Part of Oral Answers to Questions — Justice – in the Northern Ireland Assembly am 2:30 pm ar 17 Mehefin 2024.
I will do what is right in front of the law and the Assembly. The specifics of the Justice (Sexual Offences and Trafficking Victims) Act — the four clauses — are one element of that consideration, and they are an important one, but the wider ramifications of the judgement for the ability of the House, Committees and, indeed, the Executive to take forward legislation are not insignificant. Therefore, I will wait until the full legal advice has been offered to me before I make any decision. I have briefed my Executive colleagues and others for whom this is relevant on some of the detail of that, and I will make the right decision on the basis of the future of the House and its ability to legislate on those matters.