Hain 'must stop meddling in Assembly business'
Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain was tonight accused of trying to dictate how the North's Assembly conducts its business.
As Assembly members prepared to debate a motion querying the way Stormont was being operated, Ulster Unionist leader Sir Reg Empey insisted MLAs needed to assert their own independence.
“The way the Secretary of State conducted the Hain Mark One Assembly between May and November this year was to stifle debate, and interfere as much as possible,” the East Belfast Assembly member said.
“He vetoed motion after motion properly brought forward by the Business Committee – especially any attempt by us to debate his plans for local government under the review of public administration.
“The first meeting of the Hain Mark Two Transitional Assembly on November 24 also saw the Secretary of State trying to stage-manage events even down to the trivial detail of who would or would not be allowed to speak, even though the Business Committee had already decided.
“How can public confidence be established in the Assembly if it is seen merely as a creature of the NIO with no independence whatsoever even over minor matters?
“How can we establish any credibility that we are capable of taking on responsibility for a huge budget and government departments if we cannot work together here to determine simple matters like debates etc?”
The latest incarnation of the Assembly is designed to pave the way for the restoration of power-sharing next March under British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Taoiseach Bertie Ahern’s plan for devolution.
Earlier this year MLAs accused Mr Hain of treating the Assembly with contempt by failing to call the Assembly to debate motions put forward by the Business Committee.
Tomorrow’s debate is expected to also focus on Mr Hain’s role in the controversy over whether the Rev Ian Paisley fulfilled government requirements on November 24 to indicate he would be First Minister next year.
The November 24 meeting was abandoned during a security alert caused by loyalist Michael Stone.
Following claims Mr Paisley did not fulfil the Government’s requirements in the chamber, the Democratic Unionist leader stated outside Stormont he would seek the nomination of First Minister provided all sides honoured their commitments under the St Andrews power-sharing plan and provided the electorate wanted him in that role.
