Marshalled List of Amendments - 1 March 2024

Item 6: Order Paper 17/22-27-Tuesday 5 March 2024

Motion: Making School Uniforms More Affordable

Proposed:

That this Assembly notes the findings of the 2023 Irish League of Credit Unions survey on back to school costs which shows that 41 per cent of parents in this jurisdiction go into debt due to back to school costs, with the largest expense for parents being school uniforms; is deeply concerned that the high cost of school uniforms is a source of financial stress for many families; recognises that the support provided through the uniform grant locally is the lowest in these islands; believes that the benefits of school uniforms, is at risk of being undermined by unaffordable costs; calls on the Minister of Education to make school uniforms more affordable by introducing statutory guidance requiring schools to have competitive tendering processes, to remove the use of unnecessary branded items and to permit the use of cheaper high street alternatives; and further calls on the Minister to conclude the review into eligibility criteria for, and consider an increase in, the school uniform grant.

Mr Pat Sheehan

Mrs Cathy Mason

Mr Danny Baker

Amendment 1

After ‘make school uniforms more affordable by’ and insert;

‘implementing an annual price cap on total school uniform costs and’

                                     [Mr Nick Mathison]

[Ms Kate Nicholl]

[Ms Connie Egan]

[Ms Nuala McAllister]

Motion: Expanding Support for Apprenticeships

Proposed:

That this Assembly believes apprenticeships offer an opportunity for everyone, regardless of age or sector, to upskill or reskill as part of their lifelong learning journey; welcomes the commitment in the Skills Strategy for Northern Ireland Skills for a 10x Economy to introduce all age apprenticeships across key sectors of our economy; further welcomes the intention to improve entry routes and career progression in our health system and wider public sector by establishing a new Nursing Higher Level Apprenticeship Framework and expanding public sector apprenticeships; and calls on the Minister for the Economy to set ambitious targets for increasing Northern Ireland’s apprenticeship offer by the end of this Assembly mandate.

Mr Philip Brett

                              Mr Gary Middleton

Mr Jonathan Buckley

Amendment 1

Leave out all after ‘public sector apprenticeships;’ and insert:

‘recognises the crucial role our further education sector has in delivering many apprenticeship programmes; notes the need to have a dedicated skills fund to help expand apprenticeship provision; and calls on the Minister for the Economy to set ambitious targets for increasing Northern Ireland’s apprenticeship offering and the number of people starting apprenticeships by the end of this Assembly mandate.’

[Ms Sorcha Eastwood]

[Mr David Honeyford]

[Mr Stewart Dickson]