All of Dr Steve Aiken OBE’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 Minister for the Economy for a breakdown of (i) the minimum and maximum costs of her proposed closure of the Non-Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme to the budget; (ii) the minimum and maximum costs of her proposed closure of the Scheme in Annually Managed Expenditure; and (iii) the costs for these…
On a point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker. I apologise for not being in my place for a topical question. I was, as I previously briefed, at the funeral of a very important member of the Ulster Unionist Party. We send our party's regards to his brother on this sad occasion.
Today — 13 October — is Hoshana Rabbah, the final day of Succoth. It is the day on which Jewish people everywhere pray and look to the fate of the new year. As we have seen from the joyous scenes in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, today is also one of significant hope. The 20 living hostages are being restored to their…
FlaggedReligion and belief (including people of no religion), churches, faith communities and religious prejudice (including antisemitism and anti-Muslim prejudice)Criteria met: Identity framing, Sectarian or communal antagonism, Dog-whistle messaging.
To ask the Minister of Education to outline any engagement his Department is having with Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics champions in light of proposals around AS-levels.
To ask the Minister of Justice to detail (i) the exact (a) PSNI personnel numbers; and (b) retirements, on a six monthly basis, from 2010 to the present day; and (ii) when, during this period, her Department produced PSNI recovery plans, that are reportedly operational matters under the remit of the Chief Constable of…
Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs to outline (i) when he expects the border inspection centres in (a) Larne; (b) Belfast; (c) Foyle; and (d) Warrenpoint, to be fully operational; (ii) what costs have been incurred by his Department to facilitate this; (iii) what draw down in resources…
Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs to detail any action his Department is taking to prevent the repeated fish kills in the Six Mile River, South Antrim.
To ask the Minister for the Economy, pursuant to AQW 31983/22-7 and AQW 31979/22-7, for a further updated assessment on the security and continuity of electricity supply, in light of the urgent NI Executive meeting and the briefing to the Committee for the Economy by the Department for the Economy's Permanent…
Thank you very much indeed. There was a degree of guffawing and laughter from your party when we talked about Ofgem. Ofgem insists on minimum and maximum prices. Would that not be appropriate for where we are?
Speaking as the deputy chair of the climate all-party group, I remind its chair that we have advocated for a long time that we should get to net zero carbon as quickly as we can. Part of that is making sure that the grid works effectively and correctly. An Alliance Member said earlier that we are not interested in the…
I do not know where the Member gets the idea that we are against the North/South interconnector. I have been one of the strongest advocates for the North/South interconnector for nearly 10 years and, indeed, before that when I was the chief executive of the British Irish Chamber of Commerce. I do not know where you…
He is correct. The North/South interconnector is the one fundamental failure of the whole I-SEM system. Without the North/South interconnector, it will not work. Burying the cable is being presented by some parties in the Chamber as a way ahead, but that is just going to put the cost up so much that it is never going…
I thank the Member for giving way. As the Member will be aware, this is not the first time that that has happened with Kilroot power station. It has been an ongoing problem. Does there seem to be a lack of strategy to deal with the issue?
Thank you very much indeed. The importance of this amendment is to talk to the cross-cutting example of the issues that we have before us. I welcome the Minister's being here, but the main issues will also refer to the Minister for the Economy, the Minister for Infrastructure and the Executive. These are all…
On 7 October 2023, 1,189 Israelis and people of other nationalities were murdered by Hamas and other Palestinian terrorists. A further 251 were taken hostage in Gaza. The United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, which could hardly be credibly described as…
I will try to make sure that I stick strictly to the horrific attack in Manchester. Yom Kippur is the holiest day in the Jewish calendar: the day of atonement, when members of the Jewish faith fast from sunset to sunset, pray, repent, reflect and seek closeness to God. Last Thursday, that holy day was desecrated by a…
I make a declaration of interest as someone who has conducted maritime blockades in several places around the world. The Gaza Mediterranean maritime blockade is recognised as a method of warfare that has developed in the context of international armed conflict legislation, which states: "A blockade is a belligerent…
Addressing Regional Imbalance - Amendment 1 Leave out all after ‘further notes that’ and insert: ‘regional balance should be applied equitably and that every region in Northern Ireland should be on a level playing field; calls on the Minister for the Economy to publish an assessment on the progress of the Sub-Regional…