Ad Hoc Committee on the School Uniforms (Trousers) Bill

Minutes of Proceedings - Tuesday 29 September 2026

Ad Hoc Committee on the School Uniforms (Trousers) Bill - 29 September 2026.pdf (133.75 kb)

Meeting Location: Room 29

Present:

Aoife Finnegan MLA (Chairperson)

Pam Cameron MLA (Deputy Chairperson)

Deborah Erskine MLA

Andrew McMurray MLA

Emma Sheerin MLA

John Stewart MLA

Apologies:

Sinéad McLaughlin MLA

In Attendance:

Jessica Jacques, Senior Assistant Clerk

Oliver Bellew, Assistant Clerk

Lisa Chestnutt, Clerical Supervisor

Kate Anderson, Clerical Officer

Damien Brown, Clerical Officer

The meeting commenced at 1:00pm in closed session.

1. Apologies

As above.

2. Declaration of Interests

None.

3. Draft Minutes

Agreed: The Committee agreed the minutes of the meeting held on 22 September 2026.

4. Matters Arising

None.

5. School Uniforms (Trousers) Bill – Formal Clause by Clause scrutiny

Pam Cameron MLA joined the meeting at 1.02pm.

The Committee commenced its formal clause by clause scrutiny of the School Uniforms (Trousers) Bill.

Clause 1 – Trousers as part of school uniform for all pupils

The Committee considered Clause 1 as drafted.

Agreed: The Committee agreed that it was content with Clause 1 as drafted.

Clause 2 – Publication of guidelines

The Committee considered Clause 2 as drafted.

Agreed: The Committee agreed that it was content with Clause 2 as drafted.

Clause 3 – Transitional arrangements

The Committee considered Clause 3 as drafted.

Agreed: The Committee agreed that it was content with Clause 3 as drafted.

Clause 4 – Commencement

The Committee considered Clause 4 as drafted.

Agreed: The Committee agreed that it was content with Clause 4 as drafted.

Clause 5 – Short title

The Committee considered Clause 5 as drafted.

Agreed: The Committee agreed that it was content with Clause 5 as drafted.

Long Title

The Committee considered the Long Title as drafted.

Agreed: The Committee agreed that it was content with the Long Title as drafted.

The Chairperson advised the Committee that the formal clause by clause scrutiny of the School Uniforms (Trousers) Bill had concluded.

The Committee noted that a draft report on the Committee Stage of the School Uniforms (Trousers) Bill will be circulated to Members for consideration and agreement at its next meeting on 6 October 2026.

Agreed: The Committee agreed that any material in the written evidence which may be considered potentially defamatory will be redacted before publication.

Agreed: The Committee agreed that the report will not cover the wider issues raised in its consultation on the Bill.

6. Correspondence

None.

7. Chairperson’s Business

None.

8. Any Other Business

None.

9. Date, Time and Place of next meeting

The next meeting will take place on Tuesday 6 October at 1pm in Room 29 in Parliament Buildings.

The meeting was adjourned at 1.05pm.

Aoife Finnegan MLA

Chairperson, Ad Hoc Committee on the School Uniforms (Trousers) Bill

6 October 2026