1-9 of 9 results for subject:"Devolved matters"
Librarians' tools
- Search time
- 0.211 seconds
- Solr query time
- 0.004 seconds
- Search query
- subject:"Devolved matters"
- We searched for
- subject_t:"Devolved matters" OR subject_ses:90892
Answering member
X
David Cairns
Type
House
Session
Year
Department
Member
Primary member
Answering member
More
Cairns, David (9)
Legislative stage
Legislation
Subject
Publisher
Yes.
Yes.
Answered by
David Cairns
(Labour)
Asked by
Alasdair McDonnell
(Social Democratic & Labour Party)
Answering body
Northern Ireland Grand Committee
Type
Oral answers to questions
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether a restored Assembly will have the power to amend Government plans to introduce water charges in Northern Ireland.
Subjects
Devolved matters; Northern Ireland; Northern Ireland Assembly; Water charges
Date
27 February 2007
Reference
NIGC c7
Chamber / Committee
House of Commons Grand Committees
House
House of Commons
Exactly how is it dangerous to charge domestic customers in Northern Ireland for water in the same way that my constituents pay it and people in north Wales, in Liverpool, and in the hon. Gentleman’s constituency pay it? That is an absolutely ludicrous overstatement. Domestic households in Scotland pay council tax and water bills of £1,253, in England and Wales they pay council tax and water bills of £1,337 and in Northern Ireland they pay £668 in rates—half of what my constituents pay. That results in the water quality in Northern Ireland being the poorest in the UK. I have an ambition that the water quality in Northern Ireland should be the best in the UK, but that would require not only the investment that we are already putting in—£1 million a day and £1 billion over this financial period—but sustained investment over the next decade. There will not be sustained investment unless domestic customers in Northern Ireland pay their fair share on exactly the same basis as domestic customers in England, Scotland and Wales. That is not a dangerous proposal; it is a proposal that will ensure sustained investment in water and sewerage in Northern Ireland.
Exactly how is it dangerous to charge domestic customers in Northern Ireland for water in the same way that my constituents pay it and people in north Wales, in Liverpool, and in the hon. Gentleman’s constituency pay it? That is an absolutely ludicrous overstatement. Domestic households in Scotland pay council tax and water bills of £1,253, in England and Wales they pay council tax and water bills of £1,337 and in Northern Ireland they pay £668 in rates—half of what my constituents pay. That results in the water quality in Northern Ireland being the poorest in the UK. I have an ambition that the water quality in Northern Ireland should be the best in the UK, but that would require not only the investment that we are already putting in—£1 million a day and £1 billion over this financial period—but sustained investment over the next decade. There will not be sustained investment unless domestic customers in Northern Ireland pay their fair share on exactly the same basis as domestic customers in England, Scotland and Wales. That is not a dangerous proposal; it is a proposal that will ensure sustained investment in water and sewerage in Northern Ireland.
Answered by
David Cairns
(Labour)
Asked by
Lembit Opik
(Liberal Democrat)
Answering body
Northern Ireland Grand Committee
Type
Oral answers to questions
I welcome you to the Chair, Dr. McCrea, and I am sure that we will have a great meeting. I am concerned about the Minister’s response. How exactly is the Northern Ireland Assembly meant to undo the decisions made here, given the financial consequences and complications that go with doing so? The Minister knows very well that the parties in Northern Ireland are united against this proposal yet he claims that his party takes account of local interest and wants to devolve decision-making. Is it not the Government’s responsibility to withdraw from this dangerous and unpopular proposal rather than leave it to the Assembly to undo the mess?
Subjects
Devolved matters; Northern Ireland; Northern Ireland Assembly; Water charges
Date
27 February 2007
Reference
NIGC c7-8
Chamber / Committee
House of Commons Grand Committees
House
House of Commons
Let us unpick some of those issues. The hon. Gentleman asserts that water charges are paid through rates; they are not, as that link was broken in 1999. It could be restored, but that would mean a big increase in rates. He correctly asserts that many of the services that are provided in Northern Ireland are provided by central Government, yet in Scotland those services are paid for through council tax. Where do central Government get their money? They get it from the general taxpayer. The general taxpayer is subsidising public expenditure in Northern Ireland to a far greater extent than is happening in Scotland, Wales or, indeed, large parts of the north and north-west of England.
The hon. Gentleman is proposing that our constituents should pay higher taxes so that individuals in Northern Ireland do not have to pay higher domestic rates, or pay their domestic water charges. I understand that those are unpopular charges, and I do not expect to have statues of me erected, or bunting put up; but the decision that is being taken on domestic charging will ensure that Northern Ireland has sustained investment in its water and sewerage service, which will bring domestic water up to the standard elsewhere in the United Kingdom and will deal with the higher than average instances of pollution in rivers and on beaches. In the long term, it is the right decision for Northern Ireland. I understand its short-term unpopularity, but sometimes the job of Government is to take unpopular decisions for the good of us all, in the long term.
Let us unpick some of those issues. The hon. Gentleman asserts that water charges are paid through rates; they are not, as that link was broken in 1999. It could be restored, but that would mean a big increase in rates. He correctly asserts that many of the services that are provided in Northern Ireland are provided by central Government, yet in Scotland those services are paid for through council tax. Where do central Government get their money? They get it from the general taxpayer. The general taxpayer is subsidising public expenditure in Northern Ireland to a far greater extent than is happening in Scotland, Wales or, indeed, large parts of the north and north-west of England.
The hon. Gentleman is proposing that our constituents should pay higher taxes so that individuals in Northern Ireland do not have to pay higher domestic rates, or pay their domestic water charges. I understand that those are unpopular charges, and I do not expect to have statues of me erected, or bunting put up; but the decision that is being taken on domestic charging will ensure that Northern Ireland has sustained investment in its water and sewerage service, which will bring domestic water up to the standard elsewhere in the United Kingdom and will deal with the higher than average instances of pollution in rivers and on beaches. In the long term, it is the right decision for Northern Ireland. I understand its short-term unpopularity, but sometimes the job of Government is to take unpopular decisions for the good of us all, in the long term.
Answered by
David Cairns
(Labour)
Asked by
Sammy Wilson
(Democratic Unionist Party)
Answering body
Northern Ireland Grand Committee
Type
Oral answers to questions
Does the Minister accept that he is being disingenuous with the figures that he has given? First, the comparison between his and our constituents is not correct because the same services are not covered in those bills. Secondly, the people of Northern Ireland have already been paying for their water through regional rates so with the water charge they would be charged not simply once but twice for the same service. The charge has been designed, of course, to ensure that the infrastructure that was not maintained during direct rule will be paid for again.
Subjects
Devolved matters; Northern Ireland; Northern Ireland Assembly; Water charges
Date
27 February 2007
Reference
NIGC c8-9
Chamber / Committee
House of Commons Grand Committees
House
House of Commons
I think that my hon. Friend’s point is that it could be detrimental to them, which is why we are not moving to compulsory metering. In the first instance, we are considering offering meters to those who would probably benefit most—such as pensioner households. We shall have to consider the next phase of extension of metering very carefully. We have said that under direct rule we shall revisit the issue with a full review in two years. We would have to look carefully at the impact of metering on the large families in question. However, there is a conservation message too, and if people could clearly see how much water they were using, there might be more of an impetus to conserve it. Nevertheless, we have not made any decisions about where to go next with metering, beyond saying that we shall review it in two years.
I think that my hon. Friend’s point is that it could be detrimental to them, which is why we are not moving to compulsory metering. In the first instance, we are considering offering meters to those who would probably benefit most—such as pensioner households. We shall have to consider the next phase of extension of metering very carefully. We have said that under direct rule we shall revisit the issue with a full review in two years. We would have to look carefully at the impact of metering on the large families in question. However, there is a conservation message too, and if people could clearly see how much water they were using, there might be more of an impetus to conserve it. Nevertheless, we have not made any decisions about where to go next with metering, beyond saying that we shall review it in two years.
Answered by
David Cairns
(Labour)
Asked by
Chris Ruane
(Labour)
Answering body
Northern Ireland Grand Committee
Type
Oral answers to questions
What assessment has the Minister made of the effect of water metering on large families in deprived areas?
Subjects
Devolved matters; Northern Ireland; Northern Ireland Assembly; Water charges
Date
27 February 2007
Reference
NIGC c10
Chamber / Committee
House of Commons Grand Committees
House
House of Commons
Yes means yes. These decisions were being forwarded by the Assembly when it was meeting last time round. Indeed, the Executive specifically put in their consultation document the option of funding water through a household charge very similar to the one that we are implementing, so the Executive were actively pursuing that course last time round and they will have full competence to pursue that on 26 March and thereafter. If they decided not to proceed with domestic water charges, the Executive would have to plug a hole in the budget of about £85 million to £90 million. When local parties speak to the electorate during the election, they must be entirely honest and say that income from domestic water charges has been included in the budget and if those charges did not go ahead there would be a big gap in the budget for next year, which the local Assembly would have to find.
Yes means yes. These decisions were being forwarded by the Assembly when it was meeting last time round. Indeed, the Executive specifically put in their consultation document the option of funding water through a household charge very similar to the one that we are implementing, so the Executive were actively pursuing that course last time round and they will have full competence to pursue that on 26 March and thereafter. If they decided not to proceed with domestic water charges, the Executive would have to plug a hole in the budget of about £85 million to £90 million. When local parties speak to the electorate during the election, they must be entirely honest and say that income from domestic water charges has been included in the budget and if those charges did not go ahead there would be a big gap in the budget for next year, which the local Assembly would have to find.
Answered by
David Cairns
(Labour)
Asked by
Alasdair McDonnell
(Social Democratic & Labour Party)
Answering body
Northern Ireland Grand Committee
Type
Oral answers to questions
I thank the Minister very much for his succinct answer, but can he explain to us what yes means? Does it mean that if the Assembly is restored on 26 March, it will have that power? What happens if it is not restored until 1 April or 10 April? At what point will the yes become a no?
Subjects
Devolved matters; Northern Ireland; Northern Ireland Assembly; Water charges
Date
27 February 2007
Reference
NIGC c7
Chamber / Committee
House of Commons Grand Committees
House
House of Commons
The hon. Lady makes an extremely important point. Of course, as part of the overall investment in and reform of water and sewerage services—it is not just about domestic bills, but is a much broader agenda—we are bringing in a regulator so that there will be full scrutiny, and removing Crown immunity from the water service, which means that it will have to comply with the full panoply of environmental regulations. We are also metering much more widely than is possible in Great Britain. The hon. Lady is right to say that new build houses will be required to have meters, and that pensioners will be entitled to a meter should they request one. The evidence from the early days of the helpline that people can telephone when we send out indicative bills is that a large number of people have requested a meter. The hon. Lady points at herself, but I refuse to believe that she falls into the category of a pensioner.
Under direct rule we shall review the issues within two years. It is of course possible that as part of taking over responsibility for the matter, as it surely will on 26 March, the Assembly could revisit water charges and decide to introduce universal metering or make it more available to other people. There is a cost implication to that, but that is part of what ““yes”” means: there are lots of elements in the package that the Assembly could amend, if it chose to do so.
The hon. Lady makes an extremely important point. Of course, as part of the overall investment in and reform of water and sewerage services—it is not just about domestic bills, but is a much broader agenda—we are bringing in a regulator so that there will be full scrutiny, and removing Crown immunity from the water service, which means that it will have to comply with the full panoply of environmental regulations. We are also metering much more widely than is possible in Great Britain. The hon. Lady is right to say that new build houses will be required to have meters, and that pensioners will be entitled to a meter should they request one. The evidence from the early days of the helpline that people can telephone when we send out indicative bills is that a large number of people have requested a meter. The hon. Lady points at herself, but I refuse to believe that she falls into the category of a pensioner.
Under direct rule we shall review the issues within two years. It is of course possible that as part of taking over responsibility for the matter, as it surely will on 26 March, the Assembly could revisit water charges and decide to introduce universal metering or make it more available to other people. There is a cost implication to that, but that is part of what ““yes”” means: there are lots of elements in the package that the Assembly could amend, if it chose to do so.
Answered by
David Cairns
(Labour)
Asked by
Lady Hermon
(Ulster Unionist Party)
Answering body
Northern Ireland Grand Committee
Type
Oral answers to questions
We all know how unpopular the introduction of a water charge based on the capital valuation of property has been. There is no incentive to conserve water, and the charge will not be based on a person’s water usage. Will the Minister explain what progress has been made on metering and on equipping new houses, and those of pensioners in particular, with meters?
Subjects
Devolved matters; Northern Ireland; Northern Ireland Assembly; Water charges
Date
27 February 2007
Reference
NIGC c9-10
Chamber / Committee
House of Commons Grand Committees
House
House of Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether a restored Assembly will have the power to amend Government plans to introduce water charges in Northern Ireland.
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether a restored Assembly will have the power to amend Government plans to introduce water charges in Northern Ireland.
Asked by
Alasdair McDonnell
(Social Democratic & Labour Party)
Answered by
David Cairns
(Labour)
Answering body
Northern Ireland Grand Committee
Oral questions - Lead
Status
Answered
Answered on
27 February 2007
Yes.
Subjects
Devolved matters; Northern Ireland; Northern Ireland Assembly; Water charges
Date
27 February 2007
Reference
NIGC c7; 122577
Chamber / Committee
House of Commons Grand Committees
House
House of Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether the valuation of domestic property in Scotland for taxation purposes is an (a) devolved and (b) reserved matter.
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether the valuation of domestic property in Scotland for taxation purposes is an (a) devolved and (b) reserved matter.
Asked by
Caroline Spelman
(Conservative)
Answered by
David Cairns
(Labour)
Answering body
Scotland Office
Type
Written questions
Status
Answered
Tabled on
19 December 2005
For answer on
9 January 2006
Answered on
31 January 2006
This matter is devolved.
Subjects
Devolved matters; Housing; Property; Scotland; Valuation; Taxation
Date
31 January 2006
Reference
39502; 442 c361W;442 c361W
House
House of Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what devolution issues the Advocate-General has considered since 15 November.
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what devolution issues the Advocate-General has considered since 15 November.
Asked by
Baroness McIntosh of Pickering
(Conservative)
Answered by
David Cairns
(Labour)
Answering body
Scotland Office
Type
Written questions
Status
Answered
Tabled on
7 December 2005
For answer on
12 December 2005
Answered on
14 December 2005
Since 15 November, 62 devolution issues have been intimated to the Advocate-General for Scotland.
Subjects
Devolved matters; Advocate General for Scotland
Date
14 December 2005
Reference
36695; 440 c2048W
House
House of Commons