Summary

  • MLAs debated alleged ministerial breaches of Covid-19 Regulations

  • Disability support and family carer support was debated in the chamber

  • The Executive Office and Health Minister Robin Swann answered MLAs' questions

  • MLAs debated a motion on Covid-19 guidance and financial support to industry sectors

  • The Pension Schemes Bill reached its second stage

  1. Rates Exemption for Automatic Telling Machines in Rural Areaspublished at 11:41 British Summer Time 7 July 2020

    Finance Minister Conor Murphy is next on the agenda with a motion on the Rates Exemption for Automatic Telling Machines in Rural Areas Order.

    He explains that the motion seeks to reinstate the order, which lapsed in 2017 in the absence of a sitting assembly.

    wide shot of the assembly chamberImage source, NI Assembly

    Mr Murphy says the policy objective of this longstanding legislation was "encouraging and sustaining provision of ATMs in rural areas".

    He says it applies to ATMs attached to shops and petrol stations but not to banks and building societies and the cost is less than £200,000.

  2. 'Support was reasonable given the circumstances'published at 11:39 British Summer Time 7 July 2020

    The agriculture minister, is the invited to wind on the debate.

    He says the department has been in contact with those in the industry during the pandemic and more recently has been in discussion about what it may need going into the future.

    Mr Poots say the fishing sector should be supported in order to “provide more jobs, it can deliver investment into those communities and create both offshore and onshore jobs”.

    He refers to a point raised by Green Party MLA Claire Bailey about the horticulture sector and says “it is an entirely different sector" to fishing.

    He adds that there is support for that sector and that he “fought very, very hard to get garden centres open once again”.

    Mr Poots says it was the “right decision” as the “R number didn’t go up as a consequence of it” and those who enjoy gardening could buy plants and “avail of that and help support those businesses”.

    Edwin PootsImage source, NI Assembly

    “The aim of the scheme was to provide prompt financial support” to fleets, says Mr Poots.

    “I don’t believe this scheme has been one which has been, you know, providing more than what the fishermen needed.

    “We’re looking at support that was reasonable given the circumstances,” he adds.

    The minister says he welcomes the support given from across the house.

    Both motions pass on oral votes.

  3. 'Beneficial output for towns and villages'published at 11:27 British Summer Time 7 July 2020

    John BlairImage source, NI Assembly

    Alliance’s John Blair welcomes the motion.

    He says “it’s worth mentioning in addition to the points already illustrated”, the scheme has “beneficial output for the towns and villages, and the economies,” closest to the centre of our fishing industry.

    He thanks the minister and the department for their work on this issue.

  4. 'Disparities in levels of support'published at 11:27 British Summer Time 7 July 2020

    Sinn Féin's Emma Rogan is making her first speech in the assembly. According to convention she's allowed to go off piste a little.

    She pays tribute to her predecessor, Chris Hazzard, now the Sinn Féin MP for South Down.

    Ms Rogan describes her constituency as "a beautiful place in this island".

    She notes that two of the three main east coast fishing villages lie within South Down.

    Emma RoganImage source, NI Assembly

    Clare Bailey of the Green Party says it's good to hear a package announced that "so substantially" addresses the issues faced by the fishing industry.

    Ms Bailey says she has concerns about disparities in levels of support for industries.

    She says it's the most substantial package for any sector within the department's remit and asks why this sector is being treated differently.

  5. 'Fishing vessels and their crews needed support'published at 11:26 British Summer Time 7 July 2020

    Sinéad Bradley of the SDLP says the “obvious slump in the market for fish did require urgent attention and this was it”.

    She says she welcomes this and supports the motion.

    The UUP’s Rosemary Barton says she also welcomes the move by the minister.

    “Those working in our fishing industry do so in very challenging and dangerous conditions, which is often weather dependent,” she says.

    “They are an industry which makes a very valuable contribution to the economy of Northern Ireland.”

    Rosemary BartonImage source, NI Assembly

    Like other industries, "fishing communities have struggled to adapt” to the disruption caused by Covid-19, says Sinéad Ennis of Sinn Féin.

    She says “with demand for fresh fish heavily reduced” those “local fishing vessels and their crews needed support”.

    She welcomes the motion.

    Harry Harvey of the DUP says it’s “vitally important” to recognise the work of farmers and fishermen who provide “local produce for our tables”.

    The Strangford representative says he is aware of the difficulties faced by those working in the industry in his area and beyond.

    “I am glad the department worked swiftly” in announcing support, he adds.

    Sinéad EnnisImage source, NI Assembly
  6. 'Some relief and important assistance to our fishing fleets'published at 11:13 British Summer Time 7 July 2020

    Sinn Féin’s Declan McAleer is chair of the Agriculture Committee.

    He says the committee considered the regulations in April and relays that hospitality and retail sectors had closed down due to the pandemic.

    “Demand for fish and shellfish was non-existent,” he says, adding that the scheme was required as “many incomes had been affected”.

    He says the committee supports that both statutory rules should be adopted.

    Declan McAleerImage source, NI Assembly

    William Irwin is up next. The minister’s DUP colleague says “as time went on, we can see the impact this virus has had”, referring to the health and economic consequences.

    “For fishermen, the cost continues for their trawlers and this has been a concerning time for them all.”

    Mr Irwin adds that something had to be done to ensure there was a fishing industry after the Covid-19 crisis.

    The scheme has provided “some relief and important assistance to our fishing fleets,” he says.

    William IrwinImage source, NI Assembly
  7. Sea Fish Industry Coronavirus Schemepublished at 11:12 British Summer Time 7 July 2020

    Next up is Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots with two motions on the Sea Fish Industry Coronavirus Scheme.

    He explains that the scheme was introduced to address the difficulties faced by the fishing industry when the effects of social distancing and the collapse of the European and domestic fish markets "made fishig virtually impossible".

    He says his department responded "promptly" and there was clear need to provide financial support.

    Edwin PootsImage source, NI Assembly

    On 3 April, Mr Poots announced a £1.5m support package to run until market conditions improved.

    He is now taking the scheme to the assembly

    "We have succeeded in delivering just over £1.3m " Mr Poots says.

  8. 'Need to have legislation to protect workers'published at 10:58 British Summer Time 7 July 2020

    Carál Ní ChuilínImage source, NI Assembly

    The minister wraps on the debate.

    Carál Ní Chuilín turns to the point raised by Mrs Armstrong about those who have moved their pensions around number of times. She says it’s “really important” people are aware of where their money is.

    “The good thing about it is, everyone sees the need to have legislation to protect workers,” adds the minister.

    “Clear legislation, clear regulations is better for people investing in their life savings and pensions.”

    The deputy speaker moves the house to an oral vote and the bill passes its second stage.

  9. 'Pensions can be quite complicated'published at 10:54 British Summer Time 7 July 2020

    Kellie ArmstrongImage source, NI Assembly

    Alliance’s Kellie Armstrong says the committee has been supportive of the bill going forward.

    “The work regarding the master trust scheme is of course very important,” adds the Strangford MLA.

    “Pensions can be quite complicated,” she adds, but says the pensions dashboard will help people “to see where there money is in one place”.

  10. Bill 'aims to put in place additional safeguards'published at 10:52 British Summer Time 7 July 2020

    Paula Bradley of the DUP chairs the Committee for Communities.

    She says the committee welcomes the bill and outlines a briefing it was given at a previous meeting.

    She adds that the bill will ensure “no master trust scheme can operate without authorisation from the pensions regulator and that specific requirements must be met”.

    Paula BradleyImage source, NI Assembly

    Sinéad Ennis of Sinn Féin says this bill “aims to put in place additional safeguards” for those putting into master trust schemes.

    “It's vital people can have confidence in these schemes” she says, adding that will be her focus throughout the scrutiny process.

    The SDLP’s Mark Durkan outlines the provisions the bill seeks to make in relation to master trust schemes.

    “We recognise and support the need to ensure there is adequate regulation for master trusts,” he says, adding that operate on a “massive scale”.

    Mark DurkanImage source, NI Assembly
  11. Pension Schemes Billpublished at 10:52 British Summer Time 7 July 2020

    Ms Ní Chuilín explains that the Pension Schemes Bill is designed to address changes to the "pensions landscape" in recent years.

    The automatic enrolment of employees into pension schemes has seen a rise in the use of master trusts, especially by smaller businesses.

    A master trust is a kind of multi-employer occupational pension scheme, the minister explains.

    Caral Ní ChuilínImage source, NI Assembly

    The minister says the regulations applying to master trusts were designed for single-employer schemes.

    They are unsuited to the different risks emerge from master trusts.

    The bill is designed to prevent problems emerging in the future and similar legislation has been introduced in other parts of the UK.

  12. Assembly session opens to the publicpublished at 10:39 British Summer Time 7 July 2020

    Roy BeggsImage source, NI Assembly

    Following prayers, the Assembly session is opened to the public by Deputy Speaker Roy Beggs.

    Members run through some brief business, including suspension of a standing order.

    Mr Beggs then moves to the next item of business.

    The second stage of the pension schemes bill, which is brought to the house by the Minister for Communities, Carál Ní Chuilín.

  13. On the agenda before lunchpublished at 10:26 British Summer Time 7 July 2020

    NI AssemblyImage source, NI Assembly
  14. Good morningpublished at 10:23 British Summer Time 7 July 2020

    Stormont

    Welcome to Tuesday's live coverage from the Northern Ireland Assembly.

    There's a packed agenda today including question time and a debate on ministerial breaches of the coronavirus regulations.

    The assembly meets at 10:30 - do stay with us.