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Mrs Emma Little-Pengelly: Assembly records
All of Mrs Emma Little-Pengelly’s imported questions, contributions and motions in this mandate, newest first, including those assessed as not qualifying, uncertain or not yet analysed.
At the moment, it is exceptionally difficult. Without a Budget, of course, it becomes more challenging to ensure that the full Budget envelope is rolled out for any of those particular issues, but we are doing what we can. I really welcome the fact that, across Departments, we have been able to find a pragmatic way…
It is hugely difficult at the moment. We do not have a Budget. I want a Budget, and there needs to be a Budget as soon as possible. As I have outlined, the implications of agreeing an inadequate Budget are sweeping and damaging cuts across every Department, including and particularly Health, Education and Justice. We…
The process that the Member refers to as "vetoes" is at the heart of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement, and it is about inclusivity. It is about making sure that any significant, controversial or cross-cutting issue will not be decided by one party in isolation, which happened back in the early days. Indeed, it is the…
The reality is that we need things to work better. I want things to work better, whether that be project delivery in Departments, efficient public services in our arm's-length bodies or the spirit of consensus and compromise that we need to see in the Executive Committee. Importantly, at the heart of this is the fact…
I advise people to step back and look at their own positions at times. Some people are very good at running around talking about others imposing their cultural identity on others or where it is not wanted. Yet, when it comes to something that they feel passionate about, such as the Irish language, they have no such…
Over the summer, we have seen the demonisation and, quite frankly, dehumanisation of people across the community, including those who are in the Orange institutions — mothers, daughters, fathers, friends, husbands and wives who are in these organisations. The message that I gave at the fleadh is one that I stand over…
This is, of course, topical questions to the First Minister and the deputy First Minister, but I advise the Member that our safeguarding policy is online. If you go on to the DUP website and just click on the safeguarding policy, you will be able to read it there.
A court case is ongoing, so none of us in the Chamber knows the facts in relation to that issue. However, I assure the Member that, in the Executive Office, we have been driving forward our ending violence against women and girls strategy, and funding is out on the ground. As I said, we will continue to work very…
Absolutely. There is extensive research on that. Of course, the strategy that we have works hand in glove with the Department of Health and Department of Justice document on tackling domestic violence. Of course, those are important issues. It is important that those two strategies complement and supplement each other.
It is absolutely inexcusable for the Chair of the Finance Committee not to understand the process. If we were to set a Budget that is short by £1 billion this year, the immediate result would be that an accounting officer could not sign off on anything further in their budget. They would immediately be cutting and…
Every day that I turn up to do my job as deputy First Minister is about pushing for progress in Northern Ireland: making Northern Ireland work and driving better public services for everyone. The reason why we do not have a Budget is that the Budget envelope is not adequate for our public services. If we were to set a…
We have been trying to maintain consistency. The Member will appreciate that it would be inappropriate for the First Minister or me to interfere politically regarding individual funding applications and their scoring. All applications go through a process that is led by officials and are scored against criteria. I do…
Not only has funding now gone out to groups but the First Minister and I moved quickly to put together a new fund this year: the response fund of almost half a million pounds. Working very closely with officials in the Executive Office, the Education Authority (EA), councils and our partners in Communities in…
I thank the Member for his question. It was a busy summer, with plenty of activities, some of which I engaged in with the Member, not least the Farnborough air show, at which we supported our aerospace and defence companies, right through to the fleadh in Belfast. It is incredibly important that we take opportunities…
We have been absolutely clear that no one should be engaging in clearly provocative or sectarian behaviours. I have come out and condemned those behaviours whenever I have seen them. Of course, it is important that our funds be inclusive and that every part of society be able to celebrate, mark and engage in their…
All allocations to good relations programmes have been made, with delivery under way to a range of very worthy projects, including £1·5 million for central good relations, enabling 57 projects to receive funding; over £2 million for the district councils' good relations programme to support more than120 projects…
I can advise the Member that the draft investment strategy extensively discusses the implications of the climate change legislation on big capital infrastructure, particularly, of course, in the public sector. That has been impacted on, objectively, by the A5 court case. That has been appealed. The interpretation of…
The Sinn Féin Infrastructure Minister has made it clear that there are number of projects, including the Enniskillen bypass, that are paused and postponed, waiting for the outcome of this case. Those are the real-life impacts of the climate change legislation interacting with plans on big infrastructure. To me, that…
The Member will be aware that the Programme for Government sets out our desire for not just regional balance but regional prosperity. We want every part of Northern Ireland to be able to succeed and thrive. For example, I am pleased to have been able to get up to the north-west on a number of occasions for positive…
The Executive are focused on delivery. We are committed to improving lives, driving economic growth and ensuring that our infrastructure meets the needs of our businesses, communities and people. Significant work has already been undertaken to develop the draft investment strategy and progress a range of enabling…
It is important that we do not prematurely fall into a position of opposition or of creating fears and apprehensions about something. That is why we have set up the process. At this stage, there is not extensive use of AI across the public sector. Inevitably, however, as AI develops, it will be used in all sectors,…
I thank the Member for his question. I am always happy to answer questions. If we do not have the answers to those questions, we should not be in these roles, so I am, of course, always happy to come along. I advise the Member that I have indicated full flexibility to come along to the Committee, so we will,…