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Big Society Agenda

May I start, Dr McCrea, by saying how pleased I am to be serving under your chairmanship? I also want to put on record my appreciation of the Minister’s kind remarks at the beginning of this debate. If it is in order, Dr McCrea, I would also like to put on record my thanks to many Members in this Committee who have wished me well and given me the benefit of their experience and advice. I am very appreciative of that. I also ask the Minister to pass on the best wishes of the Committee to the Secretary of State, who unfortunately has had an accident and is therefore unable to be with us today. My understanding is that he will be back with us tomorrow, so I hope that he has not had too bad an accident. I am glad that the Northern Ireland Grand Committee is meeting because this important Committee helps to hold the Minister and others to account, as is evident from the number of questions put to the Minister. It is unfortunate that the topic for this Grand Committee was changed. Of course important issues will be discussed today, but a debate on the economy is long overdue. I say to the Minister, through you, Dr McCrea, that I hope that this Committee can have an urgent debate on the budget of Northern Ireland, and the Treasury paper on rebalancing the economy of Northern Ireland. The Committee should debate that as a matter of urgency, and I ask the Minister to consider that request when the Government decide their future business.