Official Report (Hansard) Tuesday 5 May 2020 Volume 128, No 2 Session 2019-2020 Contents Assembly Business Committee for the Executive Office: Deputy Chairperson ................................................................. 1 Executive Committee Business Private Tenancies (Coronavirus Modifications) Bill: Royal Assent .................................................... 1 Assembly Business Standing Order 10(2)(a) and Standing Orders 20 and 20A: Suspension ......................................... 1 Ministerial Statements COVID-19 .......................................................................................................................................... 2 School Enhancement Programme .................................................................................................... 13 Executive Committee Business Census Order (Northern Ireland) 2020 .............................................................................................. 21 Assembly Business Mr John Dallat MLA ........................................................................................................................... 28 Executive Committee Business Census Order (Northern Ireland) 2020 (Continued) .......................................................................... 29 Rates (Regional Rates) Order (Northern Ireland) 2020 .................................................................... 31 Budget 2020-21 ................................................................................................................................. 36 Committee Business Functioning of Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill: Extension of Committee Stage .......... 79 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) Dallat, John (East Londonderry) Nesbitt, Mike (Strangford) Dickson, Stewart (East Antrim) Newton, Robin (East Belfast) Dillon, Ms Linda (Mid Ulster) Ní Chuilín, Ms Carál (North Belfast) Dodds, Mrs Diane (Upper Bann) O'Dowd, John (Upper Bann) Dolan, Ms Jemma (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) O'Neill, Mrs Michelle (Mid Ulster) Dunne, Gordon (North Down) O'Toole, Matthew (South Belfast) Durkan, Mark (Foyle) Poots, Edwin (Lagan Valley) Easton, Alex (North Down) Robinson, George (East Londonderry) Ennis, Ms Sinéad (South Down) Rogan, Ms Emma (South Down) Flynn, Ms Órlaithí (West Belfast) Sheehan, Pat (West Belfast) Foster, Mrs Arlene (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Sheerin, Ms Emma (Mid Ulster) Frew, Paul (North Antrim) Stalford, Christopher (South Belfast) Gildernew, Colm (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Stewart, John (East Antrim) Givan, Paul (Lagan Valley) Storey, Mervyn (North Antrim) Hargey, Ms Deirdre (South Belfast) Sugden, Ms Claire (East Londonderry) Harvey, Harry (Strangford) Swann, Robin (North Antrim) Hilditch, David (East Antrim) Weir, Peter (Strangford) Humphrey, William (North Belfast) Wells, Jim (South Down) Irwin, William (Newry and Armagh) Woods, Miss Rachel (North Down) Northern Ireland Assembly Tuesday 5 May 2020 The Assembly met at 10.30 am (Mr Principal Deputy Speaker [Mr Stalford] in the Chair). Members observed two minutes' silence. Assembly Business Assembly Business Mr Principal Deputy Speaker: Members, let Standing Order 10(2)(a) and me begin this morning by, again, formally Standing Orders 20 and 20A: recording the Assembly's condolences to those families who have been bereaved by COVID-19 Suspension since we last met and recording our admiration and appreciation for all who are working on the Mr Principal Deputy Speaker: The first item front line to try to prevent other families from on the Order Paper is a motion to suspend losing those who are dear to them. Standing Orders. This will be treated as a business motion and there will be no debate. Committee for the Executive Office: Mr Allister: On a point of order, Mr Principal Deputy Chairperson Deputy Speaker. I again object that for the fourth time without debate — that is critical — Mr Principal Deputy Speaker: I wish to advise the House is about to abrogate fundamental the House that the Speaker has received scrutiny powers of Ministers by, yet again, notification of the resignation of Mr Mike Nesbitt removing the right of Members of the House to as Deputy Chairperson of the Committee for the ask questions for oral answer and topical Executive Office with immediate effect. The questions of Ministers. I think that that is a nominating officer for the Ulster Unionist Party fundamental mistake in itself. I understand that has informed the Speaker that Mr Doug Beattie some Ministers are at the forefront of the has been nominated as Deputy Chairperson of coronavirus crisis and the handling of it, but the Committee for the Executive Office, also some are not. Why can they not come to the with immediate effect. Mr Beattie has accepted House and answer questions? Why should the the nomination, and the Speaker is satisfied House decide another month's exclusion of that that the requirements of Standing Orders have — another month of trampling of scrutiny in the been met. House — and to do all that without debate? The Business Committee could have brought, along Executive Committee with the motion, a motion to suspend Standing Order 12(7) to allow debate on what we are Business going to be asked to nod through. It did not even do that. That is wholly disrespectful of the Private Tenancies (Coronavirus rights of the House and the scrutiny that the House is supposed to afford to Ministers. Modifications) Bill: Royal Assent Mr Principal Deputy Speaker: I have Mr Principal Deputy Speaker: I inform the sympathy with the Member's point. At its Assembly that the Private Tenancies meeting last week, the Business Committee (Coronavirus Modifications) Bill received Royal reviewed the decision on Assembly questions Assent on Monday 4 May 2020. It will be known and agreed to extend that suspension, as the as the Private Tenancies (Coronavirus Member noted, for a further four weeks to allow Modifications) Act (Northern Ireland) 2020, and Departments to focus on the delivery of public it will be chapter 2. services to deal with COVID-19. That decision will be reviewed by the Business Committee at the end of this month. The Member has put his comments on record and I hope that they will be considered when the Business Committee looks at the matter again. 1 Tuesday 5 May 2020 Mr K Buchanan: I beg to move the opportunity to update Members on the ways in which my Department is contributing to the That Standing Order 10(2)(a) and Standing fight against COVID-19. At the outset, I want to Orders 20 and 20A be suspended until 10 June recognise that while this is a challenging time 2020. for all of us, my thoughts are with those families who have, sadly, lost loved ones and those Mr Principal Deputy Speaker: Before we individuals who are fighting against COVID-19 proceed to the Question, I remind Members that on the front line. the motion requires cross-community support. We are in week 7 of the lockdown. Families, businesses and communities across Northern Question put. Ireland have been incredible in playing their part to save lives and protect each and every Some Members: Aye. one of us from the virus. The task has not been easy. Friends and families have been torn Mr Allister: No. apart, unable to share a cup of tea, a hug or even just chat on the same sofa. That is not the Question put a second time and agreed to. life that we all know and it is not easy on any of us. This will be a lonely time for many people — Mr Principal Deputy Speaker: As there are a challenging time — and it is important that, in Ayes on all sides of the House and, at the this place, we say to people at home that it is second time of asking, there were no dissenting OK not to be OK. We need to come together to voices, I am satisfied that cross-community help and support each other as we make our consent has been demonstrated. The motion is way through. agreed. Lockdown is not easy. It goes against everything that we know and who we are and Resolved