AQW 11721/17-22

Ms Paula Bradshaw
Alliance Party
South Belfast

Tabled Date: 08/12/2020
Answered On Date: 17/12/2020
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Health to detail the latest date on which Safe Staffing legislation would need to be laid before the Assembly to ensure it passes during the current mandate.

Answer:

Drafting of any Bill usually requires three months and passage through the Chamber requires between six and nine months. Progress on passing a Bill is also highly dependent on sufficient scrutiny time for the Committee, and is impacted by other Bills which may be in front of the Committee. To ensure a Bill is passed within the current mandate, I would estimate that Easter 2021 would be the latest at which it would need to be laid.