AQW 4586/22-27

Mr Nick Mathison
Alliance Party
Strangford

Tabled Date: 13/10/2022
Answered On Date: 26/10/2022
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Justice what assessment has been made of the impact a vacancy in the ministerial office post 28 October 2022 will have on departmental (i) decision making; and (ii) spending.

Answer:

The absence of a Minister will significantly hamper decision making to advance a wide range of priorities within the Department of Justice.

That includes both decisions that are specified in statute, such as exercising the Royal Prerogative of Mercy, as well as decisions that would ordinarily be taken by a Minister, such as public appointments.

I previously approved a draft primary legislative programme for this Assembly mandate which aims to improve the experiences of children, young people and victims drawn into the justice system; reform sentencing arrangements following a review of sentencing policy; tackle hate crime; and modernise the justice system. While it would not be possible to progress that programme in the absence of an Assembly and Executive, the absence of a Minister will inhibit the pace of the necessary preparatory work including policy development.

Another key challenge facing the Department has been the absence of a confirmed budget. The Department has been operating within a Contingency Planning Envelope (CPE) which is broadly equivalent to the proposed allocation in the draft Budget 2022-23. The allocation within the CPE was not just difficult, but was damaging for the justice system with the Department facing significant pressures this financial year. The absence of a Minister will significantly hamper decision-making on funding priorities for the delivery of public services with constrained resources.