Official Report (Hansard) Monday 23 June 2014 Volume 96, No 5 Session 2013-2014 Contents Assembly Business……………………………………………………………………………………….. 1 Ministerial Statement Zero-hours Contracts ......................................................................................................................... 6 Executive Committee Business Sexual Offences Act 2003 (Notification Requirements) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2014 ......... 14 Committee Business Jobseeker's Allowance (Schemes for Assisting Persons to Obtain Employment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2014: Prayer of Annulment ................................................................................. 16 Private Members' Business Bon Secours Mother and Baby Home, Tuam .................................................................................... 17 Oral Answers to Questions Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister ......................................................................... 25 Education ........................................................................................................................................... 33 Private Members' Business Key Stage Assessments .................................................................................................................... 43 Written Ministerial Statement Environment: Taxis Act (NI) 2008: Implementation 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) McCorley, Ms Rosaleen (West Belfast) Bradley, Dominic (Newry and Armagh) McCrea, Basil (Lagan Valley) Bradley, Ms Paula (North Belfast) McCrea, Ian (Mid Ulster) Brady, Mickey (Newry and Armagh) McDonnell, Alasdair (South Belfast) Buchanan, Thomas (West Tyrone) McElduff, Barry (West Tyrone) Byrne, Joe (West Tyrone) McGahan, Ms Bronwyn (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Cameron, Mrs Pam (South Antrim) McGimpsey, Michael (South Belfast) Campbell, Gregory (East Londonderry) McGlone, Patsy (Mid Ulster) Clarke, Trevor (South Antrim) McGuinness, Martin (Mid Ulster) Cochrane, Mrs Judith (East Belfast) McIlveen, David (North Antrim) Copeland, Michael (East Belfast) McIlveen, Miss Michelle (Strangford) Craig, Jonathan (Lagan Valley) McKay, Daithí (North Antrim) Cree, Leslie (North Down) McKevitt, Mrs Karen (South Down) Dallat, John (East Londonderry) McKinney, Fearghal (South Belfast) Dickson, Stewart (East Antrim) McLaughlin, Ms Maeve (Foyle) Dobson, Mrs Jo-Anne (Upper Bann) McLaughlin, Mitchel (South Antrim) Douglas, Sammy (East Belfast) McMullan, Oliver (East Antrim) Dunne, Gordon (North Down) McNarry, David (Strangford) Durkan, Mark (Foyle) McQuillan, Adrian (East Londonderry) Easton, Alex (North Down) Maginness, Alban (North Belfast) Eastwood, Colum (Foyle) Maskey, Alex (South Belfast) Elliott, Tom (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Milne, Ian (Mid Ulster) Farry, Stephen (North Down) Morrow, The Lord (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Fearon, Ms Megan (Newry and Armagh) Moutray, Stephen (Upper Bann) Flanagan, Phil (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Nesbitt, Mike (Strangford) 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) Ó hOisín, Cathal (East Londonderry) Gardiner, Samuel (Upper Bann) O'Dowd, John (Upper Bann) Girvan, Paul (South Antrim) O'Neill, Mrs Michelle (Mid Ulster) Givan, Paul (Lagan Valley) Overend, Mrs Sandra (Mid Ulster) Hale, Mrs Brenda (Lagan Valley) Poots, Edwin (Lagan Valley) Hamilton, Simon (Strangford) Ramsey, Pat (Foyle) Hay, William (Speaker) Ramsey, Ms Sue (West Belfast) Hazzard, Chris (South Down) Robinson, George (East Londonderry) Hilditch, David (East Antrim) Robinson, Peter (East Belfast) Humphrey, William (North Belfast) Rogers, Seán (South Down) Hussey, Ross (West Tyrone) Ross, Alastair (East Antrim) Irwin, William (Newry and Armagh) Ruane, Ms Caitríona (South Down) Kelly, Mrs Dolores (Upper Bann) Sheehan, Pat (West Belfast) Kelly, Gerry (North Belfast) Spratt, Jimmy (South Belfast) Kennedy, Danny (Newry and Armagh) Storey, Mervyn (North Antrim) Kinahan, Danny (South Antrim) Sugden, Ms Claire (East Londonderry) 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 23 June 2014 The Assembly met at 12.00 noon (Mr Speaker in the Chair). Members observed two minutes' silence. choice but to answer those in a very political Assembly Business way. However, I agree with what the Member has said. I know that, on many occasions, Mr D McIlveen: On a point of order, Mr Members, especially Back-Benchers, are not Speaker. I want to raise an issue that arose at happy with how Ministers answer questions. Question Time with the Minister of Culture, Arts That is for all Members of the Chamber, but let and Leisure last Tuesday. I asked a question us leave it there and move on. that is of considerable import to all communities, but particularly the Protestant Mr McNarry: Further to that point of order, Mr unionist community. The question was asked in Speaker. I appreciate the summary that you a respectful way, whilst I fully accept that the have given in response to Member McIlveen. I content might have been uncomfortable for the will introduce what I need to say, but, on the Minister. I was given an answer that ended same issue, as a Member, I was astounded and with this tirade: shocked to hear the manner in which the Minister addressed the Member. I think that "You are belligerent and begrudging. You many Members will have shared that view. will not acknowledge and recognise equality across the board." — [Official Report, Vol The point that I wish to raise — and I 96, No 4, p36, col 2]. understand the convention and the manner in which you have addressed the question, but is Mr Speaker, I would appreciate your ruling as to there a time when the Chair or the person in the whether that language is parliamentary. It is Chair would have the capability of addressing also entirely untrue. Anybody who knows me the issue when it arises? Should the Minister knows that I am none of the three things that I perhaps have been reminded of her status, her was accused of being. Perhaps, Mr Speaker, conscience and her role as part of this you would be so good as to rule on that and Assembly, albeit not as part of a role in which suggest appropriate actions. you would have to have any demonstrable access to her? Is there a role that you might Mr Speaker: As the Member will know, it is a consider with your Deputy Speakers so that longstanding ruling that it is not up to the issues such as this could be dealt with at the Speaker or Deputy Speakers to make a time so that the matter is dealt with there and judgement about how a Minister might answer a then, and perhaps the Minister would question. That has been a longstanding understand that such language was quite convention in the Chamber, because it would intolerable and was certainly shocking for me to be difficult for the Chair to sit in judgement on hear? how Ministers answer questions. Mr Speaker: The Member will know that, from I know that, from time to time, Members are not time to time, I have had to check not only happy with the way that Ministers answer Ministers but Members. Encouraging good questions. I know that even from looking at temper and moderation of language is very Members, and their body language, in the important, not only for Members but for Chamber. In saying that, I also know that the Ministers, so I take the Member's point. On original question was about tourism, and it occasions, I have done it, because I believe ended up as a political question. I suppose that that, although a Minister or Member can make a the Minister felt that she needed to give a point, it does not have to be offensive. I have to political answer to a political question. say to the Member that I try to avoid interrupting Sometimes Ministers are put in a very awkward Ministers if possible, and I would only intervene position because they are asked political in extreme circumstances. I say that to the questions that are not part of their official whole House. ministerial responsibilities and are left with no 5 Monday 23 June 2014 guises, do not compromise the integrity of the Ministerial Statement employment relationship. This consultation will help to determine the extent of their use in Zero-hours Contracts Northern Ireland and to provide a clearer picture of their benefit to our economy. It will Mr Speaker: The Minister of Enterprise — the also seek views on key elements such as Minister of Employment and Learning wishes to exclusivity clauses and whether there is make a statement to the House this afternoon. sufficient transparency for employees around Minister, I apologise.