Preservation of Documents (Historical Institutions) Bill: Accelerated Passage

Private Members' Business – in the Northern Ireland Assembly at 4:15 pm on 14 March 2022.

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Photo of Alan Chambers Alan Chambers UUP 4:15, 14 March 2022

I beg to move

That the Preservation of Documents (Historical Institutions) Bill proceed under the accelerated passage procedure.

Photo of Roy Beggs Roy Beggs UUP

The Business Committee has agreed that there should be no time limit on the debate.

Photo of Alan Chambers Alan Chambers UUP

Whilst I will leave many of the points of detail to the Second Stage debate, which is scheduled to follow shortly, I hope that all Members will understand why there is an urgency to what the Bill tries to secure. The published research report on mother-and-baby homes and Magdalene laundries was harrowing. It presented a graphic insight into the lived experiences of the many thousands of women, girls and children who suffered such appalling abuse and neglect in those institutions. Of course, those children are now adults, and many of the women who suffered such abuse have, sadly, passed on, but that, rightly, was never considered to be a barrier to the long-overdue uncovering of the truth.

The research study, for which the authors should, once again, be truly commended, examined in detail eight mother-and-baby homes, a number of former workhouses and four Magdalene laundries. It found that around 10,500 women were admitted to mother-and-baby institutions and around 3,000 were admitted to Magdalene laundries. Over recent months, as I read through more of the report, I could not fail to be overcome with a sense of disbelief that such cruelty and indifference to basic human needs could ever be inflicted on so many women and children in our not-so-distant past. Let us remember that the research report investigated the period right up to 1990. Only then did the last mother-and-baby facility close its doors. So, for many of the people involved, we are talking about clear and vivid memories.

One of the clearest findings of the research paper was that many unanswered questions remain. The Executive decision early last year to set up an independent investigation shaped by the views of victims and survivors of those institutions was much welcomed. The Minister of Health, Mr Robin Swann, took forward its delivery by establishing the truth recovery design panel, which comprised the experts Dr Maeve O'Rourke, Professor Phil Scraton and Deirdre Mahon. The panel delivered its report by early October, within the highly challenging six-month time frame. That is testament to the determination with which the panel members approached the issue and the priority that they gave it.

The panel made five core recommendations and explained their interdependencies, stressing the importance of delivering each and every one of them. I welcome the Executive's swift consideration of the report last year and their full acceptance of the findings, not least their agreement to proceed with the establishment of an integrated truth investigation made up of an expert independent panel and a public inquiry. It is in relation to another of the very important recommendations, however — recommendation 4 on access to records — that I hope that my private Member's Bill will be able to deliver.

We should not, for one moment, underestimate how important access to records is. For the people who were robbed of so much, including so many at such a young age, that is the very least that they deserve now. My Bill, as introduced last week, seeks to deliver the key elements in recommendation 4. I fully accept, however, that a Bill as important as this must, first and foremost, always be centred on the views and needs of victims and survivors.

Ordinarily, it would be the Minister of Health bringing forward a Bill such as this, but only after a period of consultation. However, in the current political situation that we find ourselves, Executive legislation was not an option. We need no reminding that the House is in the final weeks of what was already a much-reduced legislative mandate. The legislation is urgent. For every day that passes, with the legal requirement for the preservation of documents not in place, the risk of documents being either destroyed or kept in far-from-suitable conditions increases. It is not only essential that any and all material is kept safe for the future investigations and public inquiry, it is hugely important for all the women and children, now adults, involved. They deserve to know that the records that exist will be kept safe.

That, in a nutshell, explains why the Bill is so important. Some might argue that the Bill could wait until the next mandate. Whilst there could, absolutely, be some validity to that thinking, I do not agree with it. I am very confident that the Bill, as drafted, is no different to one that would be introduced in six, 12 or 24 months' time. We can be sure of one thing, however: if the Bill passes all stages by next Thursday evening, the legal protection of documents will have been secured an awful lot sooner than it would otherwise have been.

I thank the Department of Health and, especially, a number of its officials; they know who they are. I would not be standing here without their support, or the assistance that they and the Minister provided to me in developing the Bill. Those officials recognise just how important the draft legislation is. It is because of them that I am able to say that I am entirely confident that the Bill delivers for victims and survivors. I also thank each of the party Whips on the Business Committee. I know about the pressures on plenary time that the Assembly was already facing, even before this private Member's Bill. I acknowledge their efforts to facilitate these debates.

I very much welcome the cross-party support that I have received from many across the House in the days since the Bill's introduction last week. Whilst the Bill is in my name, I very much hope that the House will see it as a Bill that all Members equally contribute to and secure. It is clear from the emails that I have received, before and since its introduction last week, that victims and survivors sincerely hope that it will proceed. The Bill, if passed, will be all the stronger if it retains that sense of political unanimity.

I acknowledge that Sinn Féin, through Ms Dillon, originally tabled helpful amendments to the Adoption and Children Bill. Those amendments from Sinn Féin have been incorporated into this private Member's Bill and, indeed, help to strengthen it. I place on record that recognition.

Finally, I thank the Speaker, along with his staff, for agreeing to facilitate the Bill. I do not doubt that, procedurally, all normal processes have been set to the side. Had we had more time, I would, of course, have preferred to follow the time frames that are set out in Standing Orders, including giving the Health Committee time to scrutinise the Bill in detail. Unfortunately, however, time is quickly running out. Securing the Bill in little more than two weeks from its introduction to Final Stage will be a Herculean task, but it might just be possible.

I hope that all Members will be able to agree to my request for accelerated passage for my Preservation of Documents (Historical Institutions) Bill.

Photo of Colin McGrath Colin McGrath Social Democratic and Labour Party 5:00, 14 March 2022

I offer our support for the accelerated passage of the Bill. The importance of trying to get it through in the short period that we have left has been eloquently outlined. Hopefully, with the support of the House, accelerated passage will make sure that it becomes a reality.

Photo of Paula Bradshaw Paula Bradshaw Alliance

Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. My comments are similar to those of the SDLP representative.

Photo of Roy Beggs Roy Beggs UUP

I invite Alan Chambers to respond to the very brief debate.

Apologies; I see that another Member has indicated that she wishes to speak.

Photo of Linda Dillon Linda Dillon Sinn Féin

I apologise if my name was not on the list; I thought that it was.

I thank the Member for taking forward this private Member's Bill. It is extremely important. I know that the Member met a number of victims and survivors and, as I did, very much listened to what they want and need. I appreciate that the amendments that we tabled have been incorporated into the Bill. That is vital. Everything that we put forward was about the victims and survivors. It all came from their mouths, and their representatives and advocates. That is why we wanted to ensure that it is in the Bill.

The Member is right: we can never overestimate the importance of having access to your records and knowing who you were, because who you were is who you are. I am quite sure that a number of Members in the Chamber have personal experience of that. My extended family have personal experience of it. There can never be any —

Photo of Roy Beggs Roy Beggs UUP

Order. I seek to clarify to all Members that this is a debate about accelerated passage. The debate on the legislation will follow. Ms Dillon, do you wish to say anything further?

Photo of Linda Dillon Linda Dillon Sinn Féin

I will abbreviate my comments and say that we absolutely support the accelerated passage.

Photo of Robin Swann Robin Swann UUP

I support the motion that the Bill proceed by accelerated passage because I believe that accelerated passage will support the fulfilment of the Executive's agreement to implement the recommendation of the truth recovery design panel on mother-and-baby institutions, Magdalene laundries and workhouses in Northern Ireland that immediate action be taken to create a statutory requirement on all relevant record holders to preserve and not destroy any information relating to those institutions. My colleague Mr Alan Chambers has set out in detail the reasons for seeking accelerated passage and the consequences of it not being granted, and I fully endorse his remarks.

The background of the Bill is well known, as is my attempt to include its provisions in the Adoption and Children Bill by way of amendments at Consideration Stage, so I will not rehearse the details in this debate. Prior to that Consideration Stage, my officials briefed Health Committee members on the nature and purpose of the provisions now contained in this Bill and the reason for the urgency of their enactment. An explanation of the provisions and their purpose was also provided to Executive colleagues in a letter at that time. I support the accelerated passage of this Bill.

Photo of Colm Gildernew Colm Gildernew Sinn Féin

I did not intend to speak, but I do so in light of the contribution that Alan made in relation to the Bill. He outlined the difficulties in getting this done and the fact that it would be a stretch. I believe that it is incumbent on the House that we stretch ourselves to support and help these victims and survivors, given what has gone on. I, too, support the Bill's accelerated passage.

Photo of Roy Beggs Roy Beggs UUP

I now call Alan Chambers to conclude and wind up the debate.

Photo of Alan Chambers Alan Chambers UUP

I will be very brief. I welcome the sense of support that I feel from around the House for accelerated passage, and I thank Members for that. I am on record, once or twice, with the statement that the House is at its best when it delivers. There is no doubt that the Bill will deliver for a constituency of people who deserve that delivery. I thank Members for the sense of support that I am getting.

Question put and agreed to. Resolved (with cross-community support):

That the Preservation of Documents (Historical Institutions) Bill proceed under the accelerated passage procedure.