Consultation update

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 of Culture, Arts and Leisure
There are no current consultations

Department of Education
There are no current consultations

Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment
There are no current consultations

Department of the Environment
There are no current consultations

Department of Agriculture and Rural Development
Fisheries Bill

Opened 18 August

Fisheries policy is shared between the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (offshore) and the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure (inshore). The consultation is co-ordinated by DARD and proposes a modernisation of fisheries enforcement powers and aquaculture licensing and a system of fixed penalties for inland fisheries offences.

Comments and responses should be submitted by 10 November to: Fisheries Bill Team, Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Room 413, Dundonald House, Upper Newtownards Road, Ballymiscaw, Belfast, BT4 3SB

Tel: 028 9052 4352

Email: fisheries.bill@dardni.gov.uk

Department of Finance and Personnel
There are no current consultations

Department for Regional Development
There are no current consultations

Department for Social Development
Advice services strategy

Opened 22 August

The proposed strategy would cover the delivery of generalist advice services between 2015 and 2020 and would cover the challenges of providing advice to people who need it, supporting vulnerable and disadvantaged people, and empowering people in the longer term to help them lead better lives.

Comments and responses should be submitted by 14 December to: Public Sector Engagement Team, Voluntary and Community Unit, Department for Social Development, Lighthouse Building, 1 Cromac Place, Belfast, BT7 2JB

Tel: 028 9082 9108
Email: advicestrategy@dsdni.gov.uk
Questionnaire: www.surveymonkey.com/s/NI_Advice_Consultation

Department of Justice

Criminal law on abortion

Opened 8 October

The consultation asks for views on whether the law should enable abortion in cases of a lethal abnormality and where women have become pregnant as a result of sexual crime. The department is keen to emphasise that the consultation looks strictly at those two issues and is not a debate on the wider issues of abortion law.

Comments and responses should be submitted by 17 January to:

Criminal Policy Branch, Massey House, Stormont Estate, Belfast, BT4 3SX
Tel: 028 9016 9601
Email: access.public@dojni.x.gsi.gov.uk

Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety
Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill

Opened 1 September

The draft Bill would prohibit the sale of nicotine products to persons aged under 18 and allow the department to fully introduce new dental contracts and include all general ophthalmic and pharmaceutical providers in its general listing.

Comments and responses should be submitted by 21 November to: Margaret Glass, Room D3.1, Castle Buildings, Stormont Estate, Belfast, BT4 3SQ
Tel: 028 9052 0235
Email: margaret.glass@dhsspsni.gov.uk

Independent Living Fund

Opened 4 August

From 30 June 2015, the UK Department for Work and Pensions will close the Independent Living Fund, which provides financial support to disabled people so they can choose to live in their communities. The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety is seeking views on how current recipients of the fund in Northern Ireland can be supported from 1 July next year.

Comments and responses should be submitted by 30 November to: Independent Living Fund Consultation, Physical and Sensory Disability Unit, Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, Room D1, Castle Buildings, Stormont, Belfast, BT4 3SQ
Tel: 028 9052 8672
Email: Physicalandsensory.Disabilityunit@dhsspsni.gov.uk

R&D strategy

Opened 29 September

The department is seeking views on a Strategy for Health & Social Care Research and Development in Northern Ireland, which is published in draft form as part of the consultation.

Comments and responses should be submitted by 2 January to:

Population Health Directorate Administration Team, Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, Room C4.22, Castle Buildings, Stormont, Belfast, BT4 3SQ
Tel: 028 9052 2059
Email: phdconsultation@dhsspsni.gov.uk

Service framework for respiratory health and well-being

Opened 16 October

The framework was originally launched in 2009 and has now been reviewed. The revised framework contains 56 standards relating to all respiratory conditions as well as to specific conditions such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and includes generic standards which apply to everyone.

Comments and responses should be submitted by 2 January to:

Service Frameworks Unit, Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, Room D1, Castle Buildings, Stormont Estate, Belfast, BT4 3SQ
Tel: 028 9052 8283
Email: serviceframeworks@dhsspsni.gov.uk
Tel: 028 9052 2059
Email: phdconsultation@dhsspsni.gov.uk

HM Treasury
New £1 coin

Opened 12 September

The Government aims to introduce a new and highly secure £1 coin in 2017. The current £1 coin, first issued in 1983, has become increasingly vulnerable to counterfeiting. The main specification is a 12-sided shape, bi-metallic construction, bi-colour appearance and a world-leading anti-counterfeiting technology. A separate Royal Mint competition on the ‘tails’ design closes on 30 October.

Comments and responses should be submitted by 21 November to: Pound Coin Consultation, Debt and Reserves Management Team, HM Treasury, 1 Horse Guards Road, SW1A 2HQ
Tel: 020 7270 5000
Email: poundcoinconsultation@hmtreasury.gsi.gov.uk
Design competition: www.royalmint.com/newonepoundcoin

Welsh Government
Devolved taxation

Opened 23 September

The Wales Bill allows the devolved administration to borrow for capital investment and set stamp duty, landfill tax and a proportion of income tax. This white paper sets out the Welsh Government’s proposed arrangements for collecting and managing devolved taxes – and will be of interest to professionals in Northern Ireland with an interest in devolution and taxation.

Comments and responses should be submitted by 15 December to: Financial Reform Division, Welsh Government, 2nd Floor East, Cathays Park, Cardiff, CF10 3NQ
Tel: 0300 0603300
Email: FinancialReformMailbox@wales.gsi.gov.uk

European Commission
Cross-border mergers and divisions

Opened 8 September

The Commission is collecting information to assess the functioning of the existing EU legal framework for cross-border operations of companies and any potential need for changes in the current rules.

Comments and responses should be submitted by 1 December to: Unit F2 (Corporate Governance and Social Responsibility), DG Internal Market and Services, European Commission, SPA 2 02/97, 1049 Brussels, Belgium
Tel: 00 800 6789 1011
Email: markt-f2＠ec.europa.eu