Pam Cameron: Given the pressures on the healthcare sector, particularly in domiciliary care, and the pressure on hospitals to release people to their own homes on the back of care packages, will the Minister give a commitment and an assurance to all of those from supported living and the domiciliary care sector who have worked the qualifying period through the pandemic but may have moved on to other areas...
Pam Cameron: I express my solidarity and support for the Minister and his ministerial colleagues. Whether we agree or disagree on topics, there is no place in society for intimidation and vile threats. I support the motions, which, once again, look at the easements to restrictions. Once again, we are belatedly debating changes that have already come into effect. To that end, this is just a formality. The...
Pam Cameron: I will speak not only as a Member of the House but as chair of the all-party group on lung health. Last Wednesday was World COPD Day. This afternoon, I raise the issue of the need for better services for all those in Northern Ireland who live with that disease. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is the name for a group of lung conditions that cause breathing difficulties. COPD is a...
Pam Cameron: T5. Mrs Cameron asked the Minister of Finance whether he has received a response from Treasury to his recent written request for a temporary VAT waiver in energy bills to help families and businesses that are struggling with soaring bills. (AQT 1795/17-22)
Pam Cameron: I thank the Minister for his answer. In the Ten Towns network area, which includes Antrim, my home town in my constituency, prices will increase by 38% in December. Other major companies, like SSE Airtricity and Power NI, have also announced large increases in gas and electricity bills. Has the Minister had any discussions with the Communities Minister about the potential need for further...
Pam Cameron: I thank the Minister and the Committee Chair for outlining the finer details of the Bill and the amendments this morning. As we are all well aware, the purpose of the Health and Social Care Bill is to give effect to the decision to close the Health and Social Care Board. I welcome the fact that we have reached the Consideration Stage of this particular Bill, which has been long awaited....
Pam Cameron: I welcome the legislative consent motion. I understand that the regulation of healthcare professionals is a devolved matter. I also understand that the intention of our devolved Department of Health is to work on a four-country basis regarding healthcare profession regulatory matters, reflecting the reality that the vast majority of regulation is performed by bodies that operate on a UK-wide...
Pam Cameron: Once again, this is a common-sense and entirely appropriate step to enable us to benefit from future international healthcare agreements that are negotiated, secured and delivered by the UK in tandem with international partners. It seems rather repetitive to reference again the importance of data, but, of course, the ability to exchange data between the UK and other countries is key to...
Pam Cameron: I thank the Minister for her statement, and I apologise that I was not in the Chamber for the beginning of it. The Minister referred to supporting the transition from electric vehicles through financial and fiscal mechanisms. Will the Minister expand on that and tell us more about the types of support that are being considered?
Pam Cameron: I thank the Chair and members of the Education Committee for agreeing to take on the Committee Stage of the Bill. With the heavy legislative workload of the Health Committee and given the cross-cutting nature of the Bill, that will ensure that the Bill receives the necessary scrutiny at Committee Stage. The Health Committee will support the Education Committee in whatever way it can to...
Pam Cameron: Mrs Cameron asked the Minister of Health to outline the steps he has taken to safeguard against inappropriate access to personal data held on the COVID-19 vaccine management system.
Pam Cameron: I thank the Minister for coming to the Chamber to answer this question for urgent oral answer. As he will be aware, it has been reported by several senior health clinicians that, in recent weeks, a flaw in the relevant software led to a database containing the vaccination status of every resident in Northern Ireland becoming widely accessible, including to staff who were not medically trained...
Pam Cameron: I thank the Minister for his answer. Does he agree that Lucy's law, the private Member's bill that my colleague Robin Newton is seeking to introduce, will go a long way towards providing local authorities with the powers to tackle illegal puppy farming in Northern Ireland? Does he also agree that more needs to be done about pets purchased in the Republic of Ireland and in GB? Ensuring that...
Pam Cameron: 5. Mrs Cameron asked the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs for his assessment of the levels of illegal puppy farming and trade in Northern Ireland. (AQO 2683/17-22)
Pam Cameron: Mrs Cameron asked the Minister of Health, in light of the unprecedented demand and waiting times for patients and the risk to life, to outline the actions he is taking to mitigate pressures on emergency departments and the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS).
Pam Cameron: I thank the Speaker for accepting this question for urgent oral answer and the Minister for coming to the Chamber today. This is not about party politics; this is about people. On all sides of the House, we need to be in this together. We need to work together to fix this. Through the media, we have heard an ED consultant from Altnagelvin Hospital apologise for the appalling service over the...
Pam Cameron: I welcome the amendment regulations before the House today and commend the Minister and the wider Executive for their endeavours in charting a course back to normality. Regarding the amendment (No. 16) regulations, Members across the House will know of my love for the arts. I declare an interest as someone who is married to a playwright and as someone who has a role in a production company,...
Pam Cameron: I thank the Minister of Finance for his statement. The most pressing priority for the Executive remains the recovery of our health service. That has been reflected in this monitoring round, with the vast majority of money allocated to bids from the Department of Health. I very much welcome the pay award for staff, which can now be implemented. Most of the funding, however, will be used to...
Pam Cameron: Minister, can we have an update on the roll-out of the schools vaccination programme for the over-12s?
Pam Cameron: I thank the First Minister for his statement and welcome the easements that are in place, while recognising that there will be ongoing concerns about how the health service will cope going into the winter months. On the subject of the vaccination roll-out, the First Minister will be aware that there is reluctance among some people, not least pregnant women, ethnic minority groupings and...
