Assembly round-up

The economy topped the Assembly’s agenda, while local justice powers continued to be distributed with the historic appointment of Belfast-born Attorney General John Larkin.

May’s Assembly proceedings began on a relatively quiet note, three days ahead of the Westminster elections.

In a written reply to Alliance MLA Trevor Lunn, OFMDFM revealed that £12.5 million had been spent on the potential redevelopment of the former Maze prison site. Lunn claimed this was a “staggering” amount considering that there is “next to nothing” to show for it.

A proposal that the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment should pursue “appropriate legislative change” for the expansion of credit union services was meanwhile resolved.

The Balmoral Show gave members the opportunity to come down from the hill for two days to meet their rural constituents and discuss road safety, rural transport, the environment, a youth assembly and townlands.

Whitehouse Primary School proved to be a thorn in Caitríona Ruane’s side after she refused to prioritise it for a re-build following its destruction in an arson attack last year, blaming the £22 million cut to her capital budget. However, she reversed her decision on 14 May after parents, pupils and teachers from the school brought a petition to Stormont.

The health department came in for criticism from the Public Accounts Committee when it released its report into the resettlement of long-stay patients from learning disability hospitals, revealing that, despite being fit to leave, some patients have been waiting 15 years to be resettled in the community.

In social development, an SDLP reshuffle saw Alex Attwood succeed Margaret Ritchie as Minister. An upheaval in that party occurred towards the end of the month when Declan O’Loan suggested that a new single nationalist party should be formed. He was subsequently suspended, until Margaret Ritchie decides otherwise.

Cutting corporation tax was debated during a joint motion brought by the Finance and Enterprise committees. Finance Minister Sammy Wilson reminded the Assembly that corporation tax paid in the province amounts to between £340 million and £520 million and suggested that over six years a reduction would cost the Executive £1 billion and take 11 years to pay for itself.

“Harmonisation” of VAT rates and corporation tax in Northern Ireland and the Republic, was called for in a Sinn Féin motion on all-island economic regeneration; the SDLP voiced support. Gregory Campbell was opposed, not because of party political issues he was keen to point out, but because the high unemployment rate and weak economy meant it was not possible to consider closer links with Ireland. Danny Kennedy also opposed it saying: "Heaven forbid we should join one of the weakest countries in Europe,” and Alliance was “reluctantly” opposed because the motion might jeopardise current fiscal links with the UK. The motion fell by 50 to 34 votes.

“Deep concern” was expressed at Caitríona Ruane’s decision to cut 70 per cent of the department’s community relations budget, from £3.6 million in 2009-2010 to £1.1 million for this financial year. The Minister said that because today’s society is much more diverse, a new community relations policy, which caters for more than just Catholics and Protestants, will go to public consultation later this year.

A controversial motion, proposed by Mervyn Storey, called on the Assembly and the Secretary of State to note the fortieth anniversary of the dissolution of the B Specials and the formation of the Ulster Defence Regiment. However, this was negatived because it failed to achieve cross-community consensus and was strongly opposed by nationalists and republicans.