Results 1-20 of 1,016 for speaker:David Ford

Northern Ireland Assembly: Executive Committee Business: Clause 11 (Deliberate infection) (17 Nov 2009)

David Ford: I want to reiterate the point that I made in my intervention during the Chairperson’s speech. In its current form, clause 11(2) outlines that the penalties, including potential imprisonment, that would be imposed for a repeat offence are the same as those for a first offence even though the Committee has sought to introduce mandatory disqualification from keeping livestock to enhance...

Northern Ireland Assembly: Executive Committee Business: Clause 11 (Deliberate infection) (17 Nov 2009)

David Ford: In its discussion with the NIO, did the Committee give any consideration to the level of penalties, which are further described in subsection (2), and whether it was appropriate to set a higher threshold of punish­ment for a repeat offence instead of maintaining the same threshold and solely increasing the focus on the issue of whether or not livestock could be kept?

Northern Ireland Assembly: Executive Committee Business: Clause 8 (Biosecurity guidance) (17 Nov 2009)

David Ford: Thank you, Mr Speaker. I take the hint. I trust that an interruption will not be necessary. I first declare my interest or, technically, that of my wife in a family farm. As one who did not speak in the first part of the debate, I think that this section corresponds with what I heard earlier. The Minister has listened to the views of the industry. The Committee has reflected those views and...

Northern Ireland Assembly: Private Members’ Business: EU Fisheries Council (16 Nov 2009)

David Ford: I too welcome the debate and congratulate those who secured it. It brings back to me nostalgia for the days of the first Assembly, when, every autumn, the Agriculture Committee devoted parts of a number of meetings to discussions on the forthcoming European Fisheries Council meeting. We got the results after the Christmas break, and, generally, they were uniformly bad. However, it is...

Northern Ireland Assembly: Executive Committee Business: Consideration Stage (10 Nov 2009)

David Ford: Get your timetable right.

Northern Ireland Assembly: Executive Committee Business: Consideration Stage (10 Nov 2009)

David Ford: Are we being corrupted or consistent?

Northern Ireland Assembly: Executive Committee Business: Clause 1 (The Department of Justice) (10 Nov 2009)

David Ford: I appreciate the Member giving way. Given that he places so much emphasis on the importance of parties discussing these various issues, will he, as deputy leader of the Ulster Unionist Party, encourage his party leader to respond to the letter that I wrote in August?

Northern Ireland Assembly: Executive Committee Business: Clause 4 (Vehicles authorised to be used under operator’s licence) (10 Nov 2009)

David Ford: I am pleased that the Minister referred to traffic commissioners, and I thank him for proposing to keep that matter “under review”. However, what does “under review” mean in the context of legislation? I appreciate his points about the separation of licensing and enforcement functions. The reality is that the DVA is an agency of his Department, and we appear to be...

Northern Ireland Assembly: Executive Committee Business: Clause 1 (Operators’ licences) (10 Nov 2009)

David Ford: I express my general support for the principles of the Bill and for the amendments. A few months ago, we reached the Consideration Stage of the Taxis Bill, and I remember saying that it was like the penultimate meeting of a rather sad club that had met on many occasions. However, the membership of the club has changed somewhat. In particular, there is a new Minister, who was not subject to...

Northern Ireland Assembly: Executive Committee Business: Clause 1 (Operators’ licences) (10 Nov 2009)

David Ford: I am not sure whether the Member wants me to join in praising one member of the Democratic Unionist Party or in attacking another. I agree that there seems to have been some delay in reaching this stage, but, under the current Minister, we have at least reached it. I am glad that the current Minister listened to the Committee, and, in particular, that the Committee was able to agree certain...

Northern Ireland Assembly: Executive Committee Business: Clause 1 (Operators’ licences) (10 Nov 2009)

David Ford: I thank the Member for giving way. I wondered whether that represents a further split between Trevor Clarke and his DUP colleagues. It is always interesting to count them up.

Northern Ireland Assembly: Environment: Local Government Legislation (9 Nov 2009)

David Ford: The Minister expressed his concern that reorganisation might not be in hand by May 2011, but he has so far failed to lay the Order to confirm the local government boundaries before the House, even though the Local Government Boundaries Commissioner reported before the summer recess. Will he give an indication as to why that delay has happened, and will he give a firm commitment that there...

Northern Ireland Assembly: Ministerial Statement: Planning Policy Statement 7:  Draft Addendum (9 Nov 2009)

David Ford: I welcome today’s statement from the Minister as a step in the right direction at least. However, I will qualify that welcome until more detail is provided The Minister has spoken about high-density development being appropriate on public transport corridors and arterial routes, and everyone recognises that the Antrim Road from Glengormley to Belfast city centre is such a route....

Northern Ireland Assembly: Ministerial Statement: Environment Sectoral Format (9 Nov 2009)

David Ford: I thank the Minister for the statement. The market development steering group features in every statement on an NSMC meeting. However, it seems that those statements are always couched in terms of reports to be presented. Is the Minister satisfied with progress in that area? Similarly, the Minister talked about the common set of environ­mental indicators between the Northern Ireland...

Northern Ireland Assembly: Private Members’ Business: Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (3 Nov 2009)

David Ford: On a point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker. Will you now invite Members to your left to withdraw the petition of concern?

Northern Ireland Assembly: Private Members’ Business: Persecution of Christians in Orissa State (2 Nov 2009)

David Ford: I also congratulate Stephen Moutray and his colleagues on securing the debate. I welcome the terms in which he tabled the motion, as it expresses the legitimate concerns that many people in Northern Ireland have about the situation in Orissa. I am slightly — but only slightly — sympathetic to John O’Dowd’s views. At times in this place, rather than looking at where we...

Northern Ireland Assembly: Ministerial Statement: Local Government Reform Programme (20 Oct 2009)

David Ford: I thank the Minister for his statement, and, as a member of the Committee for the Environment, I thank him for his compliment to the Committee. He gave a considerable rundown of the work that has been achieved to date. Will he inform the House whether he will feel the need to add any financial issues to the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill when it reaches its Consideration...

Northern Ireland Assembly: Private Members’ Business: Lisbon Treaty Referendum (20 Oct 2009)

David Ford: I support Alban Maginness’s comments in large measure. It will come as no surprise that my colleagues and I will oppose the motion and the amendment. In proposing the motion, Mr Campbell made much of saying that at its heart was the fundamental issue that the people should be consulted when changes are to be made to a constitution. Leaving aside the minor detail of whether the UK has a...

Northern Ireland Assembly: Private Members’ Business: Lisbon Treaty Referendum (20 Oct 2009)

David Ford: I thank Mr Weir for his intervention. He must have a spy in the Gallery looking over my shoulder, because he is a couple of lines ahead of me in my notes. I agree: Mr Kennedy said on at least one occasion that Ulster Conservatives and Unionists – New Force (UCUNF) was not anti-European; yet, in practice, it has called for the ratification to be rescinded without saying how that would be...

Northern Ireland Assembly: Private Members’ Business: Lisbon Treaty Referendum (20 Oct 2009)

David Ford: No, I think that you have had your chance to make your point. [Interruption.]