Every imported question, contribution and motion, with its classification. Unflagged, uncertain and not-yet-analysed records are all included so the analysis can be checked independently.
I acknowledge the statistic that the Member brought up about the five-year-old. I want to be clear that that did not happen on my watch; that was some time ago. I have already made it clear to the House that there will be no attempt to persuade, coerce or force a young person to move towards the most radical and…
I thank the Minister for coming to the Chamber today. The media reported that children who are as young as five access gender services in Northern Ireland. As a mum of a five-year-old, I know how young and vulnerable those children are, and they are just learning to count. Will the Minister ensure the protection of…
On the Member's last point, I have met families who are not happy that the pathway into Knowing our Identity is via CAMHS, because it is a mental health service. I am aware of that, but we have not been able to come up with a suitable alternative, so I am afraid that CAMHS it is. I agree with the Member that we need…
I thank the Minister for coming to the Chamber today. I want to reflect on the fact that we need to move away from the argument of whether something is gender-affirming and really take cognisance of the fact that trans people exist. Trans young people exist, and they should be included and welcomed in society. Today…
I will come back to the Member on the exact number, because I do not have it to hand. Consent is a crucial issue. Knowing our Identity, or KOI, is a service that comes under the child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS), and, as with all CAMHS services, parental participation and consent are required. The…
I thank the Minister. This is a sensitive and difficult subject. I reflect on the fact that we were not on our own in expressing some concerns, given that two very senior members of the Minister's own party expressed the same concerns. My question is very specifically about consent, because that is a really important…
Minister, this morning you attended, alongside me and other MLAs, a mental health awareness event in the Long Gallery. What assessment have you or your officials made of the impact of implementing a Cass report mark II in the North? How will that impact on the health and mental health of trans and non-binary people…
I thank the Minister for his answers so far and for giving us this information. This is a process question. There has been £865,000 allocated. Is the review of the implementation of the services that were already in place? The review is due to last for just two days. Can you give us an assurance that those who are in…
Thank you, Minister, for coming to the Chamber to answer the question for urgent oral answer. Many years ago, I visited Brackenburn Clinic and engaged with the healthcare professionals who were there, and I can confirm that they worked in the very best interests of the children and their families and their particular…
Minister, what consultation was done with the LGBTQ+ community in advance of announcing the review? Further to that, what reassurance can you give that community, particularly the trans community, that this will not cause further undue delays in the provision of needed support and services?
Minister, in all such discussions, I start from the position of common sense, namely that it is an indisputable, biological fact that a man is a man and a woman is a woman. Therefore, can the Minister confirm that any gender services that are commissioned by his Department will not affirm self-proclaimed definitions…
FlaggedGender, sexuality, abortion and related social issuesCriteria met: Sectarian or communal antagonism, Dog-whistle messaging.
When I spoke to Dr Cass, I asked her whether she was prepared to come to Belfast in order to conduct a short, sharp quality assurance review of our gender identity service. She has agreed to come with a small team of independent experts to do that in the coming weeks. I can confirm that the service will not be an…
The transport policy has been in place for years. I agree with the Member: some of its outworkings provide challenges and frustrations for many parents. You need to apply for a school that you do not believe that you will attend in order to get rejected, and then you can go to an alternative school to qualify for a…
Initially, the financial support was restricted to the nought-to-five age group, because that is the most expensive period for childcare. We had 16,000 registered people in receipt of financial support of around £180 a month per child. That has had a real impact, because we bolted it on to the UK tax-free scheme.…
I thank the Minister for that comprehensive answer. Has any assessment been done of how many additional parents have become eligible because of the extension of the scheme this September?
I intend to bring forward a strategy on early learning and childcare in the autumn of 2025 that will support child development and make childcare more affordable, enabling parents to work. Recognising the need for immediate support, I secured £25 million of Executive funding in the previous financial year, followed by…
Controlled schools often provide a higher level of integrated status demographically than some integrated schools. They should be given the respect that should be afforded to them. In reviewing the demographic outcomes for schools that have transformed to integrated status, there are findings that should raise…
I thank the Minister for his response. Will he provide an assessment of how schools that have previously transformed to integrated status have fared with regard to reasonable numbers? I am conscious of the fact that the controlled school sector is demonised by ideologues who preach about the label of "integration".
I thank the Member for that question. I recently published a written ministerial statement that set out my approach to the concept of "reasonable numbers" in the context of integrated education. That is a key consideration under articles 71 and 92 of the Education Reform (Northern Ireland) Order 1989 and is now…
Following the UK Supreme Court judgement, rather than providing guidance, the Equality Commission said that that decision would be "highly persuasive" in similar situations, should they go to court or before tribunal. The Equality Commission then — wrongly, in my view — went down the route of issuing pre-action…
I thank the Minister for his response. Like many parents, I welcome his guidance and leadership on the issue. Minister, I would be grateful if you could outline your Department's assessment of the position of the Equality Commission on these issues.
I thank the Member for the question that he has raised. It is an important one, and the deputy First Minister touched on it. In May this year, I outlined my clear position on behalf of the Department in respect of such matters. I do not believe that a boy who identifies as a girl should participate in girls'…
The Member is absolutely wrong. He would know that if he had even looked at the court ruling on the Integrated Education Fund challenge to the strategy. That document was not published by me; it was published when Stormont was not operating. That was a settlement of the outworkings of a position that I had reached…
It seems that I have hit a nerve, Minister, but here is some truth: SEN kids are being failed and schools are crumbling on your watch; you have lost a court case against the integrated education movement; and you continue to spin things to suit your own case. Is it not the truth, Minister, that you have treated the…
People choose to go into opposition because they do not want to take responsibility; others choose to go into government to take responsibility. I am a Minister who will take that responsibility seriously on behalf of the people who elected me, and I will take decisions. I am not here to passively occupy this post; I…