Forward Look
Edwin Poots MLA has asked DUP Chairman, Lord Morrow to begin the electoral process to elect a new party leader. It came after it was widely reported that 24 of the 28 DUP MLAs voted against Mr Poots’ nomination of Paul Givan for First Minister at a party meeting on Thursday morning, expressing concern at the deal struck with the British Government on the Irish language.
Paul Givan MLA has been appointed the new First Minster alongside Michelle O'Neill MLA as deputy First Minister. The British Government has agreed to legislate for Irish Language and the wider cultural package as agreed in New Decade, New Approach if Stormont does not progress legislation by October.
The DUP will hold its Annual General Meeting next Thursday.
The Executive has delayed the relaxation of restrictions around live music and large-scale events until 5 July due to concerns over the spread of the Delta variant.
A North-South Ministerial meeting will no longer take place today in Armagh after First Minister Paul Givan refused to attend.
DAERA Permanent Secretary Denis McMahon is due to become the Executive Office Permanent Secretary, previously a joint role with the Head of the Civil Service. An announcement on when Mr McMahon will take up his post will be made shortly.
Health Minister Robin Swann launched a new Elective Care Framework which sets out a £700 million 5-year roadmap for tackling hospital waiting lists. The Minister also announced the reinstation of a new Cross-Border Healthcare Directive for a 12-month period from July 2021, allowing patients to seek and pay for treatment in the private sector in the Republic and have the costs reimbursed. To view framework: LINK
Mrs Justice Siobhan Keegan was appointed as the new Lady Chief Justice of Northern Ireland. She will take up the post in September 2021.
The Second Reading of the Northern Ireland (Ministers, Elections and Petitions of Concern) Bill will take place on Tuesday in the House of Commons. This legislation extends the time between an election and the appointment of Executive ministers and will seeks to ensure that the institutions are more sustainable.
The Further Consideration stage of the of the Licensing and Registration of Clubs (Amendment) Bill will take place on Monday. 23 amendments have been tabled.
Question Time will take place for the Justice and Agriculture Ministers on Monday. The Communities Minister is up for questions on Tuesday.
On Wednesday, the Infrastructure Committee will receive a briefing from Departmental Officials on the review of the Planning Act. The Finance Committee will receive a briefing from Ulster University's Economic Policy Centre on Covid recovery and business rates reform. The Executive Office Committee will receive three briefings on Historical Institutional Abuse.
On Thursday, the Health Committee will receive oral evidence on the Severe Fatal Abortion (Amendment) Bill and will receive an update on the truth recovery design panel. The Agriculture Committee will receive briefings from the NI Meat Exporters Association, Dairy Council NI and UK Carbon Capture and Storage Research Centre on the Climate Change Bill.
Global tech conference EmTech Europe will take place in Belfast from 1-2 July and is to be the first in-person business conference to take place in the UK and Ireland since the beginning of the pandemic. To register: LINK
Other Stories this week
Paul Frew MLA and Michelle McIlveen MLA were officially appointed as the new Economy and Education Ministers on Monday following the resignations of Peter Weir MLA and Diane Dodds MLA.
DUP Cllr Stephen Dunne will be co-opted to replace his father Gordon as MLA for North Down, who is stepping down on health grounds.
The Climate Change Committee (CCC) has published a report detailing the action needed to tackle climate change. The report states that the lack of green policy in NI has "increased the uncertainty" over future climate change impacts. It also advises that summer heatwaves, flooding, droughts, and wildfires are to become more common.
SDLP Leader Colum Eastwood MP has introduced the Climate Change and Green Jobs private members Bill at Westminster which would declare a climate emergency, create new green jobs, and increase taxation of large companies to generate revenue to be spent on tackling climate change.
The Health and Justice Ministers jointly published a report on the outcome of the recent consultation on the establishment of a Care and Justice Campus. Detailed plans will now be put in place to get the Campus up and running.
Fine Gael Leader and Tánaiste Leo Varadkar told his party’s Ard Fheis that he believes a united Ireland could happen in his lifetime and that his party should establish a branch in Northern Ireland in preparation for unification.
Finance Minister, Conor Murphy MLA has announced a revaluation of all 74,750 non-domestic properties in Northern Ireland. Known as 'Reval 2023', the process will result in a new non-domestic Valuation list being used to calculate business rate bills from April 2023.
Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon announced £17 million for a Roads Recovery Fund to address areas of immediate concern across the road network.
Economy Minister Paul Frew MLA announced the creation of 771 jobs at PWC with a £40 million investment in a new Advanced Research and Engineering Centre.
Upcoming key political and business events
24-25 June, Access to Finance Conference, Invest NI
24 June, Annual General Meeting, Belfast Chamber
1-2 July, EmTech Europe virtual Conference, MIT Technology Review
3 July, Northern Ireland Assembly Summer Recess begins
24 September, Annual Conference, Centre for Cross Border Studies
8 October, President’s Annual Dinner, Londonderry Chamber of Commerce
22 October, 2021 Business Awards, Belfast Chamber of Commerce
Consultations
Consultation on a review of the Northern Ireland Postgraduate Tuition Fee Loan Department for the Economy. Deadline 25 June 2021.
Consultation on the Parking Places (Disabled Persons’ Vehicles) (Amendment No. 7) Order (Northern Ireland) 2021 Department for Infrastructure. Deadline 25 June 2021.
Consultation on Legal Aid for Mediation in Non-Family Civil Cases Department of Justice. Deadline 29 June 2021.
Consultation on policy options for the new Energy Strategy for Northern Ireland Department for the Economy. Deadline 30 June 2021.
Consultation on proposal to abolish the Agricultural Wages Board (AWB) Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs. Deadline 8 July 2021.
Consultation on pre-school education admissions criteria Department of Education. Deadline 12 July 2021.
Consultation on the new housing supply strategy call for evidence Department for Communities. Deadline 16 July 2021.
Consultation on proposed changes to the carrier bag levy Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs. Deadline 27 July 2021.
Consultation on improving the experience of victims and witnesses in the criminal justice system Department of Justice. Deadline 29 July 2021.
Consultation on a Statutory Duty of Candour and Being Open Framework Department of Health. Deadline 2 August 2021.
Consultation on Skills for a 10X Economy Department for the Economy. Deadline 19 August 2021.
Consultation for the Introduction of Standard Legal Aid Fees Department of Justice. Deadline 24 September 2021.