Daniel Johnson: There has been a great deal of passion in the debate, and rightly so because, if you were one of the 400 workers whose job is at risk, you would feel pretty passionate. In fact, you would feel pretty angry and upset. This has been a long time coming. Even if we look only at the excellent report that the committee produced, we see that it was produced in June 2023. It contains some...
Shirley-Anne Somerville: The member is quite right to point to the stigma and cruelty that were felt by people during the Department for Work and Pensions years, particularly with regard to disability payments. I heard that once again directly from people yesterday, when I visited the Royal National Institute of Blind People. It is critically important that the Scottish Government does what it can to...
Emma Roddick: ...a rural target that includes Invernesian or central belt suburbs. I made that point when I was in Government and had responsibility for population, and it is really good that it is being heard again today. We also need homes that meet the needs of minority groups and women. We know that there is inequality in the housing system. If someone is disabled, from a racialised...
Gerry Carroll: ...that the Minister mentioned. Access to justice should be for all, not just those who are able to pay. Clause 29 focuses on criminal records, youth justice and the need for transparency with the rights of children. There is no mention in the Bill of a clean slate policy for young people when they turn 18 and giving them a second chance — a chance to start their life again. That should be...
Ivan McKee: ...rates and keeping simplicity and predictability for business. That is closely related to the points that several other members made about the current lack of relevant data from HMRC. As Liz Smith rightly pointed out, that prevents us from understanding more thoroughly the issue of elasticity around the tax and how it might lead to the behavioural change that we want, with further increases...
Joanne Bunting: ...that Committee members who have not considered Bills before may be overwhelmed: that is not the case. We look forward to scrutinising the Bill, but our concern is that that should be done in the right way and in the best way. We know that it has happened in predecessor Committees — had the Member been listening, he would know that I have already pointed that out — but just because it...
Diane Dodds: I welcome the Opposition's focus on mental health today. It has been useful, and the tone has been right. I hope that some of those involved in this sphere will take heart from the fact that we have spent the day talking about this important issue. The motion refers to mental health and children and young people's mental health. I will quote the statistic that I quoted earlier: in the...
Mike Nesbitt: .... It speaks to a belief that I have formed rather quickly in my time as Minister of Health, which is that, as a generalisation, we have grossly overcomplicated healthcare delivery. That goes right across health and social care. Asking people to jump through hoops because we have a process and leaving a community and voluntary group believing that the process is more important than meeting...
Mark Durkan: ...to bear witness to. Those who are at the coalface are buckling under the weight of demand, and I place on record my gratitude for the invaluable work of organisations in my constituency and right across the North and beyond who are shining examples of the approach that we need to take to tackle the crisis head-on. I would start naming names, but I am fearful that omission might lead to...
John O'Dowd: .... The treatment that the Member recently received at, I believe, Birmingham Airport, was totally unacceptable. Fair play to him for highlighting disabled people's needs and bringing them once again to the forefront of discussions about their right to access public transport fully. We have made huge strides forward in recent years on public transport, and I intend to continue that work. The...
Mike Nesbitt: ...that she can make those remarks proves that she is an independent assessor. Indeed, more recently, I appointed an independent autism reviewer, and Members will recall her remarks from last week. Again, that shows that, in Ema Cubitt, we have an independent person at work, and I really welcome that. The strategy on suicide prevention has 10 objectives that I hope will achieve better...
Alexander Stewart: ...achievement. None of us wants to see anything other than a continuation of the fighting spirit of Ukraine and the Ukrainian people—and we have seen that fighting spirit time and time again. Despite how well Ukraine has been able to stand its ground against the Russian offensive so far, the future of the conflict remains uncertain. Reports suggest that the Kremlin is still...
Rona Mackay: ...me to hold this important debate during international fetal alcohol spectrum disorder awareness month. This is the third debate on FASD that I have held in the chamber in the past five years. Once again, I am delighted to be able to raise awareness and to highlight the sterling work of clinicians and researchers. Around 200,000 people in Scotland—3.2 per cent of our...
Ivan McKee: ...important sectors in Scotland, and it supports driving forward investment to ensure that the transition to net zero is a just transition. Let us talk about winter fuel payments. I note again that there are not many Labour members in the chamber, but they tell us privately in the corridors that they are deeply embarrassed and upset by what has happened on winter fuel payments....
Gordon Lyons: ...-departmental working group so that we can get the buy-in from other Departments that is necessary to make sure that we work collectively to address the issue. That has been raised time and time again during today's debate. Tackling poverty in Northern Ireland is not solely my responsibility. I am in a position to work with Executive colleagues to bring forward the draft strategy that we...
Neil Gray: ...our first priority is about preventing people from needing additional care in the first place, our second priority is about ensuring that, when they do need support, they receive the care that is right for them in the right place at the right time. We know that people see better outcomes when they receive care at home or as close to home as possible, where it is clinically appropriate. ...
Stephen Dunne: Thank you, Mr McGlone. I certainly concur with that approach. It highlights again the real issues in our rural communities. The problem is not specific to the digital mobile coverage that we are talking about today. It is crucial that we tackle the digital divide between urban and rural parts. We welcome the Shared Rural Network that is helping to transform communities across our United...
John O'Dowd: ...telecoms development have been approved. That demonstrates that the planning system is supporting appropriate proposals. It is worth pointing out that we have a planning system that is based on the rights of the applicant and of the objector, concerned resident, neighbour or whoever it may be. We could have a 100% success rate for any application if we simply had a planning application...
John Stewart: I thank the Minister for his answer and declare an interest as the chair of the all-party group on micro and small business. You rightly point out, Minister, the great work that not only Enterprise NI but our local enterprise agencies across the country do to help new and existing entrepreneurs to further their business. Sadly, time and time again, local enterprise agencies tell me that they...
