New Decade, - GOV.UK

1 2 New decade , New Approach January 2020 3 Contents context and Responsibilities4 The New decade , New Approach Deal Part 1: Priorities of the Restored Executive6 Part 2: Northern ireland Executive Formation Agreement11 UK Government and Irish Government Commitments Annex A: UK Government Commitments to Northern Ireland4 5 Annex B: Irish Government Commitments57 4 context and Responsibilities ,SecretaryofStateforNorthernIreland,and SimonCoveneyTD,T naisteandMinisterforForeignAffairsandTra de,have published this text of a deal to restore devolved government in Northern ireland . governmentandhasbeentabledattalksatStorm ontHouseforthepoliticalparties in Northern ireland to agree.

2 (Good Friday)Agreementand,particularly,toresto reafunctioningNorthernIreland ExecutivedeliveringforthepeopleofNorther nIrelandonastableandsustainable basis. ,each participatinginaccordancewiththeirrespec tiveresponsibilities,andthefivemain Northern ireland parties. ,alltheissueswereextensivelyexploredwith the opportunity for each participant to put forward proposals. TheNewDecade,NewApproachdealrepresentsa fairandbalancedbasisuponwhichtorestoreth e areattachedhereasannexesfortheinformatio nof respectiveresponsibilityofeachGovernment ,and noagreementisaskedorrequiredfromtheparti es for those commitments.

3 5 The New decade , New Approach Deal The following represents the deal which the UK Government and Irish Government are inviting the parties to endorse as a basis for restoring the Executive. 6 Part 1: Priorities of the Restored Executive This section records the priorities that the parties would agree for an incoming Executive. Thepartieshaveagreedonawayforwardforares toredExecutivetobegintheurgent taskofstrengtheningpublicservicesandtota ckleimmediatechallengesinkeyareassuch asgrowingtheeconomy,health, it urgentlyneededlocalpoliticaloversightand decision-making .TheExecutivewill bringpositivechangesinareasthatimpactgre atlyonpeople slivessuchastheeconomy, overcrowdedhospitals,strugglingschools,h ousingstress,welfareconcernsandmental multi-yearProgrammeforGovernment ,underpinnedby a multi-year budget and legislative programme.

4 The parties have agreed that the immediate priorities for the restored Executive should be: > Transforming our health service with a long-term funding strategy . The Executive will: immediately settle the ongoing pay dispute ; introduce a new action plan on waiting times; and deliverreformsonhealthandsocialcareasset outintheBengoa,Delivering Together and Power to People reports. No-onewaitingoverayearat30 September2019foroutpatientorinpatient assessment/treatment will still be on a waiting list by March 2021. TheExecutivewillreconfigurehospitalprovi siontodeliverbetterpatientoutcomes , ,breast assessment, urgent and emergency care and day case elective care by the end of 2020.

5 TheExecutivewillalso deliveranextra900nursingandmidwiferyunde rgraduate places over three years. TheExecutivewillconsiderthescopeforchang inghowwaitingtimesaremeasured,to reflect the entire patient journey, from referral to treatment, with appropriate targets. TheExecutivewillpublish aMentalHealthActionPlanwithin2months;aMe ntalHealth StrategybyDecember2020;asuccessorstrateg yandactionplantothe Strategic DirectionforAlcoholandDrugsPhase2within3 months;and anewstrategyand implementation plan on cancer by December 2020. 7 TheExecutivewillbuildcapacityingeneralpr acticethroughtheongoing rolloutofMulti Disciplinary teams to cover a further 100,000 patients by March 2021.

6 TheExecutivewillprovideincreasedinvestme ntto fullyimplementservice improvementsforpalliativeandendoflifecar eincludingenhancingthecontributionof hospices; and to increase support for palliative perinatal care. The Executive will provide 3 funded cycles of IVF treatment . TheExecutivewillexpanduniversityprovisio natMageeinlinewithcommitmentsmadeby thepreviousExecutive,includingthroughthe establishmentofa GraduateEntryMedical School . > Transforming other public services particularly in education and justice. TheExecutivewill urgentlyresolvethecurrentteachers industrialdispute .Itwillalso addressresourcingpressuresinschools ,ensuringthateveryschoolhasasustainable core budget to deliver quality education.

7 TheExecutivewill establishanexternal,independentreviewofe ducationprovision , withafocusonsecuringgreaterefficiencyind eliverycosts,raisingstandards,accessto thecurriculumforallpupils,andtheprospect sofmovingtowardsasingleeducation system. Tohelpbuildasharedandintegratedsociety,t heExecutivewill supporteducating children and young people of different backgrounds together in the classroom. TheExecutivewillestablishanexpertgroupto examineandproposeanactionplanto addresslinksbetweenpersistenteducational underachievementand socio-economicbackground,includingthelon g-standingissuesfacingworking-class, Protestant boys. TheExecutivewill deliveranewspecialeducationalneedsframew orktosupport young people with special needs to achieve their full potential.

8 TheExecutivewill increasepolicenumbersto7,500 .TheExecutivewilldeliver committalreformtohelp speedupthecriminaljusticesystem,benefiti ngvictimsand witnesses. The Executive will also address : thefindingsinrecentlypublishedreportsfro mCriminalJusticeInspection Northern ireland , and 8 thereportofSirJohnGillenonthehandlingofs erioussexualoffencescases , and will deliver the necessary changes in case conduct and management. There will be further reform of the NI Civil Service. There will be a review of Arm s Length Bodies with a view to their rationalisation . >Investingforthefuture toensureNorthernIrelandisequippedtoharne ssopportunities anddrivesustainableproductivity,includin gopportunitiesforfuturetradeasweleavethe Atop priorityoftheExecutivewillbetodevelopare gionally-balancedeconomywith opportunities for all.

9 TheExecutivewillinveststrategicallyinens uringthatNIhastherightmixofskillsfora thriving economy. Toboosttheeconomy,theExecutivewill drivethedeliveryofessentialinfrastructur e projects,includingYorkStreetInterchange, inordertobuildaNorthernIrelandthatis equipped for a prosperous shared future . TheExecutivewillmakeitaprioritytorealise theeconomicpotentialofferedbyCityDeals fortheBelfastRegionandDerry/Londonderry, includingthrough matchcapitalfunding forinfrastructure,regenerationandtourism projects .TheExecutivewillworkwiththe UKGovernmenttodevelopanddelivertheGrowth DealsforMidSouthWestNorthern ireland and Causeway Coast and Glens.

10 TheExecutivewill investurgentlyinwastewaterinfrastructure whichisatornearing capacity in many places across Northern ireland , including in Belfast, limiting growth. TheExecutivewill bringmorebigeventslikeTheOpenChampionshi ptoNorthern ireland -playingtoourstrengthsandboosting oureconomy. TheExecutivewillalsotake forward the reform of licensing laws . TheExecutivewilladvancewithplansto completeboththeRegionalandSubRegional Stadia Programmes, including Casement Park . TheExecutivewill tackleclimatechangeheadon withastrategyto addressthe immediate and longer term impacts of climate change . TheExecutivewill introducelegislationandtargetsforreducin gcarbonemissions in line with the Paris Climate Change Accord.