Committee for Justice

Minutes of Proceedings - Thursday 23 October 2025

Committee for Justice - 23 October 2025.pdf (212.34 kb)

Room 30, Parliament Buildings, Belfast

 

Present:

Paul Frew MLA (Chairperson)

Dierdre Hargey MLA (Deputy Chairperson)

Doug Beattie MLA

Ciara Ferguson MLA

Brian Kingston MLA

Patsy McGlone MLA

 

Present by Video or Teleconference:

Danny Baker MLA

Maurice Bradley MLA

 

Apologies:

Connie Egan MLA

 

In Attendance:

Kathy O'Hanlon (Assembly Clerk)

Thomas McKillop (Senior Assistant Assembly Clerk)

Gareth Black (Assistant Assembly Clerk)

Easton Vance (Clerical Supervisor)

Aaron Pakenham (Clerical Officer)

 

The meeting commenced at 2.02pm in public session.

Agreed: That the oral evidence session with Professor Kevin Brown on the Repeal of Vagrancy Legislation will be recorded by Hansard.

 

Maurice Bradley joined the meeting at 2.03pm.

 

1. Apologies

As above.

 

2. Draft Minutes

Agreed: The Committee agreed the minutes of the meeting held on Thursday 16 October 2025.

 

3. Matters Arising

3.1 Update on meeting with the Justice Minister - 20 October 2025

The Committee considered a draft note of a recent informal meeting that the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson had held with the Justice Minister that included discussion on legal aid taxation and the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE) codes of practice. The Chairperson advised of a minor amendment to the draft note to amend 'search' to 'strip search' in respect of the PACE codes.

The Chairperson informed Members that the Justice Minister indicated that she intended to bring forward a further amendment to the Justice Bill at Consideration Stage relating to taxation reform.

3.2 Media in Family Court Pilot

The Committee considered an invitation from the Lady Chief Justice's Office to an informal information session with the Lady Chief Justice regarding the Media in Family Court Pilot.

Agreed: That Members should notify the Clerk if they plan to attend.

 

4. Justice Bill - Repeal of Vagrancy Legislation- Professor Kevin Brown, School of Law, Queen's University Belfast oral evidence

The following witness joined the meeting at 2.08pm:

 

Professor Kevin Brown, School of Law, Queen's University Belfast

 

Patsy McGlone joined the meeting at 2.09pm.

The witness provided oral evidence on the Repeal of Vagrancy Legislation amendment to the Justice Bill.

 

The oral evidence was followed by a question-and-answer session.

The evidence session was recorded by Hansard.

The Chairperson thanked the witness and they left the meeting at 3.19pm.

 

Agreed: To ask the Department of Justice for its views on the draft amendment proposed by Prof. Brown in his supplementary paper to the Committee; and for information on what other offences and powers may be lost as a consequence of the repeal of vagrancy legislation.

 

5. Justice Bill - Fingerprint and DNA Review Mechanism - Department of Justice Written Paper

The Committee considered a paper from the Department of Justice outlining proposals for a review mechanism in relation to the DNA and Fingerprints Retention Framework.

Agreed: To ask the Department of Justice to clarify if the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, the Information Commissioner's Office and the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People were content with the final proposals for a review mechanism or, if not, what concerns they have; and to request a response to the following:

  • whether the review mechanism can operate independently and impartially if the reviewer of a decision taken by the PSNI is designated by the Chief Constable; what consideration has been given to the suggestion that applications for a review of a decision to retain biometric material could be made to the Magistrate's Court; and how the concerns regarding the lack of independence in the review and reconsideration process can be addressed;
  • the rationale for why the reviews only relate to long-term retained material and not to retention periods of 10 years or less and the impact that this may have on individuals, particularly those who are under 18;
  • who, apart from the Chief Constable, will have oversight of the process to ensure that it is accountable, proportionate and lawful;
  • whether requests for reviews can only be submitted online;
  • what the role and power of the Commissioner will be in relation to the review mechanism, and whether the Commissioner should have the power to adjudicate on the outcome of a review, as well as on the process.

 

Brian Kingston left the meeting at 3.29pm.

 

6. Justice Bill - written papers

6.1 Justice Bill - Requests for further information table

The Committee noted a document prepared by the Committee team which tracks Committee requests and responses received in relation to the Justice Bill.

6.2 Belfast City Council Complex Lives

The Committee noted correspondence from the Complex Lives Team at Belfast City Council advising that it is not in a position to give oral evidence on the Repeal of Vagrancy Legislation amendment to the Justice Bill but that the Committee's request had been forwarded to partner organisations. The Committee also noted a briefing paper on the Complex Lives initiative.

The Clerk advised Members that it was hoped that oral evidence sessions with panels of representatives from organisations supporting the homeless community and from the business community on the Repeal of Vagrancy Legislation could be scheduled for November.

 

7. Renewal of the Secretary of State's Direction under Section 1A(7) of the Prison Act (Northern Ireland) 1953 as amended by Schedule 4 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 (Devolution of Policing and Justice Functions) Order 2010

Brian Kingston rejoined the meeting at 3.35pm.

The Committee considered a written response from the Department of Justice to questions raised by the Committee in relation to a prior a paper from the Department outlining and seeking the Committee's view on the renewal of Secretary of State's Direction under Section 1A(7) and (8) of the Prison Act (Northern Ireland) 1953.

Agreed: To ask the Department of Justice for further information on the Secretary of State's guidance by which the Prisoner Ombudsman will be bound when investigating decisions that touch on matters of national security; and for further clarity on the precise numbers of staff engaged in functions that fall within the remit of the Direction.

 

8. Youth Justice Agency - Performance impact report 2024-2025

The Committee noted a copy of the Youth Justice Agency (YJA) Performance Impact Report covering the 2024-2025 year.

Agreed: To ask the Department of Justice for information on why only 65.8% of children and young people who attended school at Woodland last academic year had an Education, Training and Employment placement at discharge, and what actions are being taken to improve this outcome.

 

9. Correspondence

The Committee considered the following items of correspondence:

  • An invitation from Northern Ireland Alternatives and Community Restorative Justice Ireland to a Celebration of Restorative Justice and Practice event on 21 November 2025.

Agreed: Members wishing to attend should RSVP via the details provided in the invitation.

  • A copy of a CJINI report on The Police Service of Northern Ireland's Use of Community Resolution Notices.

Agreed: To ask the PSNI, the Public Prosecution Service and the Department of Justice for their responses to the findings and recommendations in the CJINI report.

  • Department of Justice response regarding the Annual Domestic Abuse Training Statement - decrease in NICs staff completing training and absence of figures for Northern Ireland Courts and Tribunals Service (NICTS).

Agreed: To relay the Committee's concern at the absence of data for the NICTS to the Department of Justice and advise that the Committee expects more robust information and data, including precise figures in relation to domestic abuse training all relevant organisations, to be included in future Statements.

The Committee noted the following items of correspondence:

  • Department of Justice response regarding the provisions in the Public Office (Accountability) Bill relevant to the Department that may be extended to Northern Ireland.
  • Department of Justice response regarding Mental Health Courts, Multi Agency Triage Teams (MATT) and Right Care, Right Person.
  • Minister of Health response regarding Mental Health Courts, MATT and Right Care, Right Person.
  • PSNI response regarding Right Care, Right Person.
  • Research from the Simon Community on Childhood Adversity and Homelessness.
  • Further correspondence from an individual regarding a personal matter.

 

10. Forward Work Programme

The Committee noted the draft Committee forward work programme.

Agreed: To consider the three proposed Statutory Rules, originally scheduled for consideration on 13 November 2025, at the meeting on 6 November 2025.

Agreed: To commence the meeting on 6 November 2025 in closed session to discuss delegated powers in the Justice Bill and proposed Departmental amendments.

Agreed: To proceed with the Committee's forward work programme, subject to any changes as agreed at today's meeting.

 

11. Chairperson's Business

There was no Chairperson's business.

 

12. Any Other Business

Members noted correspondence from the Department of Justice regarding recent media reports of an alleged serious sexual assault at Magilligan Prison.

Agreed: To seek further information from the Department on whether those involved in the alleged incident were inmates or staff; and whether the information was leaked to the media or if the Prison Service has a duty to make information about serious incidents public.

Doug Beattie informed Members that, in the previous mandate, the Committee was informed at the earliest opportunity when serious incidents occurred in prisons, and suggested that this alleged incident was of a serious nature that should have been notified to the Committee.

Agreed: To seek the views of the Department on whether this incident should have been notified to the Committee in line with previous practice.

 

13. Date, Time and Place of the next meeting

Members were advised that next meeting will take place on Thursday 6 November at 2.00pm in Room 30, Parliament Buildings.

 

The Meeting was adjourned at 3.47pm.

 

Paul Frew MLA

Chairperson, Committee for Justice

6 November 2025