19. > :24:22.social need? Witchy commit to ensuring that as many football clubs
:24:23. > :24:27.as possible are fully aware of the opportunities that this fund will
:24:28. > :24:31.create? I thank the member for his question and I certainly agree with
:24:32. > :24:34.most of the sentiments he has made, if not all, particularly in terms of
:24:35. > :24:39.the intermediate and junior football, and within that I include
:24:40. > :24:42.boys and girls as well because there is a real problem with
:24:43. > :24:49.representation of women, particularly in the three big sports
:24:50. > :24:57.and in fairness there should be steps to ensure more inclusion. All
:24:58. > :25:01.must have and to demonstrate inclusiveness, they must demonstrate
:25:02. > :25:05.that they are reaching people who have not been reached in the past
:25:06. > :25:10.and not just for the application process but also for the future, and
:25:11. > :25:17.it will be strongly tested. Can I asked the manager there are any for
:25:18. > :25:24.a similar scheme for rugby in the future? The member has engaged with
:25:25. > :25:29.the three main sports and he would have heard that along with the sub
:25:30. > :25:33.regional programme for soccer, along with the IFA, along with Ulster
:25:34. > :25:41.Council GAA and indeed Ulster Rugby, the three bodies have actually asked
:25:42. > :25:44.for additional resources for sub regional opportunities in the next
:25:45. > :25:48.mandate. Those discussions have started and while we are launching
:25:49. > :25:53.the consultation into the sub regional soccer, I have already said
:25:54. > :25:56.that there was probably and most likely not enough money to meet the
:25:57. > :26:00.needs of also those conversations between the big three sporting
:26:01. > :26:05.bodies are my department have started and I am encouraged by what
:26:06. > :26:10.I have heard is thus far because it would seem the direction of travel
:26:11. > :26:17.for the three big sports, not just looking at single facilities but
:26:18. > :26:22.facilities they can share, and share physical facilities and also skills
:26:23. > :26:27.and expertise. Speaker, I understand that this announcement comes from an
:26:28. > :26:31.decision by the executive on the 10th of March 2011 and that is some
:26:32. > :26:35.time ago and a lot has changed since then, not least of which is the
:26:36. > :26:40.financial position we are in and I wonder if the Minister has had cause
:26:41. > :26:43.to bring this minister back to the executive at all and ask them if
:26:44. > :26:46.they are sure that in the light of other opportunities we really should
:26:47. > :26:49.be in a lot has changed since then, not least of which is the financial
:26:50. > :26:52.position we are in and I wonder if the Minister has had cause to bring
:26:53. > :26:55.this minister back to the executive at all and ask them if they are sure
:26:56. > :26:57.that in the light of other opportunities we really should be
:26:58. > :26:59.the member will be aware that there is a programme for government
:27:00. > :27:05.development in developing stadium that still stands. Prior to this
:27:06. > :27:07.consultation being launched today I consulted my colleagues in
:27:08. > :27:10.correspondence to let them know it is the case. I have had no feedback
:27:11. > :27:11.from anyone to suggest that this is not value for money.
:27:12. > :27:14.And Alex Kane is with me for a final word.
:27:15. > :27:17.Away from the chamber, there was a significant ruling today on abortion
:27:18. > :27:33.People say this is landmark, and it is. But is it another one of those
:27:34. > :27:36.little signs that a lot that is going to change in Northern Ireland
:27:37. > :27:39.is coming through the courts, because the Assembly has not been
:27:40. > :27:43.able to do it or have the proper debates and it has become very us
:27:44. > :27:48.and them on all sorts of strange issues like the gay blood thing and
:27:49. > :27:51.this and same-sex marriage and on all the big socio moral issues that
:27:52. > :27:54.we need to see changed in Northern Ireland it is going to be the courts
:27:55. > :27:59.that need it and that is astonishing. Is there any chance now
:28:00. > :28:03.that we will see legislation on abortion? I think it will have to
:28:04. > :28:07.come. There is no doubt there will be a appeal, it has to be a test
:28:08. > :28:11.case, that has been accepted by all sides, but I would be very surprised
:28:12. > :28:15.if we did not in the next 18 months or two years see legislation because
:28:16. > :28:18.the Assembly won't. They cannot just throw down a petition and say they
:28:19. > :28:26.do not care about the court and judicial reviews, it will be forced
:28:27. > :28:29.upon them. You do not then expect this to be the last time that court
:28:30. > :28:31.intervenes on a very contentious political matter? Know, and they
:28:32. > :28:37.shouldn't have to to convene -- intervene. They should be the very
:28:38. > :28:40.last port of call on these matters and they should not be just because
:28:41. > :28:43.the various parties do not want to deal with an issue. You get the
:28:44. > :28:47.sense that they want to pass it on, they know they will have to make it
:28:48. > :28:50.but they want to shop there for shoulders and say they were forced
:28:51. > :28:55.to do it. They knew was coming down the road and it is unstoppable.
:28:56. > :29:00.Thank you very much for joining us on storm on today. That is it for
:29:01. > :29:04.tonight and Mark is back at the same time tomorrow night at 11:15pm on
:29:05. > :29:06.BBC Two. Until then, from everyone on the team, have a good evening.
:29:07. > :29:11.Goodbye.