AQO 3406/22-27

Ms Kellie Armstrong
Alliance Party
Strangford

Tabled Date: 19/03/2026
Answered On Date: 16/09/2026
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Justice for an update on the Justice Bill (NIA Bill 07/22-27).

Answer:

The 18-month-long Committee Stage of the Justice Bill ended on 27 March 2026.

Drafting of the few remaining additional provisions to be added to the Bill by way of Departmental amendment is ongoing, including in relation to the proposed provisions on non-consensual sexually-explicit deepfake images of adults, on which development of provisions is well under way but which will take some weeks to finalise.

Once all Departmental amendments are ready, I will seek Executive approval as soon as possible for tabling of the amendments and scheduling of Consideration Stage thereafter, subject to Speaker and Assembly Business Committee considerations.