Committee for The Executive Office
Minutes of Proceedings - 12 November 2025
Committee for The Executive Office - 12 November 2025.pdf (246.68 kb)
Meeting Location: Room 21, Parliament Buildings
Present:
Ms Paula Bradshaw MLA (Chairperson)
Mr Stewart Dickson MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Timothy Gaston MLA
Ms Áine Murphy MLA
Ms Carál Ní Chuilín MLA
Online:
Ms Sinéad McLaughlin MLA
Ms Pam Cameron MLA
Apologies:
Mr Phillip Brett MLA
Ms Claire Sugden MLA
In Attendance:
Mr Nick Mitford (Assembly Clerk)
Ms Sarah-Anne McKinley (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Mr Neil Porter (Clerical Supervisor)
Ms Andrienne Magee (Clerical Officer)
The meeting commenced at 2.00pm in public session.
1. Apologies
As above.
2. Declarations of Interest
Áine Murphy declared a standing interest as having a family member who was born in a Mother and Baby institution in relation to the Inquiry (Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalene Laundries and Workhouses) and Redress Scheme Bill.
Pam Cameron declared a standing interest as having worked previously in TEO as a junior Minister from February 2024 until September 2025.
Pam Cameron declared a standing interest on the Inquiry (Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalene Laundries and Workhouses) and Redress Scheme Bill as it stands, she has a family member who may be entitled to a redress payment as part of the second part of this legislation.
Carál Ní Chuilín declared an interest as having served as Minister for Communities in 2020 in relation to item 7.
3. Chairperson’s Business
The Chairperson referred Member’s to an invite received by the Committee from the Northern Ireland Evangelical Alliance to the launch of ‘Igniting the Response to the Lost Boys Report’ which took place on Thursday 6 November.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to note the invitation.
4. Draft Minutes
Agreed: The Committee agreed the minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday 22October 2025.
5. Matters Arising
5.1 Committee visit to Maze Long Kesh Development Corporation
The Chairperson advised Members that the Committee visited Maze Long Kesh Development Corporation last Wednesday and that a press release was issued following this visit.
The Chairperson advised that the Clerk is meeting the Interim Chief Executive of the Development Corporation early next week to clarify a number of details discussed during the visit.
Áine Murphy joined the meeting at 2.02pm.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that the Clerk will provide an update at next week’s meeting before writing to the First and deputy First Minister on the matter.
6. Deliberation: Inquiry (Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalane Laundries and Workhouses) Redress Scheme Bill
Agreed: The Committee agreed to move in to closed session at 2.04pm.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that the Bill Clerk may join the meeting for this session.
The Committee considered the Inquiry clauses in relation to the Inquiry (Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalane Laundries and Workhouses) Redress Scheme Bill.
Carál Ní Chuilín left the meeting at 2.35pm and returned at 2.38pm.
The meeting resumed in public session at 2.59pm.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that the Bill Clerk would explore potential amendments relating to the Inquiry clauses for consideration at the next week’s meeting.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that any Member with queries or comments on clauses 1–27, in relation to the Inquiry elements of the Bill, should email the Clerk by Friday 14 November for discussion at next week’s meeting.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to postpone the oral evidence session with the Open University scheduled for the meeting of 26 November until a later date in early 2026.
7. Retention and Disposal Schedule: Historical Institutional Abuse Redress Board.
Agreed: The Committee agreed for Hansard to record the evidence session.
The Clerk updated Members on the rationale for the timescales outlined in the Schedule, as set out in correspondence from the President of the HIA Redress Board to the Committee.
Áine Murphy left the meeting at 3.03pm and returned at 3.10pm.
Agreed : The Committee agreed to approve the Schedule and to inform the Committee for Communities of the Committee’s decision.
8. PSNI Race Action Plan – Oral Briefing
Agreed: The Committee agreed for Hansard to record the evidence session.
The witnesses joined the meeting at 3.05pm.
Paula Bradshaw declared an interest as having a family member who works for Deloitte who oversee PSNI recruitment.
Members received an oral briefing from:
- Detective Chief Superintendent Zoë McKee, Head of Public Protection Branch and Programme lead for the PSNI Race and Ethnicity Action Plan, PSNI.
- Chief Superintendent Sue-Anne Steen, North Area Commander and the Police Service’s Hate Crime lead, PSNI.
- Gillian Magee, Assistant Director of Human Resources, PSNI.
The witnesses provided an update on the PSNI Race Action Plan.
The oral briefing session was followed by a question and answer session.
The Chairperson thanked the witnesses for their attendance.
Áine Murphy left the meeting at 3.31pm and returned at 4.11pm.
The witnesses left the meeting at 3.59pm.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the PSNI and request follow up information they agreed to provide in the meeting on the following areas:
- Data on the number of individuals arrested in connection with recent race-related incidents who also hold convictions for domestic abuse.
- A breakdown of costings in relation to the Strategy.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to take a short comfort break and suspend the meeting.
The meeting was suspended at 4.00pm.
The meeting resumed at 4.07pm in open session.
9. Race Relations, Refugee Strategy and Delivery Framework Update Departmental Officials – Oral Briefing
Agreed: The Committee agreed for Hansard to record the evidence session.
The witnesses joined the meeting at 4.07pm.
Members received an oral briefing from:
- Orla McStravick, Grade 5, Race Relations & Integration, The Executive Office.
- Julie Cuming, Head of Migration & Integration, Policy Branch, The Executive Office.
- Peter McCusker, Head of Race Relations, Legislation Branch, The Executive Office.
The witnesses provided an update on the race relations, the Refugee Strategy and associated Delivery Framework.
The oral briefing session was followed by a question and answer session.
The Chairperson thanked the witnesses for their attendance.
The witnesses left the meeting at 4.45pm.
10. Assembly Legal Advice - Inquiry (Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalene Laundries and Workhouses) and Redress Scheme Bill – Oral Briefing
Agreed: The Committee agreed to move in to closed session at 4.46pm.
The officials joined the meeting at 4.46pm.
Áine Murphy left the meeting at 4.56pm.
Sinéad McLaughlin left the meeting at 5.03pm.
Members received an oral briefing from:
- Julie Byers, Legal Advisor, NIA Directorate of Legal, Governance & Research Services.
- Simon Kelly, Legal Advisor, NIA Directorate of Legal, Governance & Research Services.
The witnesses left the meeting at 5.16pm.
The meeting resumed in public session at 5.16pm.
11. Correspondence
- The Committee noted the summary of Committee correspondence.
- The Committee considered correspondence from the Committee for Infrastructure regarding the Water, Sustainable Drainage and Flood Management Bill
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department to ask whether they have any views or comments on the Bill, and whether there are any implications, or any role, for TEO arising from this Bill. - The Committee considered correspondence from the Committee for Finance regarding the analysis of the 2025-26 Outturn and Forecast Outturn.
Agreed : The Committee agreed to write to the Department to request a further breakdown of the £6.5million reduction in September of non-ring-fenced Resource DEL regarding uncertainty around timing of grants payments, victims payments and Peace Plus spend. The Committee also agreed to ask for further details on the £1.2million reduction of Capital DEL due to the reprofiling of capital grant spend. - The Committee considered a response from TEO to the Committee’s correspondence on 12 September 2025 requesting views on the proposed HIA memorial plaque wording.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department to ask when the final wording will be shared with victim and survivor groups.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward this correspondence to the Rosetta Trust. - The Committee considered a response from the Minister of Health to the Committee’s correspondence on 14 October 2025 regarding access to records in relation to the Inquiry (Mother & Baby Institutions, Magdalane Laundries and Workhouses) and Redress Scheme Bill.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Minister of Health to request a full written briefing on the matter, including the issue of records not being transferred to PRONI. - The Committee considered correspondence from the Assembly Executive Review Committee (AERC) in relation to a review into the development of a formal process and guidance on the handling of Westminster Statutory Instruments which include a role for the Assembly.
Carál Ní Chuilín declared an interest as being a member of AERC.
Agreed: The Committee agreed for the Clerk to respond to AERC outlining that the Committee has not considered any Westminster Statutory Instruments this mandate. - The Committee considered a copy of a response from TEO to the Committee for the Economy correspondence regarding the International Relations Strategy.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department to request details of the work completed to date in relation to the new framework and the draft Strategy. - The Committee noted a Hansard report for the Inquiry (Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalene Laundries and Workhouses) and Redress Scheme Bill: Stakeholder roundtable events in Dungannon and Omagh from the 15 October 2025.
- The Committee noted an invitation from the Consulate General of China in Belfast to the China–Northern Ireland Economic, Trade and Investment Cooperation Forum, which took place on 11 November 2025.
- The Committee noted correspondence from the Committee for Finance regarding the Administrative and Financial Provisions Bill.
- The Committee noted the forty-eighth report from the Examiner of Statutory Rules. There are no rules for the attention of this Committee.
- The Committee noted a response from TEO to its correspondence of 25 September 2025 regarding the Truth Recovery Independent Panel Communications Initiative.
- The Committee noted correspondence and photographs from an individual in relation to the Marianvale site.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to campaigners Toni Maguire and Siubháinín Ní Chutnneagan, who previously briefed the Committee to ask for their views on the redevelopment of the site. - The Committee noted a Hansard report for Inquiry (Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalene Laundries and Workhouses) and Redress Scheme Bill: Summary of Scrutiny to Date from the 22 October 2025.
- The Committee noted a news release from TEO – Ministers become SistersIN mentors.
- The Committee noted correspondence from the Committee for Finance regarding the commissioning note for the December Monitoring Round.
- The Committee noted an invitation from the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission to their annual statement launch which will take place on the 8 December 2025.
- The Committee noted correspondence from an Individual regarding the potential changing of the title for the Inquiry (Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalane Laundries and Workhouses) Redress Scheme Bill and the suggestion to include wording such as ‘pathways and practices.’
- The Committee noted correspondence from an individual in relation to the Inquiry (Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalane Laundries and Workhouses) Redress Scheme Bill and comments on Workhouses, Posthumous Redress and Inter-generational impact.
- The Committee noted correspondence from the Migrant’s Rights Network regarding researching the function of immigration raids.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to request a written briefing from Migrant’s Rights Network on the matter. - The Committee noted a response from TEO to the Committee’s correspondence on 30 January 2025 regarding peace and reconciliation funding Northern Ireland receives from the United States of America.
- The Committee noted a Written Ministerial Statement from the First and deputy First Minister regarding the appointment of the Director and five other members of the Office of Identity and Cultural Expression, the Irish Language Commissioner and the Commissioner for the Ulster Scots and the Ulster British tradition.
- The Committee noted a TEO News Release: Language Commissioners and Director of the Office of Identity and Cultural Expression appointed.
- The Committee considered a response from TEO to the Committee’s correspondence on 10 July 2025, in relation to correspondence the Committee received from Advice NI on the matter of disregards for redress payments for the purpose of means-tested social security benefits.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward this response to Advice NI. - The Committee noted a response from TEO to the Committee’s correspondence on 22 September 2025 regarding the Common Frameworks Project Board.
- The Committee noted a response from TEO to the Committee’s correspondence on 25 September 2025 in relation to the Administrative and Financial Provisions Bill and a Child Rights Impact Assessment.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward this response to the Committee for Finance. - The Committee noted correspondence from TEO: Brussels Report July – September 2025.
- The Committee noted a response from the Commissioner for Victims & Survivors to the Committee’s correspondence on 23 September congratulating the Commissioner on their appointment and invitation to brief the Committee.
- The Committee noted correspondence copied to the Committee from the House of Lords Northern Ireland Scrutiny Committee in relation to EU Related scrutiny arrangements and documents that remained on the now defunct Sub-Committee’s books.
- The Committee noted correspondence copied to Committee from the Victims' and Survivors' Consultative Forum to the First Minister and deputy First Minister regarding the appointment of a Chair for the Public Inquiry into Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalene Laundries and Workhouses.
- The Committee noted correspondence from an individual regarding the Inquiry (Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalane Laundries and Workhouses) Redress Scheme Bill and the compatibility of a targeted redress scheme for workhouse survivors with the European Convention on Human Rights.
- The Committee noted correspondence from an individual regarding private nursing homes being included in the Inquiry (Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalane Laundries and Workhouses) Redress Scheme Bill.
- The Committee noted correspondence from NIJAC on the rescheduling of a previous engagement session with the Committee.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to attend an informal lunch, on a Tuesday to be scheduled with NIJAC and the Committee for Justice. - The Committee noted a response from TEO to the Committee’s correspondence on 24 September 2025 in relation to follow-up information following their oral briefing to the Committee by the Truth Recovery Team.
- The Committee noted a response from TEO to the Committee’s correspondence on 2 October 2025 regarding the Inquiry (Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalene Laundries and Workhouses) and Redress Scheme Bill – Exclusion of unmarried women prior to 1948 and EQIA.
- The Committee noted a response from TEO to the Committee’s correspondence on 29 September 2025 regarding Inquiry (Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalene Laundries and Workhouses) and Redress Scheme Bill – Delegated Powers Memorandum.
- The Committee noted a response from TEO to the Committee’s correspondence on 10 October 2025 regarding the current status of the appointment of the Commissioners for the Irish Language, Ulster Scots, and the Office of Identity and Cultural Expression.
- The Committee noted an invitation from Amnesty International - Legacy Legislation: Rights and the Rule of Law - Where to Next? Which will take place on the 17 November in Parliament Buildings.
- The Committee noted additional speaker information regarding the invitation from Amnesty International - Legacy Legislation: Rights and the Rule of Law - Where to Next?
- The Committee noted a response from TEO to the Committee’s correspondence on 12 September 2025, requesting that Junior Ministers attend the Committee in relation to the Inquiry (Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalene Laundries and Workhouses) and Redress Scheme Bill.
- The Committee noted a press release from TEO - Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland launch of public appointment competition.
12. Forward Work Programme
The Committee considered the draft forward work programme.
The Committee noted an update from the Assistant Clerk in relation to a confirmed oral briefing from the junior Ministers which will take place at the meeting on Wednesday 26 November.
Agreed : The Committee agreed to postpone the oral briefings with COSICA and the Open University until early 2026, in order to focus on deliberations for the Inquiry (Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalene Laundries and Workhouses) and Redress Scheme Bill.
Agreed : The Committee agreed to proceed with the remaining briefings as set out in the forward work programme.
13. Any Other Business
None
14. Date and Time of Next Meeting
The next meeting will be held on Wednesday 19 November at 2.00pm in Room 21, Parliament Buildings.
The meeting was adjourned at 5.36pm.
Paula Bradshaw MLA
Chairperson, Committee for the Executive Office
Wednesday 12 November 2025
