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Dr Steve Aiken OBE: Assembly records
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.
Thank you, deputy First Minister. I really liked your comment about driving the economy and making the economy work, but how can we say that when, today, the First Minister, when asked a question about bringing £1·6 billion worth of investment and 200 extra jobs into Northern Ireland, was incredulous?
I thank the Members who have spoken so far. A lot of the debate seems to be about health, and that needs to be recognised, because health and dealing with the considerable issues that we have should be the number-one priority of the Executive and, indeed, the Assembly. Some of us sat in Hillsborough Castle quite some…
Before I start my remarks, I declare an interest as chair of the all-party group on aerospace, defence, security and space. Last week, in the Oval Office, we saw a dramatic but long-signalled change in our geopolitical world. I am afraid that certainties about our transatlantic relationship, which was first…
I thank the Minister for her remarks so far. Minister, I, as an MLA for South Antrim, and the MLAs for North Belfast are really concerned that the Glider will not go out to Glengormley, Global Point and the new Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre (AMIC) facility, which would have demonstrated joined-up thinking.…
Role of the Irish State during the Troubles That this Assembly acknowledges the powerful and harrowing testimonies of victims' families and those affected by the Omagh bomb as part of the ongoing public inquiry and supports their quest for truth and justice; laments the lack of any tangible effort by the Irish…
Thank you very much, Minister, for your reply. The Minister will be aware that somewhere in the region of £100 million of extra costs are anticipated because of the fact that there is no North/South interconnection, as reported in Dáil Éireann. Therefore, Minister, will you report back to the Assembly on the likely…
Perhaps the litany of horrors that was created by the vile attacks of 7 October has inured us to the evil perpetrated by Hamas, by Islamic Jihad and, now, self-evidently, by so-called civilians in Gaza. The silence of far too many over the fate of the hostages; the wilful ignoring of the use of rape and violence…
FlaggedDecided on a second assessment.Religion and belief (including people of no religion), churches, faith communities and religious prejudice (including antisemitism and anti-Muslim prejudice)Criteria met: Identity framing, Dog-whistle messaging.
Dr Aiken asked the Minister for the Economy, after noting that, as she said in her answer to Ms McLaughlin's topical question, energy is a priority for the Economy Department, to outline the implications of the further delay to the North/South interconnector until at least 2035 for us getting to net zero and for the…
To ask the Minister for Communities to outline any role either he or his Department had in relation to the decision to withdraw plans for a national football training centre in Antrim.
On a point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker. May I record my apologies for my mobile phone going off during the debate? I meant no disrespect to the people in the Public Gallery or, indeed, to Mr Brett. I apologise for that.
I thank the Minister for giving way and for coming back to that matter so swiftly. The concern is that there is a quantum of £650 million. The black box provisions came down from £1 billion to £24 million through the sole authority of the Budget Act, and we are now saying that we are not quite accurate on the Vote on…
I thank the Minister for his response, which nails the myth promoted by some that a vague reference in the Programme for Government is somehow an illustration of prioritisation. Does the Minister agree that it is the height of hypocrisy for some MLAs in the Chamber to demand additional investment in existing services…
Minister, it will come as no surprise after yesterday's debate that we will support the Budget Bill's passing Second Stage. The 15 clauses and three schedules cover the £31 billion as laid down in the schedule and the Estimates, including the revised total amount of £26·536 billion. The Chair of the Finance Committee…
Minister, there was no implication that the spend was in any way underhand. It is just that if we look at the history of how the black box has been used, for me, who has been a member of the Finance Committee for a long time, it raises concern. As I said, it is good that the figure has come down from a billion pounds,…
As the UUP spokesperson on finance, I will speak about the spring Supplementary Estimates and the Vote on Account. Despite the many continuing reservations that I and other Members from our party will speak to, the Ulster Unionist Party will support the motions before us today and the Budget Bill at Second Stage.…
It is sometimes difficult for us, collectively, to rise above the very legitimate concerns that we have in Northern Ireland. We are not insulated, however, from the tectonic shifts in geopolitics that wash around us all. It is often forgotten that Russia invaded the Ukraine in February 2014, which was an event that…
To ask the First Minister and deputy First Minister, further to reports that the First Minister does not intend to stay in Windsor Castle following an engagement with His Majesty the King, to outline whether any alternative accommodation costs will be funded by the Executive Office.
To ask the Minister for the Economy to detail any support she is providing to Invest NI for their research and development programmes for the aerospace industry.
The Ulster Unionist Party supports the LCM. I declare an interest, because, when GB Energy was first mooted, I had conversations with the current UK Government about its remit and what it was likely to do. Specifically, we looked at the £8·3 billion of investment that is supposed to be made over time, where it is…
I declare an interest, because I was talking to Lord Murphy less than two weeks ago in the House of Lords, and that was one of the issues that I raised, so thank you. Lady Ritchie was probably listening in in the background and then decided to push on with that idea as well. It is significant, because it is an area…