2. Ms Ennis asked the Minister of Finance what progress has been made to develop legislation on marriage law reform. (AQO 781/22-27)

I have previously indicated to Members my intention to introduce a Bill to amend the current law on marriage and civil partnership to bring belief marriage within the statutory framework and to bring forward the important increase in the minimum age of marriage and civil partnership to 18. My officials have finalised instructions to legislative counsel, and the drafting of a Bill is ready to commence. A paper was submitted to the Executive before the summer recess seeking approval to proceed with the policy and the drafting of a Bill. That paper has yet to secure a slot on the agenda, despite that having been requested for the past four meetings. I very much hope that it will be considered at the next available opportunity to enable those important proposed reforms to proceed and to be debated by the Assembly.

I thank the Minister for her response, and I welcome her focus on the issue. How far has work to amend the law on marriage and civil partnership progressed?

Policy development is complete. My officials briefed the Finance Committee on the marriage and civil partnership Bill on 17 April, and Committee members were supportive of the changes. I circulated a paper to Executive colleagues on 21 May and asked for it to be tabled at the Executive meeting on 13 June. A final version was available for the Executive meeting on 19 June. Since then, the paper has failed to reach the agenda of the Executive meetings held on 18 July and 5 September.

My Department is not able to make further progress until Executive approval is secured. It is unclear to me, given the clear support for reform that the consultation process indicated, coupled with the broad support that the proposals received from the Finance Committee, why agreement to proceed should be further delayed. It is important that we move to legislate, and I appeal to colleagues to support the proposals so that we can get a Bill to the Assembly for consideration in 2025.

Minister, it is my job to hold you to account, occasionally robustly — I am sure that you enjoy that — but, on this occasion, I acknowledge that you have a lot on your plate. Your Department is doing a lot, and there is a lot in the area of civil law reform, such as marriage, including, hopefully, no-fault divorce, and defamation. Is it not time to move responsibility for civil law from your Department to the Justice Department, where it is in almost all other jurisdictions? There is a huge amount going on — the fiscal position, the Budget, spending restraint — so why is it still with your Department? Should it not be with the Minister of Justice?

The Member will be aware from his role as Finance Committee Chair that a number of civil law issues sit with my Department. That has been the case since the Department was put in place. I do not necessarily agree with the Member about the need to move it to the Department of Justice.

Will the Minister provide an update on her plans to introduce no-fault divorce in Northern Ireland?

Yes. It is an issue that I am keen to progress. We debated the matter in the Chamber a number of months ago, and I have asked my officials to scope out what will be required and bring forward policy proposals.