Assembly Business

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Mrs Courtney:

On a point of order, Mr Speaker. Is it in order for me to thank Members for their kind wishes and the expressions of goodwill that were extended to me after my recent accident, and also to thank you, Mr Speaker, for your letter? Those good wishes helped me a lot on my way to recovery. I am still recovering but am glad to be back.

It is, indeed, in order. On behalf of the whole House, I shall say what a great pleasure it is to see you back in your place, and able to serve the House and your constituents. We were all upset to hear about your accident and are greatly pleased that you are back with us.

On a point of order, Mr Speaker. We are concerned about the welfare of our elected representatives. Will you provide an opportunity for comment to be made on intimidating and horrendous attacks on Members’ homes, such as the despicable attack on the home of Mr Eugene McMenamin, a Member for West Tyrone?

The Member is aware that I must operate within Standing Orders. There is no Standing Order that permits me to open the matter for debate. Members may wish to use the normal routes, such as questions, motions or other ways to raise the matter.

I have no doubt that the whole House, like me, was extremely upset, concerned and angry to hear about the episode over the weekend. My office is already taking the usual actions, as, unfortunately, that is not the first episode of threatening or intimidation of Members. If there is anything else that the Member, Mr McMenamin or any of his Colleagues feel that my Office or I can do, I trust that they will be in touch with me.

I have no doubt that the House is extremely concerned about the matter. It is an attack on Mr McMenamin and his family, but it is not solely an attack on them — it is an attack on the entire process of representative democracy, because he is one of us as a representative. Undoubtedly, the whole House will share that concern. However, I have no leeway to introduce the matter other than through the normal process, which the Member may wish to take up.

Royal Assent

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I wish to inform the House that the Budget Bill has received Royal Assent. The Budget Act (Northern Ireland) 2002 became law on 20 March 2002. The Local Government (Best Value) Bill and the Personal Social Services (Preserved Rights) Bill have also received Royal Assent. The Local Government (Best Value) Act (Northern Ireland) 2002 and the Personal Social Services (Preserved Rights) Act (Northern Ireland) 2002 became law on 26 March 2002.

Public Petition: Badger Baiting

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Mr Shannon has begged leave to present a public petition in accordance with Standing Order 22.

I beg leave to present a petition from residents of Newtownards, the surrounding district and further afield. It carries the signatures of more than 1,000 or 1,100 people who are very concerned about the many incidents of badger baiting that persist. Children from Movilla High School in Newtownards — Stacy Paul, Ryan McCullough and Sarah Hill — were instrumental in collecting the signatures, and they are in the Gallery today. Residents from Newtownards are particularly perturbed that, despite legislation, badgers are still being persecuted, and the law is insufficient to ensure their protection. Given that and the need for better protection under the law, we present the petition to the Assembly for consideration.

I shall forward the petition to the Minister of the Environment and a copy to the Chairperson of the Committee for the Environment.

Assembly Business:
Suspension of Standing Orders

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Resolved (with cross-community support):

British-Irish Council: Misuse of Drugs

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Mr Speaker:

I have received notice from the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety that she wishes to make a statement on the British-Irish Council meeting on drugs.

Go raibh maith agat, a Cheann Comhairle. Is mian liom tuairisc a chur faoi bhráid an Tionóil ar an chruinniú de Chomhairle na Breataine-na hÉireann a tionóladh i bhformáid earnáileach i mBaile Átha Cliath Dé hAoine 22 Márta 2002. Ag an chruinniú seo pléadh ceisteanna a bhain le mí-úsáid drugaí agus le comhoibriú san achar seo.

I ndiaidh don Chéad-Aire agus don LeasChéad-Aire muid a ainmniú, d’fhreastail an tAire Comhshaoil, an tUasal Dermot Nesbitt, TTR, agus mé féin ar an chéad chruinniú den ghrúpa earnáileach um mhí-úsáid drugaí. Ba é an tUasal Eoin Ryan, TD, an tAire Stáit do Fhorbairt Áitiúil, a bhfuil straitéis náisiúnta na hÉireann um dhrugaí mar shainchúram air, a rinne ionadaíocht thar ceann Rialtas na hÉireann agus a bhí mar chathaoirleach ar an chruinniú.

An tUasal Bob Ainsworth, FP, fo-rúnaí parlaiminte ag an Oifig Ghnóthaí Baile a rinne ionadaíocht thar ceann Rialtas na Breataine. Ba é an Dr Richard Simpson, FPA, Leas-Aire Ceartais, a rinne ionadaíocht thar ceann Choiste Feidhmiúcháin na hAlban agus ba í Jane Hutt, Uas, ME, an tAire Sláinte agus Seirbhísí Sóisialta, a rinne ionadaíocht thar ceann Thionól na Breataine Bige.

Ba é an tOnórach Richard Corkill, Príomh-Aire Rialtas Oileán Mhanainn agus cathaoirleach ar Choiste Straitéise Drugaí, a bhí mar ionadaí thar ceann Oileán Mhanainn. Ba é an Teachta Roger Berry OBE, atá mar uachtarán ar an Bhord Riaracháin, Stáit Geansaí, a rinne ionadaíocht thar ceann Geansaí; agus ba é an Teachta Roy le Herisser, atá mar leas-uachtarán an Choiste Sláinte agus Seirbhísí Sóisialta, Stáit Geirsí, a rinne ionadaíocht thar ceann Geirsí.

D’fhaomh an tUasal Dermot Nesbitt an ráiteas seo agus tá sé á dhéanamh ar a shon chomh maith.

Ag an chruinniú rinne na hAirí uilig a bhí i láthair cur síos ar na príomhdhúshláin sna straitéisí drugaí acu féin. Ina dhiaidh sin, cuireadh baill an chruinnithe ar an eolas faoin obair atá ar siúl maidir le drugaí. Ar an obair seo tá na fáltais ó mhangaireacht drugaí a aimsiú, an pobal a dhéanamh páirteach i bhforbairt agus i gcur i bhfeidhm straitéisí drugaí, caitheamh aimsire folláin a chur roimh dhaoine óga atá i gcontúirt drugaí a mhí-úsáid agus oiliúint agus fostaíocht a chur roimh mhí-úsáideoirí drugaí.

Rinne an Teachta Roger Berry OBE, atá mar uachtarán ar an Bhord Riaracháin i nGeansaí, cur síos don chruinniú ar fháltais na trádála drugaí/coigistiú sócmhainní a aimsiú, agus glacadh leis an mholadh go ndéanfaí comhdháil a thionól i nGeansaí ar an 16 agus 17 Bealtaine leis an cheist seo a phlé.

Chuir an tUasal Bob Ainsworth FP, atá mar fho-rúnaí parlaiminte ag an Oifig Ghóthaí Baile a bhfuil drugaí agus coiriúlacht eagraithe mar shainchúram air, chuir sé páipéar faoi bhráid an chruinnithe ar thionscnamh dar teideal todhchaithe dearfacha. Is í aidhm an tionscnaimh seo cláir spóirt a chur ar fáil do dhaoine óga atá i gcontúirt, lena n-áirítear scéimeanna monatóireachta agus cláir oideachasúla. Aontaíodh go dtiocfadh saineolaithe de chuid Chomhairle na Breataine-na hÉireann i gceann a chéile i Londain i Meitheamh lena n-eolas agus a n-oiliúint a roinnt.

Chuir mé féin páipéar i láthair ar a thábhachtaí atá sé an pobal a bheith páirteach i bhforbairt agus i gcur i bhfeidhm straitéisí drugaí. Glacadh le mo mholadh go ndéanfaí comhdháil a reachtáil ar an 6 agus 7 Samhain le deis a thabhairt do bhaill eiseamláirí an dea-chleachtais a fhiosrú maidir le pobail a bheith páirteach i straitéisí áitiúla.

Rinne na baill plé chomh maith ar pháipéar a d’ullmhaigh Rialtas na hÉireann agus Coiste Feidhmiúcháin na hAlban ar dheiseanna oideachasúla, oiliúna agus fostaíochta le haghaidh úsáideoirí drugaí atá ar téarnamh. Ba é an Dr Richard Simpson, FPA, atá mar Leas-Aire Ceartais i gCoiste Feidhmiúcháin na hAlban, a chuir an páipeár i láthair. D’aontaigh na baill go ndéanfaí comhdháil a reachtáil do chleachtóirí níos moille sa bhliain, in Albain nó in Éirinn, le cur leis an mhalartú eolais san achar seo.

Thug an Dr Jane Hutt, ME, Aire Sláinte agus Seirbhísí Sóisialta na Breataine Bige, tuairisc ar chomhdháil ar laghdú ar éileamh a tionóladh sa Bhreatain Bheag ar na mallaibh, agus rinne an tUasal Richard Corkill, Príomh-Aire Oileán Mhanainn, cur síos ar chomhdháil atá beartaithe ar straitéis um dhrugaí agus alcól — dul chun cinn i ngníomhaíocht. Thoiligh baill leis an chomhdháil seo, áta le reachtáil ar an 5 agus 6 Deireadh Fómhair ar Oileán Mhanainn.

D’aontaigh na hAirí go ndéanfaí an chéad chruinniú eile ar dhrugaí san fhormáid earnáileach a reachtáil i mí Feabhra 2003.

D’aontaigh na hAirí ar théacs an scéala oifigiúil a cuireadh amach i ndiaidh an chruinnithe. Cuireadh cóip den scéala oifigiúil mar aon le liosta iomlán de bhaill na toscaireachta sa Leabharlann.

I wish to report to the Assembly on the meeting of the British-Irish Council that was held in sectoral format in Dublin on Friday 22 March 2002. The meeting considered matters that relate to drug misuse and to co-operation in that area.

Following nomination by the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister, Mr Dermot Nesbitt, Minister of the Environment, and I attended the first meeting of the misuse of drugs sectoral group. Mr Eoin Ryan TD, Minister of State at the Department of Tourism, Sport and Recreation, with special responsibility for local development, who has responsibility for the Irish national drugs strategy, represented the Irish Government and chaired the meeting. Mr Bob Ainsworth MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Home Office, represented the British Government. Dr Richard Simpson MSP, Deputy Minister for Justice, represented the Scottish Executive. Ms Jane Hutt AM, Minister for Health and Social Services, represented the National Assembly for Wales. The Isle of Man Government were represented by the Chief Minister, the Hon Richard Corkill MHK, who is Chairperson of the Drugs Strategy Committee. The States of Guernsey were represented by Deputy Roger Berry OBE, President of the Board of Administration. The States of Jersey were represented by Deputy Roy George Le Hérissier, Vice-President of the Health and Social Services Committee. This statement has been approved by Mr Dermot Nesbitt and is also made on his behalf.

The meeting received presentations from all Ministers in attendance. Challenges exist in each of their individual drugs strategies. The meeting was informed of several ongoing pieces of work with regard to drugs, including the targeting of the proceeds of drugs trafficking, community involvement in the development and implementation of drugs strategies, the diverting into healthier pursuits of young people who are at risk of drugs misuse, and the reintegration of drugs misusers into training and employment.

Deputy Roger Berry OBE, President of the Board of Administration of Guernsey, gave a presentation on targeting the proceeds of the drugs trade and asset confiscation. A proposal for a conference on the issue, to be held in Guernsey on 16 and 17 May, was agreed.

Mr Bob Ainsworth MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Home Office with special responsibility for drugs and organised crime, presented a paper to the meeting on the Positive Futures initiative, which aims to provide sporting programmes for young people at risk. The initiative includes mentoring schemes and educational programmes. It was agreed that experts from the British-Irish Council would meet in London in June to share their knowledge and expertise in that area.

I presented a paper on the importance of involving the community in developing and implementing drugs strategies. My proposal to host a conference on 6 and 7 November to give members an opportunity to explore models of good practice in involving communities in local strategies was agreed.

Members also considered a paper prepared by the Irish Government and the Scottish Executive on education, training and employment opportunities for recovering drug users. Dr Richard Simpson MSP, Deputy Minister for Justice in the Scottish Executive, presented the paper. Members agreed that a conference for practitioners would be held later in the year, either in Scotland or Ireland, to advance the exchange of information in that area.

Ms Jane Hutt AM, Minister for Health and Social Services in Wales, reported on the recent conference on demand reduction held in Wales. Mr Richard Corkill MHK, Chief Minister of the Isle of Man, outlined a proposal for a conference on drug and alcohol strategies’ progress in action. Members agreed that the conference would be held on the Isle of Man on 5 and 6 October.

The Ministers agreed that the next meeting on drugs in sectoral format would take place in February 2003. The Ministers agreed the text of a communiqué that was issued after the meeting. A copy of the communiqué and a full list of delegation members have been placed in the Assembly Library.

I welcome Minister de Brún’s statement. It is encouraging for us all to see attention being focused on the growing problem of drug abuse across all these islands. It pervades all social strata and is a particular problem in deprived areas.

Drug abuse is a serious problem that transcends political borders. There is ample evidence of that, with drug trafficking spreading across entire continents, wrecking countless lives and, indeed, blighting whole communities. It is vital, therefore, that the various Administrations on these islands continue to co-operate fully on the matter by sharing expertise and practical initiatives that help address the scourge of illicit drugs in modern society.

Order. Will the Member move to his question?

Have any mechanisms been put in place to establish clear baselines to measure the effectiveness of the various initiatives that have been introduced?

Measuring the effectiveness of what is being done came up under each of the headings. At each stage, the seminars, meetings and visits that were agreed at the meeting all contain the precise aim of sharing best practice, being able to learn from each other, looking at what works and implementing those aims as best we can.

I welcome the development of the mutual co-operation that is being fostered among the United Kingdom Government, the devolved Administrations of the United Kingdom and the Government of the Republic of Ireland in our efforts to combat a serious and growing problem that affects both jurisdictions.

In her statement, the Minister referred to mentoring schemes and educational programmes as part of a possible strategy. Will she elaborate on what they may entail, and on what organisations may be involved in mentoring and providing mentors? Do the educational programmes envisaged involve the Department of Education, and will they be brought directly into school classrooms?

I thank the Member for his question. The issue arose during the discussion on the Positive Futures initiative, which was launched in England in March 2000. Some 24 projects were set up around the country to provide sporting programmes for youngsters at risk. Their success in reducing criminal activity and in obtaining better attendances at school, healthier lifestyles and increased involvement with sports led to the setting up of a further 33 projects on 1 March 2002.

The projects involve people in the fields of education and sport, and some sporting figures have lent their assistance to the schemes by giving positive alternatives to young people at risk. The projects provide training, mentoring schemes and education programmes around positive attitudes, healthy lifestyles and leadership skills. A joint Positive Futures steering group oversees the initiative’s progress.

As a result, Ministers at the British-Irish Council meeting on 22 March 2002 agreed that representatives from each area would visit a Positive Futures scheme at Leyton Orient to learn more about the initiatives. After that visit, I shall be able to bring the Member up to date on further lessons to be learned.

Go raibh maith agat. I too welcome the Minister’s statement, and her focus on targeting and tackling drug misuse. My interest is in community involvement in developing and implementing drug strategies. The Minister spoke about drug misuse at a recent conference in my West Belfast constituency, as did Jo Deakin, the new drugs tsar. I would be interested to hear the Minister expand on why she sees the initiave as an important step. The report of that conference deals with community involvement. It is due for publication, and I ask that she examine it closely. There is no need to reinvent the wheel.

I thank the Member for her question, and I shall be more than happy to look at the report when it is published. I welcome such initiatives, because it is important that communities are involved. My reply to Mr Gallagher gave some examples of community involvement for youngsters at risk. As a result of the working groups and the new structures set up to combat the misuse of drugs and alcohol, the communities lead a working group on communities. They have not only 22 places in the structure, they also have the lead, and each of the other groups is led by the relevant Department. For example, the Department of Education leads the education group, and the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety leads the treatment working group. It was felt important that communities themselves should lead the communities working group.

Such aspects will be included in the regional action plan developed by the six working groups. That contains 115 activities that must be undertaken if our strategy’s objectives are to be met. Many of the initiatives are community-based, because communities must be involved if we are to tackle the scourge of drug and alcohol misuse, both of which have a considerable negative impact throughout our community.

I welcome the Minister’s statement. It is positive to learn of the scope of the topics discussed at the British-Irish Council meeting on the misuse of drugs. The Alliance Party supports the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety’s management of the issue. However, there will always be a significant policing element involved in dealing with the issue. Does the Minister endorse the presentation that was made on targeting the proceeds of the drugs trade and asset confiscation? Given that policing is part of all communities, does the Minister agree that co-operation with the police must be included in any drugs strategy? Will the Minister now encourage her supporters to join the new Police Service of Northern Ireland, thus helping sooner rather than later — [Interruption].

Order. The Member has asked his question.

One of the most interesting aspects of the British-Irish Council meeting in Dublin was the fact that all the representatives managed to come together from different places to have a really constructive meeting, which focused on tackling the problem of drug misuse. It was not focused on point scoring, on which political parties were present, on trying to bounce people or on trying to play word games. It was a constructive meeting, at which no one felt the need to shout from the sidelines — [Interruption].

Order. The Minister is entitled to be heard.

No one felt the need to be childish or petulant, or to shout or detract in any way from the job in hand of tackling drug misuse. We all planned together on the issue.

The Member asked about the proposed Guernsey seminar. All Ministers agreed that Guernsey would host a seminar on 16 and 17 May to discuss targeting the proceeds of the drugs trade and asset confiscation. I consider the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) to be a part of that; in fact, it is entirely within its remit. As the proceeds of the drugs trade and asset confiscation are reserved matters, officials from the NIO and the Department of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) will attend the seminar.

My question needs to be asked, and I hope that the Minister does not think that I am trying to score political points. The paper that was presented at the meeting highlights the importance of involving the community in the development and implementation of drugs strategies. Unfortunately, in north and west Belfast, two drugs organisations that do good work have been refused funding twice. They are based in the Shankill and Falls areas. Through working with professionals, the organisations provide educational programmes in schools and clubs to show young people the bad effects of drugs. Therefore, I find it ironic that, although we intend to do something about good practice, we cannot even support good practice on our own doorstep in north and west Belfast. Will the Minister confirm how many community organisations have been funded, how much funding they have received, and in which parliamentary constituencies they are located?

The Member will know that today’s statement is about the meeting of the British-Irish Council in Dublin. Therefore, Members’ questions should reflect what was discussed at that meeting. The Member is, of course, entitled to ask a question for written or oral answer requesting the details to which he has referred, and I would welcome that.

My Department is fully aware of the excellent work that both the Forum for Action on Substance Abuse (FASA) and the Falls Community Council do to tackle drug and alcohol misuse. — [Interruption].

I wish that Unionist Members did not feel the need to barrack my every answer. If Members would allow me to hear questions, and other Members to hear my answers, it would be much better for all concerned.

The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety is fully aware of the excellent work of the Forum for Action on Substance Abuse (FASA) and the Falls Community Council. We are also aware that approximately £25,000 each is insufficient to enable those organisations to continue to provide those valuable services at community level. My Department has awarded £65,000 of non-recurrent funding to each group. It will also work with the North and West Belfast Health and Social Services Trust over the year to try to find a more permanent solution to the insufficient core funding for those, and other, voluntary and community groups.

The Member who asked the question has spoken to me privately about the matter and already knows that I supported the Executive programme fund bid, which did not attract sufficient weighting to enable it to obtain funding. I also supported good practice elsewhere.

I welcome the Minister’s report on the first meeting of the misuse of drugs sectoral group. The meeting was obviously well attended by Ministers from throughout the island. Judging by the report, the drugs problem affects all areas. I welcome the Minister’s initiative to involve community consultation at all times. The means of diverting young people who are at risk of drug misuse into healthier pursuits and of reintegrating drug abusers into training and employment must be addressed. Will extra funding be needed for those?

Yes, new initiatives will require new funding. Learning from best practice elsewhere allows us to do a certain amount without new funding. We can also put some new projects in place at the expense of current projects. However, 36 projects had been set up, for which funding was provided, and when the funding ran out at the end of March and my Department was unsuccessful in obtaining any further money, I had to find the money to fund the 23 projects that came within my remit. Other projects will be referred to the Department of Employment and Learning, the Department of Education and the Northern Ireland Office to see whether they can continue the funding. The Executive and the Assembly must take on board the fact that money is required to fund projects.

I thank the Minister for her statement. Did the meeting consider the important issue of possible heroin substitutes? In Glasgow, methadone has been used in an attempt to wean addicts off heroin, although its effects have caused controversy. It is important that we learn from the experience of the Greater Glasgow and Greater Dublin areas, where there are tragically high death rates from heroin usage.

The Minister referred to drug trafficking. I want to ask particularly about the source of such trafficking. Is she willing to condemn all groups, wherever they are in the world — notably, although not only, those in Latin America, such as the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) — that are involved in the drug production chain at any point, from production to importation into north-west Europe?

The possibility of learning from Glasgow and Dublin came up briefly at the meeting and will be continued in future work. I also took the opportunity at the meeting to thank colleagues from Glasgow and Dublin for their valuable work for the drug strategy team, which improves our ability to make progress here.

With regard to his other question, the Member knows that criminal justice issues are not within my remit.

What is your answer?

I hope that Mr Kennedy is not going to start his silly barracking again. Given that a Member of his party, Esmond Birnie, asked the question, his party Colleagues must consider the issue to be important enough to merit an answer.

What is your answer?

Let her answer.

Order.

As the Member has no intention of listening to the answer, I will simply say that his party knows that neither I, nor anyone belonging to my party, are involved in any way in drug trafficking, and nor are we associated with organisations that are.

This is an extremely important matter, which I have done much more to tackle than those who spend the entire time barracking, making silly comments and shouting from the sidelines.

Go raibh maith agat, a LeasCheann Comhairle. I congratulate the Minister on this positive report. It is unfortunate that some Members, particularly those from the Alliance Party, choose to politicise this serious issue. [Interruption].

Order.

It is a pity that some Members choose to politicise the issue. Given the concerns expressed by Billy Hutchinson and Annie Courtney, will the Irish and British Governments provide the extra money needed to implement this drug and alcohol strategy, obviating the need for this cost to come out of the Minister’s departmental budget?

From time to time money is made available — £6·23 million was made available to the Executive. This money will be spent on the work to be undertaken by the working groups and will be used to implement the plans I mentioned earlier. However, we must also recognise that part and parcel of this work — whether in my Department, the Department for Employment and Learning, the Department of Education, the Department of the Environment, or the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment, all of which are represented on the ministerial strategic steering group — is the need for all Departments to address this from their budgets. The Executive will have to consider that, and it is not enough to look elsewhere for one-off moneys either. We need to look at this in our budget processing. Again, this matter did not come up at the British-Irish Council meeting on 22 March.

I have listened intently to the Minister’s every word, including those that I did not understand. I commend her statement; drug abuse is a serious matter for all communities in Northern Ireland. Can the Minister assure us that sufficient resources in Northern Ireland are being directed to combat drug abuse, and is she satisfied with the work of the Police Service of Northern Ireland? Is she right in stating that this problem exists mainly in poorer areas? Next door to my constituency of Strangford is your constituency of North Down, Madam Deputy Speaker. It is one of the more affluent constituencies in Northern Ireland, yet it has a considerable drug problem.

Finally, I am delighted to learn of the conference in the Isle of Man, at which all the Governments and Administrations from these islands will be represented. Experts will be present at this meeting. Of course, the Minister will be in a position to offer considerable expertise — FARC is one of the main producers of drugs.

I am delighted to hear that the Member listened to my statement. I could hardly hear myself for most of this session, which demonstrates to me how important the Ulster Unionist Party finds this issue and what its approach to it will be. Drugs cross all boundaries. No community can be complacent, nor can any political party. This is not a matter for political sniping, catcalling or other ways of minimising the important work that went on in Dublin on 22 March, as I am sure the Ulster Unionist Party member, who was there in his capacity as Minister of the Environment, could share with his Colleagues.

We are making considerable resources available. I have considered often how that can be done, as have other Ministers as regards their contribution to the overall alcohol and drugs strategy. We are approximately £4 million short in implementing proposed action plans, and that must be considered. It is one reason why we have talked about — as we have done in most other areas — the difference between our plans and the resources that we can devote to them. The issue will straddle several Departments.

The Member is well aware of my position, and that of my party, on policing. He knows my views on the need for a new beginning to policing and for a police service that is capable of attracting sustained support from the whole community. However, I reiterate that criminal justice issues are not within my remit, though I expect that all agencies with responsibility to address the scourge of drugs will co-operate to eradicate the problem.

Go raibh maith agat, a LeasCheann Comhairle. I thank the Minister for her statement on this important subject. The Minister referred mainly to alcohol and drugs misuse, and we must do all that we can to resolve that. However, does that exclude discussion about solvent misuse, which is on the increase among young people?

I welcome the Member’s assertion that the issue is important. It is important to me; however, given the manner of the debate, I do not feel that that it is important to everybody in the House, which is a matter of deep regret.

The specific matter of solvent misuse did not arise at the British-Irish Council meeting on 22 March, but it is dealt with by the working groups here. In fact, some of the targets in the action plans of the working groups relate to the misuse of prescription drugs.

I am grateful for the opportunity to ask the Minister a question and to respond to her charges that the Ulster Unionist Party is not interested in the drugs question or in some way overlooks its importance. I assure the Minister that that is not the case. It is also the Minister’s responsibility to answer questions in the House, however difficult they may be.

Given the acknowledged links between the Minister’s political party and drug-trafficking agents in Latin America, does she not feel even a twinge of shame or embarrassment? Given that people who are directly involved in terrorist organisations such as the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) are actively engaged — [Interruption].

On a point of order. Are Mr Kennedy’s comments relevant to the subject under debate?

Under Standing Orders, I cannot take a point of order until the end of the debate. I ask the Member to leave his point of order until then.

I ask the Minister to respond, because I assume that the question has been put.

No.

I call on the Member to put his question.

Does the Minister feel any twinge of shame or embarrassment, given the links between her own political party and — [Interruption].

Order. This is a statement on the British-Irish Council and its debate on drugs and drug abuse. The Member is stretching the limit of relevance when he puts this question, and I ask him to finish his question. I assume that the question has been put.

I posed the question in this manner because of the undoubted link with drug trafficking, which was referred to in the Minister’s statement. That was a topic for discussion —

Order. I would like the Minister to respond.

I have not yet reached the end of my question. I would be pleased if I were given the opportunity to put that.

Order. If the Member has a further extension to this question, I ask that he make it relevant to the British-Irish Council statement.

In pursuance of my earlier remarks, does the Minister find her public position on policing inconsistent with the drugs issue? It is clear from her statement that other agencies are working together, including police services throughout the United Kingdom and the British Isles. The lack of ministerial support and endorsement for policing arrangements in respect of drugs undermines -

Order. Order.

That undermines her position on this issue.

Minister, you may choose whether to respond.

It is a matter of extreme regret that at least half of the UUP Members in the House were laughing while Danny Kennedy was asking his question. This is obviously a game to them. Mr Kennedy did not listen to a single answer prior to that. He heckled throughout and then asked a question that is not even about the meeting - an important meeting where people worked together, without any of this silliness, on the important issue of tackling drugs.

The Member knows well that Sinn Féin is not involved in any way with drug trafficking; nor is it associated with organisations that are. My party's position on drug trafficking and policing is entirely consistent with my efforts, as Minister, to implement the drugs strategy and to combat drug abuse.

We now have new structures. There are six working groups on the joint implementation of drug and alcohol strategies, as agreed and supported by the Executive. Two of the working groups, the social legislation working group and the criminal justice working group, are concerned with legal issues. The PSNI is represented on four of the six working groups and on the drug and alcohol implementation steering group. The Executive and I feel that the structures agreed will best advance the matter.

That concludes the questions to the Minister.

Carers and Direct Payments Bill: Final Stage

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Resolved:

Assembly: Committee for the Environment

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Resolved:

Assembly Standing Orders

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Madam Deputy Speaker:

As there are four proposed amendments to Standing Orders relating to the same issue, I propose to conduct only one debate. I shall call the Chairperson of the Committee on Procedures to move the first amendment. Debate will then take place on all four amendments. When all who wish to speak have done so, I shall call the Chairperson to wind up before I put the Question on the first amendment. I shall then ask the Chairperson to move each further amendment in turn, and separately put the Question on each amendment without further debate. I hope that that is clear for all Members, and, if so, I shall proceed.

Go raibh maith agat, a LeasCheann Comhairle.

I beg to move the following amendment: In Standing Order 52(4)(c) delete all at sub-paragraphs (i) and (ii) and insert

The amendments to Standing Orders are primarily technical and were submitted to the Committee on Procedures by the Committee on Standards and Privileges. The amendments have been checked by the Assembly legal adviser and are considered to be legally competent.

The amendments focus on two issues. First, they centre on references in Standing Orders to the Code of Conduct and the 'Guide to the Rules Relating to the Conduct of Members', which have both been approved by the Assembly. Secondly, they focus on the power of the Committee on Standards and Privileges to recommend a lesser penalty than that which Standing Orders currently provides for a breach of the Code of Conduct or the 'Guide to the Rules Relating to the Conduct of Members'.

The first two amendments on the Order Paper are interrelated. They focus on the 'Guide to the Rules Relating to the Conduct of Members', which was amended by the Assembly on 15 October 2001. Standing Orders refer to one specific code of conduct and one specific guide. However, the Committee on Standards and Privileges believes that more than one guide may exist; therefore, it felt that specific reference to the current guide was unnecessary. The proposed amendment to Standing Order 52(4)(c) would serve to remove the reference to the specific guide and replace it with reference to "any Guide" or any "Code of Conduct".

However, on the advice of the Assembly legal adviser it was considered necessary to maintain reference to the current guide in Standing Order 64. That is because paragraph 5 of Standing Order 64 refers to a specific paragraph in the current 'Guide to the Rules Relating to the Conduct of Members'. That is why the second amendment proposes to include the last date at which the guide was amended - 15 October 2001. It follows that if the guide is amended again, the Standing Order must be amended accordingly.

The amendment to Standing Order 64(6) makes it clear that the Committee on Standards and Privileges can report to the Assembly when it is of the view that a Member has failed to comply with, or has contravened, a provision of any code of conduct that has been agreed by the Assembly. As with the previous amendments, the key point is the inclusion of the reference to "any Code of Conduct". The current wording of Standing Order 64(6) refers to a contravention of the provisions of that particular Standing Order and, by inference, of the 'Guide to the Rules Relating to the Conduct of Members'. However, the Committee on Standards and Privileges considered it important that Standing Orders should make it clear that it also refers to contravention of any code of conduct which the Assembly has agreed.

The final amendment also pertains to Standing Order 64. It proposes a minor amendment to the recommendations that the Committee on Standards and Privileges can make when it chooses to report a Member to the Assembly. Under the present arrangements the Assembly Ombudsman, on completion of his investigation, will report to the Committee on Standards and Privileges. The Committee may, in turn, choose to make a report to the Assembly. That report can contain a recommendation for exclusion from proceedings for a specified period and withdrawal of rights and privileges as a Member for that period.

However, the current wording of Standing Order 64(7), and in particular the use of the word "contained", gives no scope for the Committee to recommend a lesser penalty - for example, an apology. The Committee considers that it would be more reasonable for it to have such flexibility. As such, the amendment proposes that in Standing Order 64(7) the word "contain" be replaced by "include", and the Committee on Procedures agrees.

There are no indications that Members wish to speak. I remind the House that because the amendments relate to Standing Orders, the votes require cross-community support.

In Standing Order 64(5), line 5, delete "14 December 1999" and insert "15 October 2001."

Amendment made (cross-community vote): In Standing Order 64(6), lines 2 and 3, delete

and insert

Amendment made (cross-community vote): In Standing Order 64(7), line 5, delete "contain" and insert "include". - [The Chairperson of the Committee on Procedures (Mr C Murphy).]

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