Speeches by Robinson.

“It is a political question, Ciarán. Yes, you have an official answer to give, but it is a political question. Labour criticised the lack of backdating within the three-year CSR period and recognised that because the fiscal arrangements did not go back within that three-year period, the Executive were hamstrung. The Exe…”

“This process was commenced and concluded in the first draft phase by the previous Government. At that time, there was criticism of the previous Government because they were not going back to the start of the CSR period. They were not ensuring that the financial losses, when need was not met in Northern Ireland, were me…”

“When do you think the negotiations on the fiscal framework will conclude?”

“When you do that, and you engage with Ministers of Health and Education here in Whitehall who have no departmental responsibility for Northern Ireland, are you doing that in conjunction with devolved elected representatives in Northern Ireland, or are you doing that on your own?”

“You are not personally involved in the negotiations overall, but you have personal responsibility for some aspects. Is this a recurring feature in your workload on a weekly basis? Are you engaging regularly on issues around fiscal sustainability in Northern Ireland?”

“Good morning, Minster. Morning, gentlemen. Minister, what is your personal involvement in negotiating the new fiscal framework?”

“Good morning to you all. Ann, I want to ask you this question and it is around assessed levels of need. You will know that, as with all things in life, not least public services, there is a big difference between want and need. Over the last three or four years, it has taken quite some time and a lot of effort, in this…”

“Finally, you mentioned legacy, and as a society we all suffered through the Troubles, but police and police family particularly suffered considerably through the legacy of the Troubles. In a session like this, when we are talking about the inability to pay holiday pay, to recognise service of officers in Northern Irela…”

“That is another half a billion pounds.”

“Is there enough political awareness about some of the issues that you are going to face down the line on the McCloud judgment, holiday pay and legacy liability? Do you have a global sum that needs to be publicly aired as to what that may mean to future policing budgets?”

“No other part of the justice family has had to do that. Are you getting the support you require from the Justice Minister? There was an issue a few months back with correspondence, and it was quite unseemly from the Department. Are you getting the support you require, or does there need to be a greater way in which you…”

“You fairly outlined some of the budgetary challenges earlier, and you suggested that over a significant period of time your budget has increased by 3%. The Health Department’s budget in the last 10 years has more than doubled. It has increased by almost 150%. The education budget has more than doubled; it went from £1.…”

“Good morning, all. You will find that, over the next series of questions, each of us is going to direct our questions to one individual, so I am not ignoring you, Alan or Graham. Pamela, you had mentioned the impact of lack of resource for policing. You had suggested that you are having to take drastic decisions around…”

“Good morning to you all. Ann, I want to ask you this question and it is around assessed levels of need. You will know that, as with all things in life, not least public services, there is a big difference between want and need. Over the last three or four years, it has taken quite some time and a lot of effort, in this…”

“It is just on the morale of officers, legacy and money.”

“Finally, you mentioned legacy, and as a society we all suffered through the Troubles, but police and police family particularly suffered considerably through the legacy of the Troubles. In a session like this, when we are talking about the inability to pay holiday pay, to recognise service of officers in Northern Irela…”

“1. What steps he is taking to support the aerospace sector in Northern Ireland.”

“It is welcome that the Secretary of State has visited the Spirit AeroSystems site a number of times. He will know of its importance to advanced manufacturing, and of its aeronautical history in Northern Ireland—it originated in 1908 as Short Brothers—and he will also know that at this stage there is a purchaser for abo…”

“The Secretary of State will know that the facility would not be there had it not been for Government investment and support. Guarantees were given not just to the people of Belfast, but to the staff directly employed at Spirit AeroSystems. The Government have also engaged in discussions about Harland and Wolff and Nava…”

“It is just on the morale of officers, legacy and money.”