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Big Society Agenda

I thank the right hon. Gentleman for that idea, and the Minister will have heard his remarks. I hope that this Committee and others will consider that request in due course. The economy is important and although one cannot disagree with much of what the Minister said, the point is that this debate is taking place in the context of quite considerable cuts to public services and public spending in Northern Ireland. If we read what representatives of the voluntary and community sectors say, and if we read the debates that the Northern Ireland Assembly and Executive have had about this subject, we understand the difficulty that people are wrestling with. It is really important that we look at this issue in terms of the economic situation. According to a report from Queen’s university, Belfast, the cuts in capital spending amount to 40% and the cuts in real terms in Treasury funding amount to 7.6%. The changes in welfare reform, which will impact on the poorest and most vulnerable members of the community, will amount to £600 million per year by 2014-15. The report estimates that public spending cuts will lead to a loss of 38,000 jobs, half of which will be from the public sector. That is the context within which the big society will take place. That level of cuts, job loss and welfare reform will mean that the voluntary community organisations that the Minister supports will be overwhelmed by people asking for help.