To ask the Minister of Finance to outline any work undertaken by her Department during 2024 to prevent forced marriages.

Dr Archibald

The General Register Office in my Department provides guidance to registrars in looking for the signs of possible forced marriage and reporting those to the appropriate authorities. That is part of a multi-agency approach to the prevention of forced marriage that operates across all sectors and involves agencies both within and outside government, including the PSNI, the courts, health trusts, schools and others. Action to prevent forced marriages is coordinated by the Forced Marriage Unit, a joint Home Office- and Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office-sponsored body. My Department has previously inputted on legislative change to combat forced marriage and has worked with colleagues in the Department of Justice and others on this important issue through, for example, the development of guidance. During 2024, my Department developed policy on raising the minimum age of marriage from 16 to 18. That is in recognition that some child marriages can be forced. The Executive have agreed to include provisions in the forthcoming marriage and civil partnership Bill that will extend the offence of forced marriage to anyone attempting to arrange the marriage of a person aged under 18. I hope to bring that Bill to the Assembly for consideration in the coming months, and I believe that the relevant provisions will provide another important protection against forced marriage.

Mr Speaker

That is not really a question.

Ms Sheerin

Minister, can you outline how the Budget supports ending violence against women and girls?

Dr Archibald

All of us realise what an important issue that is. Ending all forms of violence, abuse and harm against women and girls is one of the most pressing issues facing our society today. The Executive are committed to tackling that important issue. In March 2021, the Executive acknowledged the need for a departmental, cross-cutting, government-wide approach to tackle the issue of violence against women and girls. The Executive Office has subsequently been developing a strategic framework to achieve the society-wide transformation that is needed to achieve that Executive priority. The draft Budget for 2025-26 includes an earmarked allocation of £2 million to TEO towards the implementation of phase 1 of its delivery plan. In addition to that earmarked allocation for TEO, it has set aside £1·2 million from its baseline to fund an ending violence against women and girls change fund for community and voluntary sector organisations in partnership with local councils. As part of that wider change fund, a regional change fund initiative was announced on 21 January by the First Minister and deputy First Minister aimed at tackling violence against women and girls. In response to Paula Bradshaw, I say that the legislation that we are bringing forward is an important part of the effort to challenge violence against women and girls and to bring it to an end.