Official Report (Hansard) Tuesday 18 August 2020 Volume 130, No 1 Session 2019-2020 Contents Assembly Business………………………………………………………………………………………1 Private Members' Business AS-level and A-level Grading Crisis .................................................................................................. 1 Assembly Members Aiken, Steve (South Antrim) Kearney, Declan (South Antrim) Allen, Andy (East Belfast) Kelly, Ms Catherine (West Tyrone) Allister, Jim (North Antrim) Kelly, Mrs Dolores (Upper Bann) Anderson, Ms Martina (Foyle) Kelly, Gerry (North Belfast) Archibald, Dr Caoimhe (East Londonderry) Kimmins, Ms Liz (Newry and Armagh) Armstrong, Ms Kellie (Strangford) Long, Mrs Naomi (East Belfast) Bailey, Ms Clare (South Belfast) Lunn, Trevor (Lagan Valley) Barton, Mrs Rosemary (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Lynch, Seán (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Beattie, Doug (Upper Bann) Lyons, Gordon (East Antrim) Beggs, Roy (East Antrim) Lyttle, Chris (East Belfast) Blair, John (South Antrim) McAleer, Declan (West Tyrone) Boylan, Cathal (Newry and Armagh) McCann, Fra (West Belfast) Bradley, Maurice (East Londonderry) McCrossan, Daniel (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) McHugh, Maolíosa (West Tyrone) Buchanan, Thomas (West Tyrone) McIlveen, Miss Michelle (Strangford) Buckley, Jonathan (Upper Bann) McLaughlin, Ms Sinead (Foyle) Bunting, Ms Joanne (East Belfast) McNulty, Justin (Newry and Armagh) Butler, Robbie (Lagan Valley) Mallon, Ms Nichola (North Belfast) Cameron, Mrs Pam (South Antrim) Maskey, Alex (Speaker) Carroll, Gerry (West Belfast) Middleton, Gary (Foyle) Catney, Pat (Lagan Valley) Muir, Andrew (North Down) Chambers, Alan (North Down) Mullan, Ms Karen (Foyle) Clarke, Trevor (South Antrim) Murphy, Conor (Newry and Armagh) Dickson, Stewart (East Antrim) Nesbitt, Mike (Strangford) Dillon, Ms Linda (Mid Ulster) Newton, Robin (East Belfast) Dodds, Mrs Diane (Upper Bann) Ní Chuilín, Ms Carál (North Belfast) Dolan, Ms Jemma (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) O'Dowd, John (Upper Bann) Dunne, Gordon (North Down) O'Neill, Mrs Michelle (Mid Ulster) Durkan, Mark (Foyle) O'Toole, Matthew (South Belfast) Easton, Alex (North Down) Poots, Edwin (Lagan Valley) Ennis, Ms Sinéad (South Down) Robinson, George (East Londonderry) Flynn, Ms Órlaithí (West Belfast) Rogan, Ms Emma (South Down) Foster, Mrs Arlene (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Sheehan, Pat (West Belfast) Frew, Paul (North Antrim) Sheerin, Ms Emma (Mid Ulster) Gildernew, Colm (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Stalford, Christopher (South Belfast) Givan, Paul (Lagan Valley) Stewart, John (East Antrim) Hargey, Ms Deirdre (South Belfast) Storey, Mervyn (North Antrim) Harvey, Harry (Strangford) Sugden, Ms Claire (East Londonderry) Hilditch, David (East Antrim) Swann, Robin (North Antrim) Humphrey, William (North Belfast) Weir, Peter (Strangford) Hunter, Ms Cara (East Londonderry) Wells, Jim (South Down) Irwin, William (Newry and Armagh) Woods, Miss Rachel (North Down) Northern Ireland Assembly Tuesday 18 August 2020 The Assembly met at 12.00 noon (Mr Speaker in the Chair). Members observed two minutes' silence. Assembly Business Private Members' Business Mr Speaker: Members, before we proceed with AS-level and A-level Grading Crisis today's business, I want to acknowledge that this is the first sitting of the Assembly since the Mr Speaker: Before I move on to the main item sad passing of the late John Hume. I wrote, of of today's business, Members, I will make some course, to express the condolences of the introductory remarks on the upcoming debate Assembly to Pat Hume and her family, but I before formally commencing it shortly. want to ensure that the Assembly has the ability Members will be aware that we announced the to pay tribute to such a figure in the normal way establishment of a Youth Assembly, here, in the in due course. Members should be aware that Chamber, in July. In the past week, we have my office is liaising with the SDLP directly on heard the voices of many young people on the the timing of formal tributes to both John Hume matters that we are gathered to discuss today. and John Dallat when business resumes in It is not for me, of course, to comment on the September, and Members will be given the issues involved this afternoon, and we are proper time to record their reflections. clearly in very unusual and challenging times, but I have role in being concerned about how the Assembly is perceived and in building public confidence in this institution. Today, there may be many people watching our business for the first time, and I therefore ask all Members to bear that in mind in how we conduct this very important debate. The Assembly was recalled today on the basis of a motion with cross-party support. Clearly, circumstances have changed significantly since the original motion was tabled. I want to record slight disappointment that, this morning, I was in a position of having to select between a number of amendments, which, for the most part, shared common principles. I think that it would have helped proceedings today, and would have sent a much more positive message, had a cross-party amendment been presented to update the motion. I do not want to dwell on that now, but I ask all parties to reflect on that for the future. We are mindful that there are many young people of a new generation watching today who have a direct interest in these issues, so let us ensure that the debate is constructive and informative from their perspective. On that basis, Members, I will move on to the one substantive motion on the Order Paper, the motion on the AS-level and A-Level grading crisis. 1 Tuesday 18 August 2020 Mr McCrossan: I beg to move from the comments made by the Speaker in relation to the former SDLP leader, MEP, MP, That this Assembly is deeply concerned that the MLA and peacemaker, John Hume. It was with modelling used to calculate grades for AS great sadness that we learned of John's death . levels and A levels has awarded incorrect He had been unwell for some time, as many will results for students across Northern Ireland; have known. Unfortunately, in the and calls on the Minister of Education to award circumstances that we faced during COVID, we students the highest of their AS, teacher- could not give John the send-off that we would predicted or CCEA grades for A levels, AS have liked, albeit that he got a really lovely levels and GCSEs due to exceptional Covid-19 send-off in his home city of Derry. I know that circumstances. many would have loved to have lined the streets, paid tribute to him and comforted his Mr Speaker: The Business Committee has family, and many would have loved to have said agreed to allow up to two hours and 30 minutes thank you to John for the huge sacrifices that for the debate. Your amendment has been he made that, undoubtedly and absolutely, selected, Mr McCrossan, and is published on benefited each and every one of us and the the Marshalled List. Please move the children of this society. I welcome the Speaker's confirmation that we will have an opportunity in amendment. September, hopefully, to pay tribute to him. He was of such significance to this place that only Mr McCrossan: Thank you, Mr Speaker. I history will properly reflect it. welcome you back to your duties after being off for a few months and I wish you well in Mr Speaker, I asked for the support of parties to resuming those duties. I also thank the recall the Assembly today, very importantly to Assembly and parties for supporting the recall ensure that the concerns shared by young petition that I felt was so absolutely necessary people, parents, teachers and the public across in order to have the debate today. Northern Ireland could be heard and that we, as a House, could speak and act on that. I am I will start by —. delighted, however, that, late yesterday, the Minister moved from his original position to a Mr Speaker: Will you move the amendment? position that we had discussed in detail over the course of the past months, particularly in the Mr McCrossan: I beg to move the amendment past week. What happened this week to 28,000 of our young people, particularly the 11,000 Leave out all after ‘Northern Ireland’ and insert: students and young people who had their grades downgraded, was unforgivable. The “; welcomes the Minister of Education’s system failed them incredibly, and after —. decision to reverse the unfair model used for awarding grades to ensure students now Mr Stalford: Will the Member give way? receive the higher of their teacher-predicted or CCEA grades for A levels, AS levels and Mr McCrossan: I will, shortly. GCSEs due to exceptional Covid-19 circumstances; recognises the immense stress, After months of warning the Council for the anxiety and disruption this has caused many Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment students; further recognises the resultant (CCEA) and the Minister about the concerns implications for local colleges and universities; that were being shared with me, I was very and calls on the Minister to work urgently with frustrated to see that the Minister and the chief Executive colleagues to provide clarity and executive of CCEA were adamant that they guidance to students and educational would continue, quite determinedly, down the institutions.” line that they were going, which has absolutely disadvantaged quite a number of young people. Mr Speaker: Thank you for your kind words. By convention, when a Member or a Minister seeks I thank the various parties that signed the recall to amend their own motion, they are invited to petition. It is vital that we are having the debate, address both the motion and the amendment and although the debate has shifted somewhat, within the 10 minutes that are allocated to them.