Debate contribution: Coronavirus Act 2020 (Registration of Deaths and Still-Births) (Extension) (No.3) Order (Northern Ireland) 2024

Debate contribution by Dr Caoimhe Archibald on 14 October 2024.

MLA

Dr Caoimhe Archibald

Party at the time

Sinn Féin

Date

14 October 2024

Type

Debate contribution (made as a minister)

Business

Executive Committee Business

Heading

Coronavirus Act 2020 (Registration of Deaths and Still-Births) (Extension) (No.3) Order (Northern Ireland) 2024

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 4589574

Read the official Assembly record

Text

I beg to move

As Members will be aware, the order would extend powers introduced in the Coronavirus Act 2020 relating to the registration of deaths and stillbirths for a further six months until 24 March 2025. The specific powers in the order concern the way in which the registrations are conducted. First, they enable individuals to choose to register a death or stillbirth remotely. Although they can opt to come into a registration office in person, the provisions give the next of kin a choice to conduct the registration over the phone if they wish. Secondly, the powers enable participants in the registration process to exchange important documents electronically, rather than requiring the grieving next of kin to take one piece of paper from a doctor to the registrar and another from the registrar to the undertaker. Those exchanges can happen electronically. It will be clear to the Assembly why the provisions were important in the context of the pandemic. The temporary changes to the registration process reduced the need for face-to-face contact both for grieving and sometimes vulnerable members of the public and for registration staff. They enabled the registration system to continue to operate even when its services were, sadly, under significant pressure. However, in the four years that have passed since the start of the pandemic, those arrangements have become the normal means by which the vast majority of such registrations take place. They have helped the registration process to be more efficient and productive, and they carry the support of stakeholders, ensuring the smooth passing of important documents and enabling registration staff to handle any errors or omissions in advance. Most importantly, the provisions ease the burden on grieving members of the public. When someone is coming to terms with the death of a loved one, it is right that we should not burden them unnecessarily. While offering them a choice about how to register a death and conducting some of the paperwork electronically may seem like small things, they can make a big difference. In short, although the powers were introduced as the pandemic took hold, they have become the established means by which deaths and stillbirths are registered, and they have helped the registration service to become more modern, efficient and empathetic. Given the positive effect of the provisions and as I set out in the debate on our earlier extension order, it is right that we should look to make the temporary powers permanent, rather than continuing to depend on the Coronavirus Act. We have used the time provided by that earlier extension order to progress the permanent powers. I had hoped that we would not be in the position of requesting a further extension today. It was our understanding that we could make the required changes through secondary legislation. However, in the final checks, it became apparent that we did not have the powers that we required to effect all the changes that we needed to make to the Births and Deaths Registration Order 1976. The draft regulations had to be set aside and an alternative route found through primary legislation. I thank the Chair and members of the Finance Committee, who carried out the scrutiny of the order. At my direction, officials from the General Register Office (GRO) have been working with the Office of the Legislative Counsel (OLC) to draw together the primary legislation required to make the powers permanent. The Bill that they are working towards will provide for the electronic transfer of documents between stakeholders and the registration of deaths and stillbirths by phone. Bringing forward the Bill will also enable me to progress a new baby loss certificate scheme that recognises the suffering of families who endure the pain of loss before 24 weeks of pregnancy. Members will know that losses early in pregnancy are not recognised by existing legislation here. The scheme will provide official recognition to parents who have suffered the tragedy of losing a baby before 24 weeks. Sadly, that loss is often met with silence and stigma, with many parents feeling isolated in their grief. I am determined that those parents' heartache and grief is recognised in a scheme similar to those in Scotland and England. That is why I have directed my officials to include in the Bill provision for the legal basis for that new voluntary scheme. Details of how it will operate and delivery mechanisms are being developed by my officials and officials in the Department of Health. Those arrangements will be in regulations and will be brought to the Assembly for consideration. Today's extension order will, consequently, provide the time required to finalise primary legislation to make permanent the temporary powers of the Coronavirus Act. It will also afford the space needed to make provision for a baby loss certificate scheme. We hope that, if required, any further extension order from March 2025 would be needed for only a relatively limited period to allow the legislation to complete its passage. In bringing the extension order, I recognise that it is not desirable to continue to depend on the powers of the Coronavirus Act. However, I hope that the Assembly will be reassured by our determination to end the use of those orders by the work that is under way to make the relevant powers permanent and will look favourably on the motion.

Should the extension not be approved, the existing powers will fall, with a return to pre-COVID procedures required. Irrespective of their personal circumstances, relatives would again be required to attend registration offices and to convey paper forms between doctors, registration staff and undertakers. As I set out in a previous debate on these matters, that would be a retrograde step that is not in the interests of the registration service, funeral directors or the public. I hope that the Assembly concurs. I recommend a further extension of the powers included in the order, which have enabled the provision of a modern, empathetic registration service over the past four years. By extending the provisions today, we will be able to continue to provide the service that has been welcomed by stakeholders and will create space to allow for permanent legislation to be put in place. I commend the order to the Assembly.

1,045 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Assessment

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Assessed 21 October 2026 at 11:13 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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