Mervyn Storey: I also wish the Minister well and trust that she has a speedy recovery so that she will be able to get on the doors; but maybe not that speedy — maybe just back in train in time for the election. In all good humour, we wish the Minister well. We are disappointed that she is not able to be with us in the Chamber. On behalf of the Committee for Justice, I welcome the Final Stage of the...
Mervyn Storey: 4. Mr Storey asked the Minister of Education for an update on the implementation of ‘A Fair Start’, final report and action plan, in communities in North Antrim. (AQO 3247/17-22)
Mervyn Storey: I thank the Minister for standing in for Minister McIlveen. I ask him to pass on our best wishes. I trust that she will have a speedy recovery. We welcome the response that the Minister has given to us today in relation to the report. However, what concerns are there in the Department, particularly in relation to the unacceptable draft Budget and the impact that that would have on the...
Mervyn Storey: I thank the Member for giving way. Earlier, one of the contributors to the debate talked about the "big, fat elephant in the room". There is another one: a five-party mandatory coalition. The Finance Minister rightly said that, if everything is a priority, nothing is a priority. We have an Opposition within the Government. A five-party mandatory coalition does not work. Given the probable...
Mervyn Storey: Will the Minister give way?
Mervyn Storey: The Minister saw it himself, because a Member showed the graph from the Fiscal Council report. The only Department with a net negative result is the Department of Justice. That cannot be denied, despite all the spin that you and your colleagues have tried to put on it that, somehow, you are giving additional money to Justice. It ain't happening. If you talk about openness and transparency,...
Mervyn Storey: I thank the Minister for giving way. Does he accept that, while we will argue that it is acceptable that we give Health more money, there are health-related provisions in other Departments that will now be negatively impacted, such as the custody suite in Musgrave Street police station in this city, which has reduced attendance at A&E departments by some 45%? If that multi-agency approach is...
Mervyn Storey: Will the Minister give way?
Mervyn Storey: I am glad that the Minister is so concerned about the financial implications for Northern Ireland. Will he comment on the £1 million a day that is lost to Northern Ireland because of the rigorous implementation of the protocol that he and his colleagues in the House have supported?
Mervyn Storey: You were.
Mervyn Storey: On a point of order, Mr Speaker. In your role as the Speaker, could you rule whether we are discussing the Fiscal Council or the internal workings of the DUP, which seem to be exercising the Minister?
Mervyn Storey: The Committee undertook detailed scrutiny of the 2022-25 draft departmental budget for the Department of Justice. As well as receiving written and oral briefings from departmental officials, Committee members discussed the draft Budget with the Minister of Justice at its meeting of 15 February 2022. The Committee also heard directly from key organisations and stakeholders across the system...
Mervyn Storey: — and dealing with the Budget for Northern Ireland, we do not need to take lectures from a party that supported —
Mervyn Storey: — the bombing of the heart of Northern Ireland —
Mervyn Storey: — for 40 years and destroyed its economy.
Mervyn Storey: I am pleased to speak on behalf of the Committee for Justice in order to outline the Committee's consideration of the provisions that are to be included in the supplementary legislative consent motion for the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill. During its consideration of the provisions that were included in the LCM, which was previously agreed by the Assembly, the Committee was first...
Mervyn Storey: Yes, I am a very gracious individual. I will let the Minister judge that in a minute or two, after I have finished. As Committee Chair, I will address amendment Nos 31, 32, and 34 to 41. As I outlined to the House earlier, the Minister advised the Committee that some technical and minor drafting issues would need to be addressed at Further Consideration Stage. As the Minister has set out,...
Mervyn Storey: Will the Minister give way?
Mervyn Storey: This is not my swansong, I assure you. I just seek clarity on that point. We will withdraw our amendment, but will the Minister confirm that the provision of support for confirmed victims of modern slavery under section 18(9) of the HTEA, as amended by amendment No 32, will apply to all victims who receive a positive conclusive grounds decision, in line with the Justice Committee's intentions?
Mervyn Storey: Yes, I will give way just for a moment.