Brown O’Connor Communications Weekly Look Ahead: Week Commencing 20 September 2021

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Forward Look

  • Prime Minister Boris Johnson MP has reshuffled his Cabinet. Conor Burns MP has been appointed Minister of State in the Northern Ireland Office, replacing Robin Walker MP who takes up the role of Schools Minister. Former Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab MP has been demoted to Justice Secretary and been replaced by Liz Truss. Former Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has been sacked and is replaced by Nadhim Zahawi.

  • NI Assembly Speaker Alex Maskey MLA has outlined a new category of business called ‘Member’s Statements’, that will be scheduled at the beginning of Plenary on a weekly basis for a maximum of thirty minutes. This allows Members to make a statement to the Assembly on a topical matter of public interest.

  • Economy Minister Gordon Lyons MLA has announced the High Street Voucher Scheme will be open for applications on 27 September. The scheme will close on 30 November and pre-paid cards will cease to be valid.

  • Sinn Féin is set to table a Bill that would see Ireland’s lobbying regulations tightened following the Katherine Zappone controversy. The Bill will see the “cooling off period”, that restricts people who have served in Government from engaging in lobbying, extended to two years.

  • SDLP Leader Colum Eastwood MP has called on the Prime Minister to fast track legislation through the House of Commons to stop an immediate assembly election if devolution collapses.

  • The Department of Health has confirmed the Covid-19 vaccination programme will be extended to 12-15 year olds in Northern Ireland and those aged over 50 and healthcare staff will be offered booster jabs.

  • Education Minister Michelle McIlveen MLA has announced special schools will receive £800,000 for investment in outdoor play and learning support.

  • DUP Leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson MP has told the House of Lords he would like Northern Ireland to move towards a system of being governed by voluntary coalition as opposed to the current system of mandatory coalition to improve political decision making.

  • Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey MLA has launched a £5m fund to retain skills in the creative sector and support freelancers. The fund will provide a grant of £2,000 to those eligible in the creative sector.

  • On Monday, the Communities Minister and the Economy Minister will take part in Question Time. On Tuesday, the Education Minister will face questions.

  • On Wednesday, the Committee for Infrastructure will hold a Committee Inquiry on the Decarbonisation of Road Transport in Northern Ireland. The Economy Committee will receive a briefing from the NI Human Rights Commission on the Parental Bereavement (Leave and Pay) Bill. The Executive Office Committee will receive a written briefing on the UK Approach to the Ireland/Northern Ireland Protocol and the Finance Committee will hear evidence on the LCM Pension Reform from departmental officials and public sector unions.

  • On Thursday, the Committee for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs will receive Oral Evidence from the Environmental Justice Network and Professor Kevin O’Connor on the Climate Change No. 1 Bill. The Health Committee will consider the clauses of the Health and Social Care Bill. The Communities Committee will receive briefings on the Charities Bill and the Justice Committee will hold informal deliberations on the Damages (Return on Investment Bill).

  • The Centre for Cross Border Studies will host its Annual Conference on Friday. Register here: LINK.

Other Stories this week

  • A FinTech NI report showed that Northern Ireland could benefit from over £25m in new Foreign Direct Investment, the setup of over 20 new companies, and the creation of thousands of jobs in three years. Read the report here: LINK.

  • The Defamation Bill, sponsored by UUP MLA Mike Nesbitt, has passed its Second Stage by an Oral Bill. The Bill will now go to Committee Stage.

  • Queen’s University Belfast’s Senate is seeking to appoint a number of new co-opted lay members to act as charity trustees, commencing in 2022.

  • A report produced by the Pivotal think tank for Belfast Chamber found that Northern Ireland councils have a narrow range of powers compared to other models of local governance within the UK. It concluded that localised decision-making can act as a catalyst for innovation and economic regeneration. Read the report here: LINK.

  • Sinn Féin President Mary Lou McDonald has said the Party will not publish the completed internal review into its operations in Derry.

  • Belfast Harbour has announced the appointment of three new directors to its leadership team.

  • Mobile vaccination centres have been set up across the six Further Education Colleges and universities campus sites to encourage young people to get the Covid-19 vaccine, as part of the Department of Health’s ‘Jabbathon’ initiative.

  • DUP Councillors Kathryn Owen and Glyn Hanna have returned to the Party after quitting amid bullying claims.

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