Clare Bailey: T4. Ms Bailey asked the Minister for the Economy for an update on the apprenticeship pathways that are to be included in the new skills strategy for Northern Ireland that her Department has been working on for 18 months or more. (AQT 534/17-22)
Clare Bailey: I thank the Minister for her answer. I fully agree that all-age apprenticeships are absolutely critical, particularly in the current environment. The Minister spoke about the energy sector and the changes and upgrades that we will be expected to meet. Is she developing networks with our universities to support innovation and skills development in the energy sector so that people might be able...
Clare Bailey: As we have heard, human trafficking is the fastest-growing trade and the second-largest criminal trade in the world after arms dealing. The trade in people and weapons is global and has huge profits. As was mentioned, it is estimated that, at present, 40 million people live as slaves across the world. I thank Mr Beattie for giving us a vivid and powerful picture of the lived reality for many...
Clare Bailey: Thank you very much.
Clare Bailey: The Assembly has had 12 years since the last regulated 11-plus test was carried out. Failure to take action on the issue in normal times is nothing short of a disgrace. For 12 years, we have had extensive feedback from wider civic opinion and expert recommendations for change, and here we have it again. The issue is the failure of successive Executives to sort this out. The Green Party is a...
Clare Bailey: Build a framework to look beyond this year, and meet the opportunity to build back better.
Clare Bailey: T2. Ms Bailey asked the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, after thanking him for an answer that she received to a priority question for written answer, in which he confirmed that anaerobic digester (AD) plants that treat agricultural waste must have planning permission in place before his Department will issue a waste management licence, to state whether any waste...
Clare Bailey: I thank the Minister for not answering the question. Further to that, we know from your stats, Minister, that in some of our special areas of conservation, ammonia levels breach our current regulations by up to 350%, year-on-year. That is exacerbated by those AD plants at times. What enforcement or regulation powers does his Department have to take action?
Clare Bailey: Thank you, Mr Principal Deputy Speaker. First, kudos to the Members who have spoken so far for having so much to say in the debate. The reality is that what we are debating is the UK Government doing a copy-and-paste of EU law into domestic law and calling it "taking back control". We are passing this legislation in order to allow us to have a functioning rule book by 1 January. It is a wee...
Clare Bailey: Will the Member give way?
Clare Bailey: We are setting a cap at 5% less. I have been led to believe that this scheme actually allows more carbon emissions, and I will back that up with a quotation: "The UK currently does not exceed the 156 million tonne cap, but with this current rate that is set to rise." Is that right, Minister?
Clare Bailey: I thank the Minister for her statement. In it, she says: "The Council discussed the vision, priorities and opportunities which are required to drive economic recovery while living with the virus". Will the First Minister share with us the vision for Northern Ireland that her five-party Executive have agreed so far? Wider society, much of which is on its knees waiting for a plan, desperately...
Clare Bailey: T1. Ms Bailey asked the Minister of Finance what, if any, financial support packages have been discussed for those who might be required to self-isolate. (AQT 641/17-22)
Clare Bailey: I thank the Minister for his answer. Has finance been set aside to do that work, or are we still just discussing it?
Clare Bailey: In response to the original question, the Minister referred to advice that he had received from the Chief Medical Officer and the Chief Scientific Adviser. Does the Minister have the authority to act alone in implementing the experts' recommendations or does he need the approval of the whole Executive?
Clare Bailey: I did not know that I had a question, Mr Principal Deputy Speaker.
Clare Bailey: No. Sorry.
Clare Bailey: Thank you to the Minister for the statements and for bringing them forward in a timely manner. That was much appreciated. Members have asked about enforcement, but I want to go further, Minister. What discussion has there been around how we deal post transition with trans-boundary environmental breaches under existing EU directives? Ammonia, for example, was brought up, but it is certainly...
Clare Bailey: I want to focus on issues of transboundary breaches of existing environmental laws, specifically with regard to aquaculture and marine breaches. In the statistics for Northern Ireland, 78% of our shellfish water bodies now fail water quality standards for E. coli. There has also been a decline —
Clare Bailey: — in freshwater birds by up to 42%. Minister, are those statistics collated island-wide so that we can know the full extent across the island and come up with strategies to deal with such transboundary issues?