Official Report (Hansard)

Committee for Justice

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The Chairperson: Following the update provided by officials last week on the further work that has been carried out in conjunction with Lord Morrow in relation to the Human Trafficking and Exploitation (Further Provisions and Support for Victims) Bill since the completion of Committee Stage, the Committee agreed to consider the additional amendments that are being proposed with a view to establishing whether it is content to support some or, indeed, all of them.  I will work through the table, which is on pages 108 to 132 of your pack.  I do not intend to deal with the clauses; for example, clause 6 was dealt with previously.  We will deal only with the proposed amendments.

Obviously, there is clause 1, with relates to new clauses 1A, 1B, 1C and 1D.  The Committee previously indicated that it was content with clause 1.  If the Committee is content with the amendments, I will record that.

With clause 2, the proposal is for a new clause 2A.  The Committee had indicated previously that it was content.  If members are content, I will move on.

Clause 5 is next.  The proposal is for new clauses 5A, 5B, and 5C, which involves a new schedule 2.  There is also a proposal for a new clause 5D and a new schedule 3.  There are also new clauses 5E, 5F and 5G.  Members had indicated last week that they were content.  Unless members have any disputes, we can note them as being content. 

We were previously content with clause 7.  If we are still content, that is what we can indicate.  New clause 5G will replace clause 7. 

Maybe this will be easier: are there any amendments that Lord Morrow and the Minister have reached agreement on that members are now not content with? That might speed things up.

Mr Elliott: Is there anything further on new clause 12A?  I know that discussions are ongoing.

The Committee Clerk: They are still working on new clause 12A.  I assume that they will come back to us when they make some progress.  They will also come back to the Committee on —

The Chairperson: The rapporteur.

The Committee Clerk: — the Anti-Slavery Commissioner rapporteur regarding a legislative consent motion.

Ms McCorley: We will come back to that one then.

The Chairperson: The rapporteur issue and new clause 12A will have to be dealt with at Consideration Stage, given the timings.  When this is finished today, the Committee really has no other role to play.

The Committee Clerk: Members should know their position.

The Chairperson: We have already completed the report, which was sent to every MLA.  It would be helpful for us to send a letter to each MLA to show where Lord Morrow and the Minister have reached agreement.  We will state that the Committee previously had a view on the amendments and is still content with the revised amendments that they have reached agreement on.  We will lay that out for MLAs so that they are aware; it is quite a change from what was originally there.  That will be useful, if members are content.  Obviously, the outstanding issues will have to be dealt with as they come up in the Assembly.