All of Ms Claire Sugden’s imported questions, contributions and motions in this mandate, newest first, including those assessed as not flagged, uncertain or not yet analysed.
To ask the First Minister and deputy First Minister what steps are being taken to ensure that the Strategic Framework to End Violence Against Women and Girls and its Delivery Plan are effectively implemented in rural areas.
To ask the Minister of Health to detail any consideration his Department has given to introducing a pension scheme for community pharmacists, similar to the schemes already available for GPs, optometrists and dentists.
To ask the Minister of Health to detail (i) the number of community pharmacies that closed between January 2023 and December 2024; and (ii) how this compares to the total number of closures over the previous five years.
To ask the Minister of Health whether his Department has considered adopting the Scottish model for claw-back adjustments to provide financial stability for community pharmacies in Northern Ireland, given the reported £24 million reduction in pharmacy budgets due to the claw-back in 2023-24.
To ask the Minister of Health for an update on plans to expand the role of community pharmacies in delivering public health campaigns, including the proposed Pharmacy First for Sore Throat Service and the continuation of vaccination services.
To ask the Minister of Health to detail (i) the number of hospital admissions for hypothermia of people 65 years of age and over in the last three months; and (ii) how this compares to the same period last year.
To ask the Minister for the Economy to detail any additional support he is considering to improve energy efficiency in homes to help mitigate the impact of Winter Fuel Payment cuts, particularly given the high proportion of older and less energy-efficient housing stock in Northern Ireland.
To ask the Minister for Communities to detail any assessment that has been made of the economic and social impacts of cuts to the Winter Fuel Payment on vulnerable groups in Northern Ireland, particularly in rural areas where access to affordable heating options is limited.
To ask the Minister for Communities to detail any considerations his Department has made to mitigate the disproportionate effects of cuts to the Winter Fuel Payment on households in Northern Ireland, given the higher prevalence of fuel poverty in the region compared to the rest of the UK.
To ask the Minister for Communities to detail (i) why the decision to implement cuts to the Winter Fuel Payment was made prior to the publication of the draft Equality Impact Assessment; and (ii) how this aligns with the Department’s statutory equality obligations under Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998.
I will not support the motion, because I am not content with its blanket wording. We need to allow room for individual circumstances. However, I am sympathetic to the practical consideration of biological sex; indeed, it is crucial to address the difference between sex and gender. It is a distinction that directly…
To ask the Minister of Health to detail any collaborative steps being taken with other Departments to inform young people about the importance of regular cervical screening and cervical cancer prevention.
To ask the Minister of Health for his assessment of the impact that cuts to the Winter Fuel Payment has had on hospital admissions among older people, particularly where inadequate heating worsens health conditions.
To ask the Minister for Communities whether he has considered implementing a long-term strategy to protect vulnerable older people from escalating energy costs, particularly in light of the recent reduction in the Winter Fuel Payment.
To ask the Minister for Communities for his assessment of the impact of the reduction of the Winter Fuel Payment for older people, particularly those already experiencing fuel poverty.
To ask the First Minister and deputy First Minister to detail (i) how the Strategic Framework to End Violence Against Women and Girls will address the distinct experiences of older female victims of domestic abuse; and (ii) any cross-departmental strategies under the framework to address ageism and its role in…
To ask the Minister of Justice how she is ensuring consistent collection and analysis of data on domestic abuse against older people, including age-specific patterns and barriers to reporting.
To ask the Minister of Health to detail (i) how his Department and statutory agencies are addressing the connection of elder care and domestic abuse, particularly for victims with reduced mental or physical capacity; and (ii) whether health and social care providers are able to recognise signs of domestic abuse among…
To ask the Minister for Communities to detail any work (i) specifically aimed at educating older people about domestic elder abuse; and (ii) to increase accessibility to housing and financial support for older victims of domestic abuse who wish to leave abusive environments.
To ask the Minister of Health whether he has any plans to review health and social care pathways, in order to offer patients various options of healthcare that consider individual circumstances and quality of life rather than following a standard pathway for a particular ailment.
To ask the Minister of Health whether he has considered any short-term programmes to clear lengthy waiting lists, including private health and social care and cross-border initiatives.
To ask the Minister of Health whether he has any plans to redirect and fund additional health and social care services to community practitioners, including pharmacists and opticians.