Official Report: Minutes of Evidence
Committee for Education, meeting on Wednesday, 1 July 2026
Members present for all or part of the proceedings:
Mr Nick Mathison (Chairperson)
Mr Pat Sheehan (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Danny Baker
Mr David Brooks
Mrs Michelle Guy
Mrs Cathy Mason
Mrs Julie Middleton
Education (Holiday Meal Payments) Bill: Clause-by-clause Consideration and Committee Report
The Chairperson (Mr Mathison): The first action that we will need to take is to determine formally and set out the Committee's position on each of the proposed amendments and each clause. As necessary, the Committee will divide. I emphasise that all decisions, in terms of what appears in the report, will be final.
I remind Members that, if the Committee is not content with a clause, the Committee can register its formal opposition to the Question that the clause stand part of the Bill. That would ensure that the clause is debated at Consideration Stage. I also advise Members that it is anticipated that today will conclude all formal deliberations on the Bill.
Mr Brooks: I know that Danny was maybe hoping for a surprise, but, unfortunately, I will disappoint him. This reflects the approach that we took last week as well. It is well known through our discussions that our issues with the Bill are largely down to the principle of it and where it should sit. As a result, we will not endorse the Bill, but we will not necessarily, as we engage in clause-by-clause consideration, divide the Committee in that way. Our concerns are really around the principle of the Bill rather than the detail.
The Chairperson (Mr Mathison): Thank you for that, David. I know that Julie has said similar in previous meetings. I have discussed your previous contributions on the Bill with the Clerk, and I think that it has been agreed that there may be scope to put something in the body of the final report to reflect that that is the position.
Clause 1 (Modification of the Education and Libraries (Northern Ireland) Order 1986)
The Chairperson (Mr Mathison): Members will recall the Committee's proposed amendments to clause 1, amending the phrase "a financial payment" in order to allow for multiple payments to be paid during a holiday period. Amendment No 1 is:
"In page 1, line 5, leave out 'a financial payment' and insert—
'financial payments'".
Question, That the Committee is content with amendment No 1, put and agreed to.
"In page 1, line 11, leave out 'payment' and insert—
'payments'".
Question, That the Committee is content with amendment No 2, put and agreed to.
"In page 1, line 14, leave out 'payment' and insert—
'payments'".
Question, That the Committee is content with amendment No 3, put and agreed to.
"In page 2, line 6, leave out 'payment' and insert—
'payments'".
Question, That the Committee is content with amendment No 4, put and agreed to.
"In page 1, line 6, leave out 'who would normally be in attendance at school'."
Question, That the Committee is content with amendment No 5, put and agreed to.
"In page 1, line 9, at end insert—
'(1BA) Without prejudice to the generality of Article 58(1A), where a pupil is attending school on a day within any relevant period, that pupil shall be entitled to both the free school meal and the financial payment detailed in (1A).'"
Question, That the Committee is content with amendment No 6, put and agreed to.
"In page 1, line 13, at end insert—
'(1CA) If an eligible parent does not have access to a bank account, the Authority shall, in accordance with arrangements approved by the Department, make the financial payments by an alternative method.'"
Question, That the Committee is content with amendment No 7, put and agreed to.
"In page 1, line 14, leave out from the second 'the' to the end of line 18 and insert—
'a daily allowance specified by the Authority, in accordance with arrangements approved by the Department.'"
Question, That the Committee is content with amendment No 8, put and agreed to.
"In page 2, Line 10, leave out from 'current' to 'payable' and insert—
'daily allowance specified'."
Question, That the Committee is content with amendment No 9, put and agreed to.
"In page 1, line 7, leave out from 'The category' to 'children' on line 8 and insert—
'Article 58(1A) applies to parents of pupils who'".
Question, That the Committee is content with amendment No 10, put and agreed to.
Question, That the Committee is content with the clause, subject to the proposed amendments, put and agreed to.
Clause 2 (Consequential amendments)
The Chairperson (Mr Mathison): Members will recall the Committee amendment to clause 2 to allow flexibility for different holiday periods, which was drafted in response to an issue that was raised by the Department. Amendment No 11 is:
"In page 2, line 16, leave out from 'the Summer' to the end of line 19 and insert—
'(a) Summer holidays (all weekdays in July and August);
(b) Halloween (five weekdays specified in arrangements under Article 58(1A));
(c) Christmas (ten weekdays specified in arrangements under Article 58(1A));
(d) February mid-term (five weekdays specified in arrangements under Article 58(1A)); and
(e) Easter (ten weekdays specified in arrangements under Article 58(1A)).'"
Question, That the Committee is content with amendment No 11, put and agreed to.
Question, That the Committee is content with the clause, subject to the proposed amendment, put and agreed to.
Clause 3 (Interpretation)
The Chairperson (Mr Mathison): In relation to the proposal of the Examiner of Statutory Rules that the definition of "relevant period" be in the Bill, members will recall that the Committee proposed an amendment. Amendment No 12 is:
"In page 2, line 24, at end insert—
'relevant period' has the meaning given in Article 2(2) of the 1986 Order."
Question, That the Committee is content with amendment No 12, put and agreed to.
Question, That the Committee is content with the clause, subject to the proposed amendment, put and agreed to.
Clause 4 (Short title and commencement)
"In page 2, line 35, at end insert—
'(5) Any provisions under subsection (4)—
(a) which repeal or revoke, or alter, remove or add to any text of, any primary legislation may not be made unless a draft of them has been laid before, and approved by a resolution of, the Assembly, and
(b) are otherwise subject to negative resolution.'"
Question, That the Committee is content with amendment No 13, put and agreed to.
Question put, That the Committee is content with the clause, subject to the proposed amendments.
The Chairperson (Mr Mathison): That completes formal clause-by-clause consideration of the Education (Holiday Meal Payments) Bill.
Our next task is to agree the draft report on the Education (Holiday Meal Payments) Bill. The intention is to agree the report today by considering it in sections. We will work through all of them.
The first two sections are titled "Powers and Membership" and "List of Abbreviations and Acronyms". Are members content with those sections?
Members indicated assent.
Members indicated assent.
Members indicated assent.
Members indicated assent.
Members indicated assent.
Members indicated assent.
The Chairperson (Mr Mathison): That is the draft report agreed. Are members content that we publish on the Committee's web page the correspondence received for the report?
Members indicated assent.
The Chairperson (Mr Mathison): I formally thank all of those who took the time to contribute to the report in writing, by submitting a survey reply or by oral evidence to the Committee. Your time was appreciated and has greatly helped our scrutiny.
I seek members' agreement to formally instruct the Bill Office to process the amendments as outlined in the report.
Members indicated assent.
Mr Baker: I thank the Committee for its work on the Bill. I also thank the Bill Office, particularly Jonny and Stephen, for all of the work that they have done on the Bill and everyone else who has participated in getting us to this stage.
The Chairperson (Mr Mathison): Thank you, Danny. I thank Committee members for the time that they have spent on scrutiny of the Bill. I also thank you, Danny, the Bill sponsor, for your willingness to engage when amendments were raised by the Department. You played a part in getting those over the line quickly through the Bill Office. That is appreciated.