12,774 of 97,616 records that can be analysed have been assessed so far (13.1%); 84,841 are waiting for analysis and 1 failed and will be retried. Totals and rankings will change as the remaining records are processed, so they do not yet represent the full mandate. How much has been processed
Mr Gareth Wilson: Assembly records
All of Mr Gareth Wilson’s imported questions, contributions and motions in this mandate, newest first, including those assessed as not qualifying, uncertain or not yet analysed.
Minister, I will refer to a climate of equal importance: the financial climate that affects businesses. I have been contacted by concerned applicants to the rural business development grant scheme about the disappointing news that almost £400,000 of funding that your Department promised to rural businesses in the…
I thank the Minister for her answer. I think that most members of the public would be astounded to hear that, despite all the pressures on our prison and justice services, our system is at odds with that in the rest of the UK and foreign prisoners who have come to this country and committed a crime can simply opt out…
First Minister, figures that I have acquired from the Department of Justice show that, in the past 10 years, of the 73 people convicted for obstructing a public road, four received custodial sentences, four received community sentences and 52 received monetary penalties. Which of those options do you think that you…
On a point of order, Mr Speaker. Can I seek your guidance on a matter of ministerial accountability? The AERA Minister recently refused to answer Assembly questions seeking basic factual information about the operation of his Department, instead citing an ongoing independent review. The information requested concerns…
I thank the Minister for her answer. As she said, taxi drivers hold positions of trust and, of course, in the main, operate without issue as they regularly transport a range of vulnerable passengers, such as children, those with additional needs and, as the Minister rightly said, people coming home from a night out.…
Minister, with your answers focusing on the value of staff in our health and social care system, you will also be aware of our voluntary sector and its equal value in complementing your Department in a considerable way. To that end, you will be aware of the work of incredABLE in my constituency and its important adult…
Yes, I will get back to the debate. I welcome the opportunity to speak on the motion of no confidence that was tabled by my party, and I thank everybody who signed it. I am the only MLA for Newry and Armagh who signed it. I take that to mean that I am the only person listening to the farming community in what is a…
I fully agree. It is not lost on me that, when we look at the Justice Department — I am sure that Minister Givan would not be in a comfortable position if, for instance, half the school body was not in attendance — we see that half the prison population is on remand consistently and has been throughout the past year.…
This is my tenth month in the House, and I am astounded by what I have just witnessed. I am encouraged by — I have seen this — how my party and the Members on these Benches never shy away from debate. We think of our Ministers, one of whom is here, who never shy away from debate. Gordon Lyons, who was put through the…
First Minister, sadly, your party has a track record in this area: first, with the Bobby Storey funeral, then the illegal Newry billboard and now, of course, Garvaghy Road. Do you accept that the unnotified protest gatherings on the Garvaghy Road were unlawful then and remain unlawful now? Do you believe that you and…
Deputy First Minister, do you agree that, given Miss Hargey's very enthusiastic participation in what was an illegal roadblock in Portadown, alongside senior Sinn Féin elected representatives and, concerningly, individuals linked to dissident republicanism, she is in no position to seek updates on tackling…
I speak as someone who also enjoys all the benefits of pet ownership, having had two German shepherds over the years. I am now firmly under the control of our cat, Casper, who enjoys an extravagant lifestyle at our expense, but I would not be without him. As someone who cares deeply about animal welfare, I welcome the…
Does the Minister agree that Sinn Féin should stop gambling with the future of devolution through its refusal to accept the legal and just determination of the courts?
There has been plenty of talk in the House today about not going back. Can the Minister confirm that there will not be any going back to the unworkable and unfair NAP proposals, and, as Agriculture Minister, will he ensure that he will protect that industry and work with it constructively to reach a fair settlement…
Thank you. I am probably stretching my credibility here then, Mr Speaker. However, to finalise this while we are in this vein, it also suggests that opinion is important. You have given me an answer, but I think that you can give me another answer on whether it is your opinion that the illegal billboard should be…
Thank you. Even with a Minister who is, ideally, fully committed to the Bill's objectives, does the Bill sponsor really think that DFI has the capacity to meet the Bill's objectives in its current format? Existing laws have obviously been tentatively used, given the real complexity of the issue, with particular…
The Member makes a very good point. My understanding of it is that the portion that is on DFI property — or public property, if you like — should be subject to that type of Bill. I am not sure that private property should be treated any differently if it is within very close range of the street, any street furniture…
I welcome the opportunity to contribute to the debate on the Bill, but, first, I will address a comment that I heard last week from the Alliance Benches. It was, in my view, a typical Alliance response to what were well-articulated comments on the unworkability of the Bill, and my colleague has ably made more such…
Minister, I welcome your comments about how veterans feel that they have to evaluate their personal security when making contact with the various benefits processes. I get that, because, only last week, I worked with a veteran who had redacted a lot of the information that he had sent through. I appreciate your…
Minister, you will be aware that Daisy Hill has suffered continually from temporary withdrawals of services. That has been the case for as long as I can remember and for as long as I have been in public life. People will therefore feel that the playbook is being reached for once again. You will recall that, earlier in…
Animal welfare in that sector has been brought to my attention in my constituency in recent weeks with regard to a tethered pony. Are you content with how councils exercise their powers under section 17(1) of the Welfare of Animals Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 to alleviate suffering immediately when it is encountered?…
At its core, this is a practical and proportionate step to strengthen animal welfare, improve public confidence and bring Northern Ireland into line with the rest of the United Kingdom. For some time now, there has been a gap in our regulatory framework. While England introduced similar measures in 2018, with Scotland…