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Mr Robin Swann: Assembly records
All of Mr Robin Swann’s imported questions, contributions and motions in this mandate, newest first, including those assessed as not qualifying, uncertain or not yet analysed.
Accelerated Passage: Hospital Parking Charges Bill (NIA Bill 02/22-27) That the Hospital Parking Charges Bill proceed under the accelerated passage procedure.
I thank the Committee Chair and other Members who have made contributions on the regulations as part of what has been a wider debate. I will turn to some of the points that have been raised. I thank the Chair for the ongoing support and engagement of the Committee for Health. In regard to Mrs Dodds' enquiries about…
I beg to move I seek the Assembly's approval for the making of this set of regulations, which contain important provisions relating to the continued support of the United Kingdom's COVID-19 and flu vaccination programmes in Northern Ireland. I am sure that Members will agree that the vaccination programmes in recent…
I will refer to some of the points that Members made. The Chair of the Health Committee raised a number of general points. I thank the Committee for its collaborative working on these statutory rules, for the questions that its members asked and for the engagement that the Committee has had with my officials about due…
I beg to move Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker, for your indulgence. First, by way of clarification, Members will note that there were three statutory rules on the Order Paper. After they were first submitted a number of weeks ago, it was confirmed to my Department late last Friday evening, as I understand it, by Assembly…
Mr Deputy Speaker, I will explain more in a moment, but, at this stage, I confirm that I will not move the first two statutory rules — SR 2022/224 and SR 2023/050 — but will move SR 2023/139.
The draft Human Medicines (Amendments Relating to Coronavirus and Influenza) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2024 That the draft Human Medicines (Amendments Relating to Coronavirus and Influenza) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2024 be approved.
I thank the Member for his question. I refer back to my response to Miss McAllister's question about when the contract and procurement were actually paused. Those decisions were taken without ministerial input. What has happened today shows the advantage that this place has: when concerns are raised in the House,…
As the Member has the update about the tendering process, I am sure that she will be aware that the decision to pause it was taken before my time. There has been ongoing engagement with Nexus on current provision. I look forward to working in partnership with Nexus in the next year to make sure that service delivery…
I thank the Member for that point, because that is crucial in regard to my announcement about extending the contract for a year. I want to see improved services and delivery, and my officials have been engaging with Nexus over the past few months to make sure that we close the gap between what we expect — what we are…
I want to reassure Members of my recognition of the absolute importance of sufficient specialist counselling for victims of sexual abuse. I can advise the Assembly that Nexus was awarded a three-year contract in April 2019 to provide a specialist counselling service for victims of sexual abuse, with an option for two…
Since my return to office, I have engaged extensively with healthcare professionals across the system. One of the things that is giving healthcare staff a sense of improved morale — I will not say that it is high morale — is the fact that we are back in this place. That is because our health service staff value and…
I thank the Member for his point about the validation of statistics in Northern Ireland. We take that very seriously in the Department. The Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) and the information and analysis directorate (IAD) advise on what we publish. The South Eastern Trust figures are delayed…
I certainly will. I think that I sent out a request this morning to meet the Member's party colleague about that, and I am sure that one of us will update him at the appropriate point.
I thank the Member for his question. I will take a point of clarity at any point, but I think that banning the sale of disposable vapes falls within the responsibility of his party colleague the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs. I am working on legislation with my UK colleagues, however, and,…
The Member raises something that has been in the media recently. To the Member and the House, I say this: any form of child abuse, including exploitation, is totally unacceptable and must be appropriately addressed. All children and young people in Northern Ireland are entitled to live in safety, to achieve their full…
I thank the Member for her question. I am due to meet Ray Jones next week to discuss his recommendations. If the Member has made herself aware of the review, she will realise that it is a detailed, in-depth piece of work. It was co-produced very astutely, with Mr Jones at the head. I was pleased to be asked to speak…
Unfortunately, yes. A number of GP practices are in a similar position. As I said, my Department is working with our colleagues in GPNI and the British Medical Association committee on what can be done to stabilise those positions and look to the future of the GP contract. I want to ensure that our general medical…
I thank the Member for raising the issue of GP contracts. He will be aware that, unfortunately, the two practices that he mentioned are not isolated occurrences. I can say that, for all the contracts that have been handed back, we have not seen a practice having to close at any stage, because other options have been…
I thank the Member for his question. He has raised the point with me, and I know that he has a strong interest in it. He rightly points out that the responsibility for implementing the Armed Forces Act 2021 and taking forward the New Decade, New Approach commitment to further legislation to incorporate the armed…
I thank the Member for her point. She has moved slightly away from medication into services. She will be aware that there is disparity among our trusts with regard to ADHD supports. That is especially the case now, as we are seeing increased presentation of adult ADHD. There is no commissioned service for that at this…
The Member will be aware that supply disruptions of some attention deficit hyperactivity disorder treatments have been resolved, but my Department is aware of ongoing supply disruptions involving various strengths and preparations of other ADHD treatments across the UK. Those disruptions have been caused by a…
The Finance Minister has already indicated her direction of travel for the preparation of a Budget for next year. That will be done through one-to-one engagements with each Department's Minister about their core needs, not just for funding for the likes of our voluntary and community sector but about how we fund what…