Debate contribution: School Uniforms (Guidelines and Allowances) Bill: Consideration Stage

Debate contribution by Mr Daniel McCrossan on 15 September 2025.

MLA

Mr Daniel McCrossan

Party at the time

Social Democratic and Labour Party

Date

15 September 2025

Type

Debate contribution

Business

Executive Committee Business

Heading

School Uniforms (Guidelines and Allowances) Bill: Consideration Stage

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 5099208

Read the official Assembly record

Text

I speak in support of the Bill and the amendments in group 1. Those amendments, which cover regular review, reporting, enforcement and transparency, are about making sure that the legislation delivers real relief to parents rather than gathers dust on a shelf. Let me be clear that, although schools may close their doors during the summer months, parents' stress does not stop. The reality of school uniform costs weighs heavily on the mind of tens of thousands of families across Northern Ireland, and each September is marked not by excitement but by dread at the mounting bills for blazers, PE kits and endless branded items. Research from Pivotal has shown that one in 10 children here has missed school because they could not meet uniform requirements. Just think about that for a moment. Young people are being excluded from education not because of their ability or willingness to learn but because their parents cannot afford the right jumper or trainers. The same study showed that 73% of low-income families struggled to meet the costs. Those are not just statistics. We all hear from our constituents day and daily. Families are paying over £100 for a single blazer, and often more when the school insists on specific suppliers being used. For families with two or three children in different schools with various uniform requirements, the costs become crushing, yet a £100 blazer does not make a child a better learner. It does not help them in their maths test or help improve their spelling. Rather, it drives up inequality in our classrooms. The Irish League of Credit Unions (ILCU) tells us that the average cost of getting a child back to school is nearly £1,000, and uniforms make up a huge part of that cost. Figures from the Parent Engagement Group (PEG) suggest an average uniform cost of £378 in Northern Ireland.

That is simply not sustainable. It is pushing families into debt and forcing them to make impossible choices between heating, food and their children's education. That is why the group 1 amendments matter. Amendment No 1 requires guidelines to be reviewed:

"at least once every three years".

Without that amendment, the Department can review them "from time to time", which, in practice, means maybe or maybe not. Families cannot wait on good intentions. They need regular scrutiny to be written into law in order to ensure accountability. Amendment No 4 requires guidelines to be laid before the Assembly. That matters, because guidelines have power only when they are open to proper scrutiny and debate. We cannot outsource that to departmental corridors. The Assembly must see and approve what is being done in the name of affordability. Amendment No 8, as outlined by the Committee Chair, introduces "Reporting on school uniform costs", including figures on mean and median costs, the effect of any capping and future plans. The Minister has argued that that is too prescriptive or unclear, but there is nothing unclear about a family staring at a £400 bill for a uniform for a single child. Parents will want clarity on whether the Bill is working and whether schools are lowering those costs. Without data, we are blind. Amendment No 8 ensures that the Department gathers and shares the evidence that we need. Amendment Nos 9 and 11 strengthen the Department's power to intervene when schools fail to follow guidelines. If schools do not comply, it cannot be optional for the Department to act, otherwise we risk creating a law with no consequence, which is a mistake that is made too often in the House. Families deserve to know that, if a school breaches its duties, the Department must step in. Amendment No 12 ensures that directions that are given to schools are published. Again, the Minister has objected, suggesting that that amounts to naming and shaming, but let us be honest: transparency is not about shaming. It is about accountability. If a school is failing its pupils by imposing unaffordable and unfair uniform rules, parents have the right to know. Sunlight is the best disinfectant, and secrecy will only erode trust. The amendments are not radical; they are quite modest, practical and necessary. They place transparency, regular review and accountability at the heart of the Bill. Let me add this: while we work through the law, parents and communities have not been waiting. Across Northern Ireland, pre-loved uniform schemes are making a real difference to many families and to the lives of young people. The Redeeming Our Communities project, for example, has helped nearly 900 families with recycled uniforms. Those initiatives save money, reduce waste and build community spirit. Similar initiatives in my constituency have played out well and have supported countless families over the summer and leading into September. It is a pity that amendments to embed such schemes more fully in the Bill were not accepted, but the fact that those projects exist shows the will of parents and communities to act where the Government have been too slow or non-existent. As we consider the group 1 amendments, let us remember this: the success of the Bill will be measured not on its technical drafting but on the pounds and pennies that families save come September. The group 1 amendments make sure that the law is not just words on the page but a tool that can deliver affordability, fairness and dignity for parents and pupils alike.

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

Assessment

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Assessed 21 October 2026 at 13:07 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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