Committee for The Executive Office

Minutes of Proceedings - 12 November 2025

Committee for The Executive Office - 19 November 2025.pdf (208.08 kb)

Meeting Location: Room 21, Parliament Buildings

 

Present:

Ms Paula Bradshaw MLA (Chairperson) 

Mr Stewart Dickson MLA (Deputy Chairperson) 

Mr Phillip Brett MLA

Ms Pam Cameron MLA

                                                                                                     

Online:

Mr Timothy Gaston MLA

Ms Sinéad McLaughlin MLA 

Ms Áine Murphy MLA  

Ms Carál Ní Chuilín MLA

                                                                                                                     

Apologies:

Ms Claire Sugden MLA  

 

In Attendance:

Mr Nick Mitford (Assembly Clerk)

Ms Aoife Keating-Fitzpatrick (Snr Assist Assembly Clerk)

Ms Sarah-Anne McKinley (Assistant Assembly Clerk)

Mr Neil Porter (Clerical Supervisor)

Ms Andrienne Magee (Clerical Officer)

The meeting commenced at 2.02pm 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.

 

3. Chairperson’s Business

3.1 Interparliamentary Forum

The Chairperson advised Members that the next meeting of the Interparliamentary Forum , which was due to take place in Cardiff on Friday 28 November has been cancelled. As of yet, there is no re-scheduled date and the Chairperson will keep the Committee updated once a new date has been arranged.

Áine Murphy joined the meeting at 2.05pm

3.2 Historical Clerical Child Abuse

The Chairperson reminded Members that the Committee previously received correspondence from the Department on 29 September in relation to Historical Clerical Child Abuse (HCCA). The Committee was made aware that the InterDepartmental Working Group (IDWG) has commissioned research and Ministers are now considering the research.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department requesting a timeline for this process and to ensure that any outcomes and/or recommendations arising from the process are shared with the Committee.

3.3 HIA memorial plaque wording

The Chairperson advised Members that she had spoken to a representative of Rosetta Trust in relation to the HIA memorial plaque wording.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department seeking clarification on the following points:

  • Why reference to the State was removed from the opening sentence? (failed by the state vs failed by those who had a duty to protect them) including who made this decision?
  • When the deputy First Minister spoke in the Chamber on 10 November during Question Time, she indicated that victims and survivors had agreed the wording but Rosetta Trust have indicated that they had not had sight of the final wording.

3.4 Support Services

The Chairperson informed Members that she had spoken with an individual regarding the specialist support services available through WAVE Trauma Centre for those who have been victims of Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalene Laundries, and Workhouses in Northern Ireland.

Agreed: The Committee agreed for Committee staff to contact WAVE Trauma Centre to seek clarification on whether there will be any changes to the support services provided as a result of the Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalene Laundries and Workhouses Inquiry and the Redress Scheme Bill.

 

4. Draft Minutes

Agreed: The Committee agreed the minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday 12 November 2025.

 

5. Matters Arising

The Chairperson informed Members that the Clerk is scheduled to meet with the Chief Executive of MLKDC on Friday 21 November 2025 and a draft letter to the First and deputy First Minister will be tabled for Members’ consideration at next week’s meeting.

 

6. Consideration of End of Session Report

The Committee considered its draft End of Session Report for February 2024 - July 2025.

Agreed: The Committee agreed for the Clerk to provide a breakdown of the Expenditure for the period 3 February 2024 – 31 August 2025, specifically Committee travel.

Agreed: The Committee agreed for the Clerk to update the wording in relation to the status of the Inquiry into Gaps into Equality Legislation.

 

7. Deliberation: Inquiry (Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalane Laundries and Workhouses) and Redress Scheme Bill

Agreed: The Committee agreed to move in to closed session at 2.14pm.

Agreed: The Committee agreed that the Bill Clerk may join the meeting for this session. The Committee considered the clauses 1 to 17 in relation to the Inquiry (Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalane Laundries and Workhouses) Redress Scheme Bill.

Stewart Dickson left the meeting at 2.44pm and returned at 2.49pm.

Phillip Brett left the meeting at 2.56pm and returned at 3.50pm.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to take a short comfort break and suspend the meeting.

The meeting was suspended at 3.35pm.

The meeting resumed in closed session at 3.40pm.

Áine Murphy left the meeting at 4.50pm.

The meeting resumed at 5.03pm in open session.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department to seek clarification on a number of queries relating to clauses 1 to 17 of the Inquiry (Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalane Laundries and Workhouses) Redress Scheme Bill.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to consider the remaining clauses of the Inquiry section of the Bill at next week’s meeting during its deliberation session.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to reschedule the oral briefing with the Equality Commission from Wednesday 3 December to Wednesday 28 January 2026.

Agreed: The Committee agreed to schedule two additional meetings on Tuesday 6 January and Thursday 8 January 2026, to conduct its informal clause-by-clause consideration of the Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalene Laundries and Workhouses Inquiry and Redress Scheme Bill.

 

8. Correspondence

  1. The Committee noted the summary of Committee correspondence
  2. The Committee considered a copy of correspondence from TEO to the Committee for Finance regarding potential Reserve Claims associated with the Redress Scheme for those affected by Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalene Laundries, and Workhouses.
    Agreed: The Committee agreed to note this item of correspondence and to forward the correspondence to the Department for a response.
  3. The Committee considered correspondence from the Committee for Finance regarding the Administrative and Financial Provisions Bill.
    Agreed : The Committee agreed to note this item of correspondence and for the Committee team to follow-up on a response from the DALO in relation to Clauses 6, 8, 9 and 14.
  4. The Committee considered correspondence from the Committee for Finance regarding a Review of Arm’s Length Bodies.
    Agreed: The Committee agreed to note this item of correspondence and to write to the Department to ask if an assessment of TEO Arm’s Length Bodies has been completed and if so, could a copy of this assessment be shared with the Committee.
  5. The Committee noted correspondence from Legal Services – the forty-ninth report from the Examiner of Statutory Rules. There are no rules for attention of the Committee.
  6. The Committee considered noted correspondence from Legal Services – the fiftieth report from the Examiner of Statutory Rules. There are no rules for attention of the Committee.
  7. The Committee noted a TEO news release - Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland recruitment competition launched.
  8. The Committee noted correspondence from TEO – Annual Report and Financial Statements for the Commissioner for Survivors of Institutional Childhood Abuse (COSICA) for the year ending 31 March 2025. This report was laid before the Assembly on 11 November 2025.
  9. The Committee noted correspondence from the Committee for Justice in relation to an ongoing individual.
  10. The Committee noted a response from the PSNI to the Committee’s correspondence on 2 October 2025 requesting further information on the PSNI’s Communication Strategy and associated costs in relation to its investigation into Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalane Laundries and Workhouses, 1922 – 1990.
    Agreed: The Committee agreed for the Committee team to liaise with the Communications team to cross-reference the geographical spread of countries from which the PSNI received reports against the Committee’s Call for Evidence publications.
  11. The Committee noted correspondence from TEO – Annual Report and Accounts NI Judicial Appointments Commission: 2023-24. This was laid before the Assembly on 12 November 2025.
  12. The Committee noted correspondence from TEO – Annual Report of the Victims Payment Board for year ending 31 March 2024. This was laid before the Assembly on 13 November 2025.
  13. The Committee noted correspondence from the First Minister and deputy First Minister on the North South Ministerial Council Institutional and Plenary meetings held on 17 October 2025.
  14. The Committee noted correspondence from the Committee for Finance regarding the role of the Department of Finance with respect to the conduct and impartiality of Members of the NICS and the appropriate use of NICS resources by Executive Ministers.
  15. The Committee noted correspondence from the Committee for Finance regarding the revised 2025 – 2026 Outturn and Forecast Outturn Guidance.
  16. The Committee noted a Written Statement from the First Minister and deputy First Minister regarding the North South Ministerial Council Fourteenth Institutional Meeting and Thirtieth Plenary Meeting held on 17 October 2025.

9. Forward Work Programme

The Committee considered the draft forward work programme.

The Committee noted an update from the Assistant Clerk in relation to the rescheduled briefing with the Equality Commission.

Agreed : The Committee agreed to proceed with the remaining briefings as set out in the forward work programme.

 

10. Any Other Business

None.

 

11. Date and Time of Next Meeting

The next meeting will be held on Wednesday 26 November at 2.00pm in Room 21, Parliament Buildings.

 

The meeting was adjourned at 5.12pm

 

Paula Bradshaw MLA

Chairperson, Committee for the Executive Office

Wednesday 19 November 2025