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.
The employment support scheme supports people with disabilities in work. The scheme closed to new entrants in 2006. My Department launched a 12-week public consultation on an option to cease funding the scheme. That closed on 17 February. Officials are considering responses to the consultation, but no decision has…
I am more than happy to look into that. I do not have any detail with me, but it is important that we ensure that those who are responsible take action. I am happy to chase that up for the Member and to come back to him directly.
Kircubbin harbour is an example of a non-dwelling that is falling apart. Despite the HED contacting the owner, it appears that no action has been taken. At what stage of dilapidation will the HED step in and take legal action to protect that historic landmark?
I recognise the difficulties that exist for the HED in what we are trying to preserve at so many sites right across Northern Ireland, so I have increased the opening revenue budget for HED to £12·8 million, which is an increase of £2·6 million from last year. As custodians of the sites, we have a duty to make sure…
We have discussed that issue previously, and my understanding is that the enforcement is primarily for the council to take forward. I understand that there is a lot of background to the issue, and I am more than happy to discuss it with him further. Unfortunately, we are bound by the law as it stands, and we have to…
I thank the Minister for his answer. I am genuinely concerned about our historical heritage. In my constituency, the Waringstown grange and rath and the Ballintaggart court tomb, which was nearly 2,000 years old, were both ripped up. Of course, I have raised in the House many times the issue of Knock Iveagh, where a…
A total of 187 of our most important monuments are protected as historical monuments in state care and are managed and conserved by the HED in my Department. They are protected through regular inspections, conservation maintenance and repairs, which are carried out by our in-house conservation works team or through…
It is always important that Ministers adhere to the law. On that basis, any strategy that comes forward from my Department to the Executive will, of course, ensure that that ruling is respected.
The Minister will have, like me, welcomed the clarity from the Supreme Court around the definition of a woman being based on biological sex. Will he confirm that any strategy that he brings forward will respect that ruling?
Minister, the North previously had a gender equality strategy, which ended in 2016. Will you outline how the upcoming strategy will differ from it or how it intends to build on the work of the previous strategy?
Those strategies are not progressing at this time because we are looking at the way forward. We are dealing with the anti-poverty strategy at the minute, and I will bring the disability strategy to the Executive very shortly. I can then decide the best way forward. That will require an additional staffing commitment,…
Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as ucht an fhreagra sin. Minister, I am sure that you are familiar with the principle of "Nothing about us without us". In light of that, will you explain why you are proceeding with the sexual orientation strategy without meeting the co-design groups?
With your permission, Mr Speaker, I will answer questions 7 and 11 together. Given the pressure on resources across Departments, I decided to move forward with the development of the social inclusion strategies on a phased basis. An announcement on the timetable for the way forward on the gender equality and sexual…
The Member is absolutely right: we should be sensitive to that. Unfortunately, there are far too many people who are insensitive to what took place there and will not even allow a simple memorial to stand there. I assure her that we will do everything that we can to make sure that any development in that area is…
Does the Minister agree that it is important to ensure that any work at Narrow Water castle is sensitive to the memory of the 18 British soldiers who were brutally killed there by the IRA in an ambush on 27 August 1979, which was one of the IRA's deadliest murderous attacks?
I am always happy to look at options that are available to us so that we can improve the site. However, the Member will be aware of the significant pressure that the historic environment division (HED) is under. I have significantly increased the budget for capital projects this year, but there are a lot of works in…
Minister, given the castle's location and potential, particularly once the Narrow Water bridge project is finished, will you consider working with Executive colleagues and the Shared Island unit to look at the development of the site?
The strategy is trying to do exactly that by minimising the risk of people falling into poverty, helping people deal with the impacts of poverty and, importantly, assisting people out of poverty. That is not something that we can do by ourselves. It will also take the work of the Northern Ireland Executive — not just…
A quarter of all children — about 109,000 — live in relative poverty in the North. The Children's Commissioner, Chris Quinn, and Barnardo's think that the strategy should be rewritten so that it genuinely reflects the needs of children in low-income families. Minister, how many children are you aiming to bring out of…
Yes, there is an extensive evidence base. That changed as we moved through the process, as it was acknowledged that a lifecycle approach would have required the development of separate actions to lift children out of poverty. It is widely acknowledged that it is impossible to lift children out of poverty without…
I want to go back to the issue of the lifecycle approach to the strategy. Will the Minister elaborate on the evidence that he used in deciding to adopt the three-pillar approach? Were the models in other jurisdictions, such as Scotland and the Republic of Ireland, looked at?
We had completed the impact assessment on the Government's proposals, but they have now been changed. I have met Minister Timms three times in the past week. It is important that we work together on the issues. I am concerned at media reports across the UK that the changes will still result in hundreds of thousands of…