T4. Ms Bradshaw asked the Minister of Justice how she intends to tackle the harm caused by sexually explicit deepfake imagery. (AQT 1264/22-27)

I thank the Member for the question. It is good to move on to issues that are real challenges in society.

Dismissive again.

They are real dangers.

Where is your care and compassion? It does not exist.

Order. The Minister will be heard.

You cannot help yourself.

You are shouting down a woman.

It is disgraceful.

Order. The Minister will be heard.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. These are issues that are causing serious harm and distress to women across society. Members of the Assembly have been victims of those who perpetrate this despicable behaviour. As Members know, it had been my intention to extend to Northern Ireland, by means of a legislative consent motion, the provisions in the Westminster Crime and Policing Bill for an offence of creation of a deepfake image. However, recent unexpected developments in England and Wales have meant that I have had to reconsider that approach. The UK Government are proceeding with a deepfake offence in the Data (Use and Access) Bill. Neither its revised structure, which would not sit appropriately within our legislative framework, nor the time available before the Bill completes its passage through Parliament allow for its extension to Northern Ireland. It is now my intention to table an amendment, at Consideration Stage, to the Justice Bill, which I introduced to the Assembly last September, to provide for a Northern Ireland-specific deepfake offence that can be structured to ensure that all aspects of the offending behaviour can be captured. That will give the Assembly the opportunity to provide for a robust offence that will criminalise not only the creation of deepfake images but the sharing of them.

Such is Mr Buckley's concern for women that he walks out in the middle of an answer on this issue.

Some Members:

Hear, hear.

I will be back.

Order. Ms Bradshaw.

Thank you, Mr Speaker, and thank you, Minister. That is certainly very welcome news. How will there be a consultation on the proposals?

The time has gone, Minister, but you can answer briefly.

It will give the Assembly the opportunity to look at the offence as it comes forward as part of the Committee Stage amendments. To be clear, the Justice Committee has agreed to the revised approach in principle. There will be public consultation on the legislative proposals, so we hope that that will structure the offence to best match Northern Ireland's needs.

That concludes questions to the Minister of Justice.

On a point of order, Mr Speaker. Just for clarity for Hansard, I believe that the Minister indicated that I was leaving the Chamber. I would like it to be noted that I left for a glass of water and returned.

On a point of order, Mr Speaker. I appreciate the way in which you do allow Members to participate in Question Time, particularly how you have allowed Members to make, perhaps off-standing, comments, but perhaps, Mr Speaker, I could invite you to reflect on the behaviour of at least one Member today who certainly rose above that type of behaviour, and it became nothing short of disrupting to those of us who were attempting to listen to sensible answers from the Minister of Justice.

Thank you for that, Mr Dickson. We will review all that happened during Question Time, including the Minister's comments on Standing Order 19 and, indeed, we will consider Standing Order 20, which actually deals with questions for oral answer.

On a point of order, Mr McNulty.

Thank you, a Cheann Comhairle.

[Translation: Mr Speaker.]

I love a bit of craic in the Chamber, but is there one rule for the DUP and another for everybody else, whereby its members can ask a supplementary question that does not relate at all to the original question? A bit of clarity on that point would be appreciated.

It is unusual for a Department to ask to group so many questions. However, questions are grouped with the Speaker's permission, and, on this occasion, I am satisfied that all the questions were related. It is preferable to group such questions to make best use of the Assembly's time and allow others a greater chance to ask questions rather than to hear the Minister duplicating the same answer over and over. If it is clear that there is a matter that many Members want to ask a question about, that is reflected in the number of questions for oral answer that are tabled on a subject.

I encourage Ministers to bring questions together because we then have a better opportunity to get more questions in for Members, and that is what I am about. I want as many Members as possible to ask questions and scrutinise Ministers. I try to do that with as much latitude as possible. I have been a Member of the House for a very long time, and we want to encourage vigorous debate and also respectful debate. Sometimes, the line on that is crossed, but we do our best to encourage vigorous debate. There was a very good debate earlier on the fiscal report. There was a lot of toing and froing, and that is a good thing. For the public watching on, we do not want a dry, dead Chamber. We want a Chamber that is lively and active —

Boom.

— and where we have lots of people who are prepared to challenge others and to receive the challenges of others. I am drifting from your initial question.

[Laughter.]

Boom.

I want to see more Members taking interventions and so forth and responding to them and having a good, lively Chamber, so that when people tune in, they will think that that place has people who are fighting my cause, not people who are dead on their feet and just reading. All right?

Boom boom!

Boom boom, Mr McNulty. If Members would like to take their ease, we will resume Opposition Business.

(Madam Principal Deputy Speaker in the Chair)