Bill To Give Clarity To NI Civil Servants Fast-Tracked

Northern Ireland Secretary Karen Bradley is fast-tracking law changes through the House of Commons that will bring a measure of stability to Stormont's public services.

The legislation will give greater clarity to civil servants over what powers they have to make decisions in the absence of the devolved administration, and will enable UK Government ministers to appoint public officials.

The Bill will also remove a standing obligation on Mrs Bradley to call another snap Assembly election.

The Northern Ireland (Executive Formation and Exercise of Functions) Bill will also partly address the current political vacuum and allow breathing space for the rowing politicians, the Democratic Unionists and Sinn Fein, to resume negotiations.

Politicians will be given five months to return to Stormont without the need to hold an election.

Meanwhile, two Labour MPs will attempt to force the Government to act to reform abortion and marriage laws in Northern Ireland in the absence of political leadership.

Stella Creasy and Conor McGinn have tabled an amendment to the emergency legislation being pushed through Westminster that will pressure the Government to reform Northern Ireland's strict abortion laws and end the ban on same-sex marriage, insisting that both are against the human rights of local people.

Abortions in the region are currently illegal in all but exceptional medical and mental health circumstances, and the Government has so far resisted pressure to intervene following a recent Supreme Court judgement that found the current laws to be incompatible with human rights.

Mrs Bradley has insisted the issues of abortion and same-sex marriage should be decided by devolved ministers.



(JG)