Every imported question, contribution and motion, with its classification. Unflagged, uncertain and not-yet-analysed records are all included so the analysis can be checked independently.
I thank the Member for giving way. You have described very eloquently the cost of border posts and the implementation of the agreement. However, that is only one element of it; we also have the Trader Support Service and all the ancillary services. We are probably in the region of £500 million now for costs. Do you…
I ask the Assembly to support our amendment to the important motion. There is a subtle difference between what the DUP has proposed and what we are saying. I declare an interest as a Member who supported the Remain campaign and as somebody who was involved in discussions with the then Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, to…
I thank the Member for giving way. It is not just small businesses. The Member will be aware that Marks and Spencer — other supermarkets are available — has made it clear that the issues are not with just small businesses but with even the largest businesses across our nation.
I thank the Member for giving way. Does he agree that the survey is an indicator that the Windsor framework, whilst it has no consent from unionism in this place, is now widely discredited among businesses across the piece in Northern Ireland?
I thank the Member for giving way. He says that cross-community consent is a constitutional norm. Should it not therefore have applied to the concept of Brexit overall for the UK's leaving the EU? His colleague clearly does not agree, but, if it is a constitutional norm, why did it not apply to the central decision of…
I beg to move Many of us will have engaged in good faith with Lord Murphy's review when he visited this place in the previous term. I met him in my role as the Deputy Chair of the Windsor Framework Democratic Scrutiny Committee and, later that day, as part of a delegation from my party. I feel that, even then, there…
Thank you, Madam Principal Deputy Speaker. I will be brief. You are fine. As indicated at the Second Stage of the Insolvency (Amendment) Bill, the Committee's call for evidence was commenced over the summer recess, which was not ideal. Consequently, the Committee agreed that it would seek an extension of the Committee…
The Member talks about public confidence. When I made a complaint about a Chair, the previous commissioner said that she could not investigate said Chair. Will the Member ensure that, in order to instil confidence in the appointment, the new commissioner will not take the same view and that every MLA will be treated…
Thank you, Madam Principal Deputy Speaker. I thank Members for their contributions. I was not on the recruitment panel, but, as a member of the Assembly Commission, I am assured that there was an effective, rigorous and fair recruitment competition. I repeat the Assembly Commission's thanks to all those who…
As a member of the Committee on Standards and Privileges, I reiterate the words of the Committee Chair in welcoming the appointment of the new commissioner, Mark McEwan. I wish him well in post, and the Committee will work diligently with him. I also join others who have paid tribute to Dr Melissa McCullough, the…
Thank you very much, Principal Deputy Speaker. As I was saying, the House, sadly, decided to look with importance to the interests of Members' wallets instead of seeking a higher standard of Member conduct. That does nothing for the standing of the Assembly in the eyes of the public. I trust that Mr McEwan will learn…
I preface my remarks by noting that the legislation under which we appoint Mr McEwan was only recently amended by the House. It was not, however, amended to tighten the rules on Members' conduct or to guarantee that the Commissioner for Standards would always investigate alleged misconduct — oh, no. It was amended to…
As a member of the Committee on Standards and Privileges, I put on record my thanks to Dr Melissa McCullough as she leaves the role of the Assembly Commissioner for Standards. I found Melissa to be extremely professional and diligent in her role, and I always appreciated her willingness to engage with the Committee,…
I beg to move The Assembly Members (Independent Financial Review and Standards) Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 provides for the role of a Commissioner for Standards. It also provides for the commissioner's independence and powers, which include the same powers as the Assembly to call for witnesses and documents. The…
Thank you, Mr Speaker. Today, I speak about something that matters deeply to the Democratic Unionist Party: the future of education in Northern Ireland and, in particular, the vital role of our controlled sector. We have all heard a lot of debate recently around integrated education. While that discussion is…
The A5 project came to a grinding halt on 23 June 2025 as a result of a judicial review taken against the Department for Infrastructure. Since then, the silence from the Sinn Féin Infrastructure Minister on that all-important issue has been deafening. Several weeks ago, the Minister told the public that she would…
I will follow on from those words, as I, like many of us over the weekend, had the opportunity to thank the Irish Guards for their service. There were two events that, in particular, touched our armed forces community and our veterans. The first one, of course, was the laying-up of the colours in St Mark's Church in…
I rise to pay tribute to the Irish Guards in their 125th anniversary year, following a weekend of commemorative events. The Irish Guards are an extraordinary regiment, renowned for their bravery, loyalty, passion and willingness to serve King and country even unto death. Theirs is a proud and distinguished history of…
I stand here to be a voice for children with special educational needs, who continue to be left behind. Before the recess, I tried everything that I could to have the Minister of Education come to the House and communicate to families his plan for children who did not have placements. Before we went into the recess,…
I will take a moment to celebrate one of East Antrim's rising stars, 13-year-old Preston Creighton. Preston represents the renowned Evolution Boxing Club in Carrickfergus, which is a club with a proud tradition of producing champions, and he is already living up to that legacy. In just his first year of competition,…
I pose this question: what should be the role of an elected representative? Is it to serve constituents, advocate for local interests and try to make life better for our communities? The sad reality in the Londonderry City and Strabane District Council area is that nationalist parties and independent republicans…
FlaggedSectarianism, hate crime and community relationsCriteria met: Identity framing, Sectarian or communal antagonism, Cultural grievance politics, Dog-whistle messaging, Controversy escalation.