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. 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.

3 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 . The parties have agreed that the immediate priorities for the restored Executive should be: > Transforming our health service with a long-term funding strategy.

4 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. TheExecutivewillalso deliveranextra900nursingandmidwiferyunde rgraduate places over three years. TheExecutivewillconsiderthescopeforchang inghowwaitingtimesaremeasured,to reflect the entire patient journey , from referral to treatment, with appropriate targets.

5 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. TheExecutivewillprovideincreasedinvestme ntto fullyimplementservice improvementsforpalliativeandendoflifecar eincludingenhancingthecontributionof hospices; and to increase support for palliative perinatal care. The Executive will provide 3 funded cycles of IVF treatment.

6 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. TheExecutivewill establishanexternal,independentreviewofe ducationprovision , withafocusonsecuringgreaterefficiencyind eliverycosts,raisingstandards,accessto thecurriculumforallpupils,andtheprospect sofmovingtowardsasingleeducation system.

7 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. TheExecutivewill increasepolicenumbersto7,500 .TheExecutivewilldeliver committalreformtohelp speedupthecriminaljusticesystem,benefiti ngvictimsand witnesses.

8 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. TheExecutivewill investurgentlyinwastewaterinfrastructure whichisatornearing capacity in many places across Northern Ireland, including in Belfast, limiting growth.

10 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. 9 Insupportofbotheconomicandeducationalobj ectives,theExecutivewill developan enhancedapproachtocareersadvice,curricul um,trainingandapprenticeshipsto enhance employability and support economic growth.