Results 1-20 of 152 for speaker:David Hilditch

Northern Ireland Assembly: Environment: Planning: North Road, Carrickfergus (9 Nov 2009)

David Hilditch: 8. asked the Minister of the Environment how many planning applications have been submitted for apartments on the North Road, Carrickfergus in the last three years.  (AQO 340/10)

Northern Ireland Assembly: Environment: Planning: North Road, Carrickfergus (9 Nov 2009)

David Hilditch: I thank the Minister for his answer. I do not expect him to be aware of the area specifically, but North Road is one of the town’s arterial routes. As further planning applications come forward, will he assure elected representatives and the local public that the Planning Service will take into account the significant change in character and infrastructure that the area is experiencing?

Northern Ireland Assembly: Committee Business: Town Centre Regeneration (2 Nov 2009)

David Hilditch: At the outset, I declare an interest as a member of Carrickfergus Borough Council, as a director of the Carrickfergus Development Company and as a member of the steering group that is working on the Carrickfergus master plan with departmental officials. On behalf of the Committee for Social Development, I thank, as always, the Minister and Members for their contributions to the debate. I also...

Northern Ireland Assembly: Committee Business: Education Maintenance Allowance (20 Oct 2009)

David Hilditch: I welcome today’s debate, and, after the recent announcement, I look forward to the review of the education maintenance allowance later this year. The Committee examined the issue closely, and the Chairperson indicated the depth of our considerations. The stories of the young people who appeared before the Committee were both moving and encouraging. I may be stating the obvious, but...

Northern Ireland Assembly: Ministerial Statement: Programme-led Apprenticeships (20 Oct 2009)

David Hilditch: I welcome the Minister’s statement. I appreciate his work and that of his Department in what is a very difficult area in the economy at the minute. I welcome the idea of progression on the employer-led route and the clarification that those who have been made redundant are also able to avail of the programme-led route. There is a small group of people who have been in apprenticeships...

Northern Ireland Assembly: Committee Business: Childcare for Students in Further  and Higher Education (19 Oct 2009)

David Hilditch: I thank the Members who tabled today’s motion. University provides a time for growth and development, and a time for acquiring new skills and knowledge. It should be a positive experience, which is why we must make life more comfortable, and university more appealing, for our students than ever before. In recent debates, we recognised that we will struggle to fill many jobs in the...

Northern Ireland Assembly: Social Development: Warm Homes Scheme (13 Oct 2009)

David Hilditch: 2. asked the Minister for Social Development for her assessment of the services delivered by the new service provider for the warm homes scheme. (AQO 217/10)

Northern Ireland Assembly: Social Development: Warm Homes Scheme (13 Oct 2009)

David Hilditch: I thank the Minister for her answer. I have met one of the contractors, and I appreciate the work that has been carried out to date. However, I am concerned that people who have oil heating systems have been removed from the criteria. What are the Minister’s thoughts on that matter, particularly as it impacts on many of those who are in fuel poverty and live in areas of social...

Northern Ireland Assembly: Finance and Personnel: Public Expenditure (6 Oct 2009)

David Hilditch: 2. asked the Minister of Finance and Personnel for his assessment of what the public expenditure situation may be after the general election in 2010.     (AQO 166/10)

Northern Ireland Assembly: Finance and Personnel: Public Expenditure (6 Oct 2009)

David Hilditch: I thank the Minister for his answer. What can the Executive do to offset any reductions in available spend?

Northern Ireland Assembly: Private Members’ Business: Social Housing (6 Oct 2009)

David Hilditch: I welcome today’s debate, the more so as it presents an opportunity, as Mr Hamilton said, to discuss the bigger picture. Many issues should be debated in a full consideration of housing. Construction and house-building in the public sector has, undoubtedly, reached something of a crisis point. The building industry creates much direct employment, and associated employment, a point that...

Northern Ireland Assembly: Private Members’ Business: Social Housing (6 Oct 2009)

David Hilditch: I share the Member’s sentiments. Those matters have been the subject of previous debates in the House, and I appreciate that they remain on the table Investment in housing will tackle deprivation and fuel poverty, and it will take the pressure off other Departments’ budgets. It also has the potential to relieve housing stress, child poverty and homelessness. Earlier this year,...

Northern Ireland Assembly: Private Members’ Business: Migrant Workers (5 Oct 2009)

David Hilditch: I also support the motion, as most right-thinking and decent people would. I think that everybody in society recognises the economic, social and cultural contributions that migrant workers have made. I thank Ms Lo for tabling the motion, which does not give me any great cause for concern. However, I need to be a little more convinced that re-establishing the Racial Equality Forum to provide...

Northern Ireland Assembly: Ministerial Statements: Joint Ministerial Committee  Plenary Meeting (29 Sep 2009)

David Hilditch: I thank the First Minister for his statement. On a theme similar to that of Mr McDonnell, will the First Minister indicate what the experiences of the other devolved Administrations are on the issue of banking?

Northern Ireland Assembly: Private Members’ Business: Home Improvement Grants (15 Sep 2009)

David Hilditch: I support the motion, and I welcomed the Minister’s announcement back in July. More than 20,000 people are deemed to be in housing stress, and 9,000 are registered as homeless. On top of that, 17% of our housing stock is below the decent homes standard. Investment is required to replace properties’ obsolete and inefficient systems and functions. I understood that the £20...

Northern Ireland Assembly: Private Members’ Business: Home Improvement Grants (15 Sep 2009)

David Hilditch: That is accurate, and I intended to refer to that matter later.

Northern Ireland Assembly: Private Members’ Business: Home Improvement Grants (15 Sep 2009)

David Hilditch: In researching today’s speech, I obtained some information from the grants office in Ballyclare. If it is not correct, I am sorry. All Members know about individual cases. Last night, I had an opportunity to visit an elderly woman who has spent two winters with rain coming in through the front windows of her house. Now that her application has been turned down again, she is not looking...

Northern Ireland Assembly: Ministerial Statement: Public Expenditure: 2009-2010 June Monitoring and Provisional  Out-turn 2008-2009 (7 Jul 2009)

David Hilditch: On behalf of the Committee, I warmly welcome the Minister’s announce­ment of the additional capital expenditure allocation of £20 million; it will bring welcome support to the construction industry at this difficult time. The Minister for Social Development left very quickly after the statement was made; I hope that she has gone to begin work on using that money. However, most...

Northern Ireland Assembly: Enterprise, Trade and Investment: Regional Tourism Partnerships (23 Jun 2009)

David Hilditch: 2. asked the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment for her assessment of how the role of regional tourism partnerships will change following the review of public administration (RPA).            (AQO 3040/09)

Northern Ireland Assembly: Enterprise, Trade and Investment: Regional Tourism Partnerships (23 Jun 2009)

David Hilditch: I declare an interest as a director of the Causeway Coast and Glens Regional Tourism Partnership. Will the Minister update the House on the current funding for RTPs?