Public Affairs

Consultation update

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA Details of significant consultation exercises currently being carried out by government departments and other public sector bodies in Northern Ireland. Queries on individual consultations should be referred to the organisation concerned, as outlined.

Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister

There are no current consultations

Department for Employment and Learning

There are no current consultations

Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment

There are no current consultations

Department of Finance and Personnel

There are no current consultations

Department for Regional Development

There are no current consultations

Department of Agriculture and Rural Development

Flood risk management plans

Opened 22 December

The flood risk management plans are key to the implementation of the EU Floods Directive. Its aim is to establish a framework that will contribute to reducing the impact of flooding on communities and the environment.

Comments and responses should be submitted by 22 June to: Alan Reddick, Strategic Planning Unit, Rivers Agency, Hydebank, 4 Hospital Road, Ballydollaghan, Belfast, BT8 8JP

Tel: 0845 3044505

Email: alan.reddick@dardni.gov.uk

Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure

There are no current consultations

Department of Education

Deferring school starting age

Opened 15 December

The aim of this policy is to enable children in exceptional circumstances, who are experiencing difficulties with developmental milestones, to defer their entry to primary school for one year.

Comments and responses should be submitted by 6 March to: Curriculum Development Team, Room G11, Department of Education, Rathgael House, Balloo Road, Rathgill, Bangor, BT19 7PR

Tel: 028 9127 9431

Email: de.curriculumdevelopmentteam@deni.gov.uk

Shared education policy and legislation

Opened 5 January

The aim is to encourage and facilitate collaborative working across educational providers, on a cross-sectoral basis, to deliver educational and social benefits to learners, promote equality of opportunity, good relations, equality of identity and respect for diversity and community cohesion.

Comments and responses should be submitted by 6 March to: Shared Education and Community Relations, Department of Education, Rathgael House, Balloo Road, Rathgill, Bangor, BT19 7PR

Tel: 028 9127 9431

Email: secr.team@deni.gov.uk

Questionnaire: http://apps.deni.gov.uk/appdeconsult4

Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety

Controlled Drugs Regulations

Opened 23 January

The department wants to introduce additional safeguards for the safe management and use of controlled drugs. These were introduced in England and Scotland when the Controlled Drugs (Supervision of Management and Use) Regulations came into force on 1 April 2013. This will also give the opportunity to align certain arrangements with those in England, Scotland and Wales.

Comments and responses should be submitted by 1 May to: Medicines Regulatory Group, Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, Room D4.3, Castle Buildings, Belfast, BT4 3SQ

Tel: 028 9052 3326

Email: mrgconsultation@dhsspsni.gov.uk

Questionnaire: www.dhsspsni.gov.uk/index/consultations/current_consultations.html

Department of the Environment

Medically restricted driving licences

Opened 15 December

This consultation is inviting views on whether the validity period for Group 1 driving licences (car and motorcycle) issued by the department’s Driver and Vehicle Agency following medical assessment should be increased from the current one, two or three years to up to ten years.

Comments and responses should be submitted by 6 March to: J Russell Millar, Road Safety and Vehicle Regulation Division, Department of the Environment, Room G-43, Clarence Court, 10-18 Adelaide Street, Town Parks, Belfast, BT2 8GB

Tel: 028 9054 1178

Email: russell.millar@doeni.gov.uk

Questionnaire: www.surveymonkey.com/s/TXLRJ72

Department of Justice

Review of criminal damage and criminal injuries schemes

Opened 8 December

The purpose of this consultation is to examine the criminal damage and criminal injuries schemes to establish whether they are relevant and responsive to the needs of victims and to ensure that expenditure under the schemes is fully justified.

Comments and responses should be submitted by 16 March to: Consultation on the Review of Compensation Legislation, Project Support Office, Compensation Services, Department of Justice, 6th Floor, Millennium House, 17-25 Great Victoria Street, Belfast, BT2 7AQ

Tel: 028 9054 1945

Email: csreview@dojni.x.gsi.gov.uk

Rationalisation of the court estate

Opened 29 January

This consultation outlines proposals made by the Northern Ireland Courts and Tribunals Service to rationalise the current court estate and close eight court buildings.

Comments and responses should be submitted by 30 April to: Consultation Co-ordinator, Rationalisation of the Court Estate Consultation, Northern Ireland Courts and Tribunals Service, Laganside House, 23-27 Oxford Street, Belfast, BT1 3LA

Tel: 028 9041 2385

Email: consultations@courtsni.gov.uk

Department for Social Development

Pension Schemes Bill

Opened 18 December

This consultation is seeking views on key proposals set to be included in a future Assembly Bill on pensions in Northern Ireland including the establishment of three mutually exclusive categories of pension scheme; the facilitation of collective benefits; and the necessary changes to current legislation governing pension schemes.

Comments and responses should be submitted by 11 March to: Gillian McMaster, Department for Social Development, Social Security Policy and Legislation Division, Level 1, James House, 2-4 Cromac Avenue, Gasworks Business Park, Ormeau Road, Belfast, BT7 2JA

Tel: 028 9081 9461

Email: gillian.mcmaster@dsdni.gov.uk

Tenant participation strategy

Opened 15 January

This consultation is looking for views on how social landlords and tenants can work together to improve services and also considers what further initiatives could be introduced to expand the rights of tenants.

Comments and responses should be submitted by 8 April to: Tenant Participation Consultation Policy Project, Department for Social Development, Social Housing Reform Programme, Ground Floor, Lighthouse Building, Gasworks Business Park, Belfast, BT2 7JB

Tel: 028 9082 9012

Email: shrppolicy@dsdni.gov.uk

Competition and Markets Authority

Commercial use of consumer data

Opened 27 January

This consultation is a fact-finding exercise to help understand fully how businesses collect and use data for commercial purposes and the implications for firms and consumers. These include the identity of their customers, what they consume, where they live and work and other demographic information.

Comments and responses should be submitted by 6 March to: Consumer Data Call for Information, Competition and Markets Authority, 7th Floor, Victoria House, Southampton Row, London, WC1B 4AD. Tel: 020 3738 6000 • Email: consumerdata@cma.gsi.gov.uk

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