To ask the Minister of Justice to detail any discussions that have taken place between her Department and the Department of Health in relation to improving protections for healthcare workers against violence and abuse in hospitals.

I am aware of recent reports of attacks on healthcare workers and am disgusted by these and similar reports from those in other public-facing occupations. No one should have to go to work in fear of being assaulted.

There are a range of existing assault offences designed to protect any member of the public from harm. In addition, an offence of assault on persons providing ambulance services was introduced in the Justice Act (Northern Ireland) 2016.

To make it clear that assaults will not be tolerated on any person, while on duty, whose job includes dealing with the public, I intend to introduce an offence of assaulting a person engaged in providing a service to the public, performing a public duty or providing a public service within my Sentencing Bill. This offence will come with a higher maximum penalty in the magistrates’ courts than that currently available for the existing offences, and, for more serious assaults, the fact that the victim is such a person will become a statutory aggravating factor.

Executive agreement to commence drafting the Sentencing Bill was granted on 19th December and I aim to introduce it in the autumn of this year.