OFFICIAL REPORT (Hansard) Vol u m e 5 (5 June 2000 to 1 September 2000) BELFAST: THE STATIONERY OFFICE LTD £90.00 © Copyright The Assembly Commission. Produced and published in Northern Ireland on behalf of the Northern Ireland Assembly by the The Stationery Office Ltd, which is responsible for printing and publishing Northern Ireland Assembly publications. ISBN 0 339 80003 8 Volume 5 (5 June 2000 to 1 September 2000) ASSEMBLY MEMBERS (A = Alliance Party; NIWC = Northern Ireland Women’s Coalition; PUP = Progressive Unionist Party; SDLP = Social Democratic and Labour Party; SF = Sinn Fein; DUP = Ulster Democratic Unionist Party; UKUP = United Kingdom Unionist Party; UUP = Ulster Unionist Party; UUAP = United Unionist Assembly Party; NIUP = Northern Ireland Unionist Party) Adams, Gerry (SF) (West Belfast) Kelly, John (SF) (Mid Ulster) Adamson, Dr Ian (UUP) (East Belfast) Kennedy, Danny (UUP) (Newry and Armagh) Agnew, Fraser (UUAP) (North Belfast) Leslie, James (UUP) (North Antrim) Alderdice, The Lord (Speaker) Lewsley, Ms Patricia (SDLP) (Lagan Valley) Armitage, Ms Pauline (UUP) (East Londonderry) Maginness, Alban (SDLP) (North Belfast) Armstrong, Billy (UUP) (Mid Ulster) Mallon, Séamus (SDLP) (Newry and Armagh) Attwood, Alex (SDLP) (West Belfast) Maskey, Alex (SF) (West Belfast) Beggs, Roy (UUP) (East Antrim) McCarthy, Kieran (A) (Strangford) Bell, Billy (UUP) (Lagan Valley) McCartney, Robert (UKUP) (North Down) Bell, Mrs Eileen (A) (North Down) McClarty, David (UUP) (East Londonderry) Benson, Tom (UUP) (Strangford) McCrea, Rev Dr William (DUP) (Mid Ulster) Berry, Paul (DUP) (Newry and Armagh) McClelland, Donovan (SDLP) (South Antrim) Birnie, Dr Esmond (UUP) (South Belfast) McDonnell, Dr Alasdair (SDLP) (South Belfast) Boyd, Norman (NIUP) (South Antrim) McElduff, Barry (SF) (West Tyrone) Bradley,PJ(SDLP) (South Down) McFarland, Alan (UUP) (North Down) Byrne, Joe (SDLP) (West Tyrone) McGimpsey, Michael (UUP) (South Belfast) Campbell, Gregory (DUP) (East Londonderry) McGrady, Eddie (SDLP) (South Down) Carrick, Mervyn (DUP) (Upper Bann) McGuinness, Martin (SF) (Mid Ulster) Carson, Mrs Joan (UUP) (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) McHugh, Gerry (SF) (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Close, Seamus (A) (Lagan Valley) McLaughlin, Mitchel (SF) (Foyle) Clyde, Wilson (DUP) (South Antrim) McMenamin, Eugene (SDLP) (West Tyrone) Cobain, Fred (UUP) (North Belfast) McNamee, Pat (SF) (Newry and Armagh) Coulter, Rev Robert (UUP) (North Antrim) McWilliams, Ms Monica (NIWC) (South Belfast) Dallat, John (SDLP) (East Londonderry) Molloy, Francie (SF) (Mid Ulster) Dalton, Duncan Shipley (UUP) (South Antrim) Murphy, Conor (SF) (Newry and Armagh) Davis, Ivan (UUP) (Lagan Valley) Murphy, Mick (SF) (South Down) de Brún, Ms Bairbre (SF) (West Belfast) Morrice, Ms Jane (NIWC) (North Down) Dodds, Nigel (DUP) (North Belfast) Morrow, Maurice (DUP) (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Doherty, Arthur (SDLP) (East Londonderry) Neeson, Sean (A) (East Antrim) Doherty, Pat (SF) (West Tyrone) Nelis, Mrs Mary (SF) (Foyle) Douglas, Boyd (UUAP) (East Londonderry) Nesbitt, Dermot (UUP) (South Down) Durkan, Mark (SDLP) (Foyle) O’Connor, Danny (SDLP) (East Antrim) Empey, Sir Reg (UUP) (East Belfast) O’Hagan, Dr Dara (SF) (Upper Bann) Ervine, David (PUP) (East Belfast) ONeill, Éamonn (SDLP) (South Down) Farren, Dr Seán (SDLP) (North Antrim) Paisley, Rev Dr Ian (DUP) (North Antrim) Fee, John (SDLP) (Newry and Armagh) Paisley, Ian Jnr (DUP) (North Antrim) Ford, David (A) (South Antrim) Poots, Edwin (DUP) (Lagan Valley) Foster, Sam (UUP) (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Ramsey, Ms Sue (SF) (West Belfast) Gallagher, Tommy (SDLP) (Fermanagh and South Robinson, Mrs Iris (DUP) (Strangford) Tyrone) Robinson, Ken (UUP) (East Antrim) Gibson, Oliver (DUP) (West Tyrone) Robinson, Mark (DUP) (South Belfast) Gildernew, Ms Michelle (SF) (Fermanagh and South Robinson, Peter (DUP) (East Belfast) Tyrone) Roche, Patrick (NIUP) (Lagan Valley) Gorman, Sir John (UUP) (North Down) Rodgers, Ms Bríd (SDLP) (Upper Bann) Hanna, Ms Carmel (SDLP) (South Belfast) Savage, George (UUP) (Upper Bann) Haughey, Denis (SDLP) (Mid Ulster) Shannon, Jim (DUP) (Strangford) Hay, William (DUP) (Foyle) Taylor, Rt Hon John (UUP) (Strangford) Hendron, Dr Joe (SDLP) (West Belfast) Tierney, John (SDLP) (Foyle) Hilditch, David (DUP) (East Antrim) Trimble, Rt Hon David (UUP) (Upper Bann) Hume, John (SDLP) (Foyle) Watson, Denis (UUAP) (Upper Bann) Hussey, Derek (UUP) (West Tyrone) Weir, Peter (UUP) (North Down) Hutchinson, Billy (PUP) (North Belfast) Wells, Jim (DUP) (South Down) Hutchinson, Roger (Independent Unionist) (East Antrim) Wilson, Cedric (NIUP) (Strangford) Kane, Gardiner (DUP) (North Antrim) Wilson, Jim (UUP) (South Antrim) Kelly, Gerry (SF) (North Belfast) Wilson, Sammy (DUP) (East Belfast) EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE ASSEMBLY First Minister Rt Hon David Trimble MP Deputy First Minister Séamus Mallon MP Minister of Agriculture and Rural Ms Bríd Rodgers Development Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure Michael McGimpsey Minister of Education Martin McGuinness MP Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Sir Reg Empey Development Minister of the Environment Sam Foster Minister of Finance and Personnel Mark Durkin Minister of Health, Social Services MsBairbredeBrún and Public Safety Minister of Higher and Further Dr Seán Farren Education, Training and Employment Minister for Regional Development Peter Robinson MP Minister for Social Development Nigel Dodds JUNIOR MINISTERS OF THE ASSEMBLY Office of the First Minister and the Deputy Denis Haughey First Minister Dermot Nesbitt PRINCIPAL OFFICERS AND OFFICIALS OF THE ASSEMBLY Speaker The Lord Alderdice Deputy Speakers Sir John Gorman Donovan McClelland Ms Jane Morrice Office of the Speaker Private Secretary Ms Georgina Campbell Special Adviser Niall Johnston Counsel Nicolas Hanna QC Clerk to the Assembly Commission Tom Evans and the House Committee Board of Management Clerk to the Assembly Vacant Deputy Clerk Vacant Head of Administration Gerry Cosgrave Clerk Assistant Murray Barnes Editor of Debates Alex Elder Keeper of the House Peter Waddell Director of Research and Allan Black Information Director of Finance and Dennis Millar Personnel Clerk of Bills Alan Patterson Clerk of Business Joe Reynolds Clerk of Committees John Torney Clerks Ms Gillian Ardis George Martin Dr Andrew Peoples Mrs Debbie Pritchard Michael Rickard Alan Rogers Mrs Eileen Sung Mrs Cathy White Martin Wilson Head of Research Dr Stephen Donnelly Head of Information and Events Ms Gail McKibbin Principal Doorkeeper Kieran Mullan NORTHERN IRELAND completed before the beginning of the financial year. However, during suspension the Secretary of State ASSEMBLY confirmed the allocations for the Northern Ireland Departments in line with the Executive’s December budget proposals. These allocations were further increased for health and education spending as a result Monday 5 June 2000 of additional resources received in the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s Budget on 21 March. The Assembly met at 10.30 am (Mr Speaker in the Although it is not feasible for the Assembly to Chair). resume the scrutiny of the budget, which was interrupted in February, there is still the opportunity for Members observed two minutes’silence. substantive consideration of spending proposals for this financial year through the process of approving the Main Estimates. Members will appreciate that approval of the main spending Estimates for Departments and the ISLE OF MAN TT RACES voting of money through an Appropriation Act are matters of the utmost importance. They are the essence Rev Dr Ian Paisley: I am sure that Members will of responsible government. wish to offer their condolences to the family of As a result of suspension the Assembly was unable to Raymond Hanna, who was killed in a race practice on deal with the spring Supplementary Estimates for theIsleofMan. 1999-2001 and the vote on account for 2000-01. These They will also, I am sure, want to congratulate were approved by Parliament in March. Joey Dunlop on his twenty-fourth TT victory. He has Taking a vote on account in advance of the incoming definitely been crowned king of the road. financial year is normal practice to allow the Hon Members: Hear, hear. continuation of public services until the Estimates are approved in the summer. For most services a uniform 45% of the anticipated expenditure for 2000-01 was approved to provide Departments with the legal PROCEDURES FOR MAIN ESTIMATES authority to continue to incur expenditure on previously approved services for several months into the new AND APPROPRIATION ACT financial year. The vote on account is only to provide interim The Minister of Finance and Personnel (Mr Durkan): financing for services. In most instances this funding I wish, with permission, to make a statement on the will be exhausted before the end of the summer recess. process for examining the Main Estimates for the Unless the Assembly approves the balance of the funds services provided by the Northern Ireland Departments for 2000-01 before then, Northern Ireland Departments for the current financial year and the reflection of these will be unable to incur any further expenditure on Estimates in an Appropriation Act. The approval of the services. Estimates and the passing of an Appropriation Act are among the most important responsibilities of the There is a limited amount of time available to us to Assembly. consider and approve the Estimates and deal with the Appropriation Bill before the start of the summer recess, Members will recall that on 15 December 1999 I and I have taken