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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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 48 of 76.
“It is critical that a new fiscal framework provide clarity on our long-term funding model. As the Member will be aware, the financial package is for two years. Concerns have been outlined in that regard. We must ensure that we are funded to our level of need in order to enable the Executive to deliver the high-quality public services that people expect and deserve and for us to have sustainable public finances. The current approach is unsustainable. Recent reports from the Fiscal Council and the NI Affairs Committee have reflected what I have been saying, which is that the North is not receiving the funding that it needs. Both raised concerns about the financial cliff edge that we are facing and stated that our funding should be adjusted based on need from the start of the current spending review.”
“With the Principal Deputy Speaker's permission, I will answer questions 3 and 4 together. <BR /> <BR />I have pressed the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on the importance of putting in place a fiscal framework as quickly as possible that includes funding us properly, based on need. That is essential if the Executive are to be able to deliver sustainable quality public services here. My officials are engaging with their Treasury counterparts on the application of the needs-based adjustment factor that was included in the financial package, on the necessity for the Executive to be funded at an agreed level of need going forward and on the development of a wider fiscal framework. Those discussions are ongoing, and I will meet the Chief Secretary later this afternoon to press for progress on those important matters.”
“I thank the Member for her comments. There are some fantastic organisations that provide invaluable support to help families through their loss. Those organisations bring a wealth of experience and expertise that we, as policymakers, want to use to ensure that the scheme meets the needs of bereaved parents. Officials are considering options for how the scheme could work and have identified many areas in which the views of the public and bereavement organisations will be very welcome.”
“I am on record as saying that I want to see the scheme move forward as quickly as possible. It is important that parents here who suffer that horrendous loss have it recognised. We need to work through a number of steps to ensure that the legislation, the resource and the delivery plan are agreed and in place. It is likely that consultation will be required to determine the best way of meeting the needs of those who require the service. I am keen to see the scheme be taken forward as quickly as possible, but we need to go through those steps in order to give bereaved families the opportunity to have their loss recognised.”
“With the Principal Deputy Speaker's permission, I will answer questions 2 and 6 together. <BR /> <BR />As Members will be aware, I am keen to see the scheme be taken forward as quickly as possible so that bereaved families have the opportunity to have formal recognition of their loss. Initial discussions have taken place between officials in the Department of Health and the General Register Office (GRO) on how the baby loss certificate scheme might be developed. A further meeting will take place towards the end of May. Officials in the Department of Health and the GRO will meet the managers of the baby loss certificate scheme from the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) in England in mid-May. That ongoing engagement will provide important lessons for the development of a scheme here.”
“I can indeed undertake to work with other Ministers. I am from a rural community so I understand the impact on farming and rural communities and the benefit and input that they have locally. I will therefore certainly continue to work with all Ministers. As I said, the AERA Minister has corresponded with the EFRA Minister about a potential financial assistance scheme for farmers. I am happy to support him in that.”
“The Member is quite right. Obviously, we have to deal with the outworking of flooding, but a number of Departments have responsibilities in respect of dealing with flooding and flood prevention. I have had conversations with the Minister for Infrastructure and the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs. One of the things that the AERA Minister is keen to emphasise is the need for the environmental improvement plan to be agreed by the Executive so that we have a direction of travel that we can all work on together. I hope that that will happen in the coming weeks.”
“The Member is aware of the financial support that was allocated prior to the Assembly's coming back. Some £15 million was made available at that point. Funding totalling £10·5 million was allocated to the Department for Infrastructure, the Department for the Economy received £2·3 million and the Department of Health received £250,000, while £1 million of rate relief was provided to business premises impacted by flooding events. Obviously, there will be opportunities in-year for Ministers to bid during monitoring rounds. I am open to considering bids made by any Minister in respect of that.”
“I thank the Member for that and, yes, of course, I understand the concerns of farmers and growers. Obviously, there has been persistent wet weather over the past number of weeks. This is a matter first and foremost for the AERA Minister, and he highlighted in his discussions with me that he has raised the issue with the EFRA Minister. I am happy to continue to engage with the AERA Minister on these matters. Now that the Budget for the incoming year has been set, it will be for Ministers to prioritise within their budgetary allocations. However, I will support the AERA Minister in any ongoing negotiations that he has with Ministers in Whitehall.”
“During my discussions with the AERA Minister, prior to the setting of the Budget, the Minister indicated that he had written to the Minister for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs seeking a meeting around the need for short-term financial support for farmers and growers in light of the ongoing wet weather conditions. I am not yet aware of the EFRA Minister's response to that request.”
“Back in February, the Executive agreed the approach that would be taken to the setting of the Budget. We agreed that there would be a short extension to the normal time frame to take us beyond the beginning of the financial year. No proposals were brought forward on any alternative approach to the setting of the Budget. In relation to the Budget that was proposed to the Executive last week, no alternative proposals were put forward.”
“I do not accept the Member's analysis of its not being available for the next two financial years, but I am absolutely committed to working with the Education Minister to try to find a resolution for those workers. I have already said in the Chamber today that I very much recognise the importance of those workers, who do such vital work in supporting our children and young people. As part of this Budget, the Executive agreed to seek agreement from Treasury to re-profile some of the repurposed funds, and I will raise that as a priority with the Treasury in the coming days.”
“As the Member will be aware, £235 million was allocated and was ring-fenced for transformation in the financial package, and that was to be spent in the form of £47 million a year over five years. I will soon bring a paper to the Executive about the setting up of a transformation board that will allocate the funding, and Departments will bring forward bids to the transformation board for that transformation funding. I will not pre-empt what bids Departments might bring, but, obviously, they will each prioritise those based on what work they think can be done in this financial year.”
“Each Minister will have received a funding envelope as part of the Budget, and it will now be for each Minister to prioritise according to their budget and the priorities in their Department.”
“I would dearly like to be in a position where I am able to allocate more money to the Health Department to recognise its pressures and to give more money to Education, Justice and every Department, because every Minister can make the case as to why they should have more money.”
“I had considerable engagement with each Minister during the development of this Budget, and my departmental officials had considerable engagement with officials from each of those Departments. Obviously, every Minister put forward a strong case for their own Department, and each Department set out its pressures and the impact that those pressures would have on our citizens. Unfortunately, the funding available simply does not allow us to do everything that we want to do, and tough decisions will have to be made. <BR /> <BR />As the Member will be aware, over half of the Executive's resource budget went to the Department of Health, but it cannot be exempt from these decisions.”
“My party and others were clear from the very start that the money that was available through the financial package was not enough to undo the damage caused by the underfunding of our public services. The first action of the Executive was to set that out in our letter to the Prime Minister, and the first motion that was passed in this Assembly was to endorse that position. I will continue to make the case to the British Government and to Treasury for proper funding for our public services.”
“The Executive, thankfully, endorsed that position, so I will raise that as a priority in my discussions with Treasury, which, hopefully, will be in the next short while.”
“The Member will be aware that funding was made available as part of the financial package for pay awards for the previous financial year and that the business case for the pay and grading review was not complete at that time. I am absolutely committed to working with the Education Minister to find a resolution for education support workers. I recognise the importance of those workers, some of whom are among the lowest-paid in the sector while doing such vital work to support our children and young people. As part of the Budget, I proposed that the Executive seek agreement from Treasury to reprofile some of the money from the repurposed funds in the financial package to be used for that purpose.”
“Obviously, the delivery of a childcare strategy is a cross-cutting issue that requires support across Departments in its development. It was important that, as an Executive, we considered how we could best facilitate that. My Department is contributing to the cross-departmental working group, but it was the Executive's priority that was reflected in the allocation.”
“I thank the Member for her question. Affordable childcare has been supported by every party in the Assembly, and it was one of the priorities that the Executive agreed. It is important to get childcare right. It will play a vital role in our economy, and it will help support childcare providers as well as workers and families. In the Budget allocation, we agreed to earmark £25 million for the childcare strategy to fund new actions above and beyond those undertaken by Departments within their remit, as part of the work that a cross-departmental working group agreed to by the Executive is undertaking. We will look again at that as proposals are brought forward and, if necessary, increase funding for it in-year, if funding becomes available.”
“<BR /> <BR />I am clear that we need an agreed level of need and a proper funding framework, but I will not stop challenging the Tory underfunding of our public services that, for the past decade, has starved them of much-needed money. As recently as the spring statement this year, the Tory Government have prioritised tax cuts over our public services and hard-pressed workers and families. With Executive colleagues, I will continue to make the case on behalf of the Executive and to relay the view of the Assembly, which, in passing the first motion of the mandate, called for us to be properly funded. I will continue to have the back of our public-sector workers and communities in making that case. I will not give up on that, and it is important to say that our position would be stronger if we were united in making that case.”
“Thank you. There was more than one question in there. <BR /> <BR />To be clear, I have had a number of engagements with Treasury. I have met the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on a number of occasions, and my officials have been working with Treasury officials on the application of the needs-based adjustment factor to be included in the financial package, on the need to fund the Executive at an agreed level of need and on the development of a wider fiscal framework. As the Member will be aware, we have a financial package for the next two years, but we also had agreement that there would be a new fiscal framework. I have set out to Treasury what, I think, should be included in that, and, likewise, on their restoration, the Executive set that out in their letter to the Prime Minister.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. The Member will be well aware, as a long-time member of the Finance Committee, that you cannot compare the end-of-year position from one financial year with the start of another financial year. It is also true that the Department of Health has received an additional £2 billion since the beginning of the 2020 financial year. I am clear that Health is a priority for the Executive. It is a priority for my Department and for the Executive. It has received over 50% of the Budget allocation for this year, and it received 50% of the funding that I had available to me to allocate for this financial year.”
“In relation to individual Departments, Health has increased its baseline by 6·3% since the beginning of the financial year 2023-24. As the Member will be aware, there are often in-year technical allocations added to a baseline, as well as in-year funding that would normally be allocated during monitoring rounds. This year, in particular, we had the financial package, and Health got over £500 million of that package. That is reflected in its out-turn for the last financial year.”
“On 11 April, I brought a paper to the Executive that set out the quantum of bids against the Budget available and the sheer scale of the challenge facing us, with demands far outweighing the funding available. <BR /> <BR />My focus throughout, which will continue, has been in problem-solving mode. If we are to tackle the serious problems across our public services, how we are funded needs to change, and that position is endorsed by the independent Fiscal Council. I am determined to build on the positive engagement that I have had with Treasury to date and to find a way to put the Executive's finances on a more stable footing going forward. I will continue to press Treasury to ensure that our long-term funding reflects our needs.”
“The agreement of the 2024-25 Budget was the culmination of weeks of engagement with Ministers. The approach to the Budget was agreed by the Executive on 15 February, and that included recognising that the final Budget position for 2023-24 could not be used as the starting point for Budget 2024-25, as the funding available would not be sufficient as the opening position for this Budget. It is not possible within the funding available for 2024-25. It was also agreed that there would be a short delay until the end of April to allow individual Ministers to consider their Department's financial position. During that time, my officials have been working with officials across all Departments on their requirements, and I held one-to-one meetings with Ministers.”
“As the Member will be aware, the Executive approved the earmarking of funding for Strule a number of weeks ago. The project will still be subject to business case approval by the Department of Finance before any further funding is allocated to it. In the Budget, there is an allocation earmarked at £20 million. That requirement was identified by the Department of Education for 2024-25, and it reflects the Executive's previous commitment to £150 million of funding for Strule, which was an amount that was included in the repurposed funds in the financial package. Funding will, of course, not flow to that project until the appropriate approvals are in place.”
“My officials are working with Departments on the production of a Budget document. Once it is published, I will bring the Budget 2024-25 to the Assembly for a debate and vote. I anticipate that being at the end of May. <BR /> <BR />The scale of the challenges facing us will not be fixed by one Budget. We all recognise the need for transformation and reform. We need to look at options to deliver efficiencies, generate revenue, enhance borrowing powers and explore the potential for more fiscal powers. Working together, we will be better placed to meet the challenges ahead.”
“The reality is that, without a Budget, Departments and outside bodies cannot plan. That is not a sustainable or tenable position. <BR /> <BR />The Budget demonstrates the Executive's commitment, despite the severity of the financial challenges facing us, to work together, make tough choices and demonstrate the leadership that people rightly expect. That is why, last Thursday, the Executive agreed the 2024-25 Budget, which was the result of a series of engagements with Ministers. A written ministerial statement was laid in the Assembly on the same day, setting out the Budget outcome for each Department. Ministers will prioritise spending within the funding envelope provided to their Department. It will undoubtedly mean incredibly difficult decisions for Departments, including mine.”
“We have all been clear from the outset that this was going to be an incredibly challenging Budget. Demand far outstripped the funding available many times over. For every £1 that we had to spend on day-to-day funding for public services we had three times as many demands. Similarly, for every £1 that we had to spend on capital, including money for hospitals, schools and roads, we had one and a half times as many demands. <BR /> <BR />When the Executive were restored, it was clear that the funding available was not enough to undo the damage inflicted by the British Government's lack of investment in public services. With increased demands on services and rising costs, the Executive simply do not have the Budget to do everything that we want to do. Providing additional funding for one area means less funding for another.”
“The powers it contains have enabled us to provide a modern, efficient and empathetic registration service during a critical time. By extending those powers today, we can sustain the service while creating the opportunity to embed the provisions permanently. I ask Members to approve the Coronavirus Act 2020 (Registration of Deaths and Still-Births) (Extension) (No. 2) Order (Northern Ireland) 2024.”
“It is not ideal that we have them as part of the Coronavirus Act at this time, but it would have been difficult to progress them over the last couple of years while we had no Assembly. This is the first opportunity that we have had to progress them, and it is important that we take time to allow the legislation to be developed and to be properly scrutinised by the Committee and others. <BR /> <BR />I reflect on Mr O'Toole's comments about the baby loss certificates scheme. Work on that is ongoing in my Department. My officials are engaging with the Department of Health on how we can bring that forward as soon as possible. <BR /> <BR />I hope that the Assembly will support the order, which would limit the administrative burden on those mourning a loved one at a time when they are primarily focused on their grief.”
“I thank those who have commented on the order. I welcome their remarks, their support for the motion and their desire to limit the administrative burden on grieving loved ones. I also thank the Chair and members of the Finance Committee, who carried out scrutiny of the order and agreed to support it. As Members have reflected in their comments today, our objective in bringing in the order is to continue to provide a registration service that meets the needs of the public and to allow time to develop permanent legislation to replace the existing Coronavirus Act provisions. <BR /> <BR />I will pick up on a couple of points that Members made. It is absolutely my intention that this will be the last extension to this legislation. As Members reflected, the SL1s are in process.”
“<BR /> <BR />In conclusion, I am comfortable recommending a further — hopefully, final — extension of the powers that are included in this order. They have enabled the provision of a modern, empathetic registration service over the past four years. By extending these provisions today, we will be able to continue providing this service, which has been welcomed across the board, and create space to put permanent legislation in place. I commend the order to the Assembly.”
“I hope that the Assembly will look favourably on this extension order and be reassured that our dependence on coronavirus legislation, which is far from ideal, is a short, temporary but necessary step to put permanent powers in place. <BR /> <BR />If the extension is not approved, the existing provisions will fall, requiring a return to pre-COVID death and stillbirth procedures. Relatives will again be required to attend registration offices, irrespective of their personal circumstances, and to convey paper forms between doctors, registration staff and undertakers. I feel that that would be a backward step and not in the interests of those who are grieving, funeral directors, health professionals or the registration service. I hope that the Assembly will concur.”
“I have directed my officials to begin work on the required legislation and to use the time provided by this order to ensure that appropriate arrangements are in place. Two pieces of legislation will be required to effect the changes: the first will cover the electronic transfer of documents between stakeholders, and the second will cover the registration of deaths and stillbirths by phone. Those pieces of legislation will be brought forward in tandem so that they can come into operation at the same time. <BR /> <BR />It is my intention to have this new legislation in operation before 24 September 2024. To that end, the required SL1 forms have been passed to the Finance Committee to progress that work. That should mean that no further extension orders will be required under the powers in the Coronavirus Act.”
“<BR /> <BR />In short, although these powers were introduced in the Coronavirus Act 2020 and during the pandemic, it is clear that they have become the established means by which the vast majority of deaths and stillbirths are registered and that they have helped the registration service to become more modern, more efficient and more empathetic. Given the impact that the temporary powers have had on the registration service, it is right that we should look to make them permanent, rather than depending on the powers of the Coronavirus Act. <BR /> <BR />I wrote to Executive colleagues on 13 March 2024 to advise them of my intention to bring forward this extension order in order to provide time to make the required changes permanently.”
“These arrangements also 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 place unnecessary hurdles in front of them. Giving them the choice to register a death by phone, if they want to, and doing the paperwork for them ahead of time might seem like small things, but they can make a big difference.”
“The temporary changes to the registration process reduced the need for face-to-face contact 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 greater pressure than they had been at any point in recent times. However, in the four years that have passed since the start of the pandemic, those arrangements have become the settled, established and normal means by which the majority of the registrations take place. They have helped make the registration process more efficient and productive, which is also particularly important at a time of constrained budgets.”
“First, they enable individuals to choose to register a death or a stillbirth remotely, although they can opt to go to a registration office in person. Those provisions give the next of kin a choice to conduct this formal business over the phone if they wish to do so. 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, those exchanges can happen electronically in the background. <BR /> <BR />It will be clear to the Assembly why those provisions were important in the context of the pandemic.”
“As everyone will be aware, the loss of a loved one, including as a result of a stillbirth, is a very difficult time for those who are left to grieve. In bringing this extension order before the House, I am very conscious of the need to reduce the burden on families and friends at a time when they are processing their grief. Our aim is to limit the administrative burden on those who are asked to register a death or a stillbirth at a time when their primary focus is on mourning a loved one. <BR /> <BR />As you will be aware, the order seeks to extend powers that were introduced in the Coronavirus Act relating to the registration of deaths and stillbirths for a further six months from 24 March to 24 September 2024. The specific powers in the order concern the way that registrations are conducted.”
“Go raibh maith agat, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle.”
“In parallel, I have asked my officials to work with the Department of Health to consider how such a scheme can be implemented here, with the aim of providing the best possible outcome for bereaved parents who wish to have their baby loss formally recognised; I want to see that progressed as quickly as possible. <BR /> <BR />I thank the proposer of the motion and all those who have made important contributions to today's debate; they will help to shape the development of the scheme.”
“<BR /> <BR />My expectation is that a baby loss certificate scheme would be voluntary and that, of course, there would be no pressure on parents to use the service. My hope is that it would give families the same benefits as have been experienced where the scheme has been introduced and that it would help those families who choose to avail themselves of it. In taking forward the scheme, it is important that we work quickly and efficiently. In correspondence this week, the Health Minister and I affirmed our commitment to work across government on the proposals. The Department of Health is engaging with its counterpart in England as the new system there is embedded.”
“It unites people from across society in a shared suffering that is all too often born in silence. A certificate will not reverse or undo the pain that baby loss inflicts on women and families, but the introduction of a voluntary baby loss certificate scheme may, in some way, help parents to process their loss. The scheme would give bereaved families the opportunity to have formal recognition of their loss. It could help many of them to recognise that the suffering that they feel is valid, their experience is common — more common than it ought to be — and that its impact is real. It could help to start conversations with family members and friends, bringing this experience into the light, making it part of the family's story and helping with the grieving process.”
“As you will be aware, under current legislation, the death of a baby is only officially recognised if it occurs after the 24th week of pregnancy. In those awful circumstances, the death is recognised as a stillbirth. The parents of a stillborn child can register the stillbirth of their baby and obtain a certificate that recognises their baby's existence. In my view, it is important that the same recognition be afforded to parents who have lost a baby before 24 weeks. <BR /> <BR />While many early pregnancy losses go unreported, it is estimated, as others have said, that one in four pregnancies ends in loss during pregnancy or birth. Baby loss clearly touches many families across our community. It impacts on people from many different walks of life and backgrounds.”
“I thank all those parents, including those in the Chamber, and the health professionals and organisations that support those who have suffered loss, who got in touch and shared their stories with me and colleagues in advance of the debate today. We should do everything in our power to support those who have had to endure the pain of losing a baby. <BR /> <BR />Although the motion is broadly framed, and whilst the health matters referred to in the motion are obviously important, the focus of my response is on the registration and certification of life events, which is a core function of my Department. <BR /> <BR />Many of us will have first-hand experience of the registration service at both the happiest and saddest times of our lives. I feel strongly that its work should be extended to include a baby loss certificate scheme.”
“I welcome the opportunity to speak on the motion and on the development of a baby loss certificate scheme for parents who have lost a baby during pregnancy before 24 weeks. <BR /> <BR />At the outset, I pay tribute to those women and parents, who have gone through the heartache of losing a baby during pregnancy, for shining a light on the issue and for sharing their stories publicly to encourage change. I know that that is not easy. The loss of a baby is a tragic thing for any family to experience and it is also very personal. To share that experience publicly, to campaign for change, takes a lot of courage and a lot of selflessness.”
“I ask Members to agree the spring Supplementary Estimates for 2023-24 and the Vote on Account for 2024-25.”