Unanswered Questions to the Minister of Justice

Oral Answers to Questions — Justice – in the Northern Ireland Assembly at 3:15 pm on 14 March 2016.

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Photo of Ian McCrea Ian McCrea DUP 3:15, 14 March 2016

T4. Mr I McCrea asked the Minister of Justice, given that this is his last Question Time, to outline an occasion when he has not passed the buck to another Department, stating that the answer does not fall within the remit of his Department, and, on this occasion, tell us how many times he received questions that he could have answered but did not answer. (AQT 3654/11-16)

Photo of David Ford David Ford Alliance

The answer to the latter is "Zero". If people ask me questions about matters that are operational responsibilities for the police or the PPS or are the responsibilities of other Departments, I will not answer them.

Photo of Ian McCrea Ian McCrea DUP

I am not surprised by the Minister's answer, but, surely, given that he has announced that he will not take on the job of Justice Minister after the election — that is dependent on the electorate, of course, but nonetheless — surely he will have to accept that there have been questions that may not have come under his direct responsibility that he could have answered in respect of policing matters or other aspects of justice instead of passing the buck. Surely he has to accept that there have been occasions when he has done that. Will he, at least, admit to that and maybe answer some that he has passed the buck on in the past?

Photo of Mitchel McLaughlin Mitchel McLaughlin Speaker

It is entirely a matter for the Minister if he wants to address that or not.

Photo of David Ford David Ford Alliance

Mr McCrea started off by saying that the decision on whether or not I was Justice Minister was one for the electorate. Actually, it is not; it is one for me. Whether I am an MLA is an issue for the good people of South Antrim; whether I am Justice Minister I have made fairly clear. The rest of his question merited the same kind of answer as I had just given to the first bit.