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Mrs Naomi Long: Assembly records
All of Mrs Naomi Long’s imported questions, contributions and motions in this mandate, newest first, including those assessed as not qualifying, uncertain or not yet analysed.
There is no doubt that the CBA withdrawal has created a significant backlog. We were already working hard to address the delays, and those have now been supplemented. Listing is a judicial function, and work on recovery is being led by the Lady Chief Justice (LCJ) for that reason. There will be a phased approach to…
With your permission, Mr Speaker, I will address questions 2 and 4 together. For the sake of victims and witnesses, I am pleased that the unnecessary and unwarranted service withdrawal by the Criminal Bar Association (CBA) has finally come to an end. The CBA is finally following the example of its solicitor colleagues…
Recruitment plays a key role in the Prison Service's ability to deliver a consistent and productive regime for those who are committed to our care. It is encouraging that so many people applied to become prison officers in response to the recent campaign. Between January and March this year, 67 newly recruited prison…
If not, I have no details with which to furnish the House. However, I take the point that the Member is making. Our work in the Prison Service and across the estate to reduce the flow of drugs into prisons from outside has been quite successful. The introduction of X-ray body scanners means that we are much more able…
Since the publication of the particular report on a special inspection of care and supervision units, which I commissioned, huge progress has been made on the recording of contact between prison officers and prisoners in the care and supervision units and on access to productive activity. The care and supervision…
I thank the Member for his question. As a former prison officer, he will be aware of the delicate balance that has to be struck around those issues. It is, of course, always our intent that every prisoner, irrespective of who they are, will be held in custody that is dignified and safe, and that will be the same in…
The Northern Ireland Prison Service (NIPS) assesses that current staffing levels are sufficient to maintain the safe and secure operation of houses, units and landings across the estate. However, sustained increases in the prison population have placed pressures on staffing, requiring difficult decisions at times on…
On a point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker. May I get some clarity, please? I opened the debate on this group of amendments, but I was advised that, because a petition of concern had already been laid, I could not move the amendment at that time. Is it therefore not in order that the amendment now has to be moved formally…
This is about victims: two women who had the courage to come forward. I trust the fact that they got a measure of justice last week will encourage others to come forward and give them confidence in the belief that, irrespective of who their abuser is or how historical the abuse is, there can still be justice for…
I will start by addressing the amendment tabled by Messrs Frew, Bradley and Kingston and then speak to the amendment tabled by Timothy Gaston. Mr Frew described amendment No 96 as stopping prisoners and young people in detention centres being released on a Friday or on the day before a public or bank holiday and added…
In the main, the debates in the Chamber on the Justice Bill have been reasonable, temperate and good-humoured. This is the first time, however, that somebody has accused me of taking a policy position based on dislike of a Member. I do not know what kind of vindictive person would imagine that any Minister or, indeed,…
The Member persists with misrepresentation. At no point did I say that the Supreme Court judgement was entirely irrelevant or without merit. Indeed, I have made the point now on a number of occasions that I respect the Supreme Court judgement, and no one is arguing against it. It is impossible, Mr Deputy Speaker, to…
The Member is quoting statistics on whether people agree with the Supreme Court judgement. That is not the issue for debate this evening. The issue for debate this evening is the amendment that the Member has tabled. Whilst he may be of the view that the Supreme Court judgement applies in a Northern Ireland context,…
Our primary source of consultation at the time when the guidance was produced was that the director general engaged with the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland, which is the statutory adviser on such matters.