Assembly Committee says Bill must be amended to ensure justice for victims and survivors

An Assembly Committee has called for a Bill to be amended - to ensure justice for the victims and survivors of mother and baby institutions.

Following a seven-month scrutiny period, the Assembly’s Committee for the Executive Office has published its clause-by-clause amendments and recommendations on the Inquiry (Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalene Laundries and Workhouses) and Redress Scheme Bill. 

The proposed legislation will see the establishment of a formal Inquiry into Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalene Laundries and Workhouses in Northern Ireland between 1922 and 1995 and set up a Redress Scheme for the victims and survivors.

The Committee began work on scrutinising the Bill in June 2025. Since then, it has undertaken extensive engagement - receiving 91 written submissions and oral evidence from 24 organisations, as well as detailed briefings from departmental officials.

Alongside formal evidence sessions, the Committee also held stakeholder familiarisation events, roundtable discussions and dedicated meetings for victims and survivors.

Committee Members heard a number of consistent themes from witnesses including a strong desire for truth recovery and broader scope around institutional inclusion – on historical practices on forced adoption, infant mortality and burial arrangements.

Frequent concern was also raised about the eligibility for redress, particularly the proposed 29 September 2011 posthumous cut-off date and the adequacy of the proposed £10,000 standardised payment.

Having considered the written and oral evidence received on the Bill, the Committee undertook its formal clause-by-clause consideration at a meeting earlier this month.

In its ‘Committee Stage Report’ published today, Members have also made a series of 17 recommendations relating to clauses on the Inquiry section of the Bill and three on the clauses relating to the payment of redress. These include a proposal that victims and survivors are included on the Inquiry panel and that clear guidelines for the redress scheme are introduced as soon as possible.

The Chairperson of the Committee for the Executive Office, Paula Bradshaw MLA, said: “This is a Bill to make provision relating to one of the most distressing and hurtful episodes in Northern Ireland’s history. Getting the foundations of the Inquiry and the Redress Scheme right is essential, and the Committee has taken its responsibility of scrutinising the Bill extremely seriously.

“We have listened carefully to those who took the time to speak to us and what we heard was a strong expectation that the institutions involved will make financial contributions. There is also clear support for survivors to participate in the process  including a mandatory advisory panel and funded legal representation.

“The Committee has agreed a series of amendments aimed at strengthening transparency, enhancing survivor involvement, improving accountability and ensuring robust Assembly oversight.

“Overall, the Committee recognised the significance of this legislation for victims and survivors who have waited decades for recognition, truth and redress. While broadly supportive of the Bill, the Committee considers that the amendments it has agreed are necessary to ensure the Inquiry and the Redress Scheme are credible, trauma informed, transparent and capable of delivering meaningful justice.”

Now that the Committee has completed its scrutiny work, the Bill will move to the Consideration Stage, where MLAs will debate and vote on the clauses and amendments.  This will be followed by a Further Consideration Stage before the Bill reaches the Final Stage for a conclusive vote - before potential Royal Assent. 

Ends

For further information please contact Felicity Templeton at the Assembly’s communications office on 07977 635930 or  felicity.templeton@niassembly.gov.uk

Notes to editors

• The ‘Committee Stage Report’ on the Inquiry (Mother and Baby Institutions, Magdalene Laundries and Workhouses) and Redress Scheme Bill can be found here: https://lk.nia.fyi/p71f
• Information on the witnesses who gave evidence to the Committee; written submissions; minutes of evidence; and a consultation submission summary report can be found in the document’s appendices.
• You can find more information about the Committee for the Executive Office here and its work on the Inquiry and Redress Scheme Bill here.
• The Committee Stage of a Bill involves a Committee gathering feedback from the public and others interested in the Bill's subject matter. At the end of this stage, the Committee members review each part of the Bill and prepare a Committee Stage Report for the Assembly.

The purpose of the Committee Stage Report is to provide the Assembly with a detailed, evidence-based review of a proposed Bill, including expert opinions, public feedback and proposed amendments for debate and potential inclusion, before the Bill becomes law.