Northern Ireland Assembly, 21 June 2016

354 contributions from 72 members. The official report.

Assembly Business

Robin Newton (Speaker, Belfast East)

Members, today is our last sitting before the Clerk/Chief Executive, Trevor Reaney, retires this Friday. Although I have been working with Trevor closely for only a few weeks, I cannot allow today to pass without the Assembly recognising his contribution.

I am the third Speaker whom Trevor has worked with during his almost eight years in post. I know that he has been held in very high esteem by my predecessors, his colleagues in other legislatures and the staff in the secretariat. Of course, in recent days, he was officially recognised by Her Majesty The Queen. In my short time in office, I have gained a fuller appreciation of the pressures and responsibilities that fall on the Clerk. Over the last eight years, amid a number of periods of political deadlock and disagreement, Trevor has been a steadying influence, keeping this institution in readiness for future developments and supporting and advising the Speaker and the Assembly Commission on some very sensitive and challenging issues at very difficult times.

Trevor has also been instrumental in advocating changes and improvements at a time of challenging budgets, with a focus on how important this place is to the people whom we represent. As Clerk/Chief Executive of the Assembly, and during his time as chief executive of the Policing Board, Trevor has been in key positions throughout the development of our political process. I know that he will personally be reassured that he is leaving us at a time when we are free to continue the business of expressing political differences in the Chamber without the stability of the organisation any longer being in any doubt.

There is no doubt that Trevor's personality has aided him in his success. He has remained calm even on the worst days here. I have yet to hear of any example of him uttering a cross word.

He is known for his support of colleagues and I know of his concern for the welfare and interests of his staff. That all speaks well for Trevor's fundamental decency and, for that, he will be much missed. While Trevor is retiring from the Assembly, I know he will continue to be active in other ways, in particular, in his charity work, his community work and his church involvement. On behalf of the House and the staff of the Assembly, I want to express our thanks and gratitude to Trevor for his services over the years. We give Trevor, his wife, Liz, and his family the warmest wishes for whatever the future holds.

Arlene Foster (DUP, Fermanagh and South Tyrone)

Like you, Mr Speaker, I do not want this moment to pass without having the opportunity to say thank you to Trevor and to pay my own tribute, not just for his work in this job but in his previous role as the chief executive of the Policing Board, when I was a member there, and as chief executive of Craigavon Borough Council.

Trevor, you have built a reputation for being fair and honourable and, in this particular line of work, that is not always easy to achieve. You were present when I was sworn in as Minister of the Environment, Enterprise Minister on two occasions, Finance Minister and, latterly, as First Minister — we have been through quite a lot together, Trevor.

I speak not just for myself, but for many colleagues who are here and those who have been Members of the House, when I say that we are grateful for all that you have done and the service that you have given. I know that dealing with politicians is not the easiest of jobs and, with responsibility for 108, the task is multiplied many times. However, in all of that time, you have carried out your duties with great diligence and professionalism. No one who has ever dealt with you could fail to be impressed by the manner in which you have approached your responsibilities and served us all.

Trevor, you have been in post for as long as this period of stable devolution has been in place and you have always proven yourself to be a rock of stability and a sound source of wise advice. In the past eight years, we have faced many difficulties, crises and challenges but your presence has been a constant throughout. As First Minister of the Assembly, I want to pay tribute to you and to thank you for that stability. As the Speaker said, although you are retiring from this post, I know that it is not the last that we will see of you in public life, and we wish you well. Thank you for all that you have done. I look forward to working with Lesley, your successor. She has big shoes to fill. Those of us who come after people with big shoes know what that is like. I wish her well and we look forward to working with her. I wish you every success.

Some Members

Hear, hear.

Alex Attwood (Social Democratic and Labour Party, Belfast West)

On behalf of the SDLP, here in the Assembly and more generally, I wish Trevor all the best. On one level, Trevor's career demonstrates that he is a glutton for punishment because he jumped from the frying pan of Craigavon Borough Council into the fire of the Policing Board. Then, at risk of mixing my metaphors even more, once bitten, twice shy, he jumped from the frying pan of the Policing Board into the fire of the Northern Ireland Assembly. In that way, he was a glutton for punishment, but, in a much more important way, Trevor demonstrates commitment to public service. There have never been harder places of public service than councils, the Policing Board and the Northern Ireland Assembly. In my opinion, the highest responsibility in public service that Trevor Reaney held was with the Policing Board during the implementation of Patten and the new beginning to policing. In my view, since 1998, that has been the single biggest paradigm shift, and Trevor Reaney was part and parcel of that.

Of course, in all of that, he needed a partner. It is not for me to tell the story, but there is a story, as Trevor knows, in relation to the age at which he became engaged and subsequently married. Maybe before the end of this week, he will share that story, because I think it is for him to share, not for me to tell. He has had a partner and wife for many, many, many years, of which many of us would be envious, I am sure. On behalf of the SDLP, I offer him and his wife, Liz, every success in their future endeavours.

Caitriona Ruane (Deputy Speaker, South Down)

I echo what our Speaker, First Minister and, indeed, Alex Attwood, have said. I am speaking for Sinn Féin, because Martin McGuinness is over at a football match that is happening tonight somewhere. Martin asked me to pass on my best wishes and thanks to Trevor for the enormous work that he has done. I wish Trevor all the best in his retirement, but I do not believe it will be a real retirement because I have already heard about some of the work that he plans to be doing. I have enjoyed very much working with Trevor. I did not work with him on the Policing Board, because he had left it when I joined it — he had left it to come here — but I worked with him very closely on the Assembly Commission. He showed tremendous leadership in very difficult times on the Assembly Commission. He played a key role in helping to establish the first women's caucus, which other legislatures are very envious of. I worked with him on the North/South Inter-Parliamentary Association. Indeed, at one of those meetings, Trevor got very sad news about his father and headed up the road; his father had passed away.

I have been working with him on the Speaker's team. We had our last meeting, this morning, with Trevor. I know that this is his last week here and that this is his last day in the Chamber, so I am sure it is a bittersweet day. I am sure you are looking forward to your retirement, but I am sure it is also a very sad day.

I hope your family enjoy having time with you. We often met in corridors, late at night, as we wondered whether we could book hotels, as business was going on until two or three in the morning. Trevor was always one of the people to go to. I congratulate him on his recent honours and on the work that he has done in the public service, and I very much look forward to working with him in the future. I have no doubt our paths will cross again.

Robin Swann (UUP, North Antrim)

On behalf of the Ulster Unionist Party Members — current and past — who have served and known Trevor, I thank you, sir, for your guidance. Indulge me, Mr Speaker, I do not want to speak through the Chair, but to Trevor. I thank you for your guidance and support in the time that you have been here and for the neutrality, professionalism and understanding that you have brought to this place and its Members. That steadying influence, within the Chamber and outside it, has helped many a Member through a difficult time. It is the personal understanding that you brought to your role that has been truly valuable in this place.

Your charity work has been mentioned. I know that that is something that has been, and is, dear to you, and it is something that you intend putting a lot more of your time and effort into. We wish you well as you take forward those worthy and worthwhile endeavours, and we wish you well in your community works. Much has been made of Trevor as a public servant, but it is the work that you have done behind the scenes that has been a great benefit to Northern Ireland and this place. That is why we think that you were richly and well rewarded in Her Majesty's Birthday Honours with an award. On behalf of the Ulster Unionist Party, we wish you well, not on your retirement, because we know you are not retiring, but in your next endeavours. We hope that you have a safe and enjoyable long life to enjoy that.

David Ford (Alliance, South Antrim)

I have heard it said that Trevor Reaney is not the kind of person who appreciates being made a fuss of. Therefore, I probably should speak briefly and not repeat everything that has already been said, so as not to add to his embarrassment. However, I am delighted that he will be suffering a certain amount of embarrassment at present due to the positive words that have been said from all round the Chamber. In particular, I am very much reminded of the comments that Alex Attwood made about his role in the Policing Board and the crucial role that was performed there before he came to the Assembly. That was at a time when life was not particularly easy, and things were not terribly smooth.

Those of us who have been here since 1998, as Alex and I have been, will recognise the very significant achievements that have been made by the secretariat in general in the last few years under Trevor's leadership and the excellent work that he has carried out, building on a career of dedicated public service over very many years elsewhere.

I have had the pleasure of knowing Trevor and Liz in a slightly different way — as mutual parents of students at Queen's. One of the things that I find amazing about Trevor is that, whether at that kind of informal occasion, when you are rejoicing in the successes of your children, or during the work that he has done in very difficult times here, he has been relentlessly cheerful, relentlessly positive and always optimistic in looking for the way in which the best good can be done for everyone. That is something that does not sit easily with many public servants, but it is an exemplar that we have seen in Trevor's work here. I was delighted that, just last week, Anne and I had the opportunity to have a brief conversation with Trevor and Liz to congratulate him on the award of the CBE, which was a richly deserved recognition of a full career in public service, not just in this place. We trust that he will have a long and very happy retirement in which to enjoy it.

Executive Committee Business

Robin Newton (Speaker, Belfast East)

I call the Minister of Finance, Mr Máirtín Ó Muilleoir, to move the Bill.

Moved. — [Mr Ó Muilleoir (The Minister of Finance).]

Máirtín Ó Muilleoir (Sinn Féin, Belfast South)

Mora duit ar maidin. My good wishes to Trevor as well, and, if there is a football indulgence this morning, I wish the Northern Ireland team well and the Irish team well for tomorrow. I believe William Humphrey gave his ticket to Martin McGuinness — no greater love has any man.

[Laughter.]

Robin Newton (Speaker, Belfast East)

As no amendments have been tabled, there is no opportunity to discuss the Budget (No. 2) Bill today. Members will, of course, be able to have a full debate at Final Stage. The Further Consideration Stage of the Bill is, therefore, concluded. The Bill stands referred to the Speaker.

Private Members' Business

Robin Newton (Speaker, Belfast East)

The Business Committee has agreed to allow up to one hour and 30 minutes for the debate. The proposer of the motion will have 10 minutes to propose and 10 minutes to make a winding-up speech. All other Members who wish to speak will have five minutes. I call Ms Sinéad Bradley to move the motion.

Alex Attwood (Social Democratic and Labour Party, Belfast West)

On a point of order, Mr Speaker. That is an error on our part. It is being moved by Mr Justin McNulty.

Robin Newton (Speaker, Belfast East)

As this is the first opportunity for Mr McNulty to speak as a private Member, I remind the House that it is the convention that a maiden speech is made without interruption — that is, unless the Member chooses to make controversial remarks.

Maurice (DUP, Fermanagh and South Tyrone)

On a point of order, Mr Speaker. Can you clarify whether it is in order for a Member to move a motion to which their name is not attached?

Robin Newton (Speaker, Belfast East)

I ask Members to take their ease while the point of order is checked.

I ask Members to resume their seats. The point of order raised by Lord Morrow is upheld. I call Sinéad Bradley to move the motion.

Sinéad Bradley (Social Democratic and Labour Party, South Down)

I beg to move

This Assembly notes that 42% of premises in rural areas do not have access to the proposed universal service obligation speed; further notes the urgent need for better provision of broadband and expansion of mobile phone coverage in rural areas; and calls on the Minister for the Economy to develop further proposals to ensure that Northern Ireland has a modern telecommunications network that enables existing businesses to compete and to ensure that all areas are attractive for foreign direct investment, including our rural communities.

As expected, I have not come prepared to move the motion. However, the SDLP was confident in putting the motion forward. As was the case for many Members in the House, during our campaign and canvass, access to good, reliable quality broadband was repeatedly brought up on many doorsteps, particularly in rural areas.

I will cite one example that comes to mind from my own canvass. I met a young girl who had a great entrepreneurial spirit and was very eager to convert what was essentially a family garage into a potential business. Speaking to her, it was clear to me and others that simple barriers to business promotion, like lack of access to broadband, were, in fact, acting as real barriers to growth. She had gone to the lengths of costing out the possibility of having to change the rating structure for her garage for change of use. All that aside and even though she had a very sound business case, I was disappointed to learn that she made the decision not to go ahead with that business proposal purely based on the fact that she could not compete with others within the sector without access to good and reliable broadband.

On returning to the SDLP group, when we were having our discussions about how canvasses had gone and what the messages were on the ground, it quickly came to light that there is a clear demand across some pockets of urban areas that have yet to be serviced and, particularly across rural areas, that broadband is not accessible and is not there when we need it, which is hampering the betterment of our economy and local economies.

When I spoke to others, I realised that there has been a change in culture. Access to broadband is something that family units almost expect as a utility now. Long gone are the days when it was listed alongside electricity and telephone lines. Broadband is now something we look at when we are using curriculum structures for doing homework. There is a growing demand for it, especially for the entertainment factor it brings. Many households across Northern Ireland will recognise the arguments that happen when one member of the family is on an iPad and there is a rush around the house to see who is doing what. It is about trying to prioritise whose access to broadband should trump the others'.

Many parents will recognise that argument. I think that it happens in many houses.

I suppose that, today, I would be particularly mindful of the potential blockages to economic growth that exist. Based on that, I urge all Members of the House not just to support the motion but to really look within their own remit. We talk about the House coming out of its silo mentality and thinking. I urge all Members, across their remit on different Committees to, please, look at opportunities to see where and when access to broadband can be increased and bettered.

Mervyn Storey (DUP, North Antrim)

As I rise to contribute to the debate, I think that it is important that we should, at the outset, say that we all agree on the importance of having access to good broadband provision. Obviously, we come to the debate with another aspect, which is that it reminds us of the important role that the Government play. Often, this House and Governments generally do not get good press around what they do or do not do. However, when we come to the issue that we are debating, it is important that the Government play that role of stimulating, providing and assisting.

When we look at the many statistics, which I am sure that the Minister and others will undoubtedly give us on the issue in the House today, there is one fact that, I think, we would do well to remember, which is that, over the last eight years, something in the region of over £60 million has been invested by previous Executives, and will be committed to by this Executive, to help to provide for broadband provision. Undoubtedly, the figure will be given to us that something in the region of over 95% of Northern Ireland will be covered by broadband. That is all to be welcomed. All that is to be applauded. However, I concur with the comments made by the proposer of the motion, eventually.

I cannot resist saying that the Opposition really do need to have a look at Standing Orders. We have been told about this dynamic Opposition that we will have; that it will be incisive and really get to the issues. Well, we need to have a look at Standing Orders. I have to commend the Member in all that. Members in the House know that I say many things, but I never make them personal. I trust that Members understand that. I commend her in the comments that she made.

Today, across the House, many examples will be given from our constituencies. I can take you to the town of Bushmills in my constituency of North Antrim, where, in that rural area, a business that has to depend on clients in the City of London cannot get the broadband speed that it requires to do its business in an accurate and appropriate way. In fact, it was suggested to that business that what it should do is move into a town such as Ballymoney, Coleraine or Ballycastle and then that service could be provided. In many ways, that undervalues the importance that we place on our rural communities and in having rural businesses. If we want to see, as I have no doubt that the Minister does, a spread of the financial benefit, it has to be not only in urban areas but in rural areas. I certainly encourage the Minister — I welcome the fact that he is here to speak on this issue — to continue to work with the providers. Let us remember that while the Government can stimulate and provide a certain degree of money, they still have to involve those providers. It is not good enough that they say, "Oh, but there are alternatives to having fibre. There is a lovely cabinet outside your door." In this particular case, my constituent can see the —

Maurice (DUP, Fermanagh and South Tyrone)

I thank the Member for giving way. Does he agree that broadband is fundamental, particularly in rural areas, to developing business and taking it forward? In my area, we have many black spots where small businesses and rural communities cannot access the Internet. Does he accept that much more needs to be done, concentrating in particular on rural communities?

Robin Newton (Speaker, Belfast East)

The Member has an extra minute.

Mervyn Storey (DUP, North Antrim)

I concur with the Member. With the exception of Members who are from the city of Belfast, there are very few Members who do not have a rural element to their constituency. Rural proofing was mentioned in the House yesterday. As a legislature, we are good at bringing forward legislation, but we have to ensure that those pieces of legislation are enacted and are fit for purpose so that, when it comes to an issue such as this, an obligation is placed not only on the Government to provide the services but on those who provide those services in the private sector. The private sector is always very good at coming knocking on the door of the Government and saying, "You have a duty to do this for us. You need to help us", and the leaders, plural, of the Opposition will tell us —

Robin Newton (Speaker, Belfast East)

I ask the Member to conclude his remarks.

Mervyn Storey (DUP, North Antrim)

— that it is incumbent on the Government to provide. However, it is equally incumbent on the private sector, which has a responsibility in this area, to work more proactively to ensure that the areas where there are black spots are delivered for and that we continue to make progress on this vital issue.

Caoimhe Archibald (Sinn Féin, East Londonderry)

Broadband provision and mobile phone network coverage, as everyone in the Chamber will recognise, are issues that we deal with regularly in our constituencies, probably more so in rural constituencies like mine of East Derry. I am speaking today in support of the motion. As the opposition parties have often been at pains to state to those of us in government, when you put forward things that we can support, we will support them, and that works both ways. A modern telecommunications network that enables existing business to compete and ensures that areas are attractive for foreign direct investment, including rural communities, is something that we can support.

Many telecommunications issues can be raised, but I will focus on a couple of things. First, I was disappointed that the motion referred only to ensuring that areas are attractive for foreign direct investment and enabling businesses to compete. We in Sinn Féin believe that, to grow our local economy, it is also vital to encourage indigenous entrepreneurship. While I accept that similar conditions apply to both, I feel that it is important to highlight the importance of indigenous enterprises. Encouraging start-ups and SMEs, as Mr Storey said, to remain in rural areas where they start their business is of the utmost importance to those local economies. It is important that SMEs have the infrastructure that allows them to get off the ground and grow, and that includes premises, transport and telecommunications. An online presence is vital to many small businesses, especially when they are starting off. Increasingly, social media is the method of choice for reaching customers and for marketing initiatives.

Secondly, for the purposes of attracting foreign direct investment, it goes without saying that a reliable and robust telecommunications network is essential. In fact, telecoms infrastructure ranks amongst the top factors in attracting companies to invest in an area, along with transport infrastructure and labour costs and, indeed, ahead of corporation tax, which is no surprise given that most companies, whether multinationals, public services or indigenous enterprises, are all looking at how they can use telecommunications to make businesses more efficient.

As we look towards a reduction in the corporation tax rate, which ultimately aims to encourage investment here, it is essential that we have all the other factors in place to attract investment and enable businesses to function effectively. That must, as the motion states, include all areas right across the North and not just the towns.

Finally, the right to request a connection to the universal service obligation speed would present a challenge in the North. Despite the numerous interventions to date to upgrade the networks, there are, as the motion states, still significant rural areas that do not have adequate or, indeed, any broadband coverage. Such programmes and initiatives that have been conducted or are ongoing are very welcome, but there is still some way to go.

In my constituency, pockets of areas that would not even be considered particularly rural or isolated have no broadband coverage. My parents live less than six miles from Coleraine, which is a fairly large town and the landing point for Project Kelvin, and a mile and a half from the main Coleraine to Derry road, yet they do not have broadband coverage. They have had to obtain satellite broadband, and that is the case for many businesses and residents in the Ballerin, Glenullin and Drumsurn area. Alongside that, we often get complaints of failing mobile phone network coverage.

Like I said, the upgrading and access initiatives in place are welcome, including that for satellite broadband under the basic broadband scheme, although expectations must be managed. Those who believe that satellite broadband is an equivalent solution to conventional broadband may be disappointed, because, while it certainly does the basics, it must be noted that most packages come with data download limits that are comparatively restrictive. It will certainly cover things such as email and social media, but it means that streaming and other things that people take for granted are not realistic, and it is, of course, more expensive.

I support the motion. Perhaps the further proposals that the signatories to the motion suggest the Minister develop should include a strategy to target, area by area, the so-called not spots and ensure providers funded under any future initiatives target those areas to support rural business development.

Steve Aiken (UUP, South Antrim)

I also pass on my thanks to the Clerk for his hard work and congratulate him on his honour.

I support the SDLP's motion. I want to talk about a few of the issues, and I will echo a lot of the things that Members have already said.

Throughout Northern Ireland, the concept of a universal service obligation (USO) is in rural areas and, increasingly, in some urban areas a bit of a hollow joke. In my constituency, over 8,000 premises are not connected; indeed, even when small and medium-sized enterprises have sought satellite broadband connection, several have been informed that they are in the shadow of retransmission positions. Indeed, getting 2 megabits per second, never mind 10 megabits or 24 megabits per second, is well outwith their reach. If we look at what is happening in London and increasingly in Manchester and areas that we are competing against, we see that areas there already have 200 Mb per second. That is what we need to aspire to.

We talk about Northern Ireland being the best place to do business. We are competing against the rest of Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland, but GB already has a superfast Britain policy. Unfortunately, I do not see a superfast Northern Ireland approach, which is something that we need to have. We need to address the issues with some urgency.

I have personal experience of BT Openreach taking over three months to connect my house to broadband, bearing in mind that my house is only 75 metres from the green box and they were busily digging up my lane to try to achieve connection. That just shows that some of the frustrations that we have across the Province are very much to the fore.

When we talk to potential foreign direct investment investors, we find that the provision of superfast broadband and adequate broadband is key. Much more than that, we are trying to build the approach for our people. We are trying to encourage rural enterprises to develop and to ensure that more of our people get the benefits of having a broadband connection.

This is not Government bashing. One of most important things that we have to do is to have urgent discussions with the regulator to see what is being provided in Northern Ireland. Bearing in mind the amount of money, public and private, that is being spent on the process, we need to hold the providers to account. One of the things that I will ask the Minister —

Jennifer Palmer (UUP, Lagan Valley)

I thank the Member for giving way. Does he agree with me that, in my constituency of Lagan Valley, the only opportunity that we have to access broadband in the village of Hillsborough and within the curtilage of its rural dimensions is when we are sitting at the back of an Ulsterbus that has free Wi-Fi? That is certainly the extent of the service that we have in the village of Hillsborough and its outlying rural areas.

Robin Newton (Speaker, Belfast East)

The Member has an extra minute.

Steve Aiken (UUP, South Antrim)

I thank the Member for the intervention. I do not think that we have a policy of asking Translink to have its Wi-Fi-enabled buses go around Northern Ireland to improve hotspots, but that is an example of some of the significant issues that we have. I am sure that every Member here would be able to intervene during this conversation to say that he or she has similar problems in his or her area.

Roy Beggs (UUP, East Antrim)

Will the Member give way?

Steve Aiken (UUP, South Antrim)

I will indeed.

Roy Beggs (UUP, East Antrim)

Would the Member be surprised to learn that some of our enterprise agencies still do not have superfast broadband and have not been prioritised and provided with the service that would enable small businesses to get online and win business internationally?

Steve Aiken (UUP, South Antrim)

Unfortunately, I am not surprised. We need to look at this urgently. I ask the Minister to hold the public-private partnership to account on the issue and to talk to the regulator. Let us not dwell on 12 or 24 megabits per second; let us see how quickly we can, like the rest of the United Kingdom, get to approaching 200 megabits per second.

Kellie Armstrong (Alliance, Strangford)

I rise as a rural dweller and on behalf of the Alliance Party to support the motion. While broadband coverage has improved, there are rural areas that still do not have Internet or where access to the Internet is hampered by low speeds. There is a growing digital divide. While it is true that an increasing number of urban premises have superfast broadband, a significant number of rural premises — 42%, as highlighted by the motion — do not have universal service obligation speeds; indeed, some premises that I have visited have speeds of less than 2 megabits per second.

The Department for the Economy continues to deliver the Northern Ireland broadband improvement project, which is a welcome initiative that has already enabled broadband access for 47,000 premises. As we know, the project includes a clawback gain share mechanism that compels BT to return part of the investment when adoption of the new service passes the 20% mark in related areas. However, the scheme does not appear to measure how comprehensively BT serves the rural community. For example, in my constituency, which is the Minister's constituency, the coastal village of Cloughey along the Ards peninsula is deemed to have broadband. New green cabinets were installed, and residents certainly took advantage of the faster broadband packages available. However, on the periphery of the village, there is a small development called Castle Meadows located less than 200 yards from the main road that passes through the village. No green cabinets were installed there, and the residents of that part of the village are not being provided with the broadband speed to meet even the USO's 10 megabits per second. Is anyone looking at how effective the Northern Ireland broadband improvement project is in rural areas? Is the 20% update in the adoption of new services all that is measured?

In answers to recent written questions, the Minister has confirmed that he will know the amount of money available from the BT clawback in the autumn. As called for in the motion, I urge the Minister to review the broadband coverage achieved to date and put plans in place to ensure that no one in a rural area is left lagging behind. I also ask that the Department review the clawback mechanism to see whether it is set at the appropriate level and is returning enough resources to allow the Department to maximise the delivery of broadband to isolated rural areas. I am sure that the Minister will agree that it is cold comfort to someone to know that most people in their area have high broadband speeds if they do not have access to it themselves.

I read with some consternation the suggestions on NI Direct that people who are not yet being provided with high broadband speeds could use the Internet facilities in their local library. Given the reduction in the number of libraries and the reduced opening hours in those that are left, this will not be a practical option for many people and is completely absurd for anyone trying to run a rural business.

In another answer to a written question, I noted that the Minister confirmed that his Department had no plans for intervention at present for mobile coverage. That is very disappointing. Isolated rural areas not currently covered by broadband are the very areas where it is unlikely there will ever be green cabinets.

Stewart Dickson (Alliance, East Antrim)

I thank the Member for giving way. Does she agree that, particularly when it comes to mobile phone coverage, the Minister and his party are putting mobile phone users in Northern Ireland at extreme jeopardy by suggesting that we should vote to exit the EU, which protects mobile phone users and delivers lower costs on a daily basis?

Robin Newton (Speaker, Belfast East)

The Member has an extra minute.

Kellie Armstrong (Alliance, Strangford)

I thank the Member for his points. Given that roaming charges in European states are being taken away this following summer, it is important that we consider the mobile phone.

It is imperative that mobile signal infrastructure is reviewed in conjunction with landline broadband. That way, when one is not available, the alternative should be provided. Satellite is not a realistic option as the download speeds are not appropriate for viable business use.

In summary, I urge the Minister to take the opportunity in the autumn to develop further proposals to enhance rural broadband and mobile coverage in rural areas.

That will be an investment that will enable the development of rural business and will open an attractive offer for potential foreign direct investors and local business development.

As Obama said:

"another key to strengthening education, entrepreneurship and innovation in communities ... is to harness the full power of the Internet, and that means faster ... more widely available broadband".

Gordon Lyons (DUP, East Antrim)

I do not intend to rehearse the arguments that have been made already, but it is important to understand the importance of broadband for people, especially those in rural areas. We all know of the need for businesses, particularly farms, and students and households to have access to broadband, and we understand the importance of that.

I want to raise a few areas of concern, but it is important that we understand that progress has been made in the area. Sometimes, progress may be not as swift as we might like it to be. We can look at the facts and see that 96% of premises now have broadband of 2 megabits per second or higher. Average download speeds have increased by 3·5 megabits per second over the last year, upload speeds are better and there has also been an increase in 3G coverage across Northern Ireland. Particularly in my constituency, I have —

Steve Aiken (UUP, South Antrim)

Will the Member give way?

Steve Aiken (UUP, South Antrim)

I will give way.

Steve Aiken (UUP, South Antrim)

The question about that is that we are talking about speeds of 2 megabits per second and 3G. The rest of the United Kingdom is talking about 4G moving on to 5G and 24 megabits per second and leading up to 200 megabits per second. We are trying to reinforce failure. I think that we should be looking towards doing more.

Robin Newton (Speaker, Belfast East)

The Member has an extra minute.

Sean Lynch (Sinn Féin, Fermanagh and South Tyrone)

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I will address some of those issues shortly, but we will never get 200 megabits per second in some of the rural areas in Northern Ireland; you are talking about some of the speeds that they are getting in the big cities across the water. I certainly want to see speeds and coverage increased everywhere.

We have to acknowledge that significant improvements have been made, but we need to go further because that is no comfort to people in rural areas who are struggling to get access to the Internet. Various projects have taken place. We have the Next Generation Broadband project, the remote broadband service, the broadband improvement programme and the basic broadband scheme. All those have helped to increase the number of those who can access broadband.

We have particular problems in Northern Ireland, especially in rural areas. Probably the most common problem is that the average length of the line from households or businesses to exchanges or cabinets is much longer in Northern Ireland than in the rest of the UK. We also have a problem in that the rural population in Northern Ireland is more dispersed than in other parts of the UK.

Despite the fact that progress has been made, it is still a very difficult situation for many rural dwellers. Some of the Members from the SDLP said that the issue had been raised with them when they were out on the doorsteps, and it has been raised with me frequently throughout my time as an elected representative. I understand the difficulties and real frustration that people have when it comes to not being able to access broadband. People feel aggrieved when they cannot connect or get the speeds that they want.

Mervyn Storey (DUP, North Antrim)

I thank the Member for giving way. Does he agree that one of the criteria that should be seriously considered when providers are refusing to, maybe, be helpful in the provision of an appropriate broadband speed is for businesses in the rural community to be given priority? That is only one customer, as opposed to them having hundreds of customers, which makes it financially viable for them.

Gordon Lyons (DUP, East Antrim)

I certainly agree with the Member and what he has said, and I am sure that the Minister has heard that as well.

I want to commend BT. I suppose that we can give BT quite a hard time, but I have found it to be very responsive to the queries that I have put to it as a representative for East Antrim. It is important that that is put on record. Of course, large areas in my constituency around Carnlough, Glenarm and some of the rural area at Ballyboley are still struggling to get reasonable speeds, and we need to look into that.

I want to make a couple more points. First, I know that the Minister does not have responsibility for it — he should not be able to interfere in the area — but I feel that it is unfair that companies can charge consumers the same regardless of whether they just about get a very basic speed or a far higher one. Those who are getting a very poor speed should not have to pay for a service that they are not getting in its entirety, but I understand that that is not the responsibility of the Minister. I ask the Minister to continue to invest and identify the areas in need, and to keep working and bringing in these projects and schemes that have been done in the past so that we can get higher broadband speeds and greater coverage.

I cannot sit down without referring to the comments that were made by Mr Dickson. We have heard that Brexit will cause World War III; we have heard that Brexit will cause economic calamity. We have been given all sorts of scare stories, and now Mr Dickson is suggesting that we will not be able to make telephone calls in the event of Brexit. We will not be able to send text messages. We will maybe just park that there, and I will spare his blushes any further.

I support the motion and hope that the Minister will continue to invest so that speeds can be improved for everyone.

Ian Milne (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

Before I go into my prepared piece, I thank the Members for bringing the motion to the Floor. I also pay tribute to Trevor Reaney and wish him every success for the time ahead.

Much has been done over this past number of years to improve access to broadband and mobile phone coverage, such as the Next Generation project, the voucher scheme and, currently, the super-fast roll-out programme. While this is to be commended, it also needs to be acknowledged that not everyone has benefited or is benefiting from this. A large number of rural areas, many within my constituency of Mid Ulster, continue to experience difficulty in access, speed and reliability. Some have no access, some have limited access and many are unable to avail themselves of competitive pricing or the opportunities open to others. This patchy coverage has a direct impact on local services such as GPs, where records cannot be accessed in a timely manner or correspondence dealt with efficiently.

(Mr Deputy Speaker [Mr McGlone] in the Chair)

Steve Aiken (UUP, South Antrim)

Will the Member give way?

Ian Milne (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

I will.

Steve Aiken (UUP, South Antrim)

One of the key issues already mentioned is the distance and what rural provision is throughout these islands. One of the issues that we should be addressing is the fact that there is no difference between the length of cables in Wales, Scotland and the Republic of Ireland, yet provision has managed to be achieved. Also, mobile telephone coverage is significantly better, as anybody who has recently been in rural Ireland has seen. This is not an issue that is basically just a Northern Ireland problem. We need to be able to hold the providers to account.

Patsy McGlone (Deputy Speaker, Mid Ulster)

The Member has an extra minute.

Ian Milne (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

Thank you for those comments; I agree wholeheartedly with them.

It impacts on businesses and the business community, which are in regular contact with my office highlighting the negative impact that a slow and inconsistent signal has on their business and expressing their frustration at the lack of the progress that can be seen in urban areas. It affects farmers, who are encouraged and rewarded for processing grant applications online, schools, which are always increasing their use of technology, and the recreational user, who is multiple in many households, all requiring access to the service, often at the same time.

Mobile phones and the Internet have changed the way that we interact and access our information. It has allowed many local businesses to expand into new markets and adopt new and innovative approaches. It has allowed for increased speed and efficiency and has also enabled the workforce to become more mobile, which breaks down some of the barriers to employment. For those who have excellent coverage and access, it is very much part of their lives. It is unusual to see a person without a smartphone. "Google it" has become a much-used phrase when we do not know the answer to a question.

I have witnessed much frustration when access to a strong signal is not instantaneous. Yet, for people in many locations, a poor signal or no signal is the norm, so there is an absolute need for fairness across the urban and rural locations. The Rural Needs Act, passed in this House a few months ago, required that rural needs be appropriately taken into account by public authorities in policymaking and service delivery. Its aim is for rural dwellers to enjoy the same quality of life as all others across the North.

I appreciate that telecommunications is not a devolved matter, but as it is not economically advantageous for private companies to bring these services to rural locations, they are unlikely to do so, rightly or wrongly, without government intervention and assistance. There was disappointment in my constituency when the mobile infrastructure project, a publicly funded initiative that it was hoped would correct the market failure in supply, failed to materialise, despite being granted the necessary planning permission to build the base station. There is a lot resting on the current Superfast Rollout programme, and, while I appreciate that it is a work in progress, it is unlikely to reach everywhere.

I ask the Minister to give his commitment today that he will make access to broadband and a mobile signal, regardless of location, a departmental priority. I also bring to the Minister's attention that, on three occasions, requests for a meeting with ETI Ministers by, for example, Mid Ulster Council fell on deaf ears. I ask this Minister to speak to councils not just in the Mid Ulster area but right across the North.

Gordon Dunne (DUP, North Down)

I, too, welcome the opportunity to speak on the motion. We all recognise the need for an improvement in broadband and mobile services in rural and urban areas. Modern business and family life require fast communications through broadband and mobile phone systems.

Significant investment has taken place in recent years to improve the installation of broadband projects, including the Next Generation Broadband programme and phase 2 of the Superfast Rollout programme, representing an investment of over £60 million over the last six or seven years. We recognise that that is significant investment by DETI and other Departments, but more is needed to bring the service provision up to 10 megabytes per second, as stated in the USO — the universal service obligation.

It is important, as we move towards 2018 and the proposed reduction in corporation tax and seek to attract new business into Northern Ireland, that we are ready with modern, high-speed broadband and mobile phone services that are fit for purpose and that no area is disadvantaged by the lack of modern technology. Given our high number of SMEs and that over 70% of manufacturing is now outside Belfast, we are highly dependent on the Internet and high-speed broadband to be able to operate efficiently. Whether the business is in the Holywood hills in North Down, for example, where there may be small businesses, such as kennels or a quarry operation, effective, efficient broadband is essential for data handling and communication. The Department for the Economy needs to influence providers to get improved delivery in support of businesses and our residents.

Effective, efficient mobile phones are critical for business communications. It is so frustrating to have poor local services. If you travel a short distance down Massey Avenue and up to Craigantlet, about two miles away, you find you are hit by poor service in a rural area. Does it matter that it relates to the low density of the population? That seems to be the major factor. Where there is low density, we get low investment. More needs to be done to encourage investment by the phone providers and to share existing facilities, such as masts. Planning, again, seems to be an issue, and we need to put more pressure on to improve the planning facility. More improvement is needed for customers, with improved services for all users.

Efficient and effective business delivery requires modern and high-speed communications. We recognise that our new Minister, Simon Hamilton, will continue to ensure effective delivery to make Northern Ireland a better place for business. I support the motion.

Alan Chambers (UUP, North Down)

I thank the SDLP for tabling this worthy and important motion. It is an example of proactive opposition. It should focus our minds on the fact that we all recognise that many people in rural areas are unable to enjoy the high broadband speeds and reliable mobile phone coverage that many of our citizens take for granted.

The Consumer Council hit the nail on the head in a recent consultation response on the issue, when it stated:

"access to broadband can be viewed in the same way as basic utility services."

Now that many government services are being moved and promoted online, it gives us one more important reason to ensure that everyone has equal opportunity to enjoy a top-end, quality broadband service. Online electoral registration, which we discussed in the House yesterday, is the latest example of that.

The project to introduce a reduced rate of corporation tax has been referred to and is foremost in our minds. We are rightly focusing a lot of attention on the establishment of training provision to create the skill sets that, we anticipate, will be required as new employment opportunities open up. However, we should not take our eye off day-to-day housekeeping requirements that international investors will be looking for and expecting. Universal high-speed broadband and robust mobile phone coverage will be one such expectation, especially with so many people now working from home, which is a trend that will increase.

We need to recognise also that many small farmers are diversifying into other income opportunities and broadband is essential to accommodate their ambitions and help grow our economy.

Rosemary Barton (UUP, Fermanagh and South Tyrone)

I thank the Member for giving way. Is he aware that there is a rural/urban divide in Northern Ireland? Currently, in Fermanagh and South Tyrone, 37% of premises cannot receive a broadband download speed of greater than 10 megabytes per second, compared with 2% of premises in Belfast.

Patsy McGlone (Deputy Speaker, Mid Ulster)

The Member has a minute added to his time.

Alan Chambers (UUP, North Down)

I am sure that the House sympathises with and shares the Member's concern at that statistic.

We also recognise how important tourism is to our economy. Visitors going to our must-visit locations expect to be able to use their iPads, tablets and smartphones. One bad experience can be the one recalled when visitors return home to share their stories with friends and families, who are our potential future visitors.

In conclusion, we should not imagine that broadband black spots are exclusive to rural areas. In my North Down constituency, there are many high-value rateable urbanised housing areas that are still receiving download speeds that would have been considered as snail's pace years ago. That is just not good enough.

After Friday and the result of Brexit, I certainly do not anticipate war. However, I hope that we will continue to enjoy the European grant aid that we have received to date to help us improve our communications network.

John O'Dowd (Sinn Féin, Upper Bann)

I welcome the opportunity to speak in this debate. Before doing so, I pay tribute to Mr Reaney, who has now left the Chamber. He and I served together on Craigavon council during some very sad and difficult times in the history of that borough, and he was a very steady hand at the helm. I pay tribute to him for his work on Craigavon council and also here at the Assembly.

I move to the debate in hand. As everyone agrees, broadband is an essential element to daily life, our economy and the learning skills of young people. Everyone, particularly Members from a rural constituency, will have experience of where broadband is non-existent or the lack of it severely hampers the promotion of rural life, whether it be in employment, industry or education.

As Members have also said, during the recent election campaign, when we were out knocking on doors and talking to people, it was a topic of conversation on many doorsteps. People should have access to a high standard of broadband, whether they be in Belfast city centre or on the shores of Lough Neagh in Maghery.

In fact, I was watching a programme recently that intrigued me. A fisherman off the Cornish coast was going out, lifting his lobster pots, taking photographs of the lobsters, tweeting them and selling the catch through social media. If you were a fisherman in Lough Neagh, you could not do that because the broadband connection would be insufficient for you to be able to lift your catch, tweet the photographs and sell it. Why should we not be able to do that? Why should the local infrastructure and local economy not enable that to be done, whether it is that old tradition of fishing off Lough Neagh or the new industries that are coming into our rural communities?

Of course, those who tabled the motion ignore the fact that there is already a commitment in the Programme for Government framework to increase broadband accessibility to everyone, particularly to rural communities. The Executive have recognised that in their commitments under the Programme for Government framework, which is out for consultation and which we are encouraging people to move forward to. The question is not whether we support access to rural broadband. The question is: how do we achieve it? Is it the responsibility of the Executive? Is it solely the responsibility of the Economy Minister? I would argue that it is not, because I suspect that major corporations are sitting back in their boardrooms saying, "Keep calm. Keep cool. Don't spend a penny. This will land on the Government's doorstep, and they can invest tens of millions of pounds of taxpayers' money into a service for us, as a private company, to lay whatever infrastructure is required". When our telecommunications industries were privatised, we were told that that was the best way forward and that privatisation would offer competition —

Steve Aiken (UUP, South Antrim)

Will the Member give way?

John O'Dowd (Sinn Féin, Upper Bann)

One second.

John O'Dowd (Sinn Féin, Upper Bann)

— greater value for money and the services that are required. Clearly, it has not. I give way to the Member.

Steve Aiken (UUP, South Antrim)

Thanks very much to the Member for mentioning that. One issue that we need to talk about is that there is already a significant debate about the relationship between Openreach, BT and other providers. One thing that we should do as a matter of urgency is to look at what is being provided by the private sector and holding it to account. Thank you for allowing me to intervene.

Patsy McGlone (Deputy Speaker, Mid Ulster)

The Member will have an extra minute added to his time.

John O'Dowd (Sinn Féin, Upper Bann)

I was going to come to your point, Mr Aiken. Throughout this debate, you have made very valid points in your interventions. If we use millions of pounds of taxpayers' money to lay whatever infrastructure is required to provide rural broadband of the standard that we all expect and hand that over to the private sector, which then charges the same taxpayers who paid for the infrastructure to be laid in the first place, I want to know what comeback there is, what regulation will be in place, and what authority this or any other Economy Minister will have over those providers to ensure that they provide a fair and equitable service to the taxpayers who paid for the infrastructure to be laid in the first place. That is the debate that we need to have. How do we hold what are now private companies to account if we are going to hand over tens of millions of pounds of taxpayers' money for the provision of broadband? Of course, we could debate at length whether we should hand that money over or not.

One thing that is clear and that the House is obviously agreed on is that, if we allow the current service to continue, rural communities will be disenfranchised. We had a debate here yesterday about online registration. One Member referred to the fact that gun licensing is moving online. Car tax and tax returns are moving online. As we move towards a modern health service, healthcare will be delivered online as well. If you are living in a rural community, will you have the same access to your GP or consultant online? If the infrastructure remains as it is, you will not.

A number of valid points have been raised during the debate, but the one that resonates with me most is how we hold to account those private companies that are sitting back and waiting on tens if not hundreds of millions of pounds of public money to be invested in their infrastructure.

Tom Buchanan (DUP, West Tyrone)

My apologies for missing part of the debate. My comments will be brief. As you know, I have broadband provision in West Tyrone down as the topic for this afternoon's Adjournment debate, so we will be focusing on that later. I will keep these few comments broad.

Excellent broadband coverage is one of the fundamental components in the digital age for driving our everyday lives and our economy forward. Technology is continually advancing, and we need to ensure that we have proper broadband and mobile phone coverage throughout our constituencies. Black spots are a particular problem right across rural constituencies in Northern Ireland. It is about how we deal with the problem, because there has been a commitment from the Executive over the past few years to bring on faster broadband speeds and upgrade broadband services. However, that does not address the gaps that appear in rural areas, where we have farm businesses, small businesses, schools, schoolchildren and parents contacting our offices about the lack of broadband cover. It is essential for businesses and for children, who seek to study.

It is an issue that the Executive will have to face up to, but the question is this: how do we address it? As the Member who spoke previously said, there are private companies out there that we need to hold to account. There are those that we need to work with in innovative ways as we seek to bridge the gap that exists in rural areas. Over the next five years, the Executive will have to face up to how we make progress on improving broadband services in rural areas.

The motion is quite clear in stating that the problem still exists. I support the motion and ask the Minister to look at some innovative ways of working alongside the private sector to see how the matter can be addressed, in order to ensure that there is equality of service right across the constituencies for those who really need it for their businesses as they seek to drive the economy forward.

Gerry Mullan (Social Democratic and Labour Party, East Londonderry)

I welcome the opportunity to speak to the motion. In doing so, I will demonstrate to the House the harsh realities of life facing many of my constituents in East Derry. Many individuals and families, including farmers, have contacted me to express their deep frustration at the slow progress made with broadband provision across the constituency. From places such as Benone, Blagh and Drumsurn, which are on my doorstep, to places right across the constituency, such as Waterfoot, Kilrea and Glenullin in the east and Feeney and Claudy in the west, I have not seen any broadband improvement in recent years. That is in spite of having Project Kelvin in Portrush, a £28 million fibre-optic cable connecting my constituency to North America in a matter of seconds.

I understand that DETI spent a considerable amount of money on rolling out broadband schemes, but my constituency has yet to receive any tangible benefit from it, despite multiple promises of higher speeds and upgrades to service infrastructure. That failure to improve rural broadband services has exacerbated the digital divide, and that is having a severe economic impact on many business across my constituency. Business owners have told me that poor Internet connectivity is stifling their business growth, job creation and productivity in the area.

Many homes and businesses throughout East Derry struggle to obtain a mere speed of 2 megabits per second. What business would want to come and invest in an area that does not have the proper broadband infrastructure?

According to research carried out last year, 11% of Internet connections in East Derry have a speed of 2 megabits per second or less: in 2016, that is unacceptable. Compare that with areas like north and south Belfast, where the figure sits at a very comfortable 2% and 3% respectively. With the opening up of many online markets and the emergence of the digital economy, rural businesses simply cannot compete.

The broadband voucher scheme promised much to many rural businesses, but less than a year ago it was stripped of funding, leaving many rural businesses stranded and disconnected once again. I call on the Minister to clarify whether he or his Executive colleagues have plans to reinstate the scheme and deliver fully on what was promised to so many rural businesses, especially those located in east Derry.

Satellite broadband and blue boxes have been used as stopgap provision in many rural areas, but they do not provide a consistent, reliable or stable connection.

Oliver McMullan (Sinn Féin, East Antrim)

I thank the Member for giving way. Does he agree that farming is one of the biggest industries in rural areas? Does the House realise that the PSNI is moving towards 100% of gun permit applications being done online by August? We are also looking at staged payments of the single farm payment to help the farming community in this time of austerity. To get those staged payments, at least 70% of applications will have to be done online. Does the Member agree that rural areas need to be looked at with greater detail and urgency?

Patsy McGlone (Deputy Speaker, Mid Ulster)

The Member has an extra minute.

Gerry Mullan (Social Democratic and Labour Party, East Londonderry)

Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I thank the Member for his intervention. There is no doubt that the farming community suffers greatly from the lack of broadband. I sympathise with his comments and hope that the issue can be addressed by the Minister.

There are better long-term solutions. We simply cannot have a glass-half-empty approach for rural broadband; it is much too important for the survival of many businesses in rural constituencies like East Derry.

Mobile phone coverage is an equally important issue in my constituency, which is littered with what have been referred to in the Chamber today as "not spots" — areas where there is little or no mobile phone coverage. In preparation for today's debate, I went onto Ofcom's website, which details mobile phone coverage throughout the North. When I looked across the map of my constituency, I saw that areas surrounding Limavady, Dungiven and Magilligan Point were marked in red, which means that there is limited outdoor and indoor phone network coverage, whilst access to 3G and 4G Internet is almost non-existent. I understand that DETI, in collaboration with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport —

Patsy McGlone (Deputy Speaker, Mid Ulster)

Will the Member draw his remarks to a close?

Gerry Mullan (Social Democratic and Labour Party, East Londonderry)

— had intended to improve service through a mobile infrastructure project with £150 million earmarked to improve mobile phone coverage to over 60,000 remote areas in the UK.

The people of my constituency need assurances that the superfast broadband scheme —

Patsy McGlone (Deputy Speaker, Mid Ulster)

I ask the Member to draw his remarks to a close.

Gerry Mullan (Social Democratic and Labour Party, East Londonderry)

— will reach them soon and that the mobile phone infrastructure will be progressed in a timely fashion.

George Robinson (DUP, East Londonderry)

I will highlight the difficulties that are being experienced by rural businesses when it comes to our telecommunications network. Last year, Minister, I had your DETI predecessor, Mr Bell, in the East Londonderry constituency to hear at first hand some of the problems that businesses experience. The Minister will confirm that yesterday I gave him the names of areas in Limavady where broadband provision is very poor. I deal weekly with constituents who are unhappy with their broadband and mobile phone coverage. In Limavady, it is often impossible to get good reception on some networks. Over the months, I have heard from the networks that relays are down or masts are giving problems, but there is no commitment to repairing the problem.

As the Minister is aware, I am committed to bringing employment to my constituency, but I am firmly convinced that the communications infrastructure needs enhancement to achieve this. I ask that he does what he can to ensure such improvement is supported.

Today's business relies increasingly on technology for transactions and product information, so limited high-speed broadband coverage places rural areas at a disadvantage. What is particularly annoying for people in East Londonderry is that Project Kelvin runs close to some of the areas that experience difficulties. Will the Minister consider looking at the possible use of the fibre-optic system of Project Kelvin to help to boost the connectivity in rural areas to high-speed Internet?

The website of the former Coleraine Borough Council says that this effectively makes Coleraine and Limavady an attractive digital suburb of the major cities in the USA, Canada, the UK and continental Europe. I hope that, with interdepartmental approaches, where required, all areas in Northern Ireland will soon be able to benefit from high-speed broadband and state-of-the-art mobile connectivity, and become a base for business. Not only would that help the Northern Ireland economy, but it would help to make rural businesses sustainable and create employment. I support the motion.

Patsy McGlone (Deputy Speaker, Mid Ulster)

I call Mr Boylan. We are running pretty tight to the wire for time, so I advise the Member not to take any interventions.

Cathal Boylan (Sinn Féin, Newry and Armagh)

Ba mhaith liom cúpla focal a rá. I will say a few words on the motion, but, first, I pay tribute to Trevor Reaney and wish him and his family all the best for the future.

I commend the mover of the motion for the way she dealt with the situation and Mr Attwood for the fleetness of foot that he showed in getting the matter to the Clerk.

My colleague John O'Dowd adequately described what was needed to go forward with what the motion calls for. I will use three examples. First, the mover of the motion talked about how, when out canvassing, she met somebody who wanted to convert a garage or part of a garage to business use. In a case in my constituency, somebody wanting to do exactly the same thing sought assistance from the rural development programme. As part of that discussion, they started to talk about the provision of broadband and how difficult it was to get the proper speed for downloads and that.

Another example from my area is Tullygoonigan, an old creamery outside Armagh city. A number of years ago, it was taken over and turned into a number of units. The owner of the premises could not get people to take the units because of the download speeds. Thankfully, the previous Minister intervened, and the business is up and going and going very well.

I think that Mr Mervyn Storey was going to make a point about this. There was a case of a young lady who lives near the border and only about 500 yards from a cabinet that had been upgraded just recently, but it is on a different line. She can see it, but she came to me and told me that her son had to travel to an urban setting to download stuff for his homework.

I am sure that most of us have experienced such problems and examples. To be fair, my colleague Megan Fearon and I have met BT on a number of occasions, and I put on record my thanks to BT for the way in which it has dealt with some of this. However, as Members have commented — it has been a good debate — the issue is that we need to look at the providers and hold them to account.

I want the Minister to touch on the NI broadband improvement project. In 2014, at the outset of that project, which had an investment of £23·5 million, the aim was to push a faster broadband service to an additional 45,000 premises: to date, 17,500 homes and businesses have been facilitated. We know rightly that, bar doing fibre not only to the cabinets but to homes, there are some rural areas where satellite may be the only solution. I want the Minister to give an update on where BT is with that. Most of us have a good working relationship with BT, but there is still a lot more to be done. For most of the people coming back to me, BT says that they can access broadband. However, when they phone up — some of them are already getting charged — and get routers out, there are problems. It is up to us and the Minister; if we are giving out public money to deliver, somebody has to be held to account. Maybe the Minister can give us a wee update on where we are with that programme. I support the motion.

Simon Hamilton (DUP, Strangford)

I join others who have congratulated the outgoing Clerk/Chief Executive on his retirement. I think that everybody will join in wishing him a very enjoyable retirement and thanking him for the service that he has given to the Assembly and other parts of the public sector in Northern Ireland.

I thank Members from the Benches opposite for bringing the debate to the Assembly today. I fully recognise, as many Members have said during the debate, the importance of access to functional, modern and sustainable telecommunications networks and services in support of economic prosperity and business growth. In recognition of that, over the last eight years, my Department has led the way in the United Kingdom by channeling some £64 million of public funding into initiatives aimed at stimulating improvements in the reach, speed and quality of broadband services across Northern Ireland. It is important, therefore, to take the opportunity to place on record the progress that has been made in this key area. The latest infrastructure report from Ofcom has pointed to Northern Ireland having the highest coverage of fibre-based networks in the whole of the United Kingdom, at 95% across fixed and mobile technologies. That can provide a broadband service of 2 Mb per second or better. Ofcom has also reported that the average broadband download speed in Northern Ireland has continued to increase to 28·3 Mb per second, compared with a UK average of 29 Mb per second. Specifically, my Department's broadband improvement project, which was mentioned by Mr Boylan, has already ensured that, for the first time, some 48,000 premises, largely in rural areas, have received access to at least 2 Mb per second and that just over 29,000 premises can now access 30 Mb per second or better.

I listened to the contribution of Mr Mullan towards the end of the debate, and I think that he said that there had been no improvement at all to broadband services in his East Londonderry constituency. The broadband improvement scheme is a good example of where we are making the investments that the motion calls on us to make to make improvements to broadband services in his constituency and others. Up to March of this year, the investment being made in the broadband improvement scheme has seen improvements to 164 exchanges across Northern Ireland. Some of those are in places like Claudy, Feeny, Kilrea and Limavady, all of which were mentioned by the Member. There is a lengthy list of others that, I am sure, touches on some of the areas that other Members talked about. It may not be perfect, but I do not think that anybody can genuinely stand in the Chamber and say that there has not been investment or there have not been improvements. In addition —

Colin McGrath (Social Democratic and Labour Party, South Down)

Will the Minister give way?

Simon Hamilton (DUP, Strangford)

Yes.

Colin McGrath (Social Democratic and Labour Party, South Down)

Does the Minister accept that some people in rural areas have an existing connection that is not as good as the new connections and the telecommunication companies are not allowing them to transfer? Whilst there are improvements for new customers in rural areas, it is the existing customers not being upgraded whom we would like to see help for. Will the Minister's Department work with the companies to address that issue?

Simon Hamilton (DUP, Strangford)

That is something that my Department does on an ongoing basis with various telecoms providers. I accept entirely the point that the Member makes; it is one that I could make myself on behalf of constituents who come to me on a frequent enough basis.

The point I was making in previous comments — this ought to be acknowledged, and I think it has been generally acknowledged in the House — was that there has been a significant investment in Northern Ireland that has taken us ahead of other parts of the United Kingdom in its scale. That investment has tried to improve the service. It is not perfect — I am not standing here saying it is perfect — but the broadband improvement scheme is one good example of where investment has been made to try to enhance and improve broadband services, including his constituency, where of the 164 exchanges that have been improved some are in Downpatrick, Newcastle and Ardglass, which is a village I am very familiar with. There have been improvements, and investments have been made. I accept that it is not perfect, it is not right in every case and more work needs to be done, but that is what we are obviously trying to do.

In addition to the broadband improvement scheme, my Department is managing the superfast roll-out programme, which, by 31 December 2017, will provide access to superfast broadband with speeds of at least 24 megabits per second to a further 39,000 premises, business and residential, across Northern Ireland. It is anticipated that, by the time those projects have completed, 87% of premises will have access to services of at least 24 megabits per second, compared with 77% when the projects began.

The motion refers to the United Kingdom's intention to introduce a broadband universal service obligation. Through that, it is expected that by 2020 everyone should have the legal right to request a broadband service of at least 10 megabits per second, subject to certain conditions. My Department has already expressed the view to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport in London, which is leading on the regulatory change, that the minimum should be at least 30 megabits per second. Perhaps that is not the several hundred that Mr Aiken was talking about, but I hope it at least shows there is a degree of ambition in my Department and the Executive over and above what DCMS in London wants, which is only 10 megabits. I accept that it is not several hundred, which, as Mr Lyons said, is a speed more likely to be in places like London, but it is at least a sign of some ambition on the part of this Department and the Executive that we want to see that USO raised from 10 to at least 30.

Steve Aiken (UUP, South Antrim)

Will the Minister give way?

Simon Hamilton (DUP, Strangford)

Yes, briefly.

Steve Aiken (UUP, South Antrim)

I am grateful for that, and I am glad to see that we have set an ambition for 30, but I would like to see an ambition pushing for much more. There are technological changes coming on fairly quickly that we should be at the forefront of and be able to do. When we look at the use of 5G technology, for instance, and how it is moving onwards, we see that we should be able to do a combine between fibre and mobile to be able to push it on. We want to see Northern Ireland work, and giving Northern Ireland the opportunity to have the highest broadband speed and connectivity possible will reinforce our position as a great place to do business. However, I thank you for your ambition.

Simon Hamilton (DUP, Strangford)

I appreciate the comments made by the Member. I think 30 acknowledges some degree of ambition over and above what the DCMS has. Whilst I would like to see it higher than that, aspire to it and want to make progress towards it over a longer time, I think getting a minimum of 30 for people, particularly those receiving less than two megabits a second at the minute, would be a substantial improvement in the broadband service they receive.

A universal service obligation, with its target date of 2020, will be provided on the basis of a reasonable request from consumers, with services delivered using the most cost-effective technology available. Consumers may be expected to contribute to the costs where they go beyond a reasonable threshold. While we wait to hear the full details, it is possible that the universal service obligation will include the use of various technologies in the most challenging areas. The motion notes that 42% of rural premises cannot currently achieve speeds of 10 megabits per second or better, as recorded by Ofcom in its 'Connected Nations 2015' report. While it is important to note that 86% of premises overall in Northern Ireland can access those speeds, I recognise it is important that as much as possible is done to improve access for rural premises going forward.

Mr Storey acknowledged the investment that has been made — I think Mr Dunne made the same point — recognised that improvements have been made and acknowledged that broadband access is, by and large, much better than it was a number of years ago. Yes, there is work to do. Sometimes I think we fail to compare ourselves. It is fair enough for us to look at ourselves and say that there are parts of Northern Ireland that are not as good as others, but we should compare it with other nations around the world, including the countries we are competing against for investment, which the motion talks about. The OECD does analysis of the well-being of regions, and one of the indicators that it uses is access to services. The indicator that it uses to mark that is household broadband access. Northern Ireland's access to services rating in the OECD regional well-being index shows that we are in the top 16% of OECD regions for household broadband access. I would like to see it higher than 16% — it has been higher than that in the past — but that is not bad in comparison. I am not saying that I am settling for being in the top 16%, but that is not bad when you compare it with the countries that are in the OECD. This is not global; it is not every country in the world. This is the most advanced and most developed economies in the world: the likes of Japan, the United States, France, Germany and other parts of Europe. We may not be perfect, but when we compare ourselves with others we are doing quite well.

In this context, it is important to note that Ofcom also indicated that the roll-out of my Department's superfast programme with access to a speed of 24 megabits per second will cause this picture — the picture of 86% of households getting access — to improve and change rapidly and, I believe, for the better.

While the substantial investment that has already taken place resulted in a very welcome level of improvement and illustrates that much has been done to enhance provision, I recognise that the overall picture may not reflect the reality for some of our most geographically remote and demographically challenging locations. We recognise this, and my Department's ongoing initiatives are very much aimed at further enhancing our broadband infrastructure. In that context, I urge Members to recognise that alternative networks offer a viable option for the delivery of broadband services in the most difficult to reach and less densely populated areas.

Over recent years, my Department has supported projects that have extended fixed wireless and satellite broadband networks across many parts of Northern Ireland, with the capacity to offer high-speed broadband services. In January this year, my Department launched a scheme that allows consumers with a service of less than two megabits per second to access a subsidy towards the cost of having a satellite service installed, subject to satisfying certain eligibility criteria. For the future, under the broadband improvement contract, BT can reinvest certain clawback funds when take-up exceeds specific thresholds. The final amount will not be known until the autumn, when plans can be developed to further improve the coverage of faster broadband connectivity across Northern Ireland.

I also have to stress that telecommunications matters are reserved by Westminster and that my Department has limited powers to intervene in what is a fully privatised and independently regulated market. While public funds can and will be used to encourage private sector investment, it is ultimately a business decision for providers how and if they wish to participate in any joint venture. In addition, public funds have to be used in a way that ensures value for money while protecting competition and adhering to the rules on state aid. In that context, neither I nor the Department can direct or compel a network operator as to where it should invest or what technology it should use. However, I agree that, while recognising —

John O'Dowd (Sinn Féin, Upper Bann)

Will the Minister give way?

Simon Hamilton (DUP, Strangford)

I am pushed for time. Can you be very brief?

John O'Dowd (Sinn Féin, Upper Bann)

I am sorry, Minister, I just misheard you there. Has your Department powers to compel where and when materials are used or what facilities are put in place?

Simon Hamilton (DUP, Strangford)

No, we do not. The Member and others touched on the point about it being a privatised and independently regulated market. We do not have the power to compel and cannot force companies to get involved in a joint venture. We will encourage them, and, to be fair, most telecommunications companies have been willing and receptive to that. I do not have the time to get into the Member's point in great detail now, but he made an interesting and relevant point.

I agree that, while recognising the significant advances that we have made to date, there is and will continue to be a need for the further evolution of and improvement in broadband and mobile infrastructure in rural and urban areas of Northern Ireland. My Department is currently taking stock of what has been achieved and what is likely to remain to be done after the current initiatives have been completed. This is at an early stage, but it is already apparent that, if the ambitions of the draft Programme for Government with regard to improving Internet connectivity are to be realised — again, a point made by Mr O'Dowd — the costs, no matter what technology is deployed, are likely to require further investment.

I now turn briefly to mobile coverage. The UK Government have put in place an agreement with the mobile network operators through which the mobile industry will invest £5 billion in UK infrastructure to increase coverage by 2017. It is envisaged that mobile not spots in Northern Ireland will be reduced to 0·3% of the land mass by the time that investment is completed. In addition, the mobile market in the UK is highly competitive and fast-moving, and the operators are constantly evolving their networks and developing new products and services that can offer better coverage and more adaptable packages.

I hope that the Assembly will recognise that Northern Ireland has made significant progress on the reach and quality of the broadband services that are now available. We have made that progress within the confines within which the Department is required to operate in developing our telecommunications networks. I understand and appreciate the importance of having access to a good broadband service not just to rural dwellers but to the many businesses located in rural parts of Northern Ireland. Broadband is now viewed as every bit as essential a service as water or electricity, especially for businesses. I want us to continue to encourage the use of alternative technologies that already exist and can bring solutions to rural parts of Northern Ireland where fixed fibre is not feasible.

I fully understand and appreciate the frustrations of those who cannot access satisfactory broadband speeds. My message to them is that we will continue to work with private sector providers to improve —

Patsy McGlone (Deputy Speaker, Mid Ulster)

I ask the Minister to draw his remarks to a close.

Simon Hamilton (DUP, Strangford)

— broadband availability, especially in rural parts of Northern Ireland.

Patsy McGlone (Deputy Speaker, Mid Ulster)

This is, I believe, Mr McNulty's first opportunity to speak as a private Member. I remind the House that it is the convention that a maiden speech be made without interruption.

Justin McNulty (Social Democratic and Labour Party, Newry and Armagh)

I will make the winding-up speech on rural broadband provision. Before I address the motion, I want to introduce myself to this esteemed institution and formally kick off my role as an elected Assembly Member for Newry and Armagh.

My first faltering steps down the rocky road of politics were greeted with a mixture of derision and disbelief. What is a former Gaelic football player with the County Armagh team of 2002 doing? What does a Gaelic footballer and manager know about politics? What right does he have to stand for the SDLP? My family, on both sides, has been involved in politics for four generations. My parents were founding members of the civil rights movement. My father was a member of the committee that organised the Newry march in 1969. They joined the SDLP at its inception and are still passionate, active supporters of the party. My grandfather on my mother's side, a Derry man, was in the RAF. He served in Gibraltar in World War II and went to live in Newry when peace came. He stood for election for the SDLP in 1974. That is a brief taster of the background that gave rise to discussion at our family table, so it was no surprise that I decided to follow in the footsteps of several family members.

As I stand here today, I am very aware of my party colleagues who represented the people of Newry and Armagh before me. My immediate predecessor, Dominic Bradley, served the constituency for the last 10 years. Before him, it was Séamus Mallon and the late John Fee. They have left big shoes to be filled. I am proud to follow in their footsteps, and, although I could not lace their boots, I will not forget the core values that they held dear.

I feel honoured and proud to be an elected representative of the great constituency of Newry and Armagh — Iúr Cinn Trá agus Ard Mhacha. Our place is a place of wonderful historical, cultural, geographical, musical, sporting and economic heritage. We have Eamhain Macha; our cathedral city; Ballymacnab; an Port Mór; Creggan; and the mountain of the steep slope, Slieve Gullion. At the summit of that mountain of the steep slope lies the highest surviving passage grave in Ireland, from where our mythological heroes' ghosts survey an area of outstanding natural beauty. Sometimes, I dream deeply at night, convinced that I hear the Cailleach Beara's keen. Then, I awaken in relief, contented that I have not been transformed into an old, withered man.

I have travelled many parts of our county: Milford, Keady, Ballyhagan, the two Lisleas, an Mullach Bán, Killeavy, Middletown, Mullaghbrack, Corrinshigo, the Grange, Whitecross, Granemore, Tullysaran and Crossmaglen. I have kayaked the crooked lake, biked the Crooked Road and swum the Albert Basin. I have been inspired by our sporting icons: heroes in Gaelic football, hurling, ladies' Gaelic football, camogie, athletics, golf, soccer, bullets and rugby. Our Ireland captain is from Poyntzpass.

I have drifted away to the tones of our musicians, dancers, rhymers, bards and poets. An Curadmír. Our dramatists have always made me think a little differently.

Newry: our frontier town; our city of enterprise, ambition and endeavour. First Derivatives, Glen Dimplex, Norbrook: three colossi of commerce, industry and finance, sitting atop a multitude of microbusinesses. Mr Deputy Speaker, thank you for your indulgence.

Turning to the motion, I am delighted to make the winding-up speech on behalf of the SDLP. The motion is vital, not only to my constituents but to the whole of Northern Ireland. That has clearly been reflected by contributors to today's debate. The contributions of Caoimhe Archibald, Mervyn Storey, Sinéad Bradley, Gerry Mullan and others are reflected in my speech.

In 2014, a broadband report ranked all 650 Westminster constituencies by the average speed of broadband. Belfast East and Belfast South were seventh and eighth respectively, but Newry and Armagh was ranked 448th. That is 448th out of 650 constituencies. The only Northern Ireland constituency ranked lower was West Tyrone, at 458th. That means that 447 constituencies in the UK have better, faster broadband than my constituents.

The same report put my constituency at 12th out of 650 when it came to constituencies with 15% of connections being slow, at less than 2 megabits per second. In fact, five of the 12 slowest constituencies for broadband are in Northern Ireland. That means that at least 15% of broadband connections in Newry and Armagh, South Down, Mid Ulster, Fermanagh and South Tyrone and West Tyrone, which, unsurprisingly, are all constituencies with a substantial rural population, are below 2 megabits per second. That is a shocking statistic when you look at the motion. We refer in our motion to the universal service obligation speed, which was proposed by the London Government in November 2015. The speed proposed is 10 megabits per second, which is much faster than the 2 megabits per second that is 15% of my constituents' best hope for Internet speed. Many premises in places such as Derrynoose, Madden, Killylea, Cullyhanna, Aughanduff and Forkhill do not have any access at all.

Ofcom's most recent report stated that at least 14% of premises in Northern Ireland do not have access to the proposed universal service obligation of 10 megabits per second. The deficit in service provision is most acute in rural areas. In border communities, 42% of premises do not have access to the proposed universal service obligation speed, compared with just 2% of premises in urban areas that currently fall short of the requirement.

Rural communities already experience significant isolation. That is being compounded by widespread digital dereliction, where businesses, schools, farmers and homeowners struggle to reach even basic levels of broadband speed and connectivity. Not spots, as they have become known, impact not only on business but on people living in rural constituencies, farmers, children's education and the ability to drive economic growth and productivity.

These are real experiences that our offices are dealing with week in, week out. Just last week, one gentleman from Armaghbreague was told by BT that he will never get broadband. His kids have to travel into Keady to the library to do their homework. There are similar stories in places such as Derrynoose, where in the community centre we met local businesses and broadband providers seeking new and innovative ways of providing broadband.

Reliable broadband is essential for competitive and successful enterprise in a growing digital economy. It is vital that rural communities and businesses have access to effective and affordable broadband if the digital divide between rural and urban areas is not to grow any wider.

Newry and Armagh is a great constituency, but things are not all positive. The motion highlights one area in which vast improvement is needed. Just last year, we saw a raft of posters erected claiming to be delivering broadband to south Armagh, but, again, our people have been failed. Just as the posters disappeared, so did those promising to deliver broadband.

Without the correct communication infrastructure, Newry and Armagh, as well as other rural constituencies, cannot attract the investment that is so desperately needed. Businesses tell me that lack of broadband holds them back and costs jobs not just in rural areas but in places like the centre of Newry. Despite years of lobbying BT, it was only through the use of the broadband voucher scheme that high-speed broadband was brought to the WIN industrial estate in the city. I place on record my thanks to Orla Jackson from Newry Chamber of Commerce and Thomas O'Hagan of B4B Telecoms for working with us on that.

There are many other issues including health, education, infrastructure and investment that I will use my time here as an MLA to fight for in order to improve the situation for people in the constituency. Our young people need jobs at home, and we need solutions for problems facing our rural communities. It is impossible to overestimate the importance of building a truly connected Newry and Armagh. Improvements to broadband will not, in themselves, make Newry and Armagh a truly connected constituency; much more investment and infrastructural improvement is needed before that becomes a reality.

Patsy McGlone (Deputy Speaker, Mid Ulster)

I ask the Member to draw his remarks to a close, please.

Justin McNulty (Social Democratic and Labour Party, Newry and Armagh)

It will, however, go some way towards helping to ensure that our existing businesses are able to compete at a global level.

I want to finish by remembering two very important groups. The first is the leaders of the SDLP in my constituency: Séamus Mallon; Dominic Bradley and the late John Fee. The other group is the leaders of the SDLP, who are the reason why I am here.

Patsy McGlone (Deputy Speaker, Mid Ulster)

Will the Member draw his remarks to a close, please?

Justin McNulty (Social Democratic and Labour Party, Newry and Armagh)

To John Hume, Ireland's greatest.

Patsy McGlone (Deputy Speaker, Mid Ulster)

Draw your remarks to a close, please.

Justin McNulty (Social Democratic and Labour Party, Newry and Armagh)

Thank you.

Question put and agreed to. Resolved:

This Assembly notes that 42% of premises in rural areas do not have access to the proposed universal service obligation speed; further notes the urgent need for better provision of broadband and expansion of mobile phone coverage in rural areas; and calls on the Minister for the Economy to develop further proposals to ensure that Northern Ireland has a modern telecommunications network that enables existing businesses to compete and to ensure that all areas are attractive for foreign direct investment, including our rural communities.

Patsy McGlone (Deputy Speaker, Mid Ulster)

The Business Committee has agreed to allow up to one hour and 30 minutes for the debate. One amendment has been selected and published on the Marshalled List. The amendment has been tabled by the proposers of the motion. The motion and the amendment will be proposed and wound together, with 10 minutes to propose and 10 minutes for the winding-up speech.

Emma Little-Pengelly (DUP, Belfast South)

I beg to move

That this Assembly notes with concern the number of cases of animal cruelty and the increasing risks with the online sale or transfer of animals; welcomes the actions thus far to address issues raised in the interim report of the review of the implementation of the Welfare of Animals Act (Northern Ireland) 2011; and calls on the Minister of Justice to take further action to establish an accessible central register of those convicted of animal welfare offences or disqualified from keeping animals under the 2011 Act and to further protect animals from cruelty.

I also beg to move the following amendment:

Leave out all after "Minister of Justice" and insert "to bring forward proposals to enhance animal cruelty protections, including considering further and tougher criminal sanctions and the establishment of an accessible central register of those convicted of animal welfare offences or disqualified from keeping animals under the 2011 Act.".

In proposing the motion on the horrendous subject of animal cruelty, I know that the issue is close to the heart of many across the Chamber and Northern Ireland, and it is one that makes me genuinely angry. You can see clearly from the briefing pack that there has been much consensus on the issue across the Chamber previously, and there have been many clear and agreed motions on it during previous Assembly mandates. There has been some positive action taken, and we wanted to acknowledge that in the motion. Yet, in spite of that, we bring the motion to the House today because of the genuine sense of frustration and the genuine concern among so many people in Northern Ireland. That frustration and dismay was raised with me many times on the doorsteps over the last six months.

For the purposes of the motion, I want to focus on non-farmed animals or, as they are more commonly referred to, domestic pets. There are hundreds of thousands of pet owners and animal lovers across Northern Ireland, and those pets give considerable love and happiness to many homes. The relationship between an owner and a pet is one of love and trust. Pets give incredible joy. They love, seemingly unconditionally, and see past our flaws when perhaps no one else is prepared to do so.

I am unashamedly a pet lover, and I know from speaking to so many people on the doorsteps that there are hundreds of thousands of genuine pet lovers and animal lovers right across Northern Ireland. Yet, all too frequently, we hear of shocking cases of abuse, cruelty and neglect. There is abuse or deliberate injury of dogs, cats and other animals; use and abuse of pet cats as bait or fighting fodder; and cases of neglect and starvation. The new opportunities of the 21st century — the Internet and online marketplace — have brought increased dangers and risks in the transfer of ownership of animals. There is disappointment that, despite all the strongly worded motions and despite the moves to amend legislation to strengthen sentencing, the point does not seem to be getting through. I hear weekly from constituents who are dismayed at what they hear about sentences for horrendous acts of animal cruelty.

We have tabled an amendment to the motion, and, although concerns were raised in the review about data protection and human rights issues in terms of an accessible register, this is an issue of considerable interest to people. In particular, people are dismayed that, when they want to sell an animal to someone, they cannot access information on who is disqualified from owning an animal. Some improvements have been made on that, but there is certainly strong interest in seeing further accessibility and further information on that issue. I firmly believe that the issue of data protection can be overcome, and I wanted to provide the Minister with the opportunity, given that she is a new Minister, to look at the issues — hence the amendment to the motion — and to bring forward further proposals, particularly in light of the recent review mentioned in the motion.

I welcome the actions so far. I welcome the review. It is clear from the various responses in the Chamber previously by all parties and a range of Ministers that there is genuine consensus that we should tackle the issue, yet there is still frustration that we have not been able to do that. My first act as the newly elected Member for South Belfast was to go to the Bill Office and indicate my interest in putting forward a private Member's Bill on animal cruelty. That came about because it was such a key issue raised with me on the doors by so many people. There is such genuine frustration out there.

I have sat in my constituency office over the last number of months and heard horrendous cases. I heard from a cat owner whose cat had gone missing. Unfortunately, she had to view footage of her pet being thrown into a cage to dogs and being ripped apart. Anybody who has ever owned an animal such as a cat or a dog knows their personality and what they are like, so that is absolutely heartbreaking and horrifying for any animal owner. The hurt is furthered by what seems to be weak sentencing of the perpetrators and the attitude of some of the perpetrators afterwards, when they show no remorse and have not been given a significant sentence. It is incredibly difficult to comprehend some of the sentencing that is set down. Although, as a barrister, I understand the very good arguments that are often made against minimum sentencing, in this case, genuine concerns have been raised that, despite raising the other end and allowing judges the discretion to give more severe sentences, it does not seem to have had an impact on the quantum right across.

Animals give so much to individuals and families and to society. They augment our lives and provide so much love, kindness and joy. The abuse and misuse of that trust and the cruelty towards those so reliant on us humans for food, shelter and protection genuinely disgusts me. I know that it genuinely disgusts so many. It was clear at the doors that people want further action on this. They want to see those who abuse or neglect or are cruel to animals face a punishment that fits the crime. I hope that the motion before the House will provide a new and fresh opportunity in this mandate for us to join together to fight against and stamp out animal cruelty in Northern Ireland.

Pat Sheehan (Sinn Féin, Belfast West)

I welcome the opportunity to speak in this important debate about animal cruelty and to consider what further steps the Assembly can take to clamp down on those who inflict cruelty on defenceless animals. In essence, the debate on a central register is about preventing crime against defenceless animals. I am sure that everyone in the Chamber would agree that crimes against vulnerable animals are abhorrent and should not be tolerated in our society.

The Welfare of Animals Act 2011 is the statute that introduced a duty of care in respect of protected animals. It allowed for intervention and prosecution, as the previous Act had done, but it also provided new enforcement powers to allow action to be taken to protect animals from unnecessary suffering, even before that suffering occurs. The legislation also provided courts with the power to make a deprivation and/or disqualification order against an individual found guilty of committing an offence. While there is no provision in legislation for a central register of those convicted of animal welfare offences, I know that the previous Justice Minister was looking at the feasibility of such a register. I ask the new Justice Minister to take up the baton and to explore further what possibility there is of introducing such a register.

I know that the Department maintains a register of persons banned by the courts from keeping animals. However, there are issues with the sharing of that information among the enforcement bodies — DAERA, the councils and the PSNI — that require the implementation of new procedures and protocols. My understanding is that that would be relatively straightforward. More significantly, however, there are more complex legal issues around the sharing of that conviction data with non-statutory bodies, such as animal charities or sanctuaries that provide new homes for animals. As the previous Member mentioned, there are issues relating to freedom of information and data protection, for example, that would need to be resolved satisfactorily before non-statutory bodies could access a central register of the type that we are discussing.

I appreciate the complexity of some of the issues and know that there are major difficulties. However, as I said at the outset, the issue is the prevention of crime and the prevention of cruelty to animals. As it stands, someone who has been convicted of animal cruelty can go into an animal sanctuary and ask to take possession of one of the animals, take it away and perhaps inflict further cruelty on it or use it as bait in dog fighting or something of that nature. If there was a register, the animal sanctuary could access that register and find out if that person had been convicted of animal cruelty.

I accept that there are difficulties. However, I also believe that, if there is a will to get over those obstacles, it can be done and a register can be established. I support the motion.

Doug Beattie (UUP, Upper Bann)

I thank the Member for tabling the motion. It is an important motion, and I welcome the debate. I agree that it is a bit like treading water. In 2014, we had a similar debate that started off with:

"That this Assembly notes with concern the number of cases of extreme animal cruelty". — [Official Report (Hansard), Bound Volume 94, p18, col 1].

Here we are in 2016:

"That this Assembly notes with concern the number of cases of animal cruelty".

That is not a criticism; it just tells you that, from 2014 to now, we have not progressed far enough. Of course, in 2014, we did progress. We got a review of the implementation of the Welfare of Animals Act (Northern Ireland) 2011. That helped to increase the sentence after conviction on indictment to a maximum of five years with an unspecified fine and on summary conviction to a maximum of 12 months with, I think, a £20,000 fine. There are a lot of things we can do to prevent cruelty to animals and deal with welfare. They include confiscation, disqualification, improvement notices and PSNI enforcement powers on dogfighting, for example. The legislation is there, and we have done well to get it in place. What it is all about now is implementing it.

Like the Members who have spoken, the Ulster Unionist Party is absolutely in favour of creating a central register of those convicted of animal cruelty. The Data Protection Act is only an obstacle and not an insurmountable obstacle that we can get past to implement this. It is something we know about and can work through, and I ask the Justice Minister to really put some effort into this so that we are not standing here having the same debate in another two years.

We in the Ulster Unionist Party also believe that there are other things we can do to help the legislation, such as to regulate the online advertisement of pets for sale, instead of having it self-regulated, along with breeder registration so that they work in conjunction and to improve welfare at slaughterhouses. We talk a lot of fluffy animals and see a lot of them on the television — cats and dogs — and people talk about cruelty to them, but the cruelty to some of our animals that go to slaughter is just as bad. We believe that every animal should be stunned before slaughter. We are open to everybody's religious views and practices, but that is the most humane way to do it, and we think we should ensure that all animals are stunned. Although we have confidence in our slaughterhouses and the regulations for them, to give the public confidence it would be important to have CCTV in the slaughterhouses where animals are kept and slaughtered. When we look at greyhound racing and the regulations governing it, we can see that they need to be tightened up to prevent cruelty. That would include registration of the dog from birth to death and a database outlining all its injuries.

You can see that all the legislation we need to create a good animal welfare policy is there, but it is all about the message. How do we message this, and how do we deal with sentencing? Although we have got to the stage where we have increased sentences for animal cruelty, we are not actually applying them. I do not want to see anybody languishing in jail, but sometimes you have to say, "If you are going to do this continually, you deserve to go to jail". In April this year, a farmer — I will not mention his name, but he was a repeat offender — was convicted of cruelty to his livestock. He had 153 taken off him, and 18 had to be put down. Some of the animals were lying dead in sheds with other animals walking over the top of them. Some animals had not been fed, and some were not getting water. He got a five-month prison sentence suspended for three years and was banned from keeping animals for five years. That is just not enough for a repeat offender.

Patsy McGlone (Deputy Speaker, Mid Ulster)

I ask the Member to bring his remarks to a close.

Doug Beattie (UUP, Upper Bann)

It is really important that we take action against these people, and I fully support the motion.

Nichola Mallon (Social Democratic and Labour Party, Belfast North)

On behalf of the SDLP, I support the motion and the amendment. I think it is fair to say that we are known as a society of animal lovers. In most homes where there is a household pet, it is held in loving regard; indeed, it is often regarded, as other Members have said, as a member of the family.

To most people and, I am sure, to every Member cases of animal neglect, cruelty, mistreatment and abuse are truly abhorrent. The pain inflicted from the act of cruelty on the animal is sickening, and the insight that that act gives us to the perpetrator is disturbing and should set alarm bells ringing. Therefore, I am pleased to see that, as a direct result of the Welfare of Animals Act 2011 and the Justice Act 2016, there are now stricter and harsher punishments for those who have been convicted of animal cruelty.

The 2011 Act introduced a duty of care in respect of all protected animals and created an offence of failing to take reasonable steps to ensure that the welfare needs of that animal are met. Importantly, it specifies that abandoning an animal is an offence, whether the animal is likely to suffer or not.

The Justice Act passed at the end of the last mandate amended the 2011 Welfare of Animals Act to ensure that those who are convicted have a harsher, more suitable sentence imposed on them. Among other things, it increased the maximum sentence for cases heard on indictment from two years to five and for summary cases involving unnecessary suffering and causing, attending or other involvement in an animal fight the maximum sentence increases from six months to 12 and the maximum fine from £5,000 to £20,000.

More than 4,000 animal welfare cases have been investigated by councils each year from 2012. I have spent time with the animal welfare officers of Belfast City Council as they carried out investigations. I pay tribute to their commitment, compassion and hard work. We must continue to support those who work on the front line. We must continue to ensure that all allegations of the abuse of animal welfare are investigated fully and that those responsible are held to account.

Between 2012 and 2014, there were 114 convictions for animal cruelty, 15 of which resulted in custodial sentences. It is vital that we unite with the public in our condemnation of those acts and fulfil our duty of care to the citizens and animals in this jurisdiction. A range of Members have indicated actions that, they believe, the Minister should consider if we are to effectively deal with animal cruelty. I think that, fundamentally, we must take the opportunity to pledge our support for the animal-based welfare organisations that work tirelessly to eradicate animal cruelty.

The SDLP shares the concern of the public about cruelty towards animals. The practice must be stopped and those responsible brought to justice. We are pleased to see this afternoon genuine support for animal welfare, and we join other parties in the House in supporting the motion and the amendment.

Trevor Lunn (Alliance, Lagan Valley)

We will also support the motion and the amendment. I have some reservations about the wording, but the general thrust and spirit of the motion is fine with us.

There are obvious difficulties with having a central register, as outlined by Mr Sheehan. There is the question of data protection and the question of who has access to such a register. However, at the end of the day, if the Minister is capable of bringing forward something that allows the Department, the PSNI, statutory agencies and charitable agencies involved in this work to have access to previous records, it would be a good thing. It would also be a good thing —

Trevor Clarke (DUP, South Antrim)

Will the Member give way?

Trevor Lunn (Alliance, Lagan Valley)

Yes, go on.

Trevor Clarke (DUP, South Antrim)

I appreciate that the Member obviously supports the thrust of the motion. However, given his latter comments, he will also appreciate that some of those agencies already hold personal information. Doug Beattie talked about repeat offenders: how can we tackle repeat offenders unless those who carry out the licensing function have that information and know that people have been banned from keeping animals?

Patsy McGlone (Deputy Speaker, Mid Ulster)

The Member has a minute added to his time.

Trevor Lunn (Alliance, Lagan Valley)

I thank the Member for that intervention. I do not disagree with him: I am just making the point that it is a difficult area. It is not a simple thing to establish a register. Who would it be available to?

I speak as a pet lover, as Mrs Pengelly did. I grew up with dogs, and, when I got married, I lived with cats — I choose my words carefully — for the last 40 years. I also twice had the experience of owning a horse, which is not something that I would recommend financially, but it certainly was a very pleasant experience.

The amendment talks about "further and tougher criminal sanctions". Members made the point that the Justice Bill passed in February toughened up the sentences considerably. A five-year maximum sentence for animal cruelty is among the most severe in the UK, if not the most severe in these islands. The same Bill increased the sentence for causing unnecessary suffering from six months to 12 months and the fine from £5,000 to £20,000, which is also very severe. I have a slight problem with where unnecessary suffering ends and animal cruelty begins. There must be some overlap there.

The problem lies not with the legislation or the level of sentences but with the courts. As in many areas of our legislation, the courts do not avail themselves of the available facility to really make a point when they are delivering these sentences. I think of a case in my constituency a couple of years ago, when a dog was sprayed with an inflammable liquid and then set on fire. Under the regime of a two-year maximum sentence, the court awarded a sentence of 10 months. Frankly, how cruel do you have to be to get the maximum sentence for something like that? This dog was set on fire. It lived in agony for a few days and then had to be put down. In the normal way, that 10 months was probably subject to remission for good behaviour. There was maybe even a discount for remorse; I do not really know offhand. This kind of thing makes a nonsense of the law.

There was the east Belfast case, when somebody who was kidnapping animals to groom them for fighting got a suspended sentence. What is going on? I heard about a case recently in which a father and son were disqualified from keeping horses for 25 years. They are now to be seen regularly at horse fairs with a relative, who buys the horses. That is outrageous. There must be some scope for a central register. Banning only the individual and not the household from keeping an animal in these circumstances seems completely off the wall. If I were banned for animal cruelty, my wife could go out and buy a pet. That does not make any sense to me at all. I feel strongly about that. I hope that the Minister will address those points in whatever she has to say today. In this country, we are all animal lovers except for the small number of people who clearly are not. Frankly, it is those people whom we need to deal with.

Peter Weir (DUP, North Down)

I support the motion and the amendment. It is right that the House has taken a very strong view on animal cruelty issues. They were raised a number of times in the last mandate. To be fair to the DOJ and DARD, they are issues that not only the whole House but the Departments took seriously. It is important that we build on the good work that has been done. I congratulate my colleagues on tabling the motion to show that, despite that good work, we do not regard this as a done deal, and we should constantly look for where we can improve things for the animal kingdom and combat cruelty. It was mentioned that we are a nation of animal and pet lovers. Sadly, there is a small minority in Northern Ireland who seem to be prepared to inflict pain on animals. Indeed, some seem to take a perverse pleasure in that very deliberate cruelty, which goes beyond simple neglect. It is important that, at the start of this mandate, a very clear marker is put down that this is an issue that continues to exercise the House.

The motion states that a range of actions were taken in the last Assembly.

A very useful report was produced on the implementation of the Welfare of Animals Act 2011. It is commonplace now to talk about the need for Departments to work closely together, and good work was done between DOJ and DARD in the previous Assembly to produce the report. When it was launched, there was, for the first time ever, an opportunity to get all the stakeholders together. That was very useful, particularly the discussion with the rehoming charities. A number of recommendations arose from the report. Practical action was taken on sentencing, which was endorsed by the House and included an increase in the maximum sentence and the opportunity for sentences to be reviewed.

It is important that we are not complacent on the issue. Although the House has stepped up to the mark, there is a clear signal that needs to be sent out, both to wider society about respecting animals and to judges. I know that judges closely guard their independence, and we have seen a number of custodial sentences handed out in recent years, but it seems to me that the message that is coming from across society has not always got through to the judiciary. Members will bring up individual cases, but mention has been made of fairly horrendous cases of cruelty that, when they have gone before the courts, even in recent months, have resulted in what most of us would regard as being relatively lenient sentences. There has to be a clear message sent to judges that they have to follow through on the public mood and public concern.

It has also been asked what further actions can be taken, and a range of things has been mentioned by some contributors, including the specific issue of greyhounds. That is an area in which there needs to be an examination of the law. The increasing risk from online sales, which is a developing field, needs to be considered. We want to ensure that proper regulation is put in place. It is very good advice for people to go to a rehoming charity if they are looking for a pet, for we see the tremendous work that volunteers do there.

This is something that is not confined to Northern Ireland, but we must make sure that there is proper regulation in place to ensure that we do not become a transit camp, either as a recipient for abused animals or as some sort of flow-through between different jurisdictions. It is important that that issue be reviewed, too.

There needs to be a clear examination of the issue of a central register. Mention has been made of the difficulties, and some of those can be overcome, but that requires a degree of thought, and it requires work with rehoming charities in particular. It seems a little bit incongruous that a pet could be given to someone who commits these crimes, and we need to ensure that we deal with the risk.

Trevor Lunn raises an important point, and in the wider examination of what we do with the data, although I appreciate that there are constraints —

Trevor Clarke (DUP, South Antrim)

Will the Member give way?

Peter Weir (DUP, North Down)

I will, yes.

Trevor Clarke (DUP, South Antrim)

I appreciate that the Member is coming to the end of his time. It is easy for us all to say that things need to be done, but we need to be clear about what those things are.

Peter Weir (DUP, North Down)

There needs to be a robust examination to ensure that we have something that is fit for purpose.

Patsy McGlone (Deputy Speaker, Mid Ulster)

The Member has an extra minute.

Peter Weir (DUP, North Down)

It has been said, for instance, that, if we use a central register, we have to have something that does what it says on the tin and prevents animal cruelty. As Mr Lunn rightly pointed out, we need to make sure that we do not have a situation in which, for example, there is a specific ban on an individual owning a dog but that individual finds a loophole by getting a spouse, a son, a daughter or a friend to adopt the dog instead. I appreciate that how we police that will create great difficulties, and I look forward to the Minister's remarks, but we need a strong and robust system. Examination is needed to ensure that what we do have is the best possible.

In the context of the debate, it is evident that a very clear signal will yet again go from the House that we will not tolerate animal cruelty in Northern Ireland.

Patsy McGlone (Deputy Speaker, Mid Ulster)

I ask the Member to draw his remarks to a close.

Peter Weir (DUP, North Down)

I therefore look forward to there being cross-party support to send out that signal to wider society.

Michaela Boyle (Sinn Féin, West Tyrone)

I apologise to the proposer of the motion for not being here at the start of the debate. I thank her and her colleague for bringing it to the House today. I will speak in support of the motion and the amendment.

I and others in West Tyrone were lobbied about animal abuse and cruelty during the election campaign. Rescue shelters there — for example, Grovehill — have expressed huge concerns about breeding and pet abandonment, and shelters are full as a result. Neutering schemes and behavioural advice are necessary. Some shelters are saying that education is required on breeds that are suitable to be domestic pets. This is just one area on which the shelters have concerns. There has also been a significant rise in malamute and husky breeds, which has been a concern for rehoming shelters and is due to people not being aware of a breed's needs before they acquire a cute wee pup.

There needs to be strict regulation of the trading of pets on sites such as Gumtree, DoneDeal and other social media sites, perhaps under a trade Act or for tax reasons. People who sell pets online rarely declare taxes. This also applies to the private sale of larger animals such as horses. In the equine world, DARD, now DAERA, has recorded data on how many horses are registered here, but there are still many that are not microchipped or have passports. Therefore, the DAERA figure is not an accurate reflection of the true figure. Unfortunately, it is, as others have said, extremely difficult to police the sale of animals online.

Having an accessible central register of those who are convicted of animal welfare offences and, as the motion says, those who are disqualified from keeping animals, is important. It should, first and foremost, raise the seriousness of animal welfare and protection, and sound education and advice on that is necessary. It should also encourage responsible ownership and better access to, and regulation of, puppy farms. One important area is to discourage the free-to-good-home appeal. People who have sought small domestic pets through free-to-good-home adverts have used them for baiting, which is deplorable and despicable. If there is going to be a register, there also needs to be a vetting process for those who are buying online.

People have come to me and said how easy they found it to go into a pet shop and buy a domestic pet. So, pet shops need to have access to the register as well. Pet shop owners should be able to do frequent spot checks on people's homes before they purchase an animal.

The motion calls on the Justice Minister to introduce a cruelty register, which I support, and to ensure that those who are guilty of such offences are not able to adopt animals. I welcome the work that has been done, and the work that the Justice Department and DARD have done by joining forces. Bringing forward the implementation review in February was mentioned. That review warns, in its recommendations, that people should, and must, face tougher sentences and penalties under the law. Both Ministers launched the report on the review. The review was welcome and contained 68 recommendations aimed at enhancing communication. Again, it goes back to having good education.

It is important also to highlight that, in the Animal Welfare Party's manifesto —

Patsy McGlone (Deputy Speaker, Mid Ulster)

I ask the Member to draw her remarks to a close.

Michaela Boyle (Sinn Féin, West Tyrone)

They have sought sociological evidence of links between domestic violence and animal cruelty. That is one area that we need to explore. Healthcare workers and social workers need to be educated in that area to bring that information to the relevant authorities. I support the motion and amendment.

Patsy McGlone (Deputy Speaker, Mid Ulster)

The Business Committee has arranged to meet at 1.00 pm. I propose, therefore, by leave of the Assembly, to suspend the sitting until 2.00 pm. The first item of business when we return will be Question Time.

The debate stood suspended. The sitting was suspended at 1.00 pm.

On resuming (Mr Speaker in the Chair) —

Assembly Business

Chris Lyttle (Alliance, Belfast East)

On a point of order, Mr Speaker. It is my understanding that the First Minister has rightly suggested some leniency in employment practices this afternoon to support the Northern Ireland football team. I was wondering whether the Office of the Speaker might be able to enquire whether some of the television screens in the Great Hall could assist Assembly staff who wish to support Northern Ireland and make sure that they keep up to speed with our progress.

Robin Newton (Speaker, Belfast East)

I think you know that that is not a point of order, but it is an opportunity.

Oral Answers to Questions — Health

Robin Newton (Speaker, Belfast East)

I welcome the Minister to her first Question Time as Minister of Health. I inform the House that question 10 has been withdrawn.

Adrian McQuillan (DUP, East Londonderry)

1. Mr McQuillan asked the Minister of Health how many patients have failed to turn up for appointments in the Causeway Hospital over the last 12 months. (AQO 90/16-21)

Michelle O'Neill (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

Provisional data for 2015-16 indicates that there were 52,303 new and review attendances at Causeway Hospital. Some 3,779 patients, of whom 995 were new appointments and 2,784 were review appointments, did not attend their appointment, which represents a did not attend (DNA) rate of 6·7%. This is lower than the average regional DNA rate of 8·3% in 2015-16. The Northern Health and Social Care Trust has the lowest rate of patient non-attendance of all the trusts: 6·5% in 2015-16 against the average of, as I said, 8·3%. Measures taken by the trust include using a text reminder service, which has reduced the did not attend rates for hospital appointments, and reminders are sent out three days prior to an appointment date with a telephone number to call if the patient is unable to attend.

Adrian McQuillan (DUP, East Londonderry)

I thank the Minister for her answer and congratulate her on her new post. I look forward to seeing her at the Causeway in the near future.

Minister, across the Province, how many appointments have been cancelled by the trusts? That is a rising problem.

Michelle O'Neill (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

It is. We need to come at this two ways. We need to address the issue of why patients cancel appointments, but we also have to be serious about hospitals cancelling appointments for whatever reason. Appointments can be cancelled by hospitals for a range of reasons, but I have set a target for 2016-17 that we must reduce by at least 20% the number of hospital-cancelled, consultant-led outpatient appointments. It is only fair that, when we ask people to respond better, we also ask the service to respond better and make sure that the maximum number of people can be seen in an appropriately timely manner.

Gerry Mullan (Social Democratic and Labour Party, East Londonderry)

Will the Minister detail how many appointments have been cancelled by the Causeway Hospital in the last year and the financial ramifications of that?

Michelle O'Neill (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

I do not have that figure, but I can make a general reference to the fact that appointments can be cancelled by hospitals for a range of reasons — for example, if consultants or other staff are not available — and appointments will be rescheduled or a patient treated elsewhere. Suffice to say, I regret any cancellations that inconvenience patients and mean that they have to wait longer. At times, that might be necessary, but I want it minimised as much as possible.

As I said, I have set a target for 2016-17 to reduce by 20% the number of hospital-cancelled consultant-led outpatient appointments. I acknowledge that performance is not where it should be and needs to be better. We need to get better at how we deliver the service. I look to the board and the trusts to continue to focus on the issue to make sure that we secure improvements in performance. The board will continue to work with the trusts to ensure that best practice, including the application of good waiting list management, is consistently applied to minimise the number of hospital cancellations. Consultants, for example, are asked to give at least six weeks' notice of planned leave or study leave, and the board meets the trusts regularly to monitor elective care performance, including the delivery of agreed volumes of core activity. The rate of cancellation of outpatient appointments is one of the factors considered when assessing the delivery of core activity.

Jo-Anne Dobson (UUP, Upper Bann)

Will the Minister outline what consideration is being given to providing patients, personally and publicly, with details of the time that they are expected to wait for an appointment following an initial referral from their GP? Does she agree with me that more accurate information should reduce the number of missed appointments?

Michelle O'Neill (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

It is important that we communicate well with patients. It is important that people are seen in a timely manner in relation to their medical needs. That is why we have the targets in place. We need to keep striving to reduce the waiting list targets. I have said in the House over the last number of weeks that the current situation is not sustainable and is not acceptable to me. We need to drive forward with improvements, which is about working with the board and the trusts and looking at the elective care plan; the Member will know that I have asked the trusts to bring that forward. I am keen to make sure that we drive down the waiting times for all the people who need urgent medical attention.

Linda Dillon (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

What responsibility is there on clinicians to ensure that the number of cancelled appointments is reduced? How does the Minister plan to tackle that?

Michelle O'Neill (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

As I said, we have to come at that by communicating with patients and asking them to work with us. If we are asking them to work with the service in relation to how they cancel appointments, we have to be upfront about the disappointing number of appointments cancelled because clinicians or other staff are not available. As I said, I have set a target for this year to reduce by 20% the number of hospital-cancelled consultant-led outpatient appointments. It is important that we send out the message very clearly that we want patients to help the service to be more effective. We can do that with strong communication and by making sure that the service does not cancel appointments unnecessarily.

Sean Lynch (Sinn Féin, Fermanagh and South Tyrone)

2. Mr Lynch asked the Minister of Health how she plans to improve the all-island approach to health. (AQO 91/16-21)

Michelle O'Neill (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

A key priority for me will be the further development of all-island networks to tap into the benefits that collaboration on health and social care services will bring to every part of the island. I have spoken with my counterpart in the South, Simon Harris, to explore how our health services can further collaborate on improving people's health. My vision of a transformed health service in the context of the upcoming Bengoa report and the announcement by the Minister in the South of a 10-year plan is an opportune time to strengthen and progress all-Ireland health.

There is already positive collaboration with the South through, for example, EU-funded initiatives, as well as cancer and cardiac services in the north-west. I commend the work that has been done to date between the health services, and I want to take those efforts to the next level. We face the same health issues, challenges and opportunities right across the island, as was highlighted by the 2009 North/South feasibility study: demographic change, health inequalities, mental health, obesity and substance abuse. Working together to address those would make sense on a number of levels. It would utilise the total population size to secure the sustainability of vulnerable services, where collaboration would realise real benefits for patients. It would deliver better outcomes for patients, North and South. It would achieve the more effective use of resources and investment in new healthcare initiatives, where we could share learning and best practice between our health services. We can work together particularly in relation to public health awareness initiatives.

I intend to build on examples of that collaboration, including the Altnagelvin radiotherapy unit, which will open later this year. It will make world-class cancer treatment accessible to patients living in the north-west of Ireland. It will add to the successful 24/7 primary PCI service at Altnagelvin Hospital, which was expanded in May of this year to make life-saving treatment available to patients from County Donegal. Good progress has also been made on the establishment of the all-island congenital heart disease network. I am confident that we will take the next major steps forward in achieving the network's vision of a world-class all-island service with our colleagues very soon.

Further priorities for my Department will include exploring opportunities for further collaboration in specialities such as organ transplantation, the treatment of rare diseases, the response to major trauma, alcohol and substance misuse and mental health, particularly the prevention of suicide and self-harm. At the heart of that collaboration is my commitment to put the interests of patients first and foremost by delivering safe, high-quality health services and better outcomes for all.

Sean Lynch (Sinn Féin, Fermanagh and South Tyrone)

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as an fhreagra sin. I thank the Minister for her extensive answer. She will be aware that one of the most modern hospitals in Europe is the new acute hospital in Enniskillen, although it has its difficulties. I extend an invitation to the Minister to visit that excellent facility. What potential is there for a greater all-Ireland approach in public health?

Michelle O'Neill (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

I intend to get out and about to meet the people delivering the service on the ground right across the North, so I am happy to take the Member up on that invite at some stage over the next number of months.

As far as examples of public health are concerned — I have pointed to a few — the two Departments work closely on alcohol and drug misuse to ensure that we share information and best practice, and we have taken forward joint initiatives when appropriate. Recent joint initiatives include jointly commissioned research on the potential impact of minimum unit pricing for alcohol, a joint report on reducing alcohol misuse through addressing accessibility and availability, a joint resource on hidden harm and information-sharing on new psychoactive substances and learning from the legislation that has been enacted in the South. There is also a lot of work happening on obesity. We have an all-island obesity action forum, which is chaired by Safefood and continues to meet and share information and best practice.

Other areas include anti-smoking campaigns and a smoke-free HSC. On mental health and promoting positive mental health messages and on suicide prevention there is excellent work ongoing by the Institute of Public Health in Ireland. We have had the work that has been done on a self-harm registry. We have been working with the GAA, for example, through the Public Health Agency and the National Office for Suicide Prevention in the Twenty-six Counties. There are really positive initiatives on promoting good public health messages, and I want to build on that in the time ahead. I am delighted that after a recent conversation with Simon Harris, the Minister in the South, he agreed to work more cooperatively on how we can explore all the areas of mutual benefit.

Robin Swann (UUP, North Antrim)

The Minister mentioned the children's cardiac all-Ireland approach, and I declare an interest in that. Will she give the House any indication of when the business case will eventually be signed off so that we can turn this aspiration into a reality and start treating children on the island?

Michelle O'Neill (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

I absolutely agree on turning it into a reality, and I intend to do so over the next, I hope, short period of time. Obviously, we are reviewing the business case, and I hope that we are coming towards the end of that process. In the immediate future, we will be in a position to make an announcement, move forward and provide this vital service. There has been a very strong campaign for it, rightly so because it is needed on the island. We can provide a first-class service to all the children who are affected by heart problems as a result of congenital heart failure because we will work collectively. I hope to make an announcement on that in the coming weeks.

Gordon Dunne (DUP, North Down)

I thank the Minister for her answers. Will she give us an update on deep brain stimulation, which functions in Belfast, and what is being done to extend the service to patients in the Republic of Ireland?

Michelle O'Neill (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

I do not have any detailed briefing on that, but I am happy to respond to the Member. We are looking at all areas where we can work more collaboratively. Providing a first-class service means you need to have a certain number of patients to treat. When it comes to all these areas, there is a lot more scope for cooperation across the island. The Minister in the Twenty-six Counties has indicated his willingness to allow us to move forward and scope that out. There was a feasibility study in 2009 that highlighted key areas where we could work together, but we need to build on that and update it. I want to bring forward that work and explore where we can work best for the patients who need the service and how we can do that collectively.

David Ford (Alliance, South Antrim)

I thank the Minister for her initial response, which detailed a number of cases. Some of them were cross-border issues around Altnagelvin, Enniskillen or Daisy Hill. Will the Minister highlight examples of specialisms that we have in Northern Ireland that could be offered to people across the entire island?

Michelle O'Neill (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

That is the work that we are involved in at the moment. When the feasibility study was done in 2009 — it is pretty much out of date now — heart surgery, for example, was identified as an issue. We have reached 2016 before we have been able to deliver that service. In my initial conversations with Minister Harris, I want to use that as a baseline or a starting point, but I want to look at what we do better. I am happy to provide you with a list, outside Question Time, of what we assess that we can deliver that the South maybe does not have. That is part of the core work that we will take forward together. I do not want it to be a stretched-out process; it is work that can be done pretty quickly. As I develop my vision for the health service — he wants to deliver a 10-year vision — let us set out a plan where we can work collaboratively and provide first-class services to people across the island. This is a small island with a small population, and there are natural areas where we can work more collaboratively.

Mervyn Storey (DUP, North Antrim)

I welcome the Minister to her Question Time, but I am disappointed that she has refused to meet in relation to the Causeway Hospital. Given that today she is interested in islands, can she give a commitment to the House that she will continue to provide healthcare for the only inhabited island in Northern Ireland, which is Rathlin in my constituency, and that the people there will get the continued care that they need, given the particular issues that they face daily?

Michelle O'Neill (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

I can give that assurance. I worked closely with the people of Rathlin when I was Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development. Legislation that I brought forward in the last mandate means that all Departments have a responsibility to protect the needs of rural dwellers, and people on Rathlin are, obviously, more isolated than most. It is important that we are mindful of the islanders and the services that they require and make sure that they have access to first-class healthcare.

In relation to not meeting you with your delegation, I am inundated with requests to meet. However, I can say that I want to make sure that I consider all the information that is before me. The previous Minister obviously halted the process in relation to the day centres because of the changes in the private sector. That was the right decision to take at that time. When the information is in front of me on my desk, I will listen to all the evidence, and I will make sure that I take a very informed decision going forward.

Mark Durkan (Social Democratic and Labour Party, Foyle)

I thank the Minister for her answers thus far. It is good to hear of the Minister's commitment to enhanced North/South collaboration. Can the Minister say anything to allay the real concerns that exist about what negative impact there will be on existing, planned and future cross-border or North/South services and projects in the event of the result of the referendum being that Britain and Northern Ireland leave the European Union?

Michelle O'Neill (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

The Member will be very aware of my party's position on Brexit. We have the same position on the implications that there will be for the North. If you look at research and development in the health service, you see that we have been able to draw down research money with Scotland and the South, which was quite significant. That is one example, I suppose, of the implications. I have listened carefully to the "Leave" campaign, which has very much majored on the health service and said that, if we pull out of Europe, we will have a lot more money to put into the health service. I do not see that being the case. It is a false argument and a scare tactic in relation to the implications in moving forward. Whilst we can only speculate on the outcome of Thursday's referendum, I believe that the challenges in the health and social care system will be there after Thursday. They are there before Thursday, and they will be there after Thursday. I do not believe that leaving the European Union will be the panacea to solve all the ills in the health service. That is certainly not my understanding or my assessment of the evidence that I have in front of me.

Doug Beattie (UUP, Upper Bann)

3. Mr Beattie asked the Minister of Health, as of 1 June 2016, how many outpatients have been waiting longer than 52 weeks for their first appointment at Craigavon Area Hospital. (AQO 92/16-21)

Michelle O'Neill (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

The latest provisional figures for Craigavon Area Hospital show that at 31 May 2016, the most recent date for which figures are available, 1,623 patients were waiting longer than 52 weeks for a first consultant-led outpatient appointment. I have made it clear that patients waiting for that length of time to be seen by a consultant is totally unacceptable to me. Reducing the length of time that patients have to wait for elective assessments, surgeries and treatments is a key priority for me; it is one of a number of key priorities.

As I highlighted in my response to the first question for oral answer, lost capacity through missed appointments could have a significant impact on waiting times. Last year, over 8,600 new and review appointment slots at Craigavon Area Hospital were lost because patients did not attend their appointment. I know that many patients have a genuine reason for not being able to attend their appointment, but every missed appointment is a lost opportunity for someone else to be seen. Again, I urge the public to let hospitals know, where possible, if they are unable to attend so that their slot can be reallocated.

As I indicated in my statement to the Assembly last week, the root causes of the problems in waiting times are representative of the wider challenges to the provision of world-class health and social care: an over-reliance on acute services rather than early intervention in meeting increasing demand, the financial constraints and slowness to bring about radical change and reform. My policy will be to adopt a balanced approach to taking further short-term action combined with longer-term change to address waiting times. It will take time and significant investment to bring waiting lists back to an acceptable level whilst, simultaneously, increasing capacity to meet increasing demand. I will continue to engage with my Executive colleagues to secure the additional investment that is necessary to transform the delivery of services.

Doug Beattie (UUP, Upper Bann)

I thank the Minister for her direct answer. I hope she can agree that statistics can often mask the hurt and pain that patients feel as they wait for an initial appointment, or, as I have found out recently, that of those who have had tests and get the results far too late.

In many ways, she has answered my supplementary, but how will she adopt a more patient-centred approach to addressing waiting times than we saw with her predecessor?

Michelle O'Neill (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

We all realise the impact on patients who are waiting to be seen. If you are unsure about what is wrong and are waiting to be seen by someone, there is worry and stress that has an impact on your health. It is important that we deal with the issue. We have to get waiting lists down and make sure we get to a position where we have a sustainable healthcare system. There is too much focus on acute services. We need to transform the health service to allow us to invest in primary care and take a preventative approach whereby we work more with our GPs, our allied health professionals and the people in the community.

If we are to move that way, the whole focus of the health service needs massive structural reform. I want to get to that position and for the Assembly to work with me to get to it. I am certainly committed to doing that in the time ahead. Whilst we deal with the short-term issues of getting patients seen and achieving their appointments, we have to tackle the longer-term issues seriously, and I am committed to doing so. We have an opportune time now: Professor Bengoa's report is coming out in the next short while, and that will allow me to clearly set out a vision on how we move forward and get the political buy-in to deliver on that vision.

Claire Hanna (Social Democratic and Labour Party, Belfast South)

I thank the Minister for her answers and congratulate her on her new post. In the November monitoring round, the then Finance Minister announced £40 million for elective care procedures, precisely to address those waiting lists. Will the Minister outline how much of that money was spent and, if it was not all spent, where the surplus went?

Michelle O'Neill (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

As you said, £40 million was secured in the November monitoring round. That was an attempt to address the short-term measures that are dealing with waiting lists. There was some success in that over 80,000 patients benefited as a result of the additional waiting list activity carried out in the latter part of the year. At the end of March, as a result of the £40 million, those waiting for their first outpatient appointment came down by 25%, and those waiting for admission for treatment came down by 16%. Those are significant outcomes in moving in the right direction, but we have a lot further to travel.

Of the £40 million, £21·5 million was utilised on waiting list activity, and a further £3·4 million that we were able to allocate brought waiting list activity spend to about £25 million. Eighty thousand patients benefited through the delivery of 54,000 additional outpatient assessments, 17,500 additional inpatient day case treatments and diagnostic assessments. In 2015-16, the balance of the funding was utilised for a range of pressures, particularly for domiciliary care and GP out-of-hours services, which have impacts on waiting lists and people being referred if they do not get primary care in the community.

In addressing the pressures, the £40 million allowed us to bring down the number of people on waiting lists and to put the Department on a firmer financial footing for 2016-17, avoiding the need to reduce any elective care services this year. It was an investment well worth making.

Paula Bradley (DUP, Belfast North)

I congratulate the Minister on her new role. As Chair of the Health Committee, I look forward to working with her, and I thank her for her answers so far.

It is not a popular thing to say, but we have used the independent sector in Northern Ireland health and social care for many years, and it has to play a part in bringing our waiting lists down in the short to medium term. Has there been a strategic approach to how we will use the independent sector over the coming months and years, and has the Minister had any conversations with the sector?

Michelle O'Neill (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

First and foremost with the waiting lists, it has to be about patient safety. That is why there has been an over-reliance on the independent sector to get people seen. I clearly identified that as a short- to medium-term issue. I look forward to working with the Chair of the Health Committee and Committee members on how we transform the service to allow us more money to invest in primary services. In the longer term, we want to provide those services in-house. The only way we will be able to do that is if we seriously transform how we deliver services.

In my first number of weeks as Minister, I have been out meeting staff and engaging with the trusts and people right across the sector, and there is a willingness to change how we do things. With a fair wind and with good political will in the Chamber, we can, once and for all, put report fatigue to bed. We have had so many reports, but now, with Professor Bengoa's report and the restructuring of the board — all the things combined — we have a massive opportunity to transform the health service. That will mean that we provide more services in-house, which is ultimately my objective. I have not engaged with the independent sector to date, but I am sure that I will in the time ahead. My priority is to make sure that we have a first-class health service and that all those services, by and large, are provided in-house.

Catherine Seeley (Sinn Féin, Upper Bann)

How does the Health Minister hope to tackle the loss of 20% of our newly trained nurses, as well as a significant number of consultants, to England, which places huge pressure on our health system?

Michelle O'Neill (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

The loss of newly trained nurses in particular is one of the biggest challenges that we have in workforce planning. The Department established a regional nurse recruitment group in January this year to address proactively nursing workforce challenges. To date, the group has agreed the streamlining of all regional recruitment processes for band 5 nursing vacancies across the trusts to make it easier for nurses to navigate the recruitment process. That also includes the advertising of nursing vacancies and regular interviews, the promotion and use of social media to engage with students and to communicate job opportunities and a joint approach by my Department and the trusts to engaging with university students in years 1, 2 and 3 to promote the local job opportunities that are available to them. The trusts will also make conditional job offers to third-year preregistration nursing students, pending successful completion of their degree programme and registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council.

Alongside that, my Department commissioned the development of a career pathway for nurses and midwives to identify opportunities for local nurses. It was launched by the Chief Nursing Officer in November 2015. We continue to focus on making HSC an employer of choice for those wishing to pursue a nursing career. I am keen to engage with nursing staff. Next week, I will meet representatives of the Royal College of Nursing, and I am keen to talk to them about what else we can do to make sure that we retain newly qualified nurses and train more nurses. There is massive pressure on the system, and, even though we have been able to increase the number of nurses coming into the system this year, we need to do a lot more about training more nurses and offering more opportunities. We are working with difficult budgets, but we need to be creative in how we do that and how we can get more nurses into the system.

Ross Hussey (UUP, West Tyrone)

4. Mr Hussey asked the Minister of Health what action her Department is taking to support adults with learning disabilities affected by the £8 million underspend in learning disability services in the Western Health and Social Care Trust. (AQO 93/16-21)

Michelle O'Neill (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

It is important that I start by acknowledging the concerns of the families and carers in the Western Trust who have been affected by the issues with adult learning disabilities services in their area. I want it to be clear that I fully understand their concerns and support their efforts to seek the assurances that they are entitled to from the trust that their loved ones are being provided with appropriate and effective services. That is why, in my first few days of office, I sought an urgent and detailed briefing from my officials on the issue.

On the basis of that briefing, it is now clear to me that there is a historical issue with funding for adult learning disability services in the Western Trust. However, I assure the Member and local families and carers that action is now being taken to address that, starting with the development of a long-term plan by the Western Trust to quantify and address any spending gap. The trust will be fully supported in its work by the Health and Social Care Board and my Department. Families and carers will be fully engaged too.

It is also my intention to monitor closely the trust’s progress in the coming weeks and months on the issue. In doing so, I will pay particular attention to what families and carers are saying, which, to date, has raised some questions about the trust’s handling of the issue. In the light of that, I am seeking an explanation from senior trust officials of their actions leading up to and including the statement that was made on 10 May.

Ross Hussey (UUP, West Tyrone)

Any of the Members from the western part of the Province who attended meetings with the parents and, indeed, with the trust will recognise the shock and horror that was expressed by those parents. It appears to have been a 20-year underspend, Minister, and, as you are aware, there will be a debate on the issue next week. How much, in total, has not been spent on adult learning disability services in that 20-year term? Will you again assure the House that the elderly will not be victims of any compensatory payments by the trust? It has made a suggestion that it will take the additional funding from the elderly.

Robin Newton (Speaker, Belfast East)

The Minister has time for a short response.

Michelle O'Neill (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

I want to assure the Member that I will ensure that the plan to rectify what has been identified as a problem will be fully communicated to parents and carers. I assure you that the board will also work with the trust to quantify the money that we are talking about: £8 million has been mooted, but I do not know whether that is an accurate figure at this stage. We are still working with the trust to identify that, but I can assure you that we will ensure that we will work with the families and those people with a learning disability who have been affected by the underinvestment that has clearly been there over the last number of years.

Robin Newton (Speaker, Belfast East)

That ends the period for listed questions. We now move to topical questions.

Mike Nesbitt (UUP, Strangford)

T1. Mr Nesbitt asked the Minister of Health, after welcoming her to Question Time, to state who is right and who is wrong, given that, in a plenary debate on 10 February, the House was told that a working group was being set up to look at the issue of fatal foetal abnormalities and abortion, with, yesterday, the Attorney General telling the Court of Appeal that the group was up and running, albeit that, in a letter that he received from the Minister, dated last Thursday, she said that the group is not up and running. (AQT 61/16-21)

Michelle O'Neill (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

Well, I will not answer for the Attorney General: you can take your issue up with him. I can say that the Executive did, as you rightly said, set out that there needed to be a working group on fatal foetal abnormality. Simon Hamilton raised the issue with the Executive when he was Health Minister. I can confirm that the terms of reference for the group were proposed and drafted and that the membership of the group was discussed with the former Justice Minister. I can confirm that the terms of reference were not formally signed off, so, consequently, the group has not met. However, I am looking at the issue and giving the matter careful consideration. I will meet the Justice Minister over the next number of weeks. I intend to discuss how we take the issue forward. As current Health Minister, I want to meet families who have been impacted by fatal foetal abnormality and then decide how we move forward as quickly as possible to bring clarity to the issue of fatal foetal abnormality in the health service.

Mike Nesbitt (UUP, Strangford)

The impression was given four months ago that it would report in six months — in two months' time — and now we hear that it has not even met. Once again, this House is a Dickensian Bleak House, where citizens arrive in hope and leave in despair. Why does the Minister think that this panel is even necessary given her undoubted support of motion 122 at her party's 2015 ard-fheis, which committed to a call for a legal framework to be introduced that would allow women to access abortion services under the circumstances of fatal foetal abnormality?

Michelle O'Neill (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

I can assure the Member that he has not unearthed any new secret: it is my party position that we think that there should be legislation that allows women to be supported in relation to fatal foetal abnormality. The legislation that needs to come forward will come from the Department of Justice. I want to work with the Justice Minister. I also want to engage with women who have been impacted. This afternoon, I will meet Sarah Ewart. Obviously, everyone knows Sarah's story. I want to engage with her because she is someone who has actually gone through the experience of having a child with fatal foetal abnormality. It is important that we take decisions that are based on evidence and that we take the right decisions. I do not think that it is any shock that I will speak to the Justice Minister over coming weeks. We have a meeting scheduled. We will discuss the issue and will be able to move forward.

Adrian McQuillan (DUP, East Londonderry)

T2. Mr McQuillan asked the Minister of Health whether she has spoken with her Executive colleagues about health inequalities. (AQT 62/16-21)

Michelle O'Neill (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

Not as yet; I suppose that we are four weeks into the new mandate. Certainly, it will be a focus for me. It is important that we tackle health inequalities, which is why we need to transform the healthcare system to allow us to do that. Unfortunately, at the moment, no Minister has been able to tackle and actually invest properly in order to deal with health inequalities because there simply was not the funding to do so. All the money is, I suppose, being sucked into dealing with the acute sector. Unless we shift that focus, we will not get to the point where we can tackle health inequalities. I have identified it as a priority. I know that the Executive will want to have a discussion on the way forward and how we do that. I am very keen to explore that with them.

Adrian McQuillan (DUP, East Londonderry)

I thank the Minister for her answer. I am sure that she will agree that it is not good enough that your life expectancy depends on where you live.

Michelle O'Neill (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

Absolutely. We have to tackle the root causes of why people get sick in the first place. We have to try and get a breakdown of the correlation between people who live in deprived areas and their health outcomes; for example, tooth decay, cancer diagnoses and all those things. For me, as Health Minister, this is something that needs to be a priority. We have to get to the point where we tackle those issues head on, where we invest in prevention and have a very strong public health message. Very positive work is happening and has been happening for quite some time. We have a strategy for illness prevention and health promotion. I want to see that through. However, I think we can do much more. In order to get us to that point, we have to really reinvigorate, and look at structural issues in, the health service.

Steve Aiken (UUP, South Antrim)

T3. Mr Aiken asked the Minister of Health, to follow up on the question asked by his leader, why the terms of reference for the working group have not been signed off, to outline the reasons for the delay and to state whether there are any significant issues about which the Assembly should be made aware. (AQT 63/16-21)

Michelle O'Neill (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

No, there are not. I have just answered the question. I told you my position in relation to fatal foetal abnormality and being able to support those women who are in a crisis situation. I have been given the work that has been done to date — the terms of reference that have been drawn up — and I intend to sign off on them when I have had a conversation with the Justice Minister over the next number of weeks.

Steve Aiken (UUP, South Antrim)

I thank the Minister for her comments. May I ask that the discussion be taken forward with a degree of urgency and the information brought back to the Assembly as soon as possible? The delay is unacceptable for the people of Northern Ireland.

Michelle O'Neill (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

A meeting is already scheduled.

Mark Durkan (Social Democratic and Labour Party, Foyle)

T4. Mr Durkan asked the Minister of Health for her assessment of the addiction services available here and the importance of ease of access to those services. (AQT 64/16-21)

Michelle O'Neill (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

It is important that we tackle the issue and support people who want to get help. I am sure that the Member is aware of Northlands in Derry and the issue of funding. I am going to take up an opportunity to visit it and talk about the service that it provides, which, I am aware, is a first-class service that people value very much. It is important that we invest in addiction services and support people who are at a time in their life when they are most vulnerable. I do not have figures in relation to the current investment in addiction services, but I am very happy to provide that to the Member in the future.

Mark Durkan (Social Democratic and Labour Party, Foyle)

I am very heartened by that answer from the Minister. Will she clarify that she recognises the valuable role of the community and voluntary sector in delivering addiction services and is committed to working with it and listening to it when designing services in future?

Michelle O'Neill (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

We all recognise the value of the community and voluntary sector's work. It alleviates a lot of pressure in the health service, and, without it, the service would be stretched a lot more. So, yes, I value the work that it does, and I want to work with it and move forward on how we can work together, how we can be more innovative about how we work with people and how we can be more creative in changing and structuring how we deliver services to those in need.

Declan McAleer (Sinn Féin, West Tyrone)

T5. Mr McAleer asked the Minister of Health how she and her Department will prioritise mental health issues. (AQT 65/16-21)

Michelle O'Neill (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

Since becoming Minister, I have made it clear that mental health is one area that I will prioritise. We all recognise that mental health problems are a significant societal challenge that need to be addressed. I intend to address some of the historical underinvestment, but, equally, I accept that the health and social care budget in general is under extreme financial pressure, as are the Executive as a whole.

In my assessment so far in relation to mental health services, we invest annually about £250 million. That is an increase of £50 million a year compared with the position a decade ago. Also, it is significant to note that nearly 60% of mental health funding is spent on community services compared with 40% a decade ago. That shows that there is a lot more early intervention, crisis response, home treatment and the use of evidence-based psychological therapies.

There are gaps in service provision and funding, and I want to use all the information that I have to best identify how we move forward. I want to work with clinicians and people who are providing the service, as well as the community and voluntary sector. When it comes to taking positions on the new comprehensive spending review, I want to make sure that we properly invest in mental health and help the most vulnerable.

Declan McAleer (Sinn Féin, West Tyrone)

I thank the Minister for her answer. Is the Minister minded to advance a perinatal mental health approach?

Michelle O'Neill (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

Yes. There has been some work done on it to date. There are plans for a perinatal mental health and a mental trauma service. Also, I omitted to say in my original answer that there will be study into eating disorder services, which will report in December. The lack of provision of a dedicated specialist and bespoke perinatal mental health service is a significant gap here. I want to be able to move forward with that. There are potential opportunities for us to do that on an all-island basis. That is something that I want to pick up with Simon Harris TD over the next number of weeks.

The 'Integrated Perinatal Mental Healthcare Pathway', which was published in December 2012, is being updated. That provides the regional guidance for all health and social care professionals who come into contact with pregnant women to ensure that their mental health problems are identified as early as possible and that we make sure that we have the appropriate support services in place.

The estimated cost of providing that service is about £1·9 million. Perinatal mental health is an issue that I can remember championing in the previous mandate from 2011, when I was on the Health Committee. It is certainly another area where I think we can do some good work. I want to explore that further with the Minister in the South to see whether there is any way that we can work together to deliver it quicker.

Sydney Anderson (DUP, Upper Bann)

T6. Mr Anderson asked the Minister of Health how confident she is that everything that needs to be done is being done to ensure that we can successfully recruit the nurses who are very much needed across our hospitals. (AQT 66/16-21)

Michelle O'Neill (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

Obviously, nurses are key to service delivery. They are the backbone of the health service. I want to work with the Royal College of Nurses to make sure that there is better workforce planning. A lot of work has been done in that area. A number of additional nurses — I think it is 100 — are coming in to start their training this year. I think that that is significant, but we need to continually keep that under review. I do not believe that 100 nurses will fill the gap that has already been identified there, so I want to work with nurses and the royal college to make sure that we bring forward the correct number of nurses in the future. There have been significant improvements in nursing numbers over the last number of years. There are an additional 186 nurses in our trusts compared with the number this time last year. That shows that we are moving in the right direction, but we certainly have further to go.

The Department invests heavily in training new nurses every year, with the provision of university fee and bursary support. We also continue to work with the nurses on education and continuing with education. The other area that we have been looking at is the return-to-nursing programme, and we recently committed additional funding to commission an increase of 100 nurses. That will also allow us to take get more nurses back into practice. So, while I think that there are major challenges, we are moving in the right direction, but we certainly have a further way to go.

Sydney Anderson (DUP, Upper Bann)

I thank the Minister for that answer. I declare an interest as I have family working in nursing and midwifery. Minister, do you agree that there needs to be a much greater focus on encouraging our young people to enter the nursing profession? Do you also agree that they should be paid a proper wage for the difficult job they do, and that less emphasis should be put on agency nurses and nurse banks?

Michelle O'Neill (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

I do agree with you. The Department and the trusts are working particularly with new nurses who are training. In an earlier answer, I referred to the fact that about 20% of nurses decide to leave once they have qualified. It is about trying to talk to those nurses to say that there are opportunities and make sure that they are aware that there are opportunities here.

I think that nursing staff deserve to get fair pay for the job they do. I think that we have massive challenges here, not least because of continual Tory Government cuts to the block grant. That being said, I want to work with the nursing profession to make sure that we do absolutely everything we can to maximise the numbers in the service and make sure that those nurses feel supported, because obviously we value the work they do, day and daily, in supporting patients.

Gary Middleton (DUP, Foyle)

T7. Mr Middleton asked the Minister of Health, after welcoming her to her first Question Time, to outline the steps her Department is taking to address the high level of self-harm and suicide in our community. (AQT 67/16-21)

Michelle O'Neill (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

Again, as I said earlier, mental health is a priority for me, and I seriously want to work with groups on the ground providing services, particularly in the community and voluntary sector, which I very much value for working with people who find themselves in crisis or want to ask for help and some support. I certainly want to prioritise that area of work. I want to review what services we provide and how they are provided. Lifeline has recently been reviewed, so we are going to be moving forward with that. I want to make sure that we deliver on the Bamford vision. I think that there is so much that we can do. If the Department can be a wee bit more creative in working with the community and voluntary sector, we can be more effective on the ground.

Gary Middleton (DUP, Foyle)

I thank the Minister for her answer. She will be aware that the Protect Life strategy is out for consultation and that that will close in the next number of weeks. Does she agree that, while strategies are important, we need the resources and the finance to back those up?

Michelle O'Neill (Sinn Féin, Mid Ulster)

Yes, I absolutely agree. When we come to review the strategy, we want to make sure that we get it right, listen to everybody and look at what has been good and what has worked. We also need to look at the challenges in rural areas compared with urban areas, because sometimes they can be very different. We need a proper review of all that as we move forward. Yes, I think there is underinvestment, and I think we need to shift the balance of the investment that has occurred to date. I have a very difficult financial picture in front of me. That said, this is an area where I want to prioritise some work.

Oral Answers to Questions — Justice

Robin Newton (Speaker, Belfast East)

I welcome the Minister to her first Question Time.

Daithí McKay (Sinn Féin, North Antrim)

1. Mr McKay asked the Minister of Justice to outline the work her Department has taken in conjunction with the PSNI to address race hate crime. (AQO 105/16-21)

Claire Sugden (Independent, East Londonderry)

I thank the Speaker for his kind sentiments.

My Department's community safety strategy contains a commitment to tackle all forms of hate crime and the harm it causes through prevention, awareness, education and support for victims and communities. To deliver on this commitment, my Department chairs a multi-agency hate crime delivery group that takes forward a range of actions to combat hate crime from the criminal justice perspective.

The PSNI holds membership of that group and is engaged in a number of specific initiatives alongside my Department. These include the hate crime advocacy service, jointly funded by my Department and the PSNI, which provides a consistent point of contact for victims who require advice, support and assistance on a practical and emotional level. Dedicated bilingual advocates to assist victims of racial hate crime are engaged through this service, and there is the hate incident practical action scheme, which is funded by my Department, the PSNI, the Northern Ireland Housing Executive and the Department for Communities. That scheme can provide victims of hate crime with personal protection and safety measures to help them feel safer in their home. My officials and PSNI officers also recently participated in Good Practice Plus, which is a Europe-wide project led by the Northern Ireland Council for Ethnic Minorities. The project facilitates sharing and embedding of best practice in tackling hate crime right across a range of operational agencies in the countries involved.

More broadly, my Department will be working with the Executive Office to take forward those aspects of the Executive's racial equality strategy relating to racist hate crime. That work will form part of addressing the wider societal issues that ultimately manifest through racial hate crime. At a local level, policing and community safety partnerships deliver targeted projects, including initiatives to influence the attitudes of young people, with a view to increasing awareness of diversity and difference.

Daithí McKay (Sinn Féin, North Antrim)

I thank the Minister for her answer. I recognise much of the work that is ongoing. Given the recent reported and alleged race crime in the Minister's constituency involving several members of the police, will she give us an assurance that a proper and fully independent investigation will be carried out? Does she agree that we need to ensure that there is zero tolerance of racism across all our services?

Claire Sugden (Independent, East Londonderry)

I thank the Member for his supplementary. I am aware of the recent incident in my constituency regarding the actions of off-duty PSNI officers in Portstewart, and it has been reported that the PSNI is looking into a hate crime element of that. Investigating the matter is an operational issue for the PSNI. If the Member has any concerns, I suggest that he takes them directly to the PSNI. I will say this: there should be zero tolerance of all incidents of hate crime, whether it be racial or sectarian, and my Department is certainly keen to support that.

Jennifer Palmer (UUP, Lagan Valley)

Does the Minister share my concern that the rhetoric employed by some people in the debate on Brexit has the potential to encourage racism and increase race hate crime? Is she confident that the law is sufficiently robust to deal with the minority of people who think it is acceptable to spread race hate via social media?

Claire Sugden (Independent, East Londonderry)

I thank the Member for her question. I entirely agree with that sentiment. I think the language we use, whether it is about Brexit or any issue, is very important. As politicians, we have a particular responsibility to ensure that the words we use do not instil any sort of hate within people through who they are directed at. In the context of the legislation that looks at that, through some of the initiatives that my Department is involved in, we are trying to tackle that, but I certainly take the point that more could be done, and I am quite happy to engage with the Member to, hopefully, see a way forward in that respect.