Part of Question for Urgent Oral Answer – in the Northern Ireland Assembly am 2:45 pm ar 2 Gorffennaf 2024.
I am glad that the Chair of the Committee has asked an insightful question on cost, because it is important. The costs to the Department of the judicial review up to this point have not been significant. The cost to the Department of any appeal would be similar. Consideration of costs will, of course, form part of my consideration on the way forward. However, the substantive consequential impacts of the judgement will be the primary factor in my decision. The cost to the public purse and to the Assembly and Committees of having to spend time taking evidence on and debating and minuting exchanges on sections that are non-controversial and widely agreed would, in all likelihood, be way more significant than the cost of any appeal. I have to weigh up all those factors and the degree to which there is consensus around the Executive table on whether this is a matter of importance. Ultimately, that is the consideration that I will get after the deadline of 5.00 pm this evening.