Debate contribution: Deaths, Still-Births and Baby Loss Bill: Further Consideration Stage
Debate contribution by Ms Diane Forsythe on .
- MLA
- Ms Diane Forsythe
- Party at the time
- Democratic Unionist Party
- Date
- 18 November 2025
- Type
- Debate contribution
- Business
- Executive Committee Business
- Heading
- Deaths, Still-Births and Baby Loss Bill: Further Consideration Stage
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5244159
Read the official Assembly record
Text
I am pleased to speak at the Further Consideration Stage of the Deaths, Still-Births and Baby Loss Bill. As I have previously stated, I am pleased that the House has worked together with a clear voice to agree this legislation, which embeds compassion into modernising the legislative process of registering deaths in Northern Ireland. I am also pleased that, through this new law, here in Northern Ireland, we are clearly recognising the precious life of every single unborn baby from the moment that they are formed within the womb. No longer will those babies who are heartbreakingly lost prior to 24 weeks of pregnancy be without formal recognition of their life. The legislation introduces baby loss certificates. In the Finance Committee, we ensured that those were included in the Bill. It is really good to see that work delivered through the legislation. A key principle of the baby loss certificates was that they should be free of charge. The Department had advised that, as this was coming forward in legislation rather than policy in Northern Ireland, a safeguard provision to charge should be included. My colleague Paul Frew and I felt that that was not clear in stating the intention that a certificate and copy should be guaranteed as free, so we drafted an amendment. We are pleased to have worked with the Department on the wording of the amendment, and we support the Minister's amendment today, which encapsulates our intention. I am pleased to speak in support of the Bill and to have played a small part in delivering this legislation. The ability to register death and stillbirths without having to attend a registration office in person is to be welcomed. The opportunity for bereaved parents to obtain a baby loss certificate is hugely significant. Having a new law in Northern Ireland that recognises that every life matters is something that we, as an Assembly and a society, should be proud of. I express sympathy to all who have lost loved ones and are affected by this legislation. I hope that the process to deliver guidelines and practicalities progresses efficiently, with compassion remaining at the heart of the process. The DUP supports the Bill.
365 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: 0.06 (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).
- Assessed as legitimate policy scrutiny (0.75).
- No identity-based framing was identified (0.97).
- Subject area: Gender, sexuality, abortion and related social issues.
- 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 | 0.03 | No |
| Sectarian or communal antagonism | 0.01 | No |
| Cultural grievance politics | 0.02 | No |
| Dog-whistle messaging | 0.02 | No |
| Controversy escalation | 0.05 | No |
| Legitimate policy scrutiny | 0.75 | Yes |
| Overall judgement | 0.06 | At or below not-flagging threshold |
| Option | Probability |
|---|---|
| No identity-based framing (chosen) | 0.97 |
| Reports or questions it | 0.00 |
| Criticises or condemns it | 0.00 |
| Adopts it | 0.03 |
| Subject | Probability |
|---|---|
| Gender, sexuality, abortion and related social issues | 0.92 |
| No identity-related subject | 0.08 |
| 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 13:52 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.
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