Order Paper

1. Prayers

2. Executive Committee Business

Motion: The Pension Schemes Act 2015 (Transitional Provisions and Appropriate Independent Advice) (Amendment No. 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2019

Proposed:

That the Pension Schemes Act 2015 (Transitional Provisions and Appropriate Independent Advice) (Amendment No. 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2019 be approved.

Minister for Communities

3. Question Time

3.1 Education

3.2 Finance

4. Private Members’ Business

Motion: Independent Review of Education

Proposed:

That this Assembly calls on the Minister of Education to implement urgently the New Decade, New Approach commitment to establish an external, independent review of education provision with a focus on greater efficiency in delivery costs, raising standards, access to the curriculum for all pupils, and an inclusive single education system.

Mr Chris Lyttle
Ms Kellie Armstrong

Motion: Childcare Strategy

Proposed:

That this Assembly believes that access to good quality and affordable childcare can help empower those parents who want to stay and progress in paid work; accepts that this, in turn, will contribute to the local economy; recognises the transformative role that good childcare can play in supporting the educational, social and physical development of a child; supports the aim of providing 30 hours of free childcare for 38 weeks a year for 3 to 4 year olds, in line with the rest of the United Kingdom; further recognises that there are significant pressures already on the budget of the Department of Education; and calls upon the Executive to implement a childcare strategy and any legislation required to enable this to proceed.

Mr Robin Newton
Mr Maurice Bradley

Motion: Mental Health in the Workplace

Proposed:

That this Assembly recognises that mental health problems affect one in six workers each year, and that poor mental health is the leading cause of sickness absence; further recognises that Northern Ireland records the highest instance of mental ill health across the UK and has an on-going mental health crisis; welcomes warmly the partnership between the Northern Ireland Retail Consortium, Time to Change, and the Retail Trust to address mental health in the retail industry; notes the important role that the retail industry plays as Northern Ireland’s largest private sector employer; supports the initiatives being progressed, including a mental health toolkit and mental health first aid training; and recommends that other industries follow this lead.

Mr Robbie Butler
Ms Órlaithí Flynn
Mr John Blair
Mr Keith Buchanan
Mr Mark Durkan

5. Adjournment