Official Report (Hansard) Monday 5 November 2012 Volume 79, No 1 Session 2012-2013 Contents Matter of the Day Murder of Prison Officer David Black ................................................................................................ 1 Public Petitions Parkhall Integrated College, Antrim ................................................................................................... 7 Artillery Youth Centre, Belfast ........................................................................................................... 8 Ministerial Statement Employment Law Review .................................................................................................................. 9 Executive Committee Business Air Passenger Duty (Setting of Rate) Bill: Further Consideration Stage ........................................... 19 Committee Business Muscular Dystrophy and Related Neuromuscular Conditions ........................................................... 19 Oral Answers to Questions Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister ......................................................................... 27 Health, Social Services and Public Safety ........................................................................................ 33 Question for Urgent Oral Answer Security: Prison Service .................................................................................................................... 39 Committee Business Muscular Dystrophy and Related Neuromuscular Conditions (Continued) ....................................... 41 Private Members' Business Councillor Sammy Brush ................................................................................................................... 49 Written Ministerial Statement Department of Health, Soc ial Services and Public Safety Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service ........................................................................................ 67 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 5 November 2012 The Assembly met at 12.00 noon (Mr Speaker in the Chair). Members observed two minutes' silence. determination to create a stable, shared and Matter of the Day peaceful society. The murder will not bring about any changes to the prison regime at Murder of Prison Officer David Black Maghaberry, and every sane person in the land believes that those who carried out the killing Mr Speaker: The Rt Hon Peter Robinson is are odious, hate-filled deviants and given leave to make a statement on the murder psychopaths who should be locked up for life. of Prison Officer David Black, which fulfils the criteria set out in Standing Order 24. I remind So let the Assembly speak out today with one the House of the recent changes to matters of voice in condemning those responsible and the day. Members other than Mr Robinson calling on the community to co-operate with the should indicate clearly if they wish to be called police by providing any information that may by rising in their place and continuing to do so, build a case to convict those who were as happens very much at Question Time. I responsible. Let us also remember David's expect that a number of Members will wish to prison officer colleagues, who serve day and speak, and I ask them to assist me by being daily on our behalf in the most difficult and clearly on their feet when I look down the trying circumstances and who are vulnerable, Chamber. All Members called will have up to not just while working in the prison but on their three minutes to speak on the subject. If that is way to and from work and even in their home. I clear, we will proceed. endorse the calls of those who have raised their voice to ask for greater security measures to be Mr P Robinson: Mr Speaker, last Thursday given to prison officers and to ensure that morning, Northern Ireland was stunned and measures that have been withdrawn or not distraught to learn of the cowardly murder of a maintained are brought up to date and are brave public servant while he was travelling on functioning properly. Three Executive Ministers his way to work at Maghaberry prison. David have some responsibility that touches on this Black, a prison officer, was attacked on the issue, as does the Secretary of State, and I motorway between Portadown and Lurgan. A trust that they will get together. Although I have car with Dublin registration plates drove up no direct responsibility, I am happy, if they wish beside him, a number of shots were fired from me to, to co-ordinate a meeting to ensure that it, and his car veered into the ditch. David we have means at our disposal to give the Black was declared dead shortly afterwards, utmost security to prison officers as they move murdered by terrorists. forward. However, most of all, let us send to Yvonne, Kyle, Kyra and David's elderly parents All those who have spoken and those who our sympathy and condolences, our prayers knew David have described him as being a and our love and our expression of resolve that thoroughly decent Ulsterman and as someone those who murdered David will never win. We who was devoted to his wife, Yvonne, his two will give our complete support in the hunting children, Kyle and Kyra, and his elderly parents. down and convicting of those responsible. I visited Mrs Black and her family at their home in Cookstown. As I held her in my arms, Ms Ruane: Go raibh maith agat, a Cheann listening to her sobbing, I could not help but Comhairle. Sinn Féin believes that the death of sense the utter futility of that assassination. David Black was utterly pointless. It will resolve Here was a family completely devastated, a nothing in the prisons or in wider society. It is family who would never be the same again, a not part of any strategy or campaign. All that family who would feel the pain and loss for the has happened is that a family has been plunged rest of their lives, and what had been gained?