Minutes of Proceedings

The Assembly met at noon, the Speaker in the Chair.

1. Prayers

Members observed two minutes’ silence.

2. Speaker’s Business

Today’s Business

The Speaker informed Members that he had selected two Matters of the Day and three Urgent Oral Questions, but that the question to the Minister of Justice would be taken the next day, as the Minister was unwell. The Speaker reminded Members that their contributions may be robust, but should also be respectful.

3. Matters of the Day

3.1 Not Guilty Verdict in Trial of Soldier F

Mr Jonathan Buckley, under Standing Order 24, made a statement on the Not Guilty Verdict in Trial of Soldier F. Other Members were also called to speak on the matter.

3.2 Election of Catherine Connolly as President of Ireland

The Principal Deputy Speaker took the Chair.

Mr Gerry Carroll, under Standing Order 24, made a statement on the Election of Catherine Connolly as President of Ireland. Other Members were also called to speak on the matter.

4. Members’ Statements

Under Standing Order 24A, the following Members made a statement to the Assembly:

Mr Pat Sheehan
Miss Michelle McIlveen
Ms Kate Nicholl
Dr Steve Aiken
Mr Timothy Gaston
Mr Declan Kearney
Mr Jonathan Buckley
Ms Kellie Armstrong
Ms Diana Armstrong
Mr Daniel McCrossan
Mr Paul Givan

5. Assembly Business

5.1 Motion: Appointment of the Northern Ireland Assembly Commissioner for Standards

Proposed:

That this Assembly, in accordance with Section 19(1) of the Assembly Members (Independent Financial Review and Standards) Act (Northern Ireland) 2011, appoints Stephen Wright as the Northern Ireland Assembly Commissioner for Standards.

Assembly Commission

Debate ensued.

The Question being put, the motion was carried.

The Deputy Speaker, Dr Aiken, took the Chair.

6. Private Members’ Business

6.1 Motion: Cervical Screening Scandal Inquiry

Proposed:

That this Assembly expresses concern at the lack of transparency, delay and slow pace of the investigations and reviews into both individual patients and the overall cervical screening scandal by the Department of Health and the Southern Health and Social Care Trust; recognises the steps taken by the Department of Health and the Southern Health and Social Care Trust regarding the recall of women for cervical screening; pays tribute to the Ladies with Letters campaigners who have fought hard for transparency in the issues that led to the underperformance of screeners and the recall of the slides of 17,500 women in the Southern Health and Social Care Trust area; acknowledges that, for some patients, the review was too late and lives were affected by this failure; and calls on the Minister of Health to establish a statutory public inquiry in order to uncover the full truth, establish accountability and ensure that such failures never arise again.

Miss Nuala McAllister
Mr Danny Donnelly
Ms Paula Bradshaw
Mrs Michelle Guy

Amendment:

Leave out all after ‘Southern Health and Social Care Trust area;’ and insert:
‘acknowledges that, for some patients, the review was too late and lives were lost following this failure; notes with alarm the ongoing technical issues with equipment at Northern Ireland’s only laboratory for HPV screening in the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust; highlights that this has resulted in thousands of smear tests being sent to England for screening since 30 September 2025, creating the potential for further delay, backlogs and distress to the women affected; calls on the Minister of Health to urgently clarify when this vital equipment will be fully operational; and further calls on the Minister to establish a statutory public inquiry in order to uncover the full truth, establish accountability and ensure that such failures in the Southern Health and Social Care Trust, and throughout Northern Ireland, never arise again.’

Mrs Diane Dodds
Mr Alan Robinson

Debate ensued.

The sitting was suspended at 1.51pm and resumed at 2.00pm for Question Time, the Principal Deputy Speaker in the Chair.

7. Question Time

7.1 Infrastructure

Questions were put to, and answered by, the Minister for Infrastructure, Ms Liz Kimmins.

The Speaker took the Chair.

7.2 Health

Questions were put to, and answered by, the Minister of Health, Mr Mike Nesbitt.

8. Questions for Urgent Oral Answer

8.1 Minister of Education: Visit to Israel

The Minister of Education, Mr Paul Givan, responded to a Question for Urgent Oral Answer tabled by Ms Cara Hunter.

8.2 UFU: DAERA Vote of No Confidence

The Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Mr Andrew Muir, responded to a Question for Urgent Oral Answer tabled by Mr Timothy Gaston.

9. Assembly Business

9.1 Motion: Extension of Sitting on Monday 3 November 2025 under Standing Order 10(3A)

Proposed:

That, in accordance with Standing Order 10(3A), the sitting on Monday 3 November 2025 be extended to no later than 8.30pm.

Business Committee

The Question being put, the motion was carried.

The Deputy Speaker, Dr Aiken, took the Chair.

10. Private Members’ Business (cont’d)

10.1 Motion: Cervical Screening Scandal Inquiry (cont’d)

Debate resumed.

The Question being put, the amendment was made.

The Question being put, the motion, as amended, was carried.

The Deputy Speaker, Mr Blair, took the Chair.

10.2 Motion: Delivery of a Childcare Strategy

Proposed:

That this Assembly recognises that the commitment to delivering more affordable, accessible, high-quality early learning and childcare is an immediate priority within the Executive’s Programme for Government and that the Executive has provided £80 million towards childcare support measures during the last two financial years; further recognises that many families continue to struggle with the cost of childcare alongside their other bills; acknowledges the challenges facing the childcare sector in terms of recruitment and retention; regrets the delays by the Minister of Education in bringing forward the Early Learning and Childcare Strategy; calls on the Minister of Education to commit to publishing the long-awaited Early Learning and Childcare Strategy by the end of 2025; and further calls on the Minister to commit to a Strategy that delivers high-quality, affordable childcare that meets the needs of all children, including those with special educational needs, physical disabilities, children in Irish-medium education, and those for whom English is not a first language.

Mrs Cathy Mason
Ms Emma Sheerin
Miss Áine Murphy
Mr Pat Sheehan

Amendment:

Leave out all after ‘'recruitment and retention;’ and insert:
‘considers that cross-departmental collaboration is essential to the success of any strategy, including delivery from the review of Minimum Standards for Childminding and Day Care for Children Under Age 12 being taken forward by the Minister of Health and proposed support for the childcare sector being taken forward by the Minister for the Economy; further acknowledges the requirement for an early learning and childcare strategy that meets the needs of all children, including those with special educational needs and disabilities, children in Irish-medium education, and those for whom English is not a first language, ensures that parents and carers can pursue education, training or work and delivers a workforce plan that promotes early learning and childcare as an attractive and rewarding career pathway and ensures those in the sector are valued, have access to training and development and are paid fairly; and calls on the Minister of Education to publish a such a strategy with a fully costed action plan that ensures high-quality, affordable childcare, as required by all children.’

Mrs Michelle Guy
Mr Nick Mathison
Ms Kate Nicholl

Debate ensued.

The Question being put, the amendment was made.

The Question being put, the motion, as amended, was carried.

11. Adjournment

Proposed:

That the Assembly do now adjourn.

The Speaker

The Assembly adjourned at 6.35 pm.

Mr Edwin Poots
The Speaker

3 November 2025

 
Northern Ireland Assembly

Proxy Voting Notifications

In line with Standing Order 27A, Mrs Deborah Erskine arranged for her vote to be exercised by a proxy (Mr Trevor Clarke) during the period 15 September 2025 to 14 June 2026.

In line with Standing Order 27A, Mr Peter McReynolds arranged for his vote to be exercised by a proxy (Ms Paula Bradshaw) during the period 15 October 2025 to 4 November 2025.

Northern Ireland Assembly

Papers Presented to the Assembly on 22 October 2025 to 3 November 2025

1. Acts of the Northern Ireland Assembly

2. Bills of the Northern Ireland Assembly

3. Orders in Council


4. Statutory Rules

SR 2025/XXXX The Waste (Fees and Charges) (Amendment No. 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2025 (Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs) (Withdrawn)

SR 2025/XXXX Draft SR - The Waste (Fees and Charges) (Amendment No. 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2025 (Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs) (Revised)

SR 2025/169 The Social Fund (Child Funeral Fund) (No. 2) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2025 (Department for Communities)

For information

SR 2025/170 The Insolvency Practitioners (Recognised Professional Bodies) (Revocation of Recognition) (No. 2) Order (Northern Ireland) 2025 (Department for the Economy)

5. Legislative Consent Memorandums

6. Assembly Reports

Report on the budget requirements for the Northern Ireland Audit Office, Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman and the Northern Ireland Assembly Commission for 2026-2029/30 (NIA 115/22-27) (Audit Committee)

Report on Legislative Consent Memorandum for the Pensions Schemes Bill 2025 (NIA 125/22-27) (Committee for Communities)

7. Written Ministerial Statements

Update on the Department of Health’s Level 5 Performance Accountability Process for Belfast Health and Social Care Trust (Minister of Health)

Department of Education update on Judicial Review on ‘Reasonable Numbers’ - October 2025 (Minister of Education)

Revised Department of Education update on Judicial Review on ‘Reasonable Numbers’ - October 2025 (Minister of Education)

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 (First Minister and deputy First Minister)

8. Publications Laid in the Northern Ireland Assembly

An inspection of the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s use of Community Resolution Notices (Criminal Justice Inspection Northern Ireland)

Northern Ireland Museums Council Financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025 (Department for Communities)

Food Standards Agency Food Law Code of Practice (Northern Ireland) (Food Standards Agency)

Letter to formally withdraw the Waste (Fees and Charges) (Amendment No. 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2025 (Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs)

Education Authority 2024-25 Annual Report and Accounts (Department of Education)

Adoption and Children Act (Northern Ireland) 2022 First Report on Implementation in Accordance with Section 158 (Department of Health)

Patient and Client Council (PCC) Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2025 (Department of Health)

Children’s Court Guardian Agency for Northern Ireland Accounts for the Year ended 31 March 2025 (Department of Health)

Land and Property Services Trust Statement – Rate Levy Accruals Account Annual Report and Accounts For the year ended 31 March 2025 (Department of Finance)

9. Publications Presented in the Northern Ireland Assembly

Department of Finance Minute October 2025, Under Managing Public Money NI Section A5.5.8 Regarding Remitting All or Part of the Principal of a Loan (Department of Finance)

DfI Roads Southern Division Report to Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council Annual Report 2025/26 (Department for Infrastructure)

Youth Assembly for Northern Ireland Pioneer Phase Legacy Report 2021-2023 (Youth Assembly for Northern Ireland)

Youth Assembly for Northern Ireland Legacy Report 2023-2025 (Youth Assembly for Northern Ireland)