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

Debate contribution by Mr Jon Burrows on 29 September 2025.

MLA: Mr Jon Burrows
Party at the time: Ulster Unionist Party
Date: 29 September 2025
Type: Debate contribution
Business: Executive Committee Business
Heading: School Uniforms (Guidelines and Allowances) Bill: Further Consideration Stage
Assembly identifier: Official Report component 5138884

Text

The Ulster Unionist Party and I will not play politics with something as important as education. We restate our commitment to the need to support children and young people, our commitment that they will have affordable school uniforms and our commitment that the overriding purpose of the Bill — I asked the Minister on a previous occasion to state this clearly so that it was captured for Hansard and, if need be, for a court — is to make sure that no child is excluded or disciplined because their parents cannot afford an item of uniform. That is its fundamental purpose. It is useful to restate that, and I will explain that as I go on. I am satisfied with amendment Nos 1, 5, 7 and 12. They are tidying-up exercises. I do not share the concerns that I have heard.
I know a lot of teachers: I do not know many who are in the business of deliberate humiliation. We need, however, to give teachers the discretion to have on-the-spot conversations without being worried about some onerous legislation coming down on them. We need to trust our teachers, albeit the Bill provides strong guidance. If teachers engage in humiliation, that should be dealt with through disciplinary measures. It is not something that I recognise in the hard-working teachers across Northern Ireland. Amendment Nos 1, 5, 7 and 12 are tidying-up exercises. I do not see any malice in what the Minister has done or any dilution of the effect of the legislation. On amendment No 8, I agree with the insertion of the word "undue". It gets the balance right and affords common sense and flexibility in order to allow minor issues to be dealt with quickly by a school. That is why I said that it was important at the outset to say what the fundamental purpose of the Bill is. If schools started to try to expand the word "undue" in order to frustrate the purpose of the Bill, that clearly would not be permissible. That is why it is so important that we have stated so many times that the purpose of the Bill is to make sure that nobody is excluded or disciplined because their parents cannot afford something. We need to make that clear. Amendment No 9 is useful. It just clarifies that NIPSO can be a source of evidence in determining whether to make a direction. There is nothing controversial in that. On amendment No 10, whilst I still have some uncertainty about naming schools, that was the clear wish of the Chamber at Consideration Stage. It is important that we have clarity that the Department can name a school but it should be done as a last resort. Again, we do not want to be involved in humiliation, and that works both ways. It is about education and prevention. I am happy to support the amendments.

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

Assessment

Awaiting analysis

This record has not been analysed yet. It is not counted in any total until it has been assessed.

Disagree with this assessment?

Classifications can be challenged. A person reviews every challenge, and any change is recorded publicly above with its reason.

Challenge this classification