Caoimhe Archibald
East Londonderry · Sinn Féin · Northern Ireland
“Taken together, that points to a scheme that is operating effectively in its early stages, while, of course, remaining under review as further evidence becomes available. <BR /> <BR />I therefore commend to the Assembly the Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay (Employment and Earnings) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2026.”
“I seek the Assembly's approval for the Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay (Employment and Earnings) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2026. The statutory rule was made on 1 April and came into operation on 6 April. It is before the Assembly today under the confirmatory procedure.”
“The 2026 regulatory impact assessment estimates one-off employer familiarisation costs of up to £1·36 million, with wider HMRC implementation costs forecast at £1·5 million and annual systems maintenance costs of around £10,000. It may assist Members to note that early implementation has gone smoothly.”
“The amendment ensures the continued operation of those regulations and forms part of a wider package of legislative measures establishing statutory parental bereavement pay as an entitlement for bereaved parents.”
“The regulations before the Assembly today are a key part of that implementation and ensure the continued operation of the statutory parental bereavement pay framework. The policy objective is clear: to support bereaved working parents at a time of profound loss and provide a minimum standard of protection in law.”
“<BR /> <BR />The confirmatory procedure means that the regulations before the House today have come into operation before the Assembly debate has taken place and must then be approved by the Assembly within the relevant statutory period. In this case, the deadline for approval is 20 September 2026.”
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“Kate Nicholl asked what specifically it is looking at: it is looking to put a value on the night-time economy and to get an idea of the importance that it plays for our economy overall. It is anticipated that that research will be completed by May. Belfast will be a key focus of it, along with Derry and, for my Fermanagh and South Tyrone colleagues in the Chamber, Enniskillen. <BR /> <BR />Given the need for multiple Departments and agencies to work together, many cities throughout Europe have appointed a night tsar. I was pleased to meet Belfast's own night tsar, Michael Stewart, just before the debate. Michael is in the Gallery. I thank him for taking the time to brief me on his work, his priorities and the purple flag accreditation process.”
“We continue to lobby the British Government not just on National Insurance but on VAT, where, again, there will be a widening differential, on air passenger duty and on the ETA scheme. <BR /> <BR />The Department of Finance has commissioned research on the cost of doing business, and that will strengthen the evidence base for our negotiations with London in advance of the spending review. To respond to Mr O'Toole's point, the Ulster University Economic Policy Centre will engage with various business organisations, and there will be opportunities for specific issues to be raised and considered as part of that research. <BR /> <BR />My Department has also commissioned research, in collaboration with Tourism NI and the three Belfast business improvement districts, on the policy levers that impact on our night-time economy.”
“The tourism action plan, which was launched in January, provides a road map for the growth of tourism over the next 10 years and aims to increase its value to £2 billion per annum. It covers areas such as marketing, skills, business, tourism, accommodation, sporting events and connectivity. <BR /> <BR />The policies of the British Government, however, pose a threat to our plans to grow the tourism and hospitality sectors. The electronic travel authorisation (ETA) scheme represents a bureaucratic and cost barrier to international tourists, two thirds of whom come north from Dublin. Increased employers' National Insurance contributions have already been mentioned. Those will further add to the cost of doing business and widen differences between North and South.”
“Doing so would create more job opportunities, particularly for young people. It is estimated that around one third of 16- to 24-year-olds in employment work in the night-time economy, which is more than any other age group. <BR /> <BR />Although the motion is limited to Belfast, this is an opportunity for the whole of the North. Indeed, evidence suggests that night-time work often makes up a higher proportion of employment in rural areas than it does in urban ones. <BR /> <BR />A thriving night-time economy requires a contribution from various Departments. We need good transport links, clean and safe streets, housing in city and town centres and appropriate licensing laws. For my Department, it is critical to attracting tourists and ensuring a vibrant hospitality sector.”
“, and thank you for that welcome. <BR /> <BR />I thank the Member who secured the debate on what is an important issue. As one who lived in Belfast for over a decade and who, like Deborah Erskine, still enjoys a night out in it, I must say that it is a great city in which to go out. It is important that I put that on the record. There is so much to offer: restaurants, bars, music venues and other spaces. There are clearly challenges as well, however. <BR /> <BR />In 2022, there were 165,000 night-time workers in the North, accounting for around 20% of the workforce, which is a lower proportion than in Britain, where it is at 27%. Between 2019 and 2020, the number of night-time workers declined by almost one third, so there is undoubtedly space to grow our night-time economy.”
“Go raibh maith agat, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle.”
“However, people need to be reassured about the work that is going on and the time frames for reconnections. Clearly, there is a need to step up that communication.”
“I thank the Member for his good wishes. I do not agree with his comments about the Department. <BR /> <BR />What I said was that the Department had limited levers with a number of telecommunication companies. They are private companies regulated by Ofcom, and telecommunications is a reserved matter. Fibrus is the company that we have a relationship with, and there has been engagement with it. I am happy to relay the comments that are being made today, and I am sure that they will be taken on board. <BR /> <BR />We need to see reconnections happening as quickly as possible and, as some Members have said, an improvement in contact with customers. I am sure that the company would tell us that that was, perhaps, lacking because the efforts were going into the reconnection effort.”
“I thank the Member for his good wishes. <BR /> <BR />As I have indicated, if you remain without connection, that is a huge inconvenience. That date for restoration seems to be quite a long way away. Clearly, there will be reasons for the time frame that is being projected. I do not know all of the reasons for that, but all efforts should be put into expediting those reconnections for all properties. As I mentioned in response to some other Members, there may be health and safety reasons why some things will take longer, but, whatever the reasons, we need to address them and ensure that everybody is reconnected as quickly as possible.”
“I thank the Member and all Members for their good wishes. As she will appreciate, we are still in the response phase of the aftermath of the storm. As I said, we will look at the lessons learned, and I will be happy to consider whether there is any potential for taking a wider look at the economy.”
“It will be a matter for Fibrus to set out what compensation payments it will put in place and what the criteria for those will be.”
“We have sought that information from the telecommunications companies. We did that last week, and we will re-engage to look for some of the information because it has not yet been forthcoming. We have information from Fibrus, where we have a relationship. My understanding is that 6,000 premises on the Fibrus network are currently without connection. Those are mainly in Fermanagh and South Tyrone and Mid Ulster. The figure has reduced from 40,000 premises at its peak, so it is clear that good work has been done in that regard. Obviously, it is a huge inconvenience to remain without connection, so all efforts need to be put into connecting the people who remain without connection as quickly as possible.”
“I thank the Member for his good wishes. <BR /> <BR />As I indicated, a post-incident review of the storm will take place on 10 February, and it will assess all of those impacts and lessons learned. Clearly, there are lessons that have to be learned in respect of mobile and other connectivity. Officials are, of course, engaging through the structures that are there with all the relevant parties to ensure that, first, the response is happening but then to assess the way forward.”
“That would be unusual. If you are without communications at home or even if you own a small business, 48 hours is 48 hours. I will be happy to take that one away and get to the bottom of it.”
“I have not been fully briefed on all that at this point. I thank the Member for her good wishes. As she would expect, the appropriate lines of communication between my officials and the civil contingencies group are there, and they continue in the response to the storm. In the aftermath, we will look at the lessons learned and how we can improve while taking account of what has gone right in this instance. Some things have gone quite well and according to plan, and the response has been good. There are a lot of lessons that can be leaned more broadly than just how we, as an Executive, can respond. For the likes of the communications companies and everything else, there are certainly things that we will want to take on board in planning for the future.”
“I thank the Member for his good wishes. <BR /> <BR />As I have indicated, the relationship between me, as Minister, and the telecommunications companies has limitations, because that is a reserved matter. However, we have publicly funded contracts in which there is a direct interest and communication. Looking at this experience and at the impact of the storm, I can see that lessons need to be learned, and that falls across a number of areas. I am happy to look at that and engage in any way that I can. Any leverage that I can bring to bear to find solutions for people who continue to be without connections is something that I am more than happy to do. However, as I say, they are private companies that are regulated by Ofcom, and direct lines have to be gone through because of that. As I said, I am happy to look at what I can do.”
“I thank the Member for her good wishes. In preparation for responding to today's question for urgent oral answer, I raised that issue with officials and asked whether it could be explored. Obviously, as I have indicated, there are limited direct relationships between the Department and those companies, but TEO and the civil contingencies group have a line of communication as well. We should look at where there will be delays in reconnection and whether any potential mitigations can be put in place. I am happy to take that away.”
“There have been dangerous situations as a result of electricity wires being down, and other things have had to be repaired before work could be undertaken to restore broadband and other connections. It is important that people get that reassurance.”
“As I have said to other Members, the relationship that the Department has with the telecommunication companies is limited, except in the case of Fibrus, with which officials have been engaging. It is important that there is proper communication with customers. Fibrus has tried to increase the number people staffing its customer helplines. I am happy to convey the message that we need to see that communication improving, because people need reassurance about when they will be reconnected, if that is not happening now. We need to see that happening as quickly as possible. I am sure that all Members will appreciate that there are health and safety issues at play as well.”
“I thank the Member for her good wishes. <BR /> <BR />I do not have the detail of the Fibrus contract in front of me, so I am happy to write to the Member on that issue.”
“I am not over the detail of the compensation payments that the telecommunications companies will make and how exactly that will work. Certainly, I will ask officials to look at that. <BR /> <BR />The Member referred to compensation payments from NIE. The detail of that is still being worked through with NIE and the Utility Regulator. DFE officials continue to engage with them on that. The Member will be aware that, under the British scheme, for example, the cost of compensation for severe weather is covered collectively by other customers. There is a balance to be struck between ensuring that people are compensated for the inconvenience and hardship that they have faced and deciding where that compensation is paid from. The detail of that is still being worked through.”
“I have seen that some of the companies are already doing that. It is only right that, where people have faced significant inconvenience for some time, compensation is forthcoming, and those companies should certainly look at how they can do that and support their customers.”
“I concur with much of what the Member has said. Real inconvenience is being experienced by so many people, and the impact of the lack of connectivity is really significant not just for households but for people, particularly in rural communities, who are trying to do business. As I said, the Department for the Economy has limited levers to deal with those companies directly, but we are engaging through all channels. As the Member said, I have been in post for only a few hours, but I will absolutely make sure that we get the answers that we need from them. I will impress on them the need to take urgent action to ensure that people are connected as quickly as possible.”
“My officials have, however, been working closely with the electronic communications resilience and response group (EC-ERG) and with the civil contingencies division in the Executive Office, which have been engaging with the telecom companies regarding restoration of the networks. The telecoms companies are working closely with NIE, and services are being restored where it is safe to do so. <BR /> <BR />A post-incident review of storm Éowyn, led by the London Government, will take place on 10 February and assess the impacts, lessons learned and future impacts following the storm.”
“I thank the Member for raising that important issue. <BR /> <BR />Mobile and broadband connectivity is absolutely vital to people's ability to communicate with family and friends, access services and run their businesses. The loss of connectivity as a result of storm Éowyn has therefore caused real hardship. Telecommunications are the responsibility of the British Government, however, with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) holding policy responsibility. <BR /> <BR />The restoration of connections on the telecommunications network is led by the private-sector telecoms companies. The Department for the Economy has no contractual relationship with any telecoms company apart from Fibrus Networks.”
“I encourage local communities and individuals, if they have access-to-cash concerns in their local area, to consider making access-to-cash requests directly to LINK under its community requests scheme. The details can be found on the LINK website. Community requests have resulted in the opening of five banking hubs in the North, with a further one announced for Ballynahinch. I intend to visit the Warrenpoint banking hub next month in order to better understand the services that are on offer and how well the hub is working for the local community.”
“The meeting was a really useful platform for discussing the key issues and developments around access to cash and banking services that are having an impact on communities here.”
“I thank the Member for that question. I hosted a banking round-table event on 20 November, and a wide range of stakeholders was there, including representatives from Cash Access UK, the banking industry, trade unions, business bodies, community and voluntary organisations and the Consumer Council. The chief executive of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) was also there.”
“<BR /> <BR />The time frame in which to achieve the £113 million target meant that there would not have been time to progress the development and agreement of new income generation policies and associated legislation through the Assembly to meet the deadline. Given the limited fiscal levers available to the Executive, the alternative would have meant raising rates for households and businesses by 15%. That was absolutely not acceptable to me. It is important to emphasise that, under my approach, the latest forecast is that income generation will be £129·7 million, the target being £113 million.”
“The Member is quite right: the £113 million is a condition of the financial package and relates to the write-off of £559 million of overspends that were accrued while the Executive were being underfunded. It is our view, therefore, that there should not have been any conditions. <BR /> <BR />Income generation, in my view, must be done in a way that fosters economic growth and minimises negative impacts on our society. Getting that right is a careful balance, as I discussed earlier in connection with rates, for example. It is about sustaining our public finances and growing income in a way that limits any potential negative impact on households and businesses but also protects the most vulnerable.”
“It includes actions to more closely link Budgets with the Programme for Government and to undertake a strategic review of income generation measures. I also recently published a road map that covers short-term actions and key activities over the medium term that will facilitate Departments in progressing the development of their five-year financial sustainability plans, with the intention that those will be in place in this calendar year.”
“Since the publication of the Executive's Budget sustainability plan at the beginning of October, my officials have continued to progress the work to deliver the key commitments contained in the plan. When it comes to public finances, our aim is to secure and maintain long-term fiscal sustainability alongside the efficient and transparent allocation of resources. We will do that by improving our budgetary processes and developing comprehensive, longer-term departmental sustainability plans. I have published a Budget improvement plan road map that puts in place a series of measures to improve the overall Budget process and sets out short-term actions and areas that are to be developed in the longer term.”
“<BR /> <BR />Officials are also working closely with colleagues in the Department of Justice and the Department of Health to inform the evidence. The Department of Justice officials are engaging with independent experts to inform their evidence. It is a difficult task, and the final product will need to bring all those strands of work together to provide a coherent argument for why our level of need could be higher. As I said, it is essential that the Executive be funded to enable them to deliver sustainable public services. To do that, we need to be funded to at least our appropriate level of need.”
“My Department is working to develop the evidence base to demonstrate that the level of need is higher than 124%, and to have that evidence base in place to support the upcoming spending review for 2026-27. I am pleased that the highly respected Professor Gerry Holtham, who led the Holtham commission in Wales, has agreed to conduct an independent review of the North's level of need. Professor Holtham is a renowned expert in the field of public finances. He chaired the Independent Commission on Funding and Finance for Wales, otherwise known as the Holtham commission, which devised the Holtham approach to needs-based funding for Wales. His unique experience and technical expertise in that field mean that he is one of a limited number of individuals who would be able to carry out that work.”
“My officials are in discussions with the British Treasury on the relative funding per head methodology and the mechanisms for needs-based funding. The funding mechanism must, as a minimum, be implemented in a way that ensures that the North is funded at our level of need. In my view, it would be unjustifiable for the British Government to recognise that the North has a level of need and then provide funding below that level.”
“As the Member will know, the interim fiscal framework provides new funding arrangements based on a new needs-based factor of 124%. That has resulted in an additional £431·4 million in funding through the Barnett formula for the Executive over this financial year and the next. In addition to helping to stabilise our funding, my Department recently published the Executive's Budget sustainability plan and established the interim public-sector transformation board to assess proposals for the £235 million of ring-fenced transformation funding. <BR /> <BR />Other commitments to be met in the near term include agreeing the mechanism of how the 124% needs-based factor will operate; agreeing the relative funding per head methodology; and developing an evidence base for a higher level of need than 124%.”
“The research that we commissioned was a response to the representations that were made in respect of the British Chancellor's autumn statement and some of the measures in it. I anticipate that we will get a lot of useful information. When we were commissioning that research, the Department for the Economy was particularly interested due to some of the strategic objectives in its economic vision. I know that it is looking at the potential for research on initiatives that could support businesses. That would be follow-up research to what is being undertaken currently.”
“We have set out our intention to look at every rate relief measure over a 10-year period so that we ensure that everything that we are spending money on is still delivering on its policy objective and is still fit for purpose. On those that we are looking at this year, representations have been made to us regarding banded rate reliefs and other, I suppose, sectoral rate reliefs among the rate relief measures that we have currently. There are limitations on the type of rate relief support that we can put in place. The Member will understand that we levy two taxes in one in our rating system: the regional rate and the local council rate. There are, therefore, challenges in what we can do, but we are going to look at all of those things as part of the review.”
“We are beginning to receive more and more representations about the impact that is being felt, especially as power stays off for a longer time. Again, it is about trying to get an understanding of what those impacts are. Concerns have been raised with me about the likelihood, or otherwise, of insurance covering some of the impacts. We need to have a full understanding of all of that. We will make representations, once we have a full understanding of what the financial costs are going to be. I will be engaging with the Secretary of State again later today, and I have been in correspondence with the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, on the issue.”
“Departments have begun to indicate that there is a potential need for financial support, and work has been commissioned to scope what recovery efforts are expected to look like and what should be included in any specific ask that is made in relation to financial support.”
“I had the opportunity to speak with the Secretary of State on Saturday, and we discussed the impact that the storm is still having. As you quite rightly said, a lot of people are still without power and water, and we are very conscious of that and of the hardship that many continue to face. We continue to engage with partners to do everything possible to rectify that. It is important that we all put on record our gratitude to our front-line workers, including those who worked through the storm and those who are now responding to it. The First Minister and the deputy First Minister met the Prime Minister and senior British Ministers on Saturday as well to ask for that assistance and for mutual aid to support people affected by the storm.”
“The departmental plans will have a forecast of the departmental needs, and that will help us inform the budgeting process. In that respect, we will be able to take that longer-term look at things, but, in terms of actually having an understanding of what our funding envelope is and being able to align that with our priorities, we are, unfortunately, tied to those spending review periods. However, it is really important that that work is done so that we are able to plan to deliver high-quality public services and to support a strong and thriving economy where everybody can prosper.”
“That is the basis on which I am planning, and I am very keen that the work that is being undertaken in respect of the departmental plans will help inform that budgeting process and give us the ability to take that slightly longer-term look at things.”
“I thank the Member for the question. I know that he will be aware that one of the things that we committed to in the Budget sustainability plan was that, when there are multi-year spending reviews, we will also do multi-year Budgets alongside that. He will also be aware that the legislation precludes us from doing a multi-year Budget outside of those circumstances. <BR /> <BR />We are expecting a spending review in June, which will be for two years, and we have the preparations in place to respond and do likewise and to have a two-year Budget in the first instance. The Labour Government have said that they intend to review that every two years and look forward on a three-year basis.”
“My officials continue to progress work on this at pace, and a more detailed schedule will be made available when this legislation has been considered by the Assembly.”
“I am keen to see the scheme taken forward as quickly as possible to give bereaved families the opportunity to have formal recognition of their loss. I want all parents and families who have suffered the devastating loss of a baby to feel that their grief is recognised. <BR /> <BR />Primary legislation is currently being drafted that will be the start of the process to establish a scheme here. I hope to introduce the deaths, stillbirths and baby loss Bill in the Assembly in the next number of weeks. We will continue to work with the Department of Health to specify the detail of this important initiative, to make sure that it meets the needs and expectations of the bereaved families and to scope delivery options.”
“In addition to that earmarked allocation for TEO, it has set aside £1·2 million from its baseline to fund an ending violence against women and girls change fund for community and voluntary sector organisations in partnership with local councils. As part of that wider change fund, a regional change fund initiative was announced on 21 January by the First Minister and deputy First Minister aimed at tackling violence against women and girls. <BR /> <BR />In response to Paula Bradshaw, I say that the legislation that we are bringing forward is an important part of the effort to challenge violence against women and girls and to bring it to an end.”
“All of us realise what an important issue that is. Ending all forms of violence, abuse and harm against women and girls is one of the most pressing issues facing our society today. The Executive are committed to tackling that important issue. <BR /> <BR />In March 2021, the Executive acknowledged the need for a departmental, cross-cutting, government-wide approach to tackle the issue of violence against women and girls. The Executive Office has subsequently been developing a strategic framework to achieve the society-wide transformation that is needed to achieve that Executive priority. The draft Budget for 2025-26 includes an earmarked allocation of £2 million to TEO towards the implementation of phase 1 of its delivery plan.”
“During 2024, my Department developed policy on raising the minimum age of marriage from 16 to 18. That is in recognition that some child marriages can be forced. <BR /> <BR />The Executive have agreed to include provisions in the forthcoming marriage and civil partnership Bill that will extend the offence of forced marriage to anyone attempting to arrange the marriage of a person aged under 18. I hope to bring that Bill to the Assembly for consideration in the coming months, and I believe that the relevant provisions will provide another important protection against forced marriage.”
“The General Register Office in my Department provides guidance to registrars in looking for the signs of possible forced marriage and reporting those to the appropriate authorities. That is part of a multi-agency approach to the prevention of forced marriage that operates across all sectors and involves agencies both within and outside government, including the PSNI, the courts, health trusts, schools and others. Action to prevent forced marriages is coordinated by the Forced Marriage Unit, a joint Home Office- and Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office-sponsored body. <BR /> <BR />My Department has previously inputted on legislative change to combat forced marriage and has worked with colleagues in the Department of Justice and others on this important issue through, for example, the development of guidance.”