Brown O'Connor Communications Weekly Look Ahead: Week Commencing 22 February 2021

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Forward Look

  • The Executive has agreed to extend the current lockdown restrictions until 1 April, with a review to take place on 18 March. A Pathway to Recovery Framework will be published on 1 March. Pre-school, nursery, and primary school pupils up to Primary 3 will return on 8 March, exam pupils will go back on 22 March.

  • Economy Committee Chair Caoimhe Archibald MLA has advised committee colleagues that the Budget Bill is expected to enter the Assembly on Monday 1 March. Granted accelerated passage, it will have its Second Reading on Tuesday 2 March.

  • Cabinet Minister Michael Gove MP and European Commission Vice President Maroš Šefčovič have met with Belfast business representatives to discuss east-west trading arrangements. The next Joint-Committee meeting will be on Wednesday 24 February.

  • The Draft Budget 2021-22 Consultation will close next Thursday. To respond: LINK.

  • The House of Commons’ Petition Committee will debate the DUP’s petition to trigger Article 16 of the NI Protocol on Monday.

  • Economy Minister Diane Dodds MLA has stated she hopes to bring forward plans for a skills budget for Northern Ireland in the coming weeks.

  • Department for the Economy officials are currently exploring a mechanism to extend European Social Funding (ESF) into the new financial year. The Minister is expected to make a formal announcement in due course.

  • Education Minister Peter Weir MLA has said that bringing forward legislation that addresses the flexibility of the school starting age is a “key legislative priority” for his department this mandate.

  • Department of Health officials have confirmed that the Adoption and Children Bill, which sets out to modernise the legal framework for adoption, is set to be introduced in the Assembly by the end of March.

  • Question Time will take place for The Executive Office and the Finance Minister on Monday. The Health Minister will answer questions on Tuesday.

  • The Economy Committee will receive a briefing from the FSB, Logistics UK, the NI Retail Consortium and Retail NI on EU Exit and the NI Protocol on Wednesday.

  • The Executive Office Committee will hear from departmental officials on the Department’s Spending Plans on Wednesday. The committee will also hear from the Junior Ministers on Brexit issues.

  • On Thursday, the Communities Committee will hear from NILGA, the PSNI, and the NI Alcohol and Drug Alliance on the Licensing and Registration of Clubs (Amendment) Bill.

  • Belfast has been named as the location for MIT Technology Review’s ‘EmTech Europe’ conference for the next 3 years. Kicking off virtually on 27/28 May - the conference will look at 'Forging a Brighter Future'. For more information and to register: LINK.

Other Stories this week

  • Northern Ireland’s Covid-19 Vaccination Programme has been extended to include carers and more people with underlying health conditions. The vaccine rollout will be divided between GP practices and seven regional vaccination centres.

  • The Department of Education has named Mark Browne as its new Permanent Secretary taking up post on 1 March 2021.

  • The Finance Minister has announced plans to open new regional civil service hubs in the spring to facilitate remote working.

  • Party nominations have now closed for two upcoming Seanad by-elections. One of the vacancies follows the resignation of Sinn Féin Senator Elisha McCallion in October. A date for the elections is yet to be set.

  • Sinn Féin Economy Spokesperson Caoimhe Archibald MLA has called for an Economy sub-committee to be established to address the trading issues associated with the NI Protocol. To read the full statement: LINK

  • The Assembly’s All-Party Group on Community Pharmacy held its inaugural meeting on Wednesday.

  • Michael Robert Humphreys QC has been appointed High Court Judge for Northern Ireland.

  • The UK Government’s former Chief Brexit negotiator Lord Frost has joined the Cabinet Office with responsibility for forging a new relationship with the EU.

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