Brown O'Connor Communications Weekly Look Ahead: Week Commencing 18 January 2021

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Forward Look

  • First Minister Arlene Foster MLA announced that any person arriving into Northern Ireland on an international flight must produce a negative Covid-19 test taken within 72 hours of travel.

  • Economy Minister, Diane Dodds MLA announced a new £20m support scheme for company directors adversely impacted by the pandemic. The funding will be available for the Limited Company Directors Support Scheme (LCDSS) with applications opening on Thursday 21 January.

  • The Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove MP stated that new guidance for mixed loads of food products – ‘groupage’ - moving between GB and NI is to be published next week.

  • The Executive is due to meet on Thursday 21 January to review the current Covid-19 restrictions as per the agreement implemented on 26 December.

  • The Department for the Economy has said the retail voucher scheme announced by Finance Minister, Conor Murphy MLA in November has been deferred due to the ongoing restrictions. A new bid of £140m for the voucher scheme to be used in the next financial year will be requested.

  • The Labour Party announced ‘The Good Friday Education Programme’ to educate its 500,000 members on the Good Friday Agreement and the role of the Labour Party in the Peace Process.

  • The Belfast Telegraph has named Lisa Smyth as Health Correspondent and Mark Bain as Education Correspondent. Aine Toner will also take up the role of Features Editor.

  • Alliance Chief Whip, Kellie Armstrong MLA has written to the Assembly Committee for Procedures requesting remote plenary sessions to begin when the Assembly returns on Monday.

  • The Justice and DAERA Ministers will take questions in the Assembly on Monday 18 January. The Minister for Communities will take part in Question Time on Tuesday.

  • Justice Minister, Naomi Long MLA will update the Justice Committee on key issues within her Department on Tuesday 19 January.

  • The Health Committee will be briefed by officials from the Health Trusts on the Covid-19 response on Thursday 21 January.

  • Northern Ireland questions will take place in Parliament on Wednesday 20 January. Secretary of State for NI, Brandon Lewis MP will also update the NI Affairs Select Committee on the Northern Ireland Office’s forward work programme for 2021 on Wednesday.

  • The Infrastructure Committee will hear evidence from NI Retail Consortium’s Aodhán Connolly and Seamus Leheny of Logistics UK on issues facing the freight/haulage sector due to Brexit on Wednesday 20 January.

  • Fay Jones MP has been appointed to the NI Affairs Select Committee replacing Caroline Ansell MP.

  • Justice Minister, Naomi Long MLA has launched a public consultation on a new strategy for supporting and challenging women and girls in contact with the justice system. Deadline for responses is 12 March. To respond: LINK

  • SDLP MLA Dolores Kelly has launched a public consultation on proposals to introduce legally binding targets to tackle Northern Ireland’s biodiversity crisis. Deadline for submission is 8 March. To respond: LINK

  • Judith Gillespie, Chair of the working group looking at the Mother and Baby Home scandal in Northern Ireland, told the BBC the group’s report is ready to be published with recommendations including a full public inquiry to be put to Ministers.

  • The Financial Times is recruiting a new Ireland Correspondent. For more information: LINK

Other Stories this week

  • The Department of Health published its Vaccination Programme which has been informed by the JVCI. To read the full programme: LINK

  • Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey MLA announced a further £2.75m for councils under the Covid-19 Community Support Fund to allow them to support the voluntary and community sector response to the pandemic.

  • The third Covid-19 vaccine manufactured by pharmaceutical company Moderna was approved by the UK Vaccine moderator MHRA. The UK Government has pre-ordered 17m doses of the Moderna vaccine which is expected to arrive in early Spring 2021.

  • Environment Minister Edwin Poots MLA chaired the first meeting of the new Green Growth Inter-Ministerial Group which looks at the overarching multi-decade Green Growth Strategy and Delivery Framework for Northern Ireland which is aiming to transform society towards net zero by 2050, protect and enhance the environment and deliver sustainable economic growth.

  • Health Minister, Robin Swann MLA has approved funding for the development of a new specialist perinatal mental health services. This new service will provide multidisciplinary community perinatal mental health teams in all Trusts and will include a new stepped care model. The cost of the new specialist perinatal mental health services is estimated at £4.7million per year.

  • The Ireland-Scotland Bilateral Review Report was published on Thursday which sets out a series of joint actions to be taken in the areas of business and the economy; community and diaspora; culture; academic and research links; and rural, coastal and island communities, as well as government and political relations. To read the review: LINK

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Consultations