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 am pleased to confirm that I launched my tourism vision and action plan on Wednesday 15 January. The final document is available on the Department's website. The vision and action plan sets out how we plan to grow our tourism sector over the next 10 years, and I have set a strategic goal that tourism expenditure…
I hope that the research that has been done is not borne out. I hope that events such as the Open on the north coast are more successful than previous events there, and all the plans are in place to try to do that. We will support that, because, despite the setback with the approach of the Home Office, we will try to…
Minister, I know that you are conscious of the possible risk that the ETA scheme could create for the Open, which is coming to Portrush this year. We want to see our businesses prosper there. What level of risk do you see the ETA scheme posing to the success of that championship this year?
The scheme is to be implemented by the British Home Office, which has been a bit vague about how it intends to enforce it. It talked about no checks when crossing the border, which would be welcome, and intelligence-led enforcement of the scheme. I am not quite sure what that means, and, despite our many engagements…
Minister, thank you for your attempts to soften the impact of the ETA scheme. Who will implement the controls on the ETA scheme to ensure compliance, should it come into effect?
I am not sure that the Speaker judges the appropriateness of questions. The tourism action plan continues to support the development of hotels outside the Belfast area. It ensures that there is an adequate mix and scale of tourist accommodation across the North that meets visitors' expectations. The Department for the…
You have to judge the positivity of a meeting not by the pleasantness of the conversation, which was very pleasant, or by the exchange of information — we provided further written information to the Minister and the Home Office — but by the outcome, which was not positive. The outcome was that they went ahead, and not…
I thank the Minister for his answer. Minister, I am aware that you recently met Seema Malhotra, a Home Office MP and Minister for Migration and Citizenship. Was that meeting positive? Further to that, what is the best solution to the ETA issue?
Tourism has grown substantially in recent years, and there is considerable potential for further growth. However, the introduction of the electronic travel authorisation scheme threatens that progress. That is why, on behalf of the industry, I continue to lobby the British Government for a solution. With 67% of our…
UU is in negotiation with the owners of sites that are located within walking distance of the existing campus in order to purchase suitable land and buildings to support the future growth of student numbers. That work continues, and I hope that announcements will be made on some of it in the very near future.
The Department for Infrastructure has been and will remain engaged with the task force. It is looking at issues such as the restriction on ownership of houses in multiple occupation in areas that are in proximity to the Magee campus. I circulated a draft report and a final report to all Executive colleagues to keep…
A lot of the issues that residents have faced fall under the remit of other Departments and, not least, the council. Those issues were identified in the Magee task force report. What can you do, Minister, to support the task force in working with those other Ministers to look at proposals for things such as resident…
I welcome the Member's acknowledgement of the fact that the task force has done some very positive work. Its membership is rooted in the Derry community, which is beneficial when it comes to local engagement. Accommodation will be a key issue in the expansion, so significant work has been done to identify land and to…
I thank the Minister for that answer. Everyone recognises the huge positive impact of university expansion on Derry, but we have to make sure that it is managed right and that local communities are not choked by traffic or have their fabric threatened by the demand for accommodation. I welcome the fact that the chair…
My Department is fully committed to ensuring that Ulster University's Magee expansion is done in a way that maximises the benefits to the local community and minimises the potential negative impacts. The task force is made up of local people, including a representative from the community sector. Its recently launched…
We continually monitor that. As I say, we have engaged in programmes with the colleges to ensure that we understand the numbers in attendance. There is a desire to increase that. It has gone up by something like 13·5% over the past number of years. There is no doubt that there is capacity there to do more. I have…
I thank the Minister for his commitment to ensuring that further and higher education colleges are supported. What is his assessment of the Department's performance in increasing student numbers in further education?
That continues. It is challenged by the level of funding that we have. As is the case for, I am sure, every Minister who stands here, we would do more in each area if we had more funding to do it with. Unfortunately, given the funding settlement that was proposed by London, we remain in a very challenging situation.…
Minister, one of the biggest barriers to further and higher education is funding. When will you be able to provide an update on the higher education funding review?
In collaboration with the universities, we introduced higher education outcome agreements for the 2024-25 academic year. The outcome agreements are intended to demonstrate alignment between the Department's priorities and the work of the universities, including the skills strategy and related targets. For higher…
I thank the Minister for his answer. In September 2024, the Northern Ireland Audit Office published the report, 'Developing the skills for Northern Ireland's future', which highlighted the significant undersupply of skills in STEM subjects, particularly engineering and technology, in Northern Ireland. Has the Minister…
My Department works closely with further and higher education institutions to support a skills pipeline that meets the needs of our local economy and addresses skills shortages. That includes a range of interventions: for example, collaborating with employers through our sectoral partnerships in order to align…
The solution will be a mixture of all. Of course, in order to meet our targets for climate change, which the Executive and the Assembly have agreed to, and which are very challenging, we have to ensure that we have a renewable supply. Given our location, our geography and our position on the western Atlantic, there is…