Hain treating assembly as "puppet show", say unionists

Northern Secretary Secretary Peter Hain was today accused of treating the recalled Stormont Assembly as his own personal puppet show.

The minister faced a barrage of criticism from unionist Assembly members as they prepared to debate a motion on the phasing-out of industrial de-rating which at one stage looked like it would never be held.

Ulster Unionist leader Sir Reg Empey, UK Unionist leader Robert McCartney and Democratic Unionist leader the Rev Ian Paisley all rounded on Mr Hain for initially declaring last week that there would be no Assembly business, only to change his mind within hours following widespread criticism from the Stormont parties.

Mr McCartney asked Assembly Speaker Eileen Bell if it was the case that Mr Hain could refer business to the body as he decided and could change at will its rules.

“Does that in composite not make this Assembly nothing more than a puppet show?” the North Down Assembly member asked.

Sir Reg also protested over Mr Hain’s attitude to the Assembly and asked if the Speaker could request that the Business Committee at Stormont decide what is debated.

“Can I ask you is it possible for you to prevail upon the Secretary of State to allow you at the Business Committee to decide what business this place conducts and when, because if we are in the business of restoring an Assembly and a government with a budget of £11bn (€16bn) and all that goes with it and we cannot even get a date and time for a debate agreed, then we cannot prepare our speakers?” he said.

Mrs Bell explained that, under the Northern Ireland Act, Mr Hain had the power to refer whatever business he saw fit to be debated in the Assembly on the recommendation of the Business Committee.

She said there were three options open to the UUP leader.

He could take the matter up directly with Mr Hain, get his party’s representative on the Assembly Business Committee to propose that the committee makes a suitable recommendation to Mr Hain, or, thirdly, could table a motion for a debate on the issue urging the Northern Ireland Secretary to refer the power to decide when debates should take place and on what issues to MLAs.

She added: “Although such a motion would have to negotiate the very processes the member would like to change, ultimately the decision will be the Secretary of State’s to make.”

Later, as the debate on industrial de-rating got under way, Mr Paisley said he was amazed that Mr Hain had decided last week without consulting parties that the Assembly would not meet.

“This Assembly is the Assembly of people elected by the democratic vote of the people of this province,” the North Antrim MP said.

“They speak for the people of this province. Why should this Assembly suddenly be turned off because the Secretary of State has other views that he wants to impose on members of this Assembly?”

Cross-community Alliance Party Assembly member Sean Neeson also attacked Mr Hain’s handling of Assembly business.

During today’s debate on industrial rates bills, the East Antrim MLA said he was appalled by how this week’s business was handled.

“I agree with Sir Reg and Dr Paisley about the timing of this debate,” he told the Assembly.

“I learned about it at 5pm yesterday and I find it a totally unsatisfactory way to run any political institution.

“I hope the Secretary of State takes note of the remarks made here today.”

As Assembly members debated inside the chamber, the recently formed Preparation for Government Committee continued to search for a solution to its row over the election of someone to chair its proceedings.

The committee failed on Monday to agree a suitable way of chairing the committee.

But sources remained hopeful that there could be a resolution.

One said: “It is possible that the resolution may lie in the Speaker and Deputy Speaker’s chairing the meetings.”