BRIEFING PAPER Number 7389 , 20 November 2015 A Fresh Start: the Stormont By Paul Bowers, Steven Agreement and Implementation Plan Kennedy, Lizzie Parkin, and the Northern Ireland (Welfare Hazel Armstrong, Wendy Wilson Reform) Bill 2015-16 [Bill 99] Inside: 1. Introduction 2. Welfare 3. The Fresh Start Agreement: non-welfare www.parliament.uk/commons-library | intranet.parliament.uk/commons-library |
[email protected] | @commonslibrary Number 7389, 20 November 2015 2 Contents Summary 3 1. Introduction 5 1.1 Fresh Start agreement 5 Process 5 Content 6 Political intent 6 1.2 Stormont House Agreement 7 2014 negotiations 7 Finance and welfare 8 Other elements 9 Implementation: January-August 2015 10 1.3 Political events summer 2015 11 1.4 Reaction to the Fresh Start agreement 12 2. Welfare 15 2.1 Introduction 15 2.2 UK Governments’ welfare reforms 15 2.3 Welfare reform in Northern Ireland 17 The parity principle 17 Welfare Reform Bill timeline 17 Agreed “flexibilities” and mitigation measures 19 2.4 Welfare announcements in the Fresh Start Agreement 23 Implementing welfare reform and associated “top-up” arrangements 23 Legislative Consent Motion 26 2.5 The Bill 26 Fast-track procedure 27 3. The Fresh Start Agreement: non-welfare 29 3.1 Ending paramilitarism and tackling organised crime 29 3.2 Northern Ireland Executive Financial Reforms and Context 31 3.3 UK Government financial support 32 Balanced budget 32 Funding for action against paramilitary activity 33 3.4 Irish Government financial support 33 3.5 Other parts of the Stormont House Agreement 34 Flags, identity, culture and tradition 34 Parades 34 The Past 34 Institutional reform 35 Contributing Authors: Steven Kennedy and Lizzie Parkin, Social Policy Section, Welfare Paul Bowers and Hazel Armstrong, Parliament and Constitution Centre, Non-welfare Cover page image copyright: : Volunteer's Reception, Assembly Buildings, Stormont, Belfast by Joel Riley.