All of Mrs Naomi Long’s imported questions, contributions and motions in this mandate, newest first, including those assessed as not flagged, uncertain or not yet analysed.
Thank you, Madam Principal Deputy Speaker. I am grateful for the opportunity to respond to today's debate. As most Members are aware, telecommunications is a reserved matter for which the UK Government have responsibility. However, as Justice Minister, I am unwavering in my commitment to protect women and girls from…
Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I am very grateful to Cara and her colleagues for bringing this important motion before the House today, and specifically Cara and Diane, who, again, very powerfully shared their personal experience of the issue. Recent political, media and public focus on the issue of the use of X's AI…
The Member will, of course, be aware but has not reflected that, initially, the deepfake issue was to be dealt with by Westminster legislation and that Westminster would then have sought a legislative consent motion (LCM) from us. It was only at the point at which the LCM was no longer a possibility that it even…
To be fair, I offered to bring forward the deepfake amendments. Indeed, I wrote to the Executive on 4 November, seeking permission to do so, but I did not get clearance for that until last Thursday. It is fair to say, however, that I share the Member's frustration, because the Bill has now been sitting in Committee…
The issue of mediation is one that, as the Member will know, has been discussed. It was suggested initially by the Lady Chief Justice, and it is something that I considered. I also took the view of Tom Burgess, who had been chairing the working group, as requested by the professions. The bottom line is that,…
I said earlier that I did not really want to enter into a negotiation in public on this. Refresher fees are certainly a part of it. Actually, I think that that will be the bit that will be much more readily resolved. There is the issue of government legal services rates, which is something that was raised in the…
Anybody who is subjected to a hate crime deserves to be protected, but, further than that, there has to be recognition that there are secondary and tertiary victims of any crime. That is particularly acute in marginalised communities, where people may feel that the justice system is not responsive, or they may feel…
I originally got permission from the Executive to include the standard protected groups in Northern Ireland, meaning those to do with religion, sexual orientation, disability and race; those are already included. In response to evidence presented by Judge Marrinan and further evidence that has arisen over the past…
If I ever felt that I was not up to the job, I would be the first person to step aside: let me be clear about that. The justice system is more important than any individual and certainly more important than the TikTok that you are preparing. It is really important, if people lack confidence in the justice system, for…
There is a role for the PSNI in training, and we are happy to provide people with the resources — the materials — that they may need to provide information to officers. The operationalisation aspect of how that would done would be a matter for the Chief Constable and the Policing Board. When it comes to how the orders…
There is a plan, as part of the legislation that we will introduce, for a judge to be able to put stalking protection orders in place either at the point of conviction or on acquittal, where the judge believes that the person, not having been convicted, still represents a risk to the complainant. They can be useful,…
There are a number of things. First, I have not given up hope yet that it can be concluded sooner rather than later. It is important that one should not be overly hopeful but, rather, be sensible about it. It can be done. With goodwill on both sides, we can get to where we need to be in a relatively short time, but…
I met the criminal Bar last week. It was important that I did so, because, ultimately, the dispute is directly with the criminal Bar, as opposed to with the wider Bar Council. I felt that the engagement was constructive. I caveat that, however, by saying that my meeting with the previous chair of the criminal Bar on 5…
I have engaged with the Education Minister on child sexual exploitation and child criminal exploitation but not specifically on targeted advertising around non-fatal strangulation. Part of the issue is about the differing views that people have of how explicit our relationships and sexuality education should be. If we…
Members will know that I am passionate about that. Where possible, I want to address serious sexual offending. In the previous mandate, I introduced a new domestic abuse offence that marked a step change in capturing controlling and coercive behaviour. I introduced new offences of stalking, upskirting, downblousing…
The UK Crime and Policing Bill, which is currently making its way through Westminster, contains provision to criminalise the possession and publication of pornography portraying strangulation and suffocation. I have been engaging with the UK Government and intend, subject to Members' agreement, to extend that…
It is not yet on the register. As you are aware, on the basis of the working group's assessment there was no identified further need at the time that it applied. The rules were applied as they stand at the moment. That decision was appealed, and the final stage of appeal came to me. The rules, as they are at this…
The process is no different from the one that I described. I am aware of the organisation to which you referred and that it had approached NISAR for additional information but had not applied for membership. To be clear, the decision on the accepted standard and qualifications that are required is reviewed and…
Northern Ireland search and rescue (NISAR) coordinates, supports and assures the quality of voluntary search and rescue provision for high-risk missing persons across Northern Ireland to ensure that the statutory risk tasking authority, which is responsible for requesting, directing and overseeing search and rescue…
I have always been clear that I am supportive of the criminal Bar and criminal solicitors and the work that they do. The solicitors' criminal Bar has provided me with evidence, as part of the working group, that has allowed us to move on a parole pilot and to increase PACE fees to ensure that people who are in the…