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.
Thank you. I feel the Member's pain about being in the Chamber too much today. The issue that he raises is one that I raised in my opening remarks. I said that it is a complex area of law, because it weighs the rights of the defendant and the victim. By the way, good character references can be introduced as part of…
I appreciate my colleague's giving way. Unfortunately, I was not here for all of the Minister's remarks — like her, I have been in the Chamber for a lot of today, so I had to pop out and attend to some other business. I presume that the Member will agree that these provisions could be more properly included in the…
The SDLP welcomes the Victims and Witnesses of Crime Bill and the opportunity to debate it, alongside the Chairperson — or should I say, "Mr Amendment" — at its Second Stage. Although the Bill may be narrower in focus than the Justice Bill, which, happily, we saw pass today, with its numerous amendments, it is an…
If the Member is responsible for most of the amendments that are tabled, will he be happy for me to also compare their thickness with that of the blue paper that is in front of us today?
I thank the Minister for that intervention, because it is very useful. What we do not want, and what we have to try to stop, is people's information about their private life being used to discredit them in some way and to humiliate them in other ways, thereby causing further trauma. That is what we are trying to…
The Member is always very generous with giving way. It is helpful, however, to answer the questions as we go, rather than to stockpile them for the end of the debate. It will always be for the judge to decide the extent of disclosure. Providing the witness in a sexual assault case — or the victim, in cases that are…
I thank the Minister for that intervention. Nevertheless, there are concerns that I want to address. The Minister and the departmental officials will know that, even from the range of questions that I have asked. We need to make sure that we get the balance correct. Nobody has been convicted or found guilty of an…
I thank the Member for giving way again. He will be aware of the success of special measures in domestic abuse contest cases. We now have successful conviction rates of about 92% in such cases, either by guilty plea or at the end of a case. That dramatic increase is due to the fact that people are now willing to turn…
I thank the Minister for her intervention. She was absolutely right to take that action, as it means that victims' voices are right at the heart of the matters under discussion. It is now obvious to us that that should have been done years ago, but it is good that it is being done now. We should all be proud of the…
I beg to move Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I am pleased to bring the Victims and Witnesses of Crime Bill before the Assembly today, although I have been before the Assembly a number of times today, and perhaps the Assembly may wish that we were somewhere else. It is an unfortunate fact that any one of us may become a…
I thank the Minister for giving way. It is a bit cheeky of me to ask him this question, because he may not have the information. His officials are here, but presumably they cannot participate in the debate. Does the Minister know whether we have more fish kills per hectare or per watercourse than other parts of these…
Thank you very much, Mr Deputy Speaker. As Minister, I am grateful to the Chair of the Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Committee and to Members from all sides of the Chamber for their consideration of the Bill and their contributions to the debate, which have been valuable and useful. I will respond to a…
I welcome the opportunity to say a few words at Second Stage of the Fisheries, Aquaculture and Water Environment Bill. It is overdue legislation, which touches on three interlinked systems: commercial fisheries; growing the aquaculture sector; and the wider water environment, with an ambition to modernise regulation…
I welcome the opportunity to speak in support of the Fisheries, Aquaculture and Water Environment Bill. It is timely and important. Miss McIlveen, a fellow MLA for the Strangford constituency, has just spoken. We have the longest coastline of all constituencies across Northern Ireland: we have the Irish Sea and, of…
The DUP broadly welcomes the Bill. As has been said, it provides an opportunity to modernise legislation that, in some areas, has remained largely unchanged for decades. The Bill strengthens the protection of our fisheries, improves the regulatory framework for aquaculture and enhances the management of our water…
I welcome the opportunity to speak on Second Stage of the Fisheries, Aquaculture and Water Environment Bill. Sinn Féin recognises the need to modernise the legislation governing our fisheries and water environment. Much of the current framework is decades old and does not reflect the environmental challenges that we…
I am pleased to speak on behalf of the Opposition on the Second Stage of the Fisheries, Aquaculture and Water Environment Bill, which we will support as it proceeds to Committee Stage. It is important to say that this Bill marks an important modernisation of powers, but it comes in a context that is important to…
I beg to move First, I thank my Executive colleagues for their support in bringing the important Bill before the Assembly. I look forward to working constructively with Members as it progresses. The Bill is a significant and necessary step forward in how we manage, protect and develop Northern Ireland's fisheries,…
Go raibh maith agat, a Cheann Comhairle. At the outset, like other Members, I welcome and pay tribute to all of you in the Public Gallery. Many of you have travelled in order to be here throughout the Bill's stages. I also mention those who cannot be here in person but who are watching online, and, of course, I make…
On a point of order, Mr Speaker. In just a few hours' time, the House will go into recess for more than two months. There are two outstanding and grave matters that the public in Northern Ireland want us to deal with, but we are walking away, so I want your advice on Standing Orders. Number one, we do not have a…
As I said, a lot of people in our community have concerns. I have spoken with Stephen Ogilvie's family, who are concerned that the horrific attack on him was weaponised and used to bring people on to the street and to make victims of other people. They spoke passionately to me about the many foreign nationals working…