Official Report (Hansard) Monday 1 November 2010 Volume 57, No 2 Session 2010-2011 Contents Speaker’s Business Ministerial Appointment: Minister for Employment and Learning .......................................................25 Committee for the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister ............................................25 Public Petition: Student Loans .......................................................................................................25 Ministerial Statement Ministerial Visit to USA .................................................................................................................26 Review of Youth Justice.................................................................................................................34 Executive Committee Business Debt Relief Bill: Further Consideration Stage ..................................................................................40 Unsolicited Services (Trade and Business Directories) Bill: Further Consideration Stage ....................40 Committee Business Statutory Committee Membership .................................................................................................41 Standing Committee Membership ..................................................................................................41 Private Members’ Business External Consultants ....................................................................................................................41 Oral Answers to Questions Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister .......................................................................53 Culture, Arts and Leisure ..............................................................................................................59 Question for Urgent Oral Answer ..................................................................................................65 Private Members’ Business External Consultants (continued) ...................................................................................................67 University Funding ........................................................................................................................72 Suggested amendments or corrections will be considered by the Editor. They should be sent to: The Editor of Debates, Room 248, Parliament Buildings, Belfast BT4 3XX. Tel: 028 9052 1135 · e-mail: [email protected] to arrive not later than two weeks after publication of this report. Assembly Members Adams, Gerry (West Belfast) McCallister, John (South Down) Anderson, Ms Martina (Foyle) McCann, Fra (West Belfast) Anderson, Sydney (Upper Bann) McCann, Ms Jennifer (West Belfast) Armstrong, Billy (Mid Ulster) McCarthy, Kieran (Strangford) Attwood, Alex (West Belfast) McCartney, Raymond (Foyle) Bannside, The Lord (North Antrim) McCausland, Nelson (North Belfast) Beggs, Roy (East Antrim) McClarty, David (East Londonderry) Bell, Jonathan (Strangford) McCrea, Basil (Lagan Valley) Boylan, Cathal (Newry and Armagh) McCrea, Ian (Mid Ulster) Bradley, Dominic (Newry and Armagh) McDevitt, Conall (South Belfast) Bradley, Mrs Mary (Foyle) McDonnell, Dr Alasdair (South Belfast) Bradley, P J (South Down) Brady, Mickey (Newry and Armagh) McElduff, Barry (West Tyrone) Bresland, Allan (West Tyrone) McFarland, Alan (North Down) Browne, The Lord (East Belfast) McGill, Mrs Claire (West Tyrone) Buchanan, Thomas (West Tyrone) McGimpsey, Michael (South Belfast) Burns, Thomas (South Antrim) McGlone, Patsy (Mid Ulster) Butler, Paul (Lagan Valley) McGuinness, Martin (Mid Ulster) Campbell, Gregory (East Londonderry) McHugh, Gerry (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Clarke, Trevor (South Antrim) McIlveen, Miss Michelle (Strangford) Clarke, Willie (South Down) McKay, Daithí (North Antrim) Cobain, Fred (North Belfast) McLaughlin, Mitchel (South Antrim) Coulter, Rev Dr Robert (North Antrim) McNarry, David (Strangford) Craig, Jonathan (Lagan Valley) McQuillan, Adrian (East Londonderry) Cree, Leslie (North Down) Maginness, Alban (North Belfast) Dallat, John (East Londonderry) Maskey, Alex (South Belfast) Deeny, Dr Kieran (West Tyrone) Maskey, Paul (West Belfast) Doherty, Pat (West Tyrone) Molloy, Francie (Mid Ulster) Durkan, Mark (Foyle) Morrow, The Lord (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Easton, Alex (North Down) Elliott, Tom (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Moutray, Stephen (Upper Bann) Empey, Sir Reg (East Belfast) Murphy, Conor (Newry and Armagh) Farry, Dr Stephen (North Down) Neeson, Sean (East Antrim) Ford, David (South Antrim) Newton, Robin (East Belfast) Foster, Mrs Arlene (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Ní Chuilín, Ms Carál (North Belfast) Frew, Paul (North Antrim) O’Dowd, John (Upper Bann) Gallagher, Tommy (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) O’Loan, Declan (North Antrim) Gardiner, Samuel (Upper Bann) O’Neill, Mrs Michelle (Mid Ulster) Gibson, Simpson (Strangford) Poots, Edwin (Lagan Valley) Gildernew, Ms Michelle (Fermanagh and Purvis, Ms Dawn (East Belfast) South Tyrone) Ramsey, Pat (Foyle) Girvan, Paul (South Antrim) Ramsey, Ms Sue (West Belfast) Givan, Paul (Lagan Valley) Ritchie, Ms Margaret (South Down) Hamilton, Simon (Strangford) Robinson, George (East Londonderry) Hay, William (Speaker) Robinson, Ken (East Antrim) Hilditch, David (East Antrim) Robinson, Peter (East Belfast) Humphrey, William (North Belfast) Ross, Alastair (East Antrim) Irwin, William (Newry and Armagh) Kelly, Mrs Dolores (Upper Bann) Ruane, Ms Caitríona (South Down) Kelly, Gerry (North Belfast) Savage, George (Upper Bann) Kennedy, Danny (Newry and Armagh) Spratt, Jimmy (South Belfast) Kinahan, Danny (South Antrim) Storey, Mervyn (North Antrim) Leonard, Billy (East Londonderry) Weir, Peter (North Down) Lo, Ms Anna (South Belfast) Wells, Jim (South Down) Lunn, Trevor (Lagan Valley) Wilson, Brian (North Down) Lyttle, Chris (East Belfast) Wilson, Sammy (East Antrim) Northern Ireland Assembly Monday 1 November 2010 The Assembly met at 12.00 noon (Mr Speaker in the Chair). Members observed two minutes’ silence. Speaker’s Business Public Petition: Student Loans Mr Speaker: Mr Pat Ramsey has sought leave Ministerial Appointment: Minister for to present a public petition in accordance with Employment and Learning Standing Order 22. Mr Speaker: I have been notified that Sir Reg Mr P Ramsey: Mr Speaker, I thank you and the Empey has tendered his resignation as Minister Business Committee for allowing me to present for Employment and Learning to the First Minister the petition. and deputy First Minister in accordance with section 18(9)(a) of the Northern Ireland Act On 14 May 2010, the Russell Group presented 1998. The resignation was effective from 27 proposals for student loans across Britain. A October 2010. campaign was launched at that time in opposition to those proposals, particularly the one that In accordance with section 18(10) of the Act, stated that graduates should be asked to start the nominating officer of the Ulster Unionist repaying their student loan earlier and at a Party, Mr Tom Elliott, has nominated Mr Danny much higher interest rate. I want to present this Kennedy to hold the office of Minister for petition to you. Employment and Learning. Mr Kennedy affirmed the terms of the Pledge of Office, as set out Mr Ramsey moved forward and laid the petition in schedule 4 to the Act, in the presence of on the Table. the Deputy Speaker, Mr Francie Molloy, and Mr Speaker: I will forward the petition to the the Director of Clerking and Reporting on 27 Minister for Employment and Learning and send October. I therefore confirm that Mr Kennedy a copy to the Chairperson of the Committee for has taken up office as Minister for Employment Employment and Learning. and Learning. Committee for the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister Mr Speaker: I have received the resignation of Mr Danny Kennedy as Chairperson of the Committee for the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister. The resignation took effect from 27 October 2010. The party’s nominating officer, Mr Tom Elliott, has nominated himself as Chairperson of the Committee for the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister, also with effect from 27 October, and has taken up the appointment. I am satisfied that the requirements of Standing Orders have been met, and I confirm Mr Tom Elliott as Chairperson of the Committee for the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister with effect from 27 October. 25 Monday 1 November 2010 Ministerial Statement In furthering our economic agenda, the deputy First Minister and I travelled to Washington Ministerial Visit to USA DC to participate in a series of high-profile business events focusing on encouraging trade, Mr Speaker: I have received notice from the investment and collaboration in research. Office of the First Minister and deputy First The purpose of our visit was to participate in Minister that the First Minister wishes to make the US/NI economic conference, hosted by a statement. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and in other business and research and development-related The First Minister (Mr P Robinson): With your events that Invest Northern Ireland and the permission, Mr Speaker, I will make a statement Northern Ireland Bureau organised. on the United States/Northern Ireland economic conference that took place in Washington DC on Prior to the conference, the deputy First Minister Tuesday 19 October. and I participated in a joint meeting of the US and Northern Ireland working groups that I attended the event with the deputy First Minister, support