Official Report (Hansard) Monday 22 October 2012 Volume 78, No 5 Session 2012-2013 Contents Ministerial Statement Welfare Reform ............................................................................................................................. 1 Assembly Business Welfare Reform Bill: Standing Order 34 ......................................................................................... 9 Executive Committee Business Air Passenger Duty (Setting of Rate) Bill: Consideration Stage ...................................................... 12 Superannuation Bill: Consideration Stage ..................................................................................... 13 Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2012 ...................................... 17 Private Members' Business Unemployment .............................................................................................................................. 22 Oral Answers to Questions Employment and Learning ............................................................................................................ 27 Enterprise, Trade and Investment ................................................................................................. 33 Private Members' Business Unemployment (continued) ........................................................................................................... 39 Written Ministerial Statement OFMDFM: Amendments to the Terms of Reference of the Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry…. 55 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 Agnew, Steven (North Down) McAleer, Declan (West Tyrone) Allister, Jim (North Antrim) McCallister, John (South Down) Anderson, Sydney (Upper Bann) McCann, Fra (West Belfast) Attwood, Alex (West Belfast) McCann, Ms Jennifer (West Belfast) Beggs, Roy (East Antrim) McCarthy, Kieran (Strangford) Bell, Jonathan (Strangford) McCartney, Raymond (Foyle) Boylan, Cathal (Newry and Armagh) McCausland, Nelson (North Belfast) Boyle, Ms Michaela (West Tyrone) McClarty, David (East Londonderry) Bradley, Dominic (Newry and Armagh) McCorley, Ms Rosaleen (West Belfast) Bradley, Ms Paula (North Belfast) McCrea, Basil (Lagan Valley) Brady, Mickey (Newry and Armagh) McCrea, Ian (Mid Ulster) Brown, Ms Pam (South Antrim) McDevitt, Conall (South Belfast) Buchanan, Thomas (West Tyrone) McDonnell, Alasdair (South Belfast) Byrne, Joe (West Tyrone) McElduff, Barry (West Tyrone) Campbell, Gregory (East Londonderry) McGahan, Ms Bronwyn (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Clarke, Trevor (South Antrim) McGimpsey, Michael (South Belfast) Cochrane, Mrs Judith (East Belfast) McGlone, Patsy (Mid Ulster) Copeland, Michael (East Belfast) McGuinness, Martin (Mid Ulster) Craig, Jonathan (Lagan Valley) McIlveen, David (North Antrim) Cree, Leslie (North Down) McIlveen, Miss Michelle (Strangford) Dallat, John (East Londonderry) McKay, Daithí (North Antrim) Dickson, Stewart (East Antrim) McKevitt, Mrs Karen (South Down) Dobson, Mrs Jo-Anne (Upper Bann) McLaughlin, Ms Maeve (Foyle) Douglas, Sammy (East Belfast) McLaughlin, Mitchel (South Antrim) Dunne, Gordon (North Down) McMullan, Oliver (East Antrim) Durkan, Mark (Foyle) McNarry, David (Strangford) Easton, Alex (North Down) McQuillan, Adrian (East Londonderry) Eastwood, Colum (Foyle) Maginness, Alban (North Belfast) Elliott, Tom (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Maskey, Alex (South Belfast) Farry, Stephen (North Down) Molloy, Francie (Mid Ulster) Fearon, Ms Megan (Newry and Armagh) Morrow, The Lord (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Flanagan, Phil (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Moutray, Stephen (Upper Bann) Ford, David (South Antrim) Nesbitt, Mike (Strangford) Foster, Mrs Arlene (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Newton, Robin (East Belfast) Frew, Paul (North Antrim) Ní Chuilín, Ms Carál (North Belfast) Gardiner, Samuel (Upper Bann) Ó hOisín, Cathal (East Londonderry) Girvan, Paul (South Antrim) O'Dowd, John (Upper Bann) Givan, Paul (Lagan Valley) O'Neill, Mrs Michelle (Mid Ulster) Hale, Mrs Brenda (Lagan Valley) Overend, Mrs Sandra (Mid Ulster) Hamilton, Simon (Strangford) Poots, Edwin (Lagan Valley) Hay, William (Speaker) Ramsey, Pat (Foyle) Hazzard, Chris (South Down) Ramsey, Ms Sue (West Belfast) Hilditch, David (East Antrim) Robinson, George (East Londonderry) Humphrey, William (North Belfast) Robinson, Peter (East Belfast) Hussey, Ross (West Tyrone) Rogers, Sean (South Down) Irwin, William (Newry and Armagh) Ross, Alastair (East Antrim) Kelly, Mrs Dolores (Upper Bann) Ruane, Ms Caitríona (South Down) Kelly, Gerry (North Belfast) Sheehan, Pat (West Belfast) Kennedy, Danny (Newry and Armagh) Spratt, Jimmy (South Belfast) Kinahan, Danny (South Antrim) Storey, Mervyn (North Antrim) Lo, Ms Anna (South Belfast) Swann, Robin (North Antrim) Lunn, Trevor (Lagan Valley) Weir, Peter (North Down) Lynch, Seán (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Wells, Jim (South Down) Lyttle, Chris (East Belfast) Wilson, Sammy (East Antrim) Northern Ireland Assembly Monday 22 October 2012 The Assembly met at 12.00 noon (Mr Principal Deputy Speaker [Mr Molloy] in the Chair). Members observed two minutes' silence. Given the level of interest across the House, it Ministerial Statement is right that I should come back to this place to report on the progress made in my discussions Welfare Reform with Lord Freud, the Minister for Welfare Reform in Whitehall. The level of interest in Mr McCausland (The Minister for Social welfare reform that I have referred to is not Development): At the beginning of the year, I confined to this House. All across Northern gave a commitment to a full scrutiny of the Ireland, there has been an active debate, Welfare Reform Bill and that I would not seek whether at voluntary and community sector accelerated passage. Hence, the Assembly is events, in the media or in the church and faith now considering the Bill clause by clause at sector. In turn, my officials and I have been Committee Stage and giving this important meeting people and listening to the many legislation proper and detailed scrutiny. different views expressed across the community. That has included an ongoing The Welfare Reform Bill is not only the largest detailed dialogue and negotiations with the Bill to come before this Assembly — that team of Ministers in the Department for Work challenges those who have suggested we do and Pensions (DWP), involving face-to-face not take forward major legislation in this place discussions in Belfast and London, telephone — but also, arguably, the Bill with the furthest- conversations and correspondence with Lord reaching consequences. Very few parts of our Freud and Iain Duncan Smith. I also met Maria society are not in some way impacted by this Miller on disability issues when she was a legislation. member of the DWP ministerial team. Those ministerial engagements will continue and so Two weeks ago, during the lengthy sitting at the will the intense level of official discussions Second Reading stage, many contrasting views including large swathes of my Department. were expressed on the measures in the Bill. Clearly, we all have concerns about the content In my dealings with Lord Freud, I have found of some of the 134 clauses in the Bill. him to be someone who has a genuine interest However, I take great encouragement from the in the specific challenges that we face here in level of interest from all sections of the House, Northern Ireland. With that in mind, I am as evidenced by the number of Members who pleased to report that he has accepted my spoke. There has been an engaging debate invitation to advise us further on how best to thus far on welfare reform, which, I believe, address the impact of the housing benefit demonstrates the progress we have all made in changes. He is the architect of the proposals, this place beyond constitutional issues and and it will be valuable to have him here to towards dealing with the matters that affect our discuss the local impacts as we chart the way constituents day and daily — what we usually forward on this aspect of welfare reform. He is call the real bread-and-butter issues, the issues keen to come over. He is aware of some of the of normal politics. particular issues here that we need to address, and he is interested in how the Housing At Second Reading, although some argued for Executive, housing associations, the advice delays and others, including myself, that we sector and the Department can work together to should move on to detailed scrutiny, one thing find a solution. that was very clear was a commitment across all parties to try to make the Bill the very best it Clearly, the local debate on welfare reform has can be for the people of Northern Ireland. The concentrated, to date, on many of the Chairman of the Social Development downsides of welfare reform and the need to Committee rightly stated that we should work seek flexibilities. I have established a universal together collectively to improve the legislation. I credit programme board, comprising senior agree. stakeholders in my Department and from the 1 Monday 22 October 2012 Department for Employment and Learning, the a practical route towards employment, Department of Finance and Personnel, the opportunity and financial independence. Northern Ireland Housing Executive and Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs.