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Ulster Unionist Social Development Spokesperson, Fred Cobain MLA, has welcomed today’s publication by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation of its report ‘Monitoring Poverty and Social Exclusion in Northern Ireland’.

The report reveals the extent to which Northern Ireland compares – unfavourably – with other UK regions in terms of social exclusion indicators.

In a statement, the North Belfast MLA said: “While the report rightly acknowledges Northern Ireland’s place at the top of the UK league table in terms of job creation, it also reveals the extent of disadvantage and social exclusion.

“Northern Ireland has the highest rates of disability and mental ill-health, the highest rates of fuel poverty, stubbornly high rates of school leavers failing to obtain 5 GCSEs and progressing to further or higher education, high numbers of households with no access to a bank account, homelessness figures which have nearly doubled since 2000, and the highest proportion of full-time employees in low-paid jobs.

“All these indicators demonstrate the challenges to be face by a devolved Executive and Assembly if Northern Ireland is to be a fair and just society.”

He added: “Each of the indicators contribute to a cycle of disadvantage in communities across Northern Ireland. They rob our society and economy of the skills, talents, and contributions of too many children, young people and adults. If Northern Ireland is to truly move forward, it must be on the basis of opportunity for all.

“The Joseph Rowntree Foundation is to be congratulated for the challenge it has set before an incoming Assembly and Executive. The Foundation stands in the long and honourable social justice tradition within UK politics.

“A new devolved Administration must - as have the Administrations in Scotland and Wales - also stand within this tradition, and secure social justice for all in Northern Ireland.”

Following his recent comments that devolution of policing and justice is off the table for a “political lifetime”, Ulster Unionist North Belfast MLA Fred Cobain has said that Nigel Dodds would apparently have severe difficulty giving a positive verdict to his own Party’s consultation leaflet on the St Andrews Agreement.

In a statement, Mr Cobain said: “Nigel Dodds has said that there could be no devolution of policing and justice here for a political lifetime. That’s not contained in the St Andrews Agreement.

“There were no mentions of political lifetimes in the St Andrews Agreement. In fact, all that was left for the DUP to discuss was administrative arrangements before the scheduled devolution of policing and justice by May 2008.

“It’s not as though this wasn’t discussed at length – devolution of policing is on the front page of the St Andrews document. It was an issue that needed to be resolved, and the agreement ‘clears the way to restoration’.

“There is still a week left for responses to the DUP’s consultation leaflet. What effect will Nigel Dodds’s comments have on the consultation exercise? Is he angling for a ‘No’ response?

“Ian Paisley says that the changes which the DUP ‘fought for and obtained’ in St Andrews must be made. The alternative, according to the DUP, is no devolution for a number of years. Are the DUP going to stick to their deal, or are they – as the consultation states - ‘going to let Sinn Fein off the hook on law and order’?”

He added: “This is essentially the same deal the DUP signed up to in 2004. When the Comprehensive Agreement was unveiled in December, it contained agreement for modalities on policing and justice to be agreed by February.

“So they’ve done the same deal twice, and it looks as though they’re going to walk away twice.”

Commenting on DSD’s Individual Income Series report, Ulster Unionist DSD Spokesperson Fred Cobain MLA said:

“This DSD study reveals the unacceptable extent of the gender pay gap in Northern Ireland. Decades after the principle of equal pay for men and women was enshrined in legislation, it should not still be the case that, on average, women earn £100 a week less than men.

“Do we want a society in which daughter, sisters, partners, and wives earn less simply because of their gender? If we want Northern Ireland to be a fair and decent society, we must seriously address the gender pay gap.”

UUP DSD Team member Paula Bradshaw added: “The continued scandal of the gender pay gap must be addressed by Government, employers, trade unions and the Equality Commission.

“The reality is that when women get paid less for their work, families are deprived of opportunities, child poverty is often increased and the likelihood of poverty in old age also increases. This should not be the case in a 21st century society which values fairness.”

On the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, Ulster Unionist Party Social Development Spokesperson Fred Cobain has called on the Government and the next Northern Ireland Executive to seriously address child poverty in Northern Ireland.

Northern Ireland has higher levels of child poverty than the rest of the United Kingdom, with 32,000 children living in severe poverty.

In a statement, Mr Cobain said: “The Direct Rule Administration’s shameful record with regards to child poverty blights communities across Northern Ireland. Too many children in our society are - from earliest years - denied the opportunities that should be guaranteed in any decent society for every child.

“Government has now said that it will publish an Anti-Poverty and Social Exclusion Strategy in early November. It is essential that the strategy sets explicit targets for addressing and eradicating child poverty, and provides resources and policies to achieve this.

“The cohesion of our communities, and a future that guarantees opportunity for all our children, requires that the Strategy and a new Northern Ireland Executive provides a road map to a society in which child poverty is a moral scandal belonging to past years.”

UUP North Belfast MLA and Police Board Member Fred Cobain said he was astounded by Gregory Campbell’s assertion today that ‘repentant’ prisoners can join the PSNI.

In a statement Mr Cobain said,

“Our view used to be exactly the same as the DUP, namely that if you had a criminal record you were not allowed to get into the PSNI. End of Story.

I am therefore astounded to hear Mr Campbell’s dramatic turnaround. If you take his views onboard what you will end up with is Provo policemen. People in my constituency of North Belfast will be asking Gregory Campbell: If Sean Kelly, a convicted IRA mass murderer, were to become repentant - whatever that means - he would be allowed to join the police and could eventually end up policing the Shankill Road? Is that the DUPs new position?

Members of DUP on the policing board have said former paramilitary members cannot be members of Community Restorative Justice schemes, whether they are ‘repentant’ or not. It would be very interesting to hear what the same DUP members on the Policing Board have to say about this latest dramatic change of position from Mr Campbell.”

Giving his initial response to today’s CBRJ Protocols, Ulster Unionist Policing Spokesperson Fred Cobain has welcomed the fact that David Hanson has readily admitted previous guidelines “did not get it right”, but warned that the Minister may find reason to repeat that statement after the 12-weeks consultation is concluded.

In a statement, the North Belfast MLA said: “David Hanson has conceded that government got it wrong with their previous guidelines, and stated that he has now published a robust new protocol. He was spot on with the former, but way off with the latter.

“Nonetheless, the Minister’s open and unqualified assessment of critical failings is welcome. Indeed, the Minister seems to have listened to a few of the broad criticisms.

“When the draft restorative justice guidelines were published in December I said that the proposals contained numerous grey areas and loopholes; that it was a loose system which practically invited manipulation. Indeed, Mr Hanson said that the first draft guidelines were not robust enough to command public confidence.

“One of the most fundamental failings was that offences could be reported through a third party – that police could be bypassed. That is completely unacceptable. I am pleased to see that, when reporting offences, there must now be a direct engagement with police.”

He added: “The UUP position has always been that the restorative justice concept is valuable but it must be done right. Policing must be central to the entire process. Today, the Minister has said that “the centrality of the police to the way in which schemes operate is non-negotiable”. That is to be welcomed.

“But at first sight there are elements which still have not been got right. The Protocol does not encompass schemes’ “other activities”. What is meant by the full gamut of ‘other activities’? What guidelines operate in relation to non-criminal cases? Leaving this open to “review in light of operational experience” is anything but robust.

“To deal with cases, “an advisory panel may be formed” involving the PSNI. Will it be formed or not?

“Also, the CBRJ suitability panel will be “comprised of representatives of relevant statutory bodies and will receive information from the police”. This implies that police are not part of this panel.

“Arrangements for determining the suitability of persons working on schemes was one of the major concerns that came out of the previous consultation. Surely ensuring police representation on this panel would resolve that?

“The Ulster Unionist Party will consider more closely the implications of this protocol before making its complete response to the consultation.”

Ulster Unionist Social Development Spokesperson Fred Cobain has welcomed the publication today of the Simon Community’s report which calls for an increase in the construction of affordable and social housing.

In a statement, Mr Cobain said: “The message from the Simon Community is that there must be a ‘joined up’ approach to addressing this issue.

“I agree – because there are ongoing problems in the formation of strategy. Policy options continue to be held up.

“For example, the Promoting Social Inclusion strategy document ‘Addressing the Causes and Effects of Homelessness’ was published on 4 November 2004. Yet the department is still in the process of consulting with various groups and finalising conclusions.

“Consultations are usually 12 weeks long. Yet this one has lasted 21 months. Why the hold up? When exactly will this strategy see the light of day?”

He added: “According to the Simon Community, just 651 of 15,768 new houses built in the year ending March 2005 were social rented housing.

“Yet DSD Housing Statistics reveal that 29,819 households are on Housing Executive waiting lists. And last year 17,362 households presented as homeless to the NIHE.

“Surely this underlines the need to develop affordable housing for low-income families.

“The selling price for NHBC registered homes at the end last year stood at £142,000, and almost a third of homes sold for over £150,000 – which is a 22% increase over the year.

“While the housing market here has clearly benefitted some, spiralling house prices and a lack of affordable and social housing is causing massive problems.

“The government recently looked at co-ownership provision. Whilst welcome, this doesn’t go to the heart of the problem. The Housing Executive and associated social partners do what they can – but what about the Housing Associations? What about the policy makers? What about funding provision?

“The Simon Community’s report is a welcome addition to the debate and must be taken seriously by policy makers.”

Ulster Unionist North Belfast MLA and North and West Belfast Parades Forum Member Fred Cobain said the successful and peaceful Whiterock parade was a victory for both communities.

In a statement Mr Cobain said,

“I want to praise the North and West Belfast Parades Forum. Without their efforts the peaceful and successful scenes on Saturday would not have happened. Whiterock is hopefully a pre-cursor for the rest of the parading season.

It was a victory for both communities.

Saturday proves that with contentious parades, entering into constructive dialogue is the only way forward.”

Responding to Alliance Party comments in today’s News Letter, Ulster Unionist North Belfast assembly member Fred Cobain said:

“The Alliance Party are guilty of outright hypocrisy, and should be careful about adopting a holier-than-thou attitude. That kind of mock indignation is entirely self-serving and quite worthless.

“After all this is the same Party that was instrumental in delivering a Sinn Fein Lord Mayor in June 2002.

“That was the year that police raided Sinn Fein offices in relation to an alleged republican spy ring at the heart of government. This was also the year that the IRA broke off contact with the IICD. This was the year that saw the trial of the Colombia Three and the Castlereagh break-in.

“Yet the Alliance Party still gave its backing to the political wing of the IRA. At the time David Allderdice acknowledged that ‘the IRA have been implicated in murders, have engaged in paramilitary assaults, and continue to exile many of our citizens from home. All of these are the greatest human rights abuses in our society.’

“But after some ‘soul-searching’, Alliance backed Alex Maskey. The Party could see its way past all that to elevate Sinn Fein, but it can’t countenance working with Ulster Unionists?

“Politically, the Alliance Party are wrapped up in the Emperors New Clothes. Dressing up simpering opportunism as a point of principle is embarrassing to watch. The Alliance Party are guilty of naked hypocrisy – nothing more, nothing less.”

North Belfast MLA and UUP Social Development spokesperson Fred Cobain has expressed dismay at a recent report entitled ‘Households Below Average Income, Northern Ireland, 2004-05’ which reveals that half of Northern Ireland’s population have incomes less than £300 per week.

Mr Cobain said:

“This news really comes as no surprise. Ulster Unionists have been campaigning continually in hope that sense prevails and Ministers embark on a programme of long term investments which will start improving the prospects of people of Northern Ireland – including a cohesive anti-poverty strategy.

“It is particularly worrying that the report also identifies that half of children living in NI are in households with incomes in the bottom two quintiles of the income distribution. Child poverty must be tackled from the source – we need further investment in benefits schemes to help lift more families above the breadline, with special emphasis on helping lone mothers find employment.

“The government must make improving outcomes for people living in disadvantaged a priority. In Northern Ireland, 10-year plans have been produced for sewage and transport and a five-year plan was launched for agriculture. The same approach should be adopted to tackle this issue. We are constantly hearing a rash glib of self congratulatory announcements from Ministers who are so out of touch what’s happening on the ground.

“The bottom line is that half a million people here are living below the poverty line and the rising price of utilities is placing unbearable pressure on low-income households who are already struggling. These problems are intensified as government ups domestic regional rates and continues to push water charges. What we require is sustained, long-term investment to help break the cycle of deprivation.”