Debate contribution: Defective Premises Bill: Accelerated Passage
Debate contribution by Mr Gordon Lyons on .
- MLA
- Mr Gordon Lyons
- Party at the time
- Democratic Unionist Party
- Date
- 3 June 2024
- Type
- Debate contribution (made as a minister)
- Business
- Executive Committee Business
- Heading
- Defective Premises Bill: Accelerated Passage
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 4493605
Read the official Assembly record
Text
I am grateful to the Members who contributed to the debate and for the high level of consensus around the Chamber. It is also my view that accelerated passage should not be entered into lightly. It is, however, a tool that is available to the House when it is necessary. That certainly is the case in this instance. I will respond to some of Mr Allen's points about my interactions with stakeholders. Some preliminary engagement with the industry took place, although it was at a high level. I point out, however, that we are lifting legislation that currently exists in England and Wales, where there was scrutiny of the legislation. If we were asked to agree to a legislative consent motion, the role of the Assembly would be something similar to what we are doing now. I do not bypass Committee engagement lightly. We have had some experience of the scheme, which has been in place in England and Wales for two years. We do not have evidence of unintended consequences yet. I understand the concerns that people expressed about the lack of Committee scrutiny at this stage. I have highlighted and will further highlight the need for us to take action on this. Therefore, I commend the motion to the House.
212 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Assessment
Jev’s structured answers met the documented threshold for “not flagged”.
- Overall probability that the activity is being used to promote, exploit or escalate an identity-based controversy: 0.02 (flagging needs at least 0.70; at or below 0.30 is not flagged).
- None of the five culture-war criteria was met (each was below 0.60).
- No identity-based framing was identified (1.00).
- The overall probability was at or below the not-flagging threshold.
This is an AI-generated assessment of the text, made against published criteria. It is not a finding of fact about the MLA or their intentions. The Assembly record itself is the fact.
Jev’s structured answers
| Question | Probability | Met? |
|---|---|---|
| Identity framing | 0.02 | No |
| Sectarian or communal antagonism | 0.01 | No |
| Cultural grievance politics | 0.01 | No |
| Dog-whistle messaging | 0.02 | No |
| Controversy escalation | 0.02 | No |
| Legitimate policy scrutiny | 0.56 | No |
| Overall judgement | 0.02 | At or below not-flagging threshold |
| Option | Probability |
|---|---|
| No identity-based framing (chosen) | 1.00 |
| Reports or questions it | 0.00 |
| Criticises or condemns it | 0.00 |
| Adopts it | 0.00 |
| Subject | Probability |
|---|---|
| No identity-related subject | 0.98 |
| Constitutional question, Brexit, the Windsor Framework and sovereignty | 0.02 |
| Flags, emblems, symbols, names and memorials | 0.00 |
| Parades, bonfires and commemorations | 0.00 |
| Irish language, Ulster-Scots and language policy | 0.00 |
Assessed 21 October 2026 at 10:35 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.
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