All of Mr Timothy Gaston’s imported questions, contributions and motions in this mandate, newest first, including those assessed as not flagged, uncertain or not yet analysed.
To ask the Minister of Justice to detail any communication that has been issued to prisoners and their families in relation to changes to mail-handling procedures at HMP Maghaberry.
To ask the Minister of Justice whether the current arrangements for handling mail within HMP Maghaberry comply with prisoners’ rights to family correspondence under domestic law and relevant international standards.
To ask the Minister of Health when he was provided with a draft answer from officials to (i) AQW 32562/22-27; (ii) AQW 32207/22-27; (iii) AQW 32206/22-27; (iv) AQW 32204/22-27; (v) AQW 32203/22-27; (vi) AQW 31196/22-27; (vii) AQW 30169/22-27; (viii) AQW 28799/22-27; (ix) AQW 28374/22-27; (x) AQW 26240/22-27; (xi) AQW…
To ask the Minister of Education whether he will bring forward legislation, similar to that contained in Article 21(5) of the Education and Libraries (Northern Ireland) Order 1986, giving parents the right to withdraw their children from Relationships and Sexuality Education.
Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, in light of the Loughs Agency having been found to have employed 28 per cent more staff than their approved staff complement, to detail (i) whether the associated spend on unapproved staff will be treated as irregular spend in the (a) 2024-25 annual…
To ask the Minister of Justice to detail the current policy in operation at HMP Maghaberry in relation to the acceptance, screening and distribution of incoming mail to prisoners.
To ask the Minister of Education to detail any assessment he has made of the compatibility of a neutral or non-confessional approach to religion in schools with Article 21 of the Education and Libraries (Northern Ireland) Order 1986
To ask the Minister of Education whether he will rule out introducing a multi-faith or pluralistic model of religious education in controlled schools, in light of the legal requirement for religious education to be based upon the Holy Scriptures.
Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs whether the recent sinking of the Loughs Agency vessel on tidal water, being a marine incident, has been reported to the Marine Accident Investigation Branch.
Bluetongue Virus To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, in light of the confirmation of Bluetongue virus in Northern Ireland and the imposition of a 20km control zone, to outline what immediate steps the Department is taking to contain the outbreak, assess further risk, and support affected…
To ask the Minister of Health whether he will (i) give an assurance that the assessment of the gender identity services provision in Northern Ireland, conducted by Baroness Cass during her recent visit, will be published in full and without delay once it is completed and submitted to his Department; and (ii) set out…
To ask the Minister of Education to detail how his Department will ensure that the broadly Christian character of collective worship, as required by section 386(2) of the Education Act 1996, is maintained following the Supreme Court judgment in the matter of an application by JR87 and another for Judicial Review…
To ask the Minister of Education for his assessment of whether Article 21 of the Education and Libraries (Northern Ireland) Order 1986 remains fully in force and was not altered or struck down by the Supreme Court judgment in the matter of an application by JR87 and another for Judicial Review (Appellant).
To ask the Minister of Education to detail any steps his Department is taking to ensure that religious education in controlled schools continues to be delivered based upon the Holy Scriptures according to some authoritative version or versions thereof, as required by Article 21(2) of the Education and Libraries…
Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs to detail (i) any procedures in place to ensure that pedigree breeding stock, including rams, bulls and heifers that have been bred and fed specifically for specialist December sales in Great Britain, can continue to travel to Great Britain in light of…
ICTU Stand for Palestine Protest To ask the Minister of Education, in light of reports that teachers and pupils participated in pro-Palestine protests, vigils, and coordinated symbolic displays on or outside school premises during the school day on Friday, what action his Department had taken to uphold political…
To ask the Minister of Education to detail any actions he plans to take to (i) ensure school leaders and teaching unions maintain political neutrality; and (ii) prevent school property and school time being used for partisan or political activism.
To ask the Minister of Education, in light of the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers encouraging teachers to participate in the Irish Congress of Trade Unions' Stand for Palestine during the school day on 28 November 2025, to detail any guidance his Department had in place to ensure…
To ask the Minister of Education to detail any assessment he has made in relation to teachers taking part in lunchtime vigils or political symbolism on school premises on 28 November 2025 in relation to the conflict in the Middle East.
To ask the Minister of Education to detail any steps his Department took to prevent pupils being exposed to or involved in political protests or displays on contentious international issues during school hours on Friday 28 November 2025.
To ask the Minister for the Economy whether her Department provided any input to the information provided on the China Chamber of Commerce in the UK’s website which describes co-operation between her Department, Invest NI and the Chinese Government.
Damage to Portrait at Belfast City Hall To ask the First Minister and deputy First Minister, in light of the ongoing public concern surrounding the damage caused to a former Lord Mayor’s portrait at the Glór na Móna event attended by a junior Minister, whether any invitations to that event were received by, issued to,…