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.”
The complete record
Every one of 3,774 lines we hold for Caoimhe Archibald, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 37 of 76.
“I have certainly made no secret of how difficult the financial situation is, particularly for this year. It will still be a challenge for Departments to live within budget. As we have already outlined in contributions to the Assembly, we anticipate a significant amount of Barnett consequentials for the rest of this year, which will help to offset the overcommitments that Departments have projected. However, individual Departments still need to work to address those. <BR /> <BR />The problems that the Executive face this year, and faced in previous years, are the consequences of the chronic underfunding of our public services by successive British Governments. We got the interim fiscal framework agreed and, because of that, we had a 24% increase to the needs-based factor codified.”
“The Budget sustainability plan is not, and was never intended to be, a panacea for addressing all the fiscal issues that the Executive face. Rather, it is the first step in a financial sustainability journey, providing a strategic framework that will allow Departments to consider how they can deliver long-term, sustainable public services and everything that is required for them to be able to do that. <BR /> <BR />I hope that people will take confidence from the work that has already taken place, and that the strategic framework will enable further work on longer-term departmental plans and a strategic Budget improvement plan. Those will contribute to the delivery of efficient and effective public services, and the long-term fiscal stability that our citizens and those who access public services so rightly expect.”
“It provides the Executive with a strategic framework to work together to develop and introduce fiscally sustainable policies to deliver the level of public services that our citizens deserve. Individual Ministers must now begin to address the overcommitments in the current year and take steps to live within budget. However, that work needs to be underpinned by a new approach from the British Government that sees proper investment in public services and infrastructure. The Budget at the end of October is the opportunity for them to signal that intention.”
“The Budget sustainability plan is a first step on the Executive's journey towards fulfilling our longer-term ambition of integrating sustainability discussions into the heart of our processes and decision-making. As part of the plan, the Executive have agreed to a work plan that includes the development and implementation of five-year departmental financial sustainability plans. Work is ongoing to finalise the full content of the work plan. However, it is envisaged that the five-year plans will become a rolling programme of work with Departments. In parallel, my officials will look to take forward the development and implementation of a Budget improvement plan. <BR /> <BR />The Budget sustainability plan, in and of itself, will not address all the fiscal problems that the Executive face.”
“The Budget sustainability plan reflects the amounts that will have to be raised through the regional rate to meet our obligation to raise the £113 million that needs to be raised over two years. The decision that the Executive took last year to keep the increase in the regional rate in line with inflation was taken to do exactly as the Member outlined, which was to mitigate the impact that would be felt by households and businesses. That was despite the pressure that we were getting from the Treasury as a result of its revenue-raising demands. There is a good, strong argument for that Executive decision, and, as I said to Mr Donnelly, we have to get right the balance between being able to fund public services and ensuring that the burden does not fall too hard on too many people.”
“When we want to do anything to give support or rate relief, we have to recognise that that is money either that is not there to be spent on public services or that will increase everybody else's rates bill. That is the balance that we have to strike with the rating system. We want to stimulate our economy, but we also need to be able to fund our public services.”
“There are a number of factors at play that have had an impact on our village, town and city centres over recent years, not least the proliferation of online shopping. It is just so handy for many people to choose that option. The Executive need to take a collective approach to supporting our towns and our high streets. When I engage with businesses and business organisations, they outline a number of pressures that they are facing on a lot of fronts and tell me that general costs have increased very significantly. Their rates bill is one of the many bills that they receive. <BR /> <BR />Furthermore, it is important to recognise that rates are our major source of income generation.”
“I have spoken on that issue a number of times in the Assembly, because I recognise the role that industrial derating has played in supporting 4,400-plus manufacturers and its contribution to our having a strong manufacturing sector here. The measure supports indigenous businesses, with over 50% of the recipients being eligible for a small business rate relief valuation at a threshold of £15,000 net annual value (NAV). Anything that I and the Executive do on our rating policy has to align very much with what we are trying to achieve with our economic vision of creating good jobs and improving productivity, decarbonisation and regional balance.”
“I will be engaging with Executive colleagues on the next steps and will continue my engagement with business bodies, organisations and wider society to work together to build a progressive rates system that grows our tax base and stimulates our economy. As part of that work, I have now presented short-, medium- and long-term rating policy proposals, including a more strategic, longer-term policy approach to the Executive for consideration. It is my intention to make a statement to the Assembly after the Executive have agreed the way forward.”
“It is for that reason that I wanted to ensure that, with my officials, I took the time to examine carefully all the views from those who responded.”
“With your permission, Mr Speaker, I will answer questions 5 and 11 together. <BR /> <BR />Over 1,400 responses were received from ratepayers, businesses and a range of other stakeholders.”
“Obviously, however, we have to go through the appropriate processes and allow the legislation and any consultation that might have to be carried out to proceed. I am committed to delivering it as quickly as I can.”
“I have directed GRO officials who are drafting the deaths and stillbirths registrations legislation to include the ability to register deaths and stillbirths online and by phone. We will include in that legislation provision for a baby loss certificate scheme. We may have to go to public consultation. That might be the right thing to do to get the views of people who will access the scheme. The intention would be to bring forward secondary regulations. I want to do that as quickly as possible. It is my commitment to do that as quickly as possible. I do not want to nail my colours to the mast by saying that we will definitely have it by next October, but that is certainly my intention. It is something that, as an Assembly, we are all committed to and want to see delivered as quickly as possible.”
“It is important to me that the baby loss certificate scheme meets the needs of families, charities and third-sector organisations. I am sure that, like me, the Member has had a lot of correspondence in relation to the issue. It has touched many people already that we are keen to develop and progress a baby loss certificate scheme, so, as that legislation is developed, we will consider how best to shape the proposed scheme around the needs and expectations of those who will access it.”
“I met the Health Minister in September to receive an update on progress from the General Register Office (GRO) officials in my Department, who are working closely with Department of Health officials on how the baby loss certificate scheme might be developed, learning from the equivalent schemes in England and Scotland. That work is continuing at pace. I have instructed my officials to put the required legislation in place to provide a statutory footing for a scheme here. They are working to include a baby loss certificate scheme in the deaths and stillbirths registration Bill, which is under development.”
“I am keen to see a baby loss certificate scheme taken forward as quickly as possible. The scheme would provide official recognition to parents who have suffered the tragedy of losing a baby before 24 weeks. Losses of this kind affect many families, causing very real pain and heartache. Sadly, this is often met with silence and stigma, with many parents feeling isolated in their grief. I am determined that parents' heartache and grief be recognised, and I want to give people an opportunity to acknowledge these losses, perhaps for the first time for some, to bring some comfort to their suffering.”
“I do not have that information in front of me, but I am happy to write to the Member in relation to that.”
“Around 75% of non-domestic ratepayers get some form of rates support. Over 63% of retailers get some form of support, with 80% of that provided to small retailers through the small business rate relief scheme because they have a net annual value (NAV) of £15,000 or less; around 30,000 businesses from our tax base of just under 75,000 businesses get small business rate relief; and 4,474 manufacturers here pay the lowest business rates on these islands. They get 70% off their rates by virtue of industrial derating, which is a tax relief that is unique to this jurisdiction.”
“The Member will be aware that the high street task force was set up back in the previous mandate. Its report and recommendations were published in March 2022, I think. The reinstatement of the back in business scheme and the extension of the small business rate relief scheme were the recommendations from my Department. Both of those measures have been implemented. I am always happy to engage with other Departments. Obviously, they have particular remits: the regeneration and promotion of towns, cities and villages is with the Department for Communities, and the Department for the Economy has a role in supporting businesses. I am happy to engage with colleagues in relation to those.”
“<BR /> <BR />I was pleased to visit Coleraine recently, in the Member's constituency, and meet two businesses that have received support from the scheme. One of those businesses occupied a building in the heart of the town that had been vacant for 10 years prior to its use under the scheme. It was encouraging to hear how the scheme is supporting new businesses, while giving premises, which had been vacant for a long time, a new lease of life. I urge anyone who is planning to start a business or expand their existing business to consider setting up in an empty unit and availing themselves of the rates support on offer through the back in business scheme.”
“All of us want to see our town centres and shopping areas thriving. The back in business scheme aims to bring vibrancy, footfall and investment back to our high streets, while providing businesses with a boost at the start of their business journey, helping to support jobs and bringing long-term vacant units back into use. <BR /> <BR />The scheme offers businesses a 50% rates discount for up to two years if they move into premises that were previously used for retail purposes and have been unoccupied for 12 months or more. Since the launch of the back in business scheme in May 2024, 18 businesses have benefited from the 50% rates discount, which has provided almost £41,000 in rate support.”
“As has been set out, we appointed members to an interim board. We are working through the development of terms of reference, and everything will have to come back to the Executive for decision-making. I am clear in my mind that the public-sector transformation board, as it is constituted, relates only to the £235 million of transformation funding that was in the financial package. The terms of the financial package required the setting up of a transformation board, with membership to have representation from the British Government as well as the Executive, to enable access to that pot of funding, but I am clear that the decision-making in relation to the allocation of that funding rests solely with the Executive. I expect that that will be set out in the terms of reference.”
“The review is expected to be commissioned and concluded by the end of this year.”
“Given the number of departmental proposals that were digital in nature, the interim board saw an opportunity to consider them collectively, allowing for a more strategic, system-wide approach to digital transformation. It therefore recommended undertaking a digital landscape review to facilitate that. I agreed to the development of terms of reference for the digital landscape review in my letter of 30 August to the head of the Civil Service. The Executive Office is taking the lead in developing the terms of reference on behalf of the interim board and will be taking the work forward with the support of my Department. Obviously, we are not able to pre-empt the outcome of the review or what the interim board will advise based on its findings, and it will also need to go through a procurement process.”
“I do not accept the latter point. Obviously, the interim board is working under the Executive's direction. They agreed to my transformation programme proposal at our meeting on 9 May. The British Government's role is primarily through having representation on the interim board. As I outlined to Mr Mathison, the board's role is to determine what proposals are transformational. Ultimately, it will still be for the Executive to make the decisions on proposals that are recommended for funding. The British Government's role was set out in the financial package, in correspondence from the Chief Secretary to the Treasury and in the interim fiscal framework. Assessing proposals as transformative is part of their role on the transformation board.”
“I thank the Member for his question. Obviously, we are getting quite the way through the financial year. The timescale was always going to be challenging, given that we had to set up the board this year. I have raised that point in my engagement with the Chancellor and the Chief Secretary to the Treasury in order to seek some flexibility on it, should we need it. I anticipate that we will not spend the full £47 million this year. We want to get the best bang for our buck from the money that we have. We have to make sure that the money that is spent is spent on projects that are actually transformational.”
“The remaining 18 proposals have been included in a digital landscape review, allowing the interim board to consider them collectively and to take a more strategic, system-wide approach to digital transformation. <BR /> <BR />The Department of Health has four proposals that continue to progress. One of them has moved to the stage two assessment, and three are included in the digital landscape review. In due course, the interim board will provide advice to me on what proposals it considers to be transformational. I will then bring recommendations to the Executive for agreement.”
“With your permission, Mr Speaker, I will group questions 1 and 3. <BR /> <BR />I established and appointed members to the interim public-sector transformation board earlier this year. A call for proposals was issued to Departments, and the interim board has been working to assess the proposals to determine which ones are transformative. It has now completed the first stage of its assessment process. Forty-seven proposals were received in total, 29 of which continue to move forward. Eleven of those have progressed to a stage two assessment, whereby, having received feedback from the interim board, Departments will submit a revised proposal by 18 October for a final assessment.”
“To touch on Mr Carroll's comments, I will discuss with my officials the issue of individuals who do not have English as their first language. <BR /> <BR />In closing, I say that I hope that the Assembly will support the order. The powers that it contains have enabled us to provide a modern, efficient and empathetic registration service during a critical time. By extending the powers today, we can sustain the service while creating an opportunity to embed the provisions permanently in law. I therefore ask Members to approve the Coronavirus Act 2020 (Registration of Deaths and Still-Births) (Extension) (No.3) Order 2024.”
“I put on record my thanks to my officials in the GRO for all their work on the order and on the development of the new baby loss certificate scheme and for finding a way in which to progress the scheme through the legislation. As Mr Frew said, it is a silver lining of the slight delay that we now face. It is not ideal to have a temporary scheme. We are therefore absolutely committed to putting it on a permanent statutory footing as soon as possible.”
“It is something that we want to move on as quickly as possible.”
“I thank the Members who have commented on the order and welcome their remarks about it. I reiterate my thanks to the Chairperson and members of the Finance Committee for their scrutiny. As Members have reflected, our objective with the order is to continue to provide a registration service that meets the public's needs and to allow time to develop the permanent legislation to replace the existing Coronavirus Act provisions. <BR /> <BR />I will deal with a couple of points that were raised by Members. I acknowledge and recognise the sentiments and frustrations that have been recorded by members of the Finance Committee. Obviously, the issue only came to light when we were doing the final checks on the drafting of the legislation. I am sure that Mr Frew does not doubt the sincerity of my remarks in the previous debate on this.”
“Go raibh maith agat, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle.”
“By extending the provisions today, we will be able to continue to provide the service that has been welcomed by stakeholders and will create space to allow for permanent legislation to be put in place. I commend the order to the Assembly.”
“Should the extension not be approved, the existing powers will fall, with a return to pre-COVID procedures required. Irrespective of their personal circumstances, relatives would again be required to attend registration offices and to convey paper forms between doctors, registration staff and undertakers. As I set out in a previous debate on these matters, that would be a retrograde step that is not in the interests of the registration service, funeral directors or the public. I hope that the Assembly concurs. <BR /> <BR />I recommend a further extension of the powers included in the order, which have enabled the provision of a modern, empathetic registration service over the past four years.”
“However, I hope that the Assembly will be reassured by our determination to end the use of those orders by the work that is under way to make the relevant powers permanent and will look favourably on the motion.”
“Details of how it will operate and delivery mechanisms are being developed by my officials and officials in the Department of Health. Those arrangements will be in regulations and will be brought to the Assembly for consideration. <BR /> <BR />Today's extension order will, consequently, provide the time required to finalise primary legislation to make permanent the temporary powers of the Coronavirus Act. It will also afford the space needed to make provision for a baby loss certificate scheme. We hope that, if required, any further extension order from March 2025 would be needed for only a relatively limited period to allow the legislation to complete its passage. In bringing the extension order, I recognise that it is not desirable to continue to depend on the powers of the Coronavirus Act.”
“<BR /> <BR />Bringing forward the Bill will also enable me to progress a new baby loss certificate scheme that recognises the suffering of families who endure the pain of loss before 24 weeks of pregnancy. Members will know that losses early in pregnancy are not recognised by existing legislation here. The scheme will provide official recognition to parents who have suffered the tragedy of losing a baby before 24 weeks. Sadly, that loss is often met with silence and stigma, with many parents feeling isolated in their grief. I am determined that those parents' heartache and grief is recognised in a scheme similar to those in Scotland and England. That is why I have directed my officials to include in the Bill provision for the legal basis for that new voluntary scheme.”
“However, in the final checks, it became apparent that we did not have the powers that we required to effect all the changes that we needed to make to the Births and Deaths Registration Order 1976. The draft regulations had to be set aside and an alternative route found through primary legislation. I thank the Chair and members of the Finance Committee, who carried out the scrutiny of the order. <BR /> <BR />At my direction, officials from the General Register Office (GRO) have been working with the Office of the Legislative Counsel (OLC) to draw together the primary legislation required to make the powers permanent. The Bill that they are working towards will provide for the electronic transfer of documents between stakeholders and the registration of deaths and stillbirths by phone.”
“In short, although the powers were introduced as the pandemic took hold, they have become the established means by which deaths and stillbirths are registered, and they have helped the registration service to become more modern, efficient and empathetic. Given the positive effect of the provisions and as I set out in the debate on our earlier extension order, it is right that we should look to make the temporary powers permanent, rather than continuing to depend on the Coronavirus Act. We have used the time provided by that earlier extension order to progress the permanent powers. <BR /> <BR />I had hoped that we would not be in the position of requesting a further extension today. It was our understanding that we could make the required changes through secondary legislation.”
“They have helped the registration process to be more efficient and productive, and they carry the support of stakeholders, ensuring the smooth passing of important documents and enabling registration staff to handle any errors or omissions in advance. <BR /> <BR />Most importantly, the provisions ease the burden on grieving members of the public. When someone is coming to terms with the death of a loved one, it is right that we should not burden them unnecessarily. While offering them a choice about how to register a death and conducting some of the paperwork electronically may seem like small things, they can make a big difference.”
“Those exchanges can happen electronically. <BR /> <BR />It will be clear to the Assembly why the provisions were important in the context of the pandemic. The temporary changes to the registration process reduced the need for face-to-face contact both for grieving and sometimes vulnerable members of the public and for registration staff. They enabled the registration system to continue to operate even when its services were, sadly, under significant pressure. However, in the four years that have passed since the start of the pandemic, those arrangements have become the normal means by which the vast majority of such registrations take place.”
“As Members will be aware, the order would extend powers introduced in the Coronavirus Act 2020 relating to the registration of deaths and stillbirths for a further six months until 24 March 2025. <BR /> <BR />The specific powers in the order concern the way in which the registrations are conducted. First, they enable individuals to choose to register a death or stillbirth remotely. Although they can opt to come into a registration office in person, the provisions give the next of kin a choice to conduct the registration over the phone if they wish. Secondly, the powers enable participants in the registration process to exchange important documents electronically, rather than requiring the grieving next of kin to take one piece of paper from a doctor to the registrar and another from the registrar to the undertaker.”
“I genuinely believe that there is a desire amongst Ministers to work together to deliver for people, not just because of our limited resources but, more importantly, because it will deliver better outcomes. I, however, am always happy to look at the need for further guidance if it can be shown to be making a meaningful difference. My Department is represented on the children and young people's strategy monitoring and reporting board, and that is a useful forum for discussing the issues.”
“A number of those present highlighted the 2015 Act and called for more collaboration between Departments. I will continue to engage with representatives from the sector in order to understand the issues and requirements. It is my view that the pooling and sharing of resources is best addressed on a case-by-case basis, as that approach ensures maximum flexibility to deliver services in the most efficient and effective way rather than constraining the options available to Departments or to the Executive as a whole. <BR /> <BR />There will be some concerns that putting regulations in place could have adverse impacts by limiting the cooperation that can take place rather than by allowing initiatives to develop organically.”
“<BR /> <BR />The process for setting the 2025-26 Budget is under way, and I will encourage Departments to look for opportunities to work together and to propose joint working. Ministers can, of course, work together to deliver effectively on a cross-departmental basis, and that must be encouraged. I am keen to do everything possible to encourage collaboration across the public sector and beyond. I appreciate that the pooling and sharing of resources across Departments, where appropriate, can support more efficient and effective service delivery, and we all aspire to that. <BR /> <BR />Earlier this month, I hosted a round-table event with representatives of the children's sector and organisations with a more general interest in the Executive's actions for children and young people.”
“The Executive agreed to earmark £25 million for that in 2024-25, and that funding was held centrally until measures were brought forward. Those measures were developed with the support of a cross-departmental task and finish group. That ensured that proposals captured work across relevant Departments and avoided duplication of existing support measures. Although the Department of Education is the lead Department on the work stream, it is coordinating implementation of the measures and transferring funding, as appropriate, to other delivery organisations. Technical transfers are also possible between Departments to facilitate the pooling of resources. There is therefore guidance available, and there is the means to cooperate across Departments.”
“The Act enables my Department to make regulations about procedures to be followed when sharing resources or pooling funds. Cooperation between Departments already takes place, and existing mechanisms allow for the pooling of funding and sharing of resources. There is guidance available from a number of sources about how the pooling and sharing of resources can be actioned. For example, Departments can submit joint bids for funding from the Budget or during in-year monitoring rounds. The recent call for bids to the transformation fund also encouraged joint bids across Departments. <BR /> <BR />One good and recent example of how cooperation has been taken forward and implemented in that area is the work done at pace to develop proposals on interim support measures for early learning and childcare.”
“The aim of the office of the mental health champion is to advise and assist in the promotion of mental health and well-being through all policies and services here. <BR /> <BR />The Children's Services Co-operation Act aims to improve cooperation among Departments and agencies. It places a duty on children's authorities to cooperate where appropriate and pool resources should they choose, as they deliver services aimed at improving the well-being of children and young people.”
“I welcome the opportunity to speak on this important topic. The mental health and well-being of children and young people should be a priority for us all. As has been reflected, it is an issue that we all deal with in our constituency offices on too regular a basis. <BR /> <BR />Statistics show that the rates of anxiety and depression in the child and youth population are higher here than in England, Scotland or Wales — a trend similar to that seen in the adult population. That highlights the scale of the challenge. The establishment of a mental health champion in Professor Siobhán O'Neill demonstrates the clear commitment across the Executive to joint working to improve the mental health and well-being of all our citizens.”