Debate contribution: Justice Bill: Consideration Stage

Debate contribution by Mr Brian Kingston on 8 June 2026.

MLA

Mr Brian Kingston

Party at the time

Democratic Unionist Party

Date

8 June 2026

Type

Debate contribution

Business

Executive Committee Business

Heading

Justice Bill: Consideration Stage

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 5600893

Read the official Assembly record

Text

I rise as a DUP member of the Justice Committee to comment on the amendments that we have proposed in group 3, which cover a range of matters. Amendment No 70 would repeal offences in the Vagrancy Act 1824. Whilst we accept that people are very rarely arrested or prosecuted just for the offences of rough sleeping or begging, we are concerned that repealing those offences could leave insufficient powers, influence and tools for the Police Service of Northern Ireland to address cases of trespass or obstruction, of begging that causes nuisance and intimidation and of organised begging. Those concerns were raised with us in Justice Committee evidence sessions, including from city centre retail groups, the PSNI and academics who specialise in the topic. Therefore, the DUP has tabled two amendments, amendment No 71, which introduces an offence of trespassing with intent to commit criminal offence, and amendment No 72, which introduces an offence of arranging or facilitating begging for gain. From time to time, I hear from constituents, particularly women, that they have been subject to harassment in Belfast city centre. I recognise that people who are sleeping rough generally have complex issues. Indeed, the Complex Lives programme, led by Belfast City Council and other statutory agencies, seeks to support some of our city's most vulnerable people to help break the cycle of chronic homelessness. However, I am concerned that the public impression that rough sleeping and begging on the streets are legal activities without restriction could result in an increase in nuisance behaviour, including intimidating and threatening behaviour, to the detriment of shoppers and shopkeepers. Therefore, having taken advice, we believe that our amendments strike the right balance in ensuring that the police have the appropriate tools at their disposal, if required, to address and prevent behaviour that makes other people feel at risk. In those circumstances, we are supporting the repeal of the Vagrancy Act. Amendment No 73 proposes the repeal of blasphemy law. We in the DUP believe that faith and belief, which are private matters for each of us, also have an important place in common life in the public square. We recognise the foundation of Christian values that have underpinned much of our common law and our constitution in the United Kingdom. Whilst acknowledging the diversity of beliefs that now exists in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK, including all the major world faiths and people of no belief, our experience over many years has been that some political parties and humanist groups wish to actively drive faith out of the public square, out of public ceremonies and out of our schools and institutions. We are mindful that it is popular for people in some circles, particularly left-wing circles, to be derogatory towards Christian faith and belief in a way that they would not be towards other world faiths and beliefs.

I will, briefly.

OK. When the Member watches, for example, left-wing comedians on TV and how they refer to the Christian faith, he might wish to compare that with how they refer to other faiths. Many of them would not be derogatory towards other world faiths in the same way that they are prepared to be towards Christianity.

I have given you an example.

I do not know if the Member listened to the rest of what I said. I am saying that we value the role of faith not just in private life but historically. Faith has an important role to play in public life today through the values that it portrays such as care for others. We support faith having that role in the public square. Some people try to push it out: that is their agenda, and they are entitled to have it. We have the agenda of upholding recognition of faith in public life. I will give way to the Minister.

644 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Assessment

Uncertain: close call Religion and belief (including people of no religion), churches, faith communities and religious prejudice (including antisemitism and anti-Muslim prejudice)

Jev’s structured answers

Assessed 21 October 2026 at 15:56 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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