Chris Lyttle
East Belfast · Alliance Party · Northern Ireland
“The Department for Communities, councils, the Department for the Economy, further education stakeholders, the Department of Health and the Department of Finance all responded with their perspectives on and experiences of the provision of free period products and with ways in which the Bill's provisions could be coordinated and funded.”
“That is an important start in support of the implementation of the provisions of the Bill. <BR /> <BR />The Education Committee undertook Committee Stage scrutiny of this cross-cutting Bill — I am proud that we did — on behalf of other relevant subject Committees.”
“and fighting our corners in media studios. Perhaps the hosts of some of those programmes see fit to encourage that type of approach, but I am thankful for the level of cooperation between parties on the key issues and hope that that will be the legacy for the next Assembly.”
“Thank you, Deputy Speaker. I welcome the opportunity to move the Final Stage of the Fair Employment (School Teachers) Bill. It will remove the anachronistic exception of teachers from the Fair Employment and Treatment Order (FETO) and ensure that it is no longer possible for any teacher to be discriminated against because of their religio…”
“This opportunity has been made possible by a collective effort from many people, and I put on record my thanks to research officer Connie Egan and constituency officer Nick Mathison for the work that they contributed to the Bill's progress.”
“<BR /> <BR />I thank my Assembly colleagues without whom the Bill would not have progressed to this stage and would not pass. I thank Sinead for the role that she played as Chairperson of the Executive Office Committee and for the time that she made available to me outside of Bill stages and Committee meetings, which, as I said, made the…”
The complete record
Every one of 1,655 lines we hold for Chris Lyttle, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 3 of 34.
“That evidence is consistent with the response to my public consultation on the Bill, which was completed between April and June 2021. It found 94% of respondents to be in favour of removing the exception of teachers from the Fair Employment and Treatment (Northern Ireland) Order. <BR /> <BR />On stakeholder engagement, I have met a number of teaching unions, all of which support the proposal. That includes the NASUWT and the NAHT, which have done so publicly. I met the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools, which sought assurance that a Catholic ethos could be respected and maintained in any repeal of the exception of teachers from the Fair Employment and Treatment Order. I understand that that could be the case.”
“<BR /> <BR />In recent weeks, key stakeholders, such as the Catholic Schools’ Trustee Service and the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools, have confirmed, in oral evidence to the Executive Office Committee, their support for the removal of the exception of teachers from the Fair Employment and Treatment (Northern Ireland) Order 1998, stating clearly that the exception is no longer appropriate or required. The Transferor Representatives' Council, which represents the Church of Ireland, the Presbyterian Church in Ireland and the Methodist Church in Ireland in all matters of education, has confirmed, in written evidence to the Executive Office Committee, that it supports equality of opportunity for teachers in recruitment and is opposed to unfair discrimination on the groups of religious belief.”
“I would be glad to speak about that proposal with Executive Office Committee members after the debate. Indeed, I thank them for the conversations that we have already had. <BR /> <BR />I thank the Executive Office Committee for the proactive approach that it has taken, which might just make passage of the Bill possible. I thank the Executive Office Committee Chairperson, Sinead McLaughlin MLA; the Deputy Chairperson, John Stewart MLA; and all the Committee members and staff for the written and oral evidence that they have already taken on the Fair Employment (School Teachers) Bill, which has further demonstrated the extent of the support for its provisions.”
“I acknowledge that time is now prohibitively short, for reasons beyond my control, but I respectfully suggest that we should do all that we can to pass this short Bill to repeal the anachronistic exclusion of teachers from fair employment protection before the dissolution of this Assembly. <BR /> <BR />It is my understanding that it may be technically possible, for example, for the Executive Office Committee to meet to agree the Committee report on the Bill, complete Committee Stage and provide the Business Committee with the opportunity to schedule Consideration Stage, Further Consideration Stage and Final Stage, and that the Bill could pass before the end of the mandate, particularly if there were no or only minor amendments to it. I believe that that is an approach worth considering.”
“<BR /> <BR />The Fair Employment (School Teachers) Bill will give effect to those long-standing recommendations. It presents the Assembly with the opportunity to remove the exception of teachers from the Fair Employment and Treatment Order. I seek the support and partnership of all parties in the Assembly to grasp the opportunity to give teachers fair employment protection in law.”
“<BR /> <BR />The Equality Commission for Northern Ireland recommended the removal of the exception of teachers from the Fair Employment and Treatment Order for secondary-level teachers in 2004 and early consideration of removing it at primary level, on the grounds that it was no longer acceptable to exclude the entire teaching workforce from fair employment legislation that covered all other occupations. It has also recommended that teachers be included in the monitoring and review requirements. There is an increasingly clear consensus that teachers must be included in the Fair Employment and Treatment (Northern Ireland) Order and be afforded the same legal protection from discrimination when seeking employment as anyone else in our society.”
“<BR /> <BR />Under the Fair Employment and Treatment (Northern Ireland) Order, employers in Northern Ireland with 11 or more employees must register with the Equality Commission and monitor the composition of their workforce, but that does not apply to the teaching workforce. Recent research carried out by the UNESCO Centre at Ulster University suggests that only 2% of teachers in Catholic primary schools are from a Protestant background and that, in primary schools with mainly Protestant pupils, only 7% of teachers are from a Catholic background. That cannot be an acceptable status quo for teachers in Northern Ireland.”
“Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I welcome the opportunity to move the Second Stage of the Fair Employment (School Teachers) Bill. At the outset, I thank my research officer, Connie Egan, the Speaker's Office, Assembly staff and all those at the Northern Ireland Assembly who support the progress of private Members' legislation. <BR /> <BR />The Fair Employment (Northern Ireland) Act outlawed employment discrimination on the grounds of religious belief in Northern Ireland in 1976, yet the Fair Employment and Treatment (Northern Ireland) Order 1998 (FETO) continues to permit discrimination on the grounds of religious belief in the recruitment of teachers to this day. Almost all workers in Northern Ireland can rely on legislation to protect them from discrimination on the grounds of their faith except teachers.”
“They really need to start school at the appropriate age so that they can set off on their educational journey with a sound foundation. We welcome the Bill's Final Stage and the fact that it will be in place as soon as the next school year in order to give those children the opportunity to defer. We look forward to seeing it obtain Royal Assent.”
“<BR /> <BR />I raised the issue as a priority for the Education Committee with the Education Minister at our first-day meeting. I welcome the urgency with which she and her officials undertook the work. It is a credit to the Minister and the Department that they saw an opportunity to deliver the legislation before the end of the mandate and worked closely with the Committee to agree accelerated passage and to make important and useful amendments to allow for a substantive review of the Bill's provisions and include the criterion of prematurity in the Bill. <BR /> <BR />This is a good day. As the Minister said, it is good legislation that will deliver meaningful change and greater flexibility for children in the categories provided for.”
“The campaign for a flexible school starting age has been a long-running one. I welcome today's achievement. The Education Minister's Bill will give parents greater flexibility and the option to defer starting school for their children born in April, May and June and, indeed, prematurely before those months. <BR /> <BR />I recognise the work of TinyLife, early years services and Belfast Mum in leading the campaign for this important legislative provision. As the Education Minister acknowledged, the work of the Education Committee has been so long-running on the issue that it started when she was on it. That is testimony to the persistence that has been shown to getting greater flexibility in the school starting age.”
“I thank the Infrastructure Minister for her update on flood works in East Belfast. The Connswater Community Greenway flood alleviation scheme is a feat of engineering. I am particularly interested in whether there is any further update on the movement of the Sydenham pumping station to the new site at King George V playing fields and, indeed, about whether the budget for completion of those works is in place.”
“The Integrated Education Bill is one modest way in which to achieve that aim.”
“I thank the Member for giving way. Does she agree that it is quite concerning and shocking that the Education Minister and, it seems, the Ulster Unionist Party have difficulty with the establishment of targets, benchmarks and actions for integrated education, given that the Executive action plan titled 'Tackling Paramilitary Activity, Criminality and Organised Crime' from 2016 agrees that parties in the Executive should:”
“<BR /> <BR />I am glad to support the amendments, as I have set out, on behalf of the Alliance Party, and I continue to support the passage of the Integrated Education Bill.”
“<BR /> <BR />As to the constant assertion that "We want to see change", history shows that change does not come easily and that there is often opposition to it. There is often, as I mentioned earlier, that tranquillising drug: "Now is not the time", "You need to slow down", "We are not ready", "Incremental, interim change is best", and "Wait for the next review." <BR /> <BR />I am proud that Kellie Armstrong MLA has undertaken a challenge to bring forward change. As we keep saying, and as Kellie has said, it is a very focused change, and it will enhance the way in which pupil and parental demand for integrated education is identified, assessed and met, further to a number of cross-party, Executive or independent reviews that call for this type of change.”
“I thank the Member for her intervention. It raises a number of points. I am concerned about measuring demand only through applications to existing schools, which, indeed, seems to be the core of our entire area-planning process. <BR /> <BR />In my view, you should consult communities to find out, as the area-planning process suggests, what type and size of school is most appropriate and what the pupil and parental demand is. If we take applications to existing schools to represent choice and demand, it is an inadequate measure to start with. It is often used in relation to support for academic selection as well, whereas it is a required process in order to have the choice of many schools that you engage with. In addition, it is my understanding that there are fewer available places in integrated education schools across Northern Ireland.”
“Considering the length of the list of reports that have called for that change, the answer is a clear yes. As I said, there are times when it takes courage to stand up for change in education, given how sensitive that can be in Northern Ireland, but now is the time for that. I am happy to give way.”
“I will, but I will finish this point. <BR /> <BR />Much reference has been made to the independent review of education, despite the fact that a number of reviews and reports at Executive level have already called for action on integrated education to be taken now. The Presbyterian moderator, for whom I have the utmost respect, asked:”
“That is an important point. I have found myself asking the same question throughout the Bill's stages. We have heard a lot about what people oppose, followed promptly by an emphasis that they do, however, support integrated education, without much detail on how they have done that or how they plan to do it.”
“<BR /> <BR />We oppose amendment No 14, the legal effect of which other Members have respectfully questioned. <BR /> <BR />We oppose amendment No 15, which was also tabled by Robbie Butler. That appears to seek to remove targets and benchmarking for integrated education, both of which are legitimate and have been called for in a number of the strategies that I have mentioned in my contributions today. <BR /> <BR />We will also oppose amendment No 16, tabled by Robbie Butler. I find myself asking why Robbie and the Ulster Unionist Party have gone to such lengths to table so many amendments, when it appears, as other Members have said, that the Ulster Unionist Party is positioning itself to oppose the Bill.”
“In the Alliance Party, we believe that our colleague who sponsors the Bill is taking an important step towards achieving that aim. <BR /> <BR />Education change is sensitive and takes courage. For example, as an integrated school, Lagan College was established under police guard. Such change is sensitive, and we appreciate that. <BR /> <BR />The amendments in group 2 have been tabled in conjunction with other parties. From the Alliance Party's point of view, we support the Bill sponsor's amendments and a number of amendments from other parties, but there are amendments that we will oppose. <BR /> <BR />We oppose amendment No 12, which was tabled by Robbie Butler and would significantly water down the intentions of, and the regulations that result from, the Bill.”
“The Alliance Party supports integrated education, and it supports the Bill, which would enhance the way in which the Department of Education assesses and meets pupil and parental demand for integrated education. <BR /> <BR />There are approximately 60 integrated schools out of a total of over 1,000 schools in Northern Ireland. When it comes to non-integrated schools in Northern Ireland, in 83 out of approximately 996 such schools at least 10% of the pupils come from a minority community. Those schools have legitimate aims to welcome and include all communities, but it is clear that significantly more work needs to be done to bring our children and young people together to learn in the classroom, which is the aim.”
“As the Alliance education spokesperson, I have worked with and on behalf of every type of school and school sector in Northern Ireland on a range of different issues, securing a range of different outcomes. That includes in education other than at school (EOTAS) settings, and my party will continue to work with and on behalf of every type of school and school sector in Northern Ireland. The Good Friday Agreement, the paramilitary crime task force (PCTF), the independent review of integrated education and the New Decade, New Approach agreement all consistently task the Executive with advancing integrated education.”
“I thank the Member for giving way. I just want to place this on the record in relation to this group of amendments, because some Members sought to raise doubt over particular bodies' responses to the Bill: a cursory glance online will find the stated belief of the Council for Integrated Education that the Integrated Education Bill will help to assess and meet pupil and parental demand and contribute to building a shared society.”
“Will the Member give way briefly before she finishes?”
“I will finish the point. <BR /> <BR />The extent to which some Members have had to emphasise their support for integrated education today really rings alarm bells as to the sincerity of that protestation. I will certainly support the Bill and the group 1 amendments.”
“I thank the Member for her intervention. That has been well established at each stage of the Bill's progress by Members who have been engaging with the text and the facts of the Bill rather than making claims of discrimination and lack of equity without going into any detail on what the Bill actually includes. In what way does it discriminate against the controlled sector, which includes a number of integrated schools, and the maintained sector?”
“They are tidying amendments that ensure that the changes discussed with the Department and the OLC have been completed and are appropriate consequential amendments that would have, under normal parliamentary convention, been tabled by the Education Minister. <BR /> <BR />The extent of the skulduggery, misrepresentation and, indeed, opposition to the Bill is genuinely saddening. The DUP has been consistent in its opposition to the Integrated Education Bill, although the Ulster Unionist Party voting against support for integrated education today is something of a surprise. As has been set out on a number of occasions, the Bill is to enhance the extent to which the Department of Education identifies, assesses and meets pupil and parental demand for integrated education.”
“It is my understanding that the Education Department was working with the Bill sponsor, which begs this question: what changed? Why did the Education Minister decide to break parliamentary convention, and is that a serious lack of good faith on her part? I am aware that the Executive had asked the Education Minister to work with the Bill sponsor, and, as I say, it is extremely disappointing that the Minister appears to have ignored that agreement. <BR /> <BR />The group 1 amendments appear to be largely technical amendments that, as set out by the Bill sponsor, were discussed and agreed in principle with the Education Department and the OLC.”
“Alliance supports integrated education and an education system that delivers equal opportunity for all children to realise their unique talent and ability in a united community for all. We support the Integrated Education Bill and, indeed, the promotion of educating people together. <BR /> <BR />I will support all the group 1 amendments. It is extremely disappointing that the Education Minister has broken parliamentary convention in relation to the Integrated Education Bill by not tabling amendments drafted by the Office of the Legislative Counsel. Assembly Members were, for example, provided with an email from the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs detailing the technical amendments needed to his Climate Change (No. 2) Bill.”
“On a point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker. That is the second time that you have intervened substantially on an intervention on a matter of fact from me, whilst other speeches are meandering to and fro across the principles of the Bill.”
“I thank the Member for giving way. Will the Member confirm that the Education Committee, in its five-month Committee Stage consultation, met directly with the Transferor Representatives’ Council, which included representation from the Presbyterian Church, and the Controlled Schools' Support Council, the representative body for controlled schools?”
“The Member has attached great emphasis to the amendments placing the integrated education sector above other sectors, which is very strong language and has clearly struck a chord publicly. Will the Member detail in what way he assesses that specifically to be the case? To what extent does it place the sector above other sectors?”
“In opposing the word "support", does the Member not support integrated education?”
“I thank the Member for giving way. Given the extent of the amendments that the Ulster Unionist Party will be opposing, does he accept that that may, in effect, equate to its opposing the Bill?”
“What modelling has the Education Minister done to assess the impact that the lifting of COVID restrictions will have on school pupil and staff attendance and, therefore, availability for learning and assessment?”
“The Education Committee has had regular and informative briefings on monitoring rounds. The SSEs memorandum certainly cannot be said to represent any granularity in respect of the Estimates. <BR /> <BR />In order to address the multi-million-pound budget pressures, significant reform will be required. The Committee does not underestimate the task of the independent review of education in somehow rationalising a system that has been in crisis for far too long, but it will need to meet that challenge urgently.”
“<BR /> <BR />Moving forward, the balance between school autonomy and the Department of Education's value-for-money oversight will be crucial. If we also consider other inescapable costs associated with teachers' pay, it is clear that the very substantial extra sums that are needed in Education will be challenging. <BR /> <BR />Although aware of the system's over-reliance on in-year allocations, the Education Committee has worked hard to monitor those processes, and it greeted news of a three-year Budget with great relief that financial planning might finally be less short term and more transparent for schools. As mentioned previously, it is unconscionable that the opportunity for multi-year budgets for schools has been jeopardised by the resignation of the First Minister.”
“<BR /> <BR />Another portion of the resource demand comes from school deficits. Stakeholders raised concerns about the inadequacies of the present funding environment that have resulted in many schools being unable to operate effectively, with many operating in deficit. <BR /> <BR />As mentioned previously, the Public Accounts Committee report, 'Closing the Gap', points to a need for the Education Department to complete its review of free school meals and exercise more control on the funds provided for targeting social need. Despite providing £913 million of targeting social need funding since 2005, the Education Department does not appear to have data that clearly demonstrates that that funding is improving the performance of pupils in receipt of free school meals.”
“I thank the Member for his intervention. Yes, the Public Accounts Committee report demonstrated a clear need for a more efficient and targeted approach to special educational needs. <BR /> <BR />The Education Committee also heard that over £2 million is being invested in ventilation works, the provision of CO2 monitors, window replacements and air filtration units. That is welcome, but there is little detail on the implementation of that expenditure. The Education Committee engaged significantly with the Department of Education and the Education Authority to encourage them to implement that work urgently, to promote it and to stimulate uptake to enhance COVID safety. The Committee will also hear shortly from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors on what constitutes a best practice approach to that matter.”
“That has led to an increase in costs, with the Education Authority's special educational needs expenditure up by about 52% since 2015-16. In mainstream schools, the demand for special educational needs support for non-statemented and statemented pupils has increased by similar percentages during the same time. The Education Committee holds special educational needs as a particular priority, and it will hear from the Education Authority shortly to assess progress on special educational needs support.”
“Department of Education officials also stated that, without additional and adequate funding, it would be extremely difficult, if not impossible, for the Education Department to take actions on the Northern Ireland COVID recovery plan; the implementation of the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act (Northern Ireland) 2016; the continued implementation of the 'A Fair Start' action plan arising from the expert panel on educational underachievement; future teachers' pay settlements; and any recommendations from the independent review of education. I also note the ongoing absence of a childcare strategy and budget. <BR /> <BR />Special schools have seen pupil numbers increase by a staggering 20% in about five years.”
“<BR /> <BR />While the Education Department welcomed the additional funding allocations in the draft Budget, it indicated to the Education Committee that the proposed additional funding allocation was wholly insufficient to address the significant pressures that face the education sector. When departmental officials briefed the Committee, they emphasised that the sector faced significant financial pressure and rising service demands associated with delivering statutory and policy obligations and that, without substantial additional funding, the budget position would continue to be extremely challenging.”
“I welcome the opportunity to speak to the spring Supplementary Estimates and Supply resolution as Chairperson of the Education Committee. <BR /> <BR />At January monitoring, the Department of Education bid for £20·9 million of pressures to the Department of Finance. That consisted of £18·3 million for special educational need pressures arising from special educational needs in mainstream schools, special schools, pupil support and special educational needs in transport pressures, and £2·4 million for the voluntary exit scheme costs. In addition to that, the Department of Education required funding of £22·5 million for COVID-19-related pressures at January monitoring.”
“I welcome the tabling of the amendments by the Minister and commend the parents who have worked long and persistently to bring the issue to the fore. I have worked with and supported the campaign for years. I have asked the Minister to progress the Bill since her first days in office and am grateful for the work that she has done in that regard. It seems that we did have time to achieve this outcome before the end of the mandate and, indeed, the end of my time in this role.”
“<BR /> <BR />I welcome the Minister's liaison with the Deputy Chair and me on the text of the definitional amendments that have been tabled at Further Consideration Stage. I am reassured by the proposed inclusion of prematurity via the amendments in defining the category of pupils referred to as "deferred cases". That appearing in the Bill now, hopefully as it passes, lifts a burden from the shoulders of many parents. It also precludes children missing out on the provisions of the legislation prior to the review process. That may affect a small number of families, but it will make a significant difference to the lives of the children who will now have the provision. <BR /> <BR />This important Bill shows that, with resolve, goodwill and precision, it is possible to make good law quickly.”
“<BR /> <BR />Stakeholders told the Committee that children born prematurely and/or experiencing developmental delay should be included in the new deferral arrangements and that two years' funded preschool should be provided in cases where children began school too early and their parents discovered belatedly the need for them to defer. I understand that that is a provision that will form part of the consideration of the review mechanism that is in the Bill. The Education Committee relayed the views of stakeholders to the Minister and looks forward to the review and report on the operation of the Bill in due course. The Committee asked the Minister to add the review mechanism so that these matters may be addressed in further legislation, if necessary, in the next mandate.”
“One of the most concerning findings in the RaISe paper suggested that the youngest in the year group tended to be less mature cognitively, socially and emotionally than older classmates and that, as a result, the youngest pupils were up to 1·5 times more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD and 1·3 times more likely to be diagnosed with depression. <BR /> <BR />The Committee welcomed views from TinyLife, Early Years and parents at an informal meeting on 14 December 2021 on the Department's proposals to allow flexibility in school starting age. Whilst the group as a whole was supportive of the approach and the enactment of legislation in this mandate, concerns were outlined about the impact of the proposals, particularly on children born prematurely. The amendment is welcome in that regard.”
“It requested and now welcomes the amendment at Further Consideration Stage to include premature children in the Bill. <BR /> <BR />The Assembly Research and Information Service (RaISe) detailed extensively the potential gap in attainment between summer-born and other children. The youngest in class across Northern Ireland have been over-represented in referrals to the educational psychology service, and primary-school teachers have been more likely to identify behavioural problems in children with May and June birthdays. Subsequently, that group's attainment in literacy has been poorer than average.”