Debate contribution: Programme for Government
Debate contribution by Mr Harry Harvey on .
- MLA
- Mr Harry Harvey
- Party at the time
- Democratic Unionist Party
- Date
- 7 October 2024
- Type
- Debate contribution
- Business
- Private Members' Business
- Heading
- Programme for Government
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 4579037
Read the official Assembly record
Text
In moving the amendment in my name and that of Mr Kingston, I acknowledge the progress that the Executive have made on this subject since their re-formation back in February. The publication of the draft Programme for Government on 5 September marked a key milestone, one that the House has not seen since the last Programme for Government, which was for 2011 to 2015 and was agreed by the then Executive parties. The reality before us is that there is much to be done and little time to do it, a point that I stressed to Executive Office Ministers last week at Committee. Therefore, it is vital that clear Programme for Government objectives form the basis of delivery over the next two and a half years. It is important that we can keep track and easily identify delivery against the objectives laid out in the new Programme for Government. That will afford Ministers clarity on Executive priorities and facilitate the scrutiny of performance.
I am pleased that some areas on which we are all agreed have already seen action, benefiting homes and families across Northern Ireland on issues such as childcare, resolving public-sector pay disputes and considering departmental budgeting plans to allow numerous projects to be given the go-ahead. Documents that have already been published, such as those on the elective care framework, the early learning and childcare strategy and the childcare subsidy scheme, have been welcomed in their respective sectors. I look forward to seeing how work that is in progress can align with the objectives of the programme and how, in turn, the programme will allow us to identify areas requiring targeted intervention. The Opposition motion highlights several areas that will, no doubt, be front and centre in Ministers' minds. Healthcare and waiting times; childcare costs; poverty; the acute need for social housing; and urgent action on water and waste water infrastructure will all be key priorities over the next few years. However, that is not an exhaustive list of the many issues and difficulties that are faced. Whilst not identified in the motion, issues such as the provision of enhanced services around special educational needs, for example, or the requirement for delivery on key infrastructure projects, are equally important. On social housing, for example, my party colleague has been working hard on a housing supply strategy, being aware of the necessity to set out how improvements and investment can deliver 100,000 homes over the next 15 years, with one third of them being social and affordable. Borrowing capacity needs to be reinstated for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive in order to enable it to begin building once again. The Executive must continue to invest in new models of affordable housing, from shared ownership to the new models of affordable renting. Whilst the programme, once completed, will supply the Government with a road map, it will, arguably more importantly, inform the private sector of the Executive's priorities, providing much-needed clarity and certainty for the coming years. The input flowing from the current public consultation will therefore be a vital element of the process and will, hopefully, inform the Executive's discussion of how best to enhance and elaborate on the initial draft framework. We, as a party, will seek to work with others to ensure that specific, measurable and time-bound objectives are introduced where we deem that to be appropriate and practical. Delivery is pivotal for the DUP. The Executive must deliver and be seen to deliver on the issues that matter to the public over the rest of the mandate. I look forward to the final programme and to seeing the work of implementation commencing.
607 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Assessment
Jev’s structured answers met the documented threshold for “not flagged”.
- Overall probability that the activity is being used to promote, exploit or escalate an identity-based controversy: 0.02 (flagging needs at least 0.70; at or below 0.30 is not flagged).
- None of the five culture-war criteria was met (each was below 0.60).
- Assessed as legitimate policy scrutiny (0.92).
- No identity-based framing was identified (1.00).
- The overall probability was at or below the not-flagging threshold.
This is an AI-generated assessment of the text, made against published criteria. It is not a finding of fact about the MLA or their intentions. The Assembly record itself is the fact.
Jev’s structured answers
| Question | Probability | Met? |
|---|---|---|
| Identity framing | 0.02 | No |
| Sectarian or communal antagonism | 0.02 | No |
| Cultural grievance politics | 0.02 | No |
| Dog-whistle messaging | 0.02 | No |
| Controversy escalation | 0.02 | No |
| Legitimate policy scrutiny | 0.92 | Yes |
| Overall judgement | 0.02 | At or below not-flagging threshold |
| Option | Probability |
|---|---|
| No identity-based framing (chosen) | 1.00 |
| Reports or questions it | 0.00 |
| Criticises or condemns it | 0.00 |
| Adopts it | 0.00 |
| Subject | Probability |
|---|---|
| No identity-related subject | 0.87 |
| Disability (including neurodivergence and mental health), disabled people and disability or sickness benefits | 0.10 |
| Gender, sexuality, abortion and related social issues | 0.01 |
| Education structures, integration and community division | 0.01 |
| Another identity-related subject | 0.01 |
Assessed 21 October 2026 at 11:16 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.
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