Official Report (Hansard)
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Official Report (Hansard) Tuesday 24 January 2017 Volume 123, No 4 Session 2016-2017 Contents Speaker's Business……………………………………………………………………………………….. 1 Assembly Business Public Accounts Committee ............................................................................................................... 1 Assembly Commission Membership ................................................................................................. 2 Assembly Members' Pension Scheme .............................................................................................. 2 Private Members' Business Cavity Insulation: NIHE Properties ................................................................................................... 2 Review of Bail Policy in Cases of Terrorism and Murder .................................................................. 17 Ministerial Code: Independent Investigation of Alleged Breaches ................................................... 34 Oral Answers to Questions Communities ...................................................................................................................................... 37 Economy ............................................................................................................................................ 46 Question for Urgent Oral Answer Health ................................................................................................................................................ 56 Ministerial Statement Public Inquiry on the Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme ................................................................ 58 Private Members' Business Ministerial Code: Independent Investigation of Alleged Breaches (Continued) ............................... 70 Adjournment Broadband: Newry and Armagh ....................................................................................................... 77 Assembly Members Agnew, Steven (North Down) Kennedy, Danny (Newry and Armagh) Aiken, Steve (South Antrim) Little Pengelly, Mrs Emma (South Belfast) Allen, Andy (East Belfast) Lockhart, Ms Carla (Upper Bann) Allister, Jim (North Antrim) Logan, Phillip (North Antrim) Anderson, Sydney (Upper Bann) Long, Mrs Naomi (East Belfast) Archibald, Ms Caoimhe (East Londonderry) Lunn, Trevor (Lagan Valley) Armstrong, Ms Kellie (Strangford) Lynch, Seán (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Attwood, Alex (West Belfast) Lyons, Gordon (East Antrim) Bailey, Ms Clare (South Belfast) Lyttle, Chris (East Belfast) Barton, Mrs Rosemary (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) McAleer, Declan (West Tyrone) Beattie, Doug (Upper Bann) McCann, Eamonn (Foyle) Beggs, Roy (East Antrim) McCann, Fra (West Belfast) Bell, Jonathan (Strangford) McCartney, Raymond (Foyle) Boylan, Cathal (Newry and Armagh) McCausland, Nelson (North Belfast) Boyle, Ms Michaela (West Tyrone) McCrossan, Daniel (West Tyrone) Bradley, Maurice (East Londonderry) McElduff, Barry (West Tyrone) Bradley, Ms Paula (North Belfast) McGlone, Patsy (Mid Ulster) Bradley, Ms Sinéad (South Down) McGrath, Colin (South Down) Bradshaw, Ms Paula (South Belfast) McGuigan, Philip (North Antrim) Buchanan, Keith (Mid Ulster) McGuinness, Martin (Foyle) Buchanan, Thomas (West Tyrone) McIlveen, Miss Michelle (Strangford) Bunting, Ms Joanne (East Belfast) McKee, Harold (South Down) Butler, Robbie (Lagan Valley) McMullan, Oliver (East Antrim) Cameron, Mrs Pam (South Antrim) McNulty, Justin (Newry & Armagh) Carroll, Gerry (West Belfast) McPhillips, Richie (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Chambers, Alan (North Down) McQuillan, Adrian (East Londonderry) Clarke, Trevor (South Antrim) Mallon, Ms Nichola (North Belfast) Dickson, Stewart (East Antrim) Maskey, Alex (West Belfast) Dillon, Ms Linda (Mid Ulster) Middleton, Gary (Foyle) Dobson, Mrs Jo-Anne (Upper Bann) Milne, Ian (Mid Ulster) Douglas, Sammy (East Belfast) Morrow, The Lord (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Dunne, Gordon (North Down) Mullan, Gerry (East Londonderry) Durkan, Mark (Foyle) Murphy, Conor (Newry and Armagh) Easton, Alex (North Down) Nesbitt, Mike (Strangford) Eastwood, Colum (Foyle) Newton, Robin (Speaker) Farry, Stephen (North Down) Ní Chuilín, Ms Carál (North Belfast) Fearon, Ms Megan (Newry and Armagh) Ó Muilleoir, Máirtín (South Belfast) Flynn, Ms Órlaithí (West Belfast) O'Dowd, John (Upper Bann) Ford, David (South Antrim) O'Neill, Mrs Michelle (Mid Ulster) Foster, Mrs Arlene (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Overend, Mrs Sandra (Mid Ulster) Frew, Paul (North Antrim) Palmer, Mrs Jenny (Lagan Valley) Gildernew, Ms Michelle (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Poots, Edwin (Lagan Valley) Girvan, Paul (South Antrim) Robinson, George (East Londonderry) Givan, Paul (Lagan Valley) Ross, Alastair (East Antrim) Hale, Mrs Brenda (Lagan Valley) Ruane, Ms Caitríona (South Down) Hamilton, Simon (Strangford) Seeley, Ms Catherine (Upper Bann) Hanna, Ms Claire (South Belfast) Sheehan, Pat (West Belfast) Hazzard, Chris (South Down) Smith, Philip (Strangford) Hilditch, David (East Antrim) Stalford, Christopher (South Belfast) Humphrey, William (North Belfast) Storey, Mervyn (North Antrim) Hussey, Ross (West Tyrone) Sugden, Ms Claire (East Londonderry) Irwin, William (Newry and Armagh) Swann, Robin (North Antrim) Kearney, Declan (South Antrim) Weir, Peter (North Down) Kelly, Gerry (North Belfast) Wells, Jim (South Down) Northern Ireland Assembly Tuesday 24 January 2017 The Assembly met at 10.30 am (Mr Speaker in the Chair). Members observed two minutes' silence. Mr Speaker: Can you just let me get through Speaker's Business some of the procedural business, and then we will take the point of order? Mr Speaker: Members, today is our last sitting ahead of the election in March. In the circumstances that this Assembly has not Assembly Business completed the full expected term, the normal conventions at the end of a mandate do not Public Accounts Committee seem to be appropriate. However, as Speaker, the one tradition that I want to ensure is maintained at this last sitting is to place on Mr Speaker: I wish to inform the House that I have received the resignation of Mr Robin record our thanks to the staff of the Assembly. Swann as Chairperson of the Public Accounts It is important to acknowledge that it has fallen Committee with effect from 11.58 pm on to Assembly staff to deal with the wide range of Wednesday 25 January 2017. pressures since last May. I also want us to recognise that, in these recent times, when Mr Nesbitt: On a point of order, Mr Speaker. there are increased political tensions, that has On behalf of the Ulster Unionist Party, I want to an unintended impact on the atmosphere in put on record my thanks to the staff on this which the Assembly officials work. However, I estate — every single one of them — for their want to express our thanks to all the staff unfailing professionalism and courtesy, and to working in this Building through all of that, no express regret for any disruption to their matter their role, for their efforts and professional lives that may be caused by the professionalism. I know that they have an current political impasse. Thank you for your unwavering commitment to wanting to see a indulgence. strong and active Assembly and that they will be ready to assist every single Member Mr Allister: On a point of order, Mr Speaker. following the election, regardless of the First of all, I join in thanking the staff, as you outcome. properly did, and associate myself with those remarks. Let me also express thanks on behalf of all of us to those others, including staff working for However, on a point of order, as Members of Members and parties in the Building or, indeed, this House we are, as I understand it, under an in their constituency offices. Their role also obligation to declare all relevant interests. As deserves recognition, as every Member relies Speaker, you, too, have oversight of the upon them to fulfil their Assembly duties. Committees of this House. What are the ramifications of Ms Carla Lockhart, as a To every Member who has declared that they member of the Public Accounts Committee, are not seeking to return, I want to failing to declare a family link to the renewable acknowledge their public service on behalf of heat incentive (RHI) scheme at a time when the House. While it brings privileges, the that same Committee was investigating the RHI House also involves sacrifices, and we want to scheme? thank you all for your commitment. There may be difficult times ahead, but I wish every Mr Speaker: I thank Mr Allister. That is not a Member well, whether seeking re-election or matter for the Speaker to deal with; it is a not, whatever their future might bring. matter for a Member to declare his or her interests on the appropriate register. Mr Nesbitt: On a point of order, Mr Speaker. 1 Tuesday 24 January 2017 Mr Swann: Further to that point of order, the PAC still meets tomorrow afternoon, so there Private Members' Business will be an opportunity to clarify that matter. Cavity Insulation: NIHE Properties Mr Dickson: On a point of order, Mr Speaker. Just very briefly, I also wish, on behalf of the Mr Speaker: The Business Committee has Alliance Party, to be associated with your words agreed to allow up to one hour and 30 minutes of thanks for the dedication of staff in this for the debate. The proposer of the motion will Assembly. have 10 minutes in which to propose and 10 minutes in which to make a winding-up speech. Assembly Commission Membership All other Members who are called to speak will have five minutes. Mr Speaker: The first item on the further revised Order Paper is