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I will ask the Member the same question back. What revenue-raising measures does his party propose, and does he agree that they will add pressure to workers, families and communities? Maybe that will just be the case for the people whom we represent; I am not sure if they will impact those whom he represents.
— because it was given out directly to everyone across Northern Ireland. I have no problem with people standing up and having debates, but you need to be truthful in what you say and in how you frame those things in debates.
The only way that I could get into the debate is by speaking in it. Members opposite are a wee bit reticent to give way. I want to pick up on my colleague Andy Allen's question, because the Members opposite did not answer it whatsoever. Two Members from the other side of the House more or less said that the Economy…
And what? As the First Minister said during Question Time, people here rightly pay their taxes. It is not — you can nod your head and smirk. It is not some kind of goodwill from the British Government to give people here what they rightly deserve. We pay our taxes: we deserve the same as everybody else. I thank the…
The Member calls on the UK Government to do more. I do not necessarily disagree with him. However, will he place on record where the funding for the £63 energy discount came from?
When the Assembly was restored in February 2024, the first motion that was tabled and agreed in the Chamber was to demand that the British Government fairly fund this place. All parties supported that and demanded better from Westminster and the Treasury. It is that one voice and unity of purpose that allow us to make…
I thank the Member for giving way. He mentioned a range of fiscal powers that he would like to see in place: are there any fiscal powers around revenue raising that he would like to highlight?
I thank the Member for taking an intervention. In relation to the comments by the previous Member, is it not true that Bryson is funded to the tune, I think, of £2 million by the Executive and that is directly for support with home heating payments?
We all know and see that the rising cost of living continues to place enormous pressure on workers and families across our communities. As others have said, people are struggling with heating bills, food, groceries and the everyday cost of running a home, with little left at the end of the month. We need to see…
I thank the Member for giving way. He talks about the Executive not just getting to the next crisis before it supports people, but will he agree that a lot of the issues that affect the rising cost of living are completely outside our control? There are wars across the world that the British Government feed into, and…
I too thank the SDLP for bringing this important motion to the House. The cost of living continues to be a real pressure for households across Northern Ireland. I see its effect daily, and I have no doubt, as other Members have articulated, that they too see it across their constituency offices. Energy costs in…
I thank the Opposition for tabling the motion, which we support. As everyone has mentioned, in our constituency offices we see just how much people are struggling. They really need to see the Assembly taking the issue seriously and treating it with the energy that is usually reserved for issues that we disagree on.…
I thank the Member for giving way. I want to clarify something in my speech that she may have picked up incorrectly. I used insurance just as an example of yet another spiralling bill and pressure that households face.
I thank the Members for tabling the motion and keeping a spotlight on the cost-of-living crisis that all of us are feeling across our constituencies. As Mark Durkan said, the issue is not new or a temporary blip. There is an unbearable strain on families, consumers, businesses, farmers, fishermen and hauliers. Petrol…
I thank the Member for taking an intervention. Does the Member agree that those who say that we should raise revenue through, for example, water rates and other such things are actually saying that the people here who already pay taxes and National Insurance and are already struggling should fill the gap that has been…
The cost-of-living crisis is not an abstract problem. It is the parent putting groceries back at the checkout; the pensioner afraid to turn the heating on; and the family working hard and doing everything right, yet still struggling to make ends meet. Those are the realities that face families across the North, and we…