Written Ministerial Statement
The content of this written ministerial statement is as received at the time from the Minister. It has not been subject to the official reporting (Hansard) process.
The Executive Office
Executive Legislation Programme 2024-25
Download this statement as a PDF (266.65 kb)
Published on Wednesday 9 April 2025
Mrs O’Neill (The First Minister) and Mrs Little-Pengelly (The deputy First Minister): Following our statement to the Assembly on 24 May 2024 we wish to update the Assembly on the Executive Committee’s Legislative Programme for the 2024/25 session. The Executive Committee has agreed a comprehensive programme of legislation which, subject to its further agreement to the content of individual Bills, Ministers propose to introduce in the Assembly during the remainder of this session.
Since February 2024, the following Bills have been introduced –
The Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs introduced the Agriculture Bill.
The Minister for Communities introduced the Defective Premises Bill, the Pensions (Extension of Automatic Enrolment) Bill, the Child Support Enforcement Bill and the Sign Language Bill.
The Minister for Education introduced the School Uniforms (Guidance and Allowances) Bill.
The Minister for Finance introduced the Budget Bill, Budget (No.2) Bill and the Budget Bill 2025. The Minister has also introduced the Deaths, Still-Births and Baby Loss Bill, which will amend legislation to enable the remote registration of deaths and still births. It will also provide a legislative basis for the introduction of a baby loss certificate scheme which will recognise pregnancy and baby losses prior to 24 weeks of pregnancy.
The Minister of Health introduced the Hospital Parking Charges Bill
The Minister for Justice introduced the Justice Bill.
In relation to the other Bills contained in our previous statement on the initial Legislation Programme for the 2024/25 session, the Executive has been advised that it remains the intention of Ministers, to introduce the following Bills.
The Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs will introduce the Dilapidation Bill to confer functions on district councils to provide them with a modern, fit for purpose regime to tackle dilapidated / dangerous buildings and sites, including a series of notices, offences, penalties and appeals.
The Minister for the Economy will introduce Bills relating to the functions of the Utility Regulator, and to make provision relating to the RHI Scheme.
The purpose of the Utility Regulator Decarbonisation Powers Bill will be to provide a new function for the Utility Regulator to enable it to support the Department for the Economy in the delivery of the Executive’s Energy Strategy and targets under the Climate Change Act (NI) 2022.
The RHI Scheme Bill will make provision for the future of the scheme.
The Minister of Finance will introduce a Financial Provisions Bill to reconcile several routine financial matters across departments. This will include provisions which were originally to be contained in a separate Financial Assistance Bill by the Department for the Economy which will not now proceed.
The Minister of Finance will also introduce a Fiscal Council Bill to establish the NI Fiscal Council on a permanent, statutory basis in order to bring greater transparency and independent scrutiny to the current and future state of Northern Ireland’s public finances.
The Minister of Health will introduce an Adult Protection Bill which will introduce additional protections to underpin and strengthen the adult protection process and align this with best practice in other jurisdictions.
The Minister of Health is considering responses to the consultation on the proposed Public Health Bill and will provide a further update on its introduction once this process is complete.
The Minister for Infrastructure will introduce a Water, Flooding and Sustainable Drainage Bill to provide new and additional powers across seven areas of water, flooding and drainage legislation.
Finally, as First Minister and deputy First Minister we will introduce the Inquiry into Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalene Laundries and Workhouses and Redress Scheme Bill. Its purpose will be to establish a Statutory Public Inquiry to establish the facts about these institutions between 1922 and 1995. It will further include provision for The Executive Office to establish a Redress Service to administer a statutory financial redress scheme.
Since our statement in May 2024, an additional Bill has been admitted to the Executive’s Legislative Programme for introduction in this session:
The Minister for the Economy will introduce an Insolvency (Amendment) Bill whichwill update insolvency and company director disqualification legislation.
We recognise that there has been slippage in the timing of the introduction of a number of Bills announced in our previous statement on the Legislation Programme. This remains, however, an ambitious programme which Ministers are committed to delivering with the support of the Assembly. This programme does not represent the totality of Ministers’ legislative intentions, as Ministers are also developing policy on a wide range of other issues which will ultimately require legislation during the remainder of this mandate. We and the other Ministers of the Executive therefore look forward to working with the Assembly and its Committees to ensure the delivery of this important programme of legislation efficiently and with due diligence.
In the event that a Bill has to be withdrawn from the 2024/25 Executive Legislation Programme, the relevant Minister will advise the Assembly.
