Clare Bailey: — to support the amendment.
Clare Bailey: It is very heartening to hear such support and understanding from the House today, as well as the Justice Minister's commitment to the work programme ahead. As a member of the Justice Committee, I know that the Committee is absolutely committed to working on this issue and looks forward to scrutinising and helping where it can to introduce legislation. A lot has been said today about men and...
Clare Bailey: Does the Minister have any figures for cases in which legal aid has been rejected since the implementation of the budget cuts?
Clare Bailey: 1. Ms Bailey asked the Minister for Communities, pursuant to AQW 3432/16-21, to outline the organisations involved in the strand one co-design process of the action plan to increase the participation of women in community development in order to address paramilitarism, as outlined in the Fresh Start Agreement. (AQO 530/16-21)
Clare Bailey: Given that women have been allocated so little targeted resource under the Fresh Start Agreement and that this new co-design process of working is meant to target grass-roots organisations working in the field, is the Minister content that all the organisations that he just listed are expert in women's participation or, indeed, even have a strong record in the area?
Clare Bailey: T4. Ms Bailey asked the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs whether, given the seemingly systemic failings in environmental protections in Northern Ireland, she has had any discussions with the Minister for Infrastructure on the obvious need for an independent environmental protection agency. (AQT 399/16-21)
Clare Bailey: In that case, will the Minister give a solid confirmation that all investigations of the Annsborough event must include an examination of past incidences and equipment failures, including whether secondary pollution prevention measures by NI Water were, or should have been, in place?
Clare Bailey: Will the Member give way?
Clare Bailey: Given the consistent high demand and, in some cases, oversubscription, does the Minister feel that there is adequate provision of integrated education places in south Belfast?
Clare Bailey: I am handing in this petition from Amnesty International to the Minister of Justice. It is signed by 45,400 people and calls for abortion law reform in Northern Ireland. Amnesty International, academics and many others have carried out extensive research into Northern Ireland's abortion laws, and we have repeatedly been found not to be compliant with the Human Rights Act, to which we are...
Clare Bailey: On a point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker.
Clare Bailey: Can I make a point of order?
Clare Bailey: For the Minister?
Clare Bailey: Sorry. Thank you.
Clare Bailey: It is very disappointing news that we are getting today, not just for local government, which is always best-placed to identify and work on local need, but for those working at ground level in community development and regeneration, who find it much easier to engage with and access their local council than they do Departments and the Assembly. I am slightly heartened to hear that the...
Clare Bailey: I, too, share a lot of the concerns that have been expressed on the Floor today about the LCM. I represent South Belfast, where Queen's University is based and where we have a large student population. I have not heard any of the universities coming forward to ask us to support the LCM. Quite a number of people who work there have expressed their concerns about what is happening. I will...
Clare Bailey: I certainly will.
Clare Bailey: That is a timely intervention, as I was about to wrap up anyway. I will not be supporting the LCM. I want to see put in place something more specific to the needs of Northern Ireland, our students and our future economic drivers. We need to be able to keep supporting all levels of and all subjects in further education and not start driving towards the notion that studying 6th-century...
Clare Bailey: I support the LCM in its entirety. As a member of the Justice Committee, it has been fascinating to watch the level of scrutiny, the hard work and the sheer determination and perseverance that Committee members have put into this. It certainly sets the bar very high for the years to come. It has been a huge learning curve for me, so well done and thank you for being part of that. The...
Clare Bailey: From her work on stalking legislation, does the Minister feel that the harassment laws are fit for purpose or are they due to be reviewed and updated?