John Blair: Thank you, Mr Principal Deputy Speaker. May I associate myself and my colleagues with the good wishes expressed to Minister Poots for a full and speedy recovery? I think that the Minister has clarified that what is being talked about is, at the very best, a replication of existing EU arrangements for Canada and Japan. More specifically, from an economic or agricultural perspective, can she...
John Blair: I thank the Minister for her statement. Cross-border cooperation and policing is a crucial matter at all times, but it is particularly so in the context of Brexit uncertainties. The statement and the planned work programme provided today refer to cooperation on operational engagement, forensics and data exchange. Is similar cooperation taking place at a local level with, for example,...
John Blair: T5. Mr Blair asked the Minister for Infrastructure for an update on the timescale for the review of the Planning Act (NI) 2011, given that, when the Act came into force in 2015, DFI was required by law to conduct a review of it within three years, albeit that the review was delayed, with the absence of a functioning Assembly given as one of the reasons for that delay. (AQT 765/17-22)
John Blair: I am keen to know whether the Minister can provide any information on the sectors, groups or organisations that she has consulted with on the review.
John Blair: I thank the Minister for her answers on road safety and for the detail given. Whilst I welcome the information on the further roll-out of 20 mph limits outside schools, will the Department pay particular attention to areas that have been raised with it separately, such as Maine Integrated Primary School in Randalstown, which I raised?
John Blair: It should go without saying that it is a sad set of circumstances that brings us here today, but it is probably worth repeating that in order to bring balance and measure to the discussion. The announcement yesterday evening by the Secretary of State appears, to some of us at least, to be further foot-dragging and yet another diversion from the discovery of the facts. The failure of the UK...
John Blair: Can the deputy First Minister confirm that all Departments have been working collectively to ensure that they are ready for the post-transition period and to deal with all possible outcomes of the negotiations?
John Blair: Thank you very much indeed, Mr Principal Deputy Speaker. Will the Minister provide an update on the panel that was due to be set up following RHI to investigate ministerial conduct?
John Blair: 2. Mr Blair asked the Minister of Finance what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of compensating small businesses that have maintained the salaries of employees even though they were ineligible for support from the coronavirus job retention scheme. (AQO 1187/17-22)
John Blair: I thank the Minister for that answer. Can the Minister provide an update on the number of applications to the localised restrictions support scheme and the number of payments in progress?
John Blair: Sorry, go ahead, Linda.
John Blair: I thank the Member for the intervention. I will not rehearse all the detail of the PSNI's operational independence under the control of the Chief Constable. However, I should point out that all of us in the House who are members of the Executive's parties have representatives on the Policing Board, and we can challenge our wishes on delivery through them. I have covered the reference to the...
John Blair: Before I begin, I declare an interest as a member of the Northern Ireland Policing Board, which oversees the Police Service of Northern Ireland and would therefore oversee some of the actions suggested in the group of amendments to which I speak. I take an opportunity at the beginning, as one of the Members who did not have the chance to contribute earlier in the debate, to express my thanks...
John Blair: In relation to inspections at ports, has any progress been made on the provision of a common veterinary area and the medium- to long-term prospects for that?
John Blair: I thank the Minister for his detailed statement. Point 13 seems to indicate a preference for a bespoke Northern Ireland agriculture Act. Given the statement by the Minister, the reality of the importance of agriculture to our economy, the particular quality of our farm product and the problem of rising ammonia levels, could such an Act be developed to deal with those issues? Are there plans...
John Blair: I thank the Minister for his statement and welcome the work being done by the environment work sector in setting up the subgroups on marine litter and marine environment. More specifically, is any work being done or being planned to deal with the environmental risk posed by end-of-life or abandoned vessels?
John Blair: Other Members have pointed out, and it is worth repeating, that Northern Ireland ammonia levels rose by around 20% in 2010, compared with around 5% in the rest of the UK, and, more crucially, 98% of designated special areas of conservation are exceeding critical levels of pollutants. That can seriously impact such protected sites as peatlands. Additionally, ammonia emissions can cause the...
John Blair: I thank the Minister for his statement. We are, more than ever, in a time when we need workable solutions to complex jurisdictional issues. I note that there are frameworks in place to deal with emergencies, and we have been reminded in recent days of the importance of that. On a different theme, has there been a refreshed or renewed effort to promote the tourism product on this island by,...
John Blair: I also thank the Minister for the statement and the detail therein, including the reassuring cooperation envisaged on marine waters, as well as the joint programme of enforcement and collaboration on environmental crime. In that regard, how will the proposed Office for Environmental Protection, which will have only one Northern Ireland representative, be able to play a part in...
John Blair: Will the Minister confirm whether the £100 million city deal complementary fund is open and, if so, how many bids have been received?