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Instead he has decided not to bring the legislation forward in this mandate while officials try to re-engage with the public about serious matters of public safety and existing legislation. However he has not given any explicit assurances that mandatory vaccinations will not arise in the next version of the bill. Consultation on his Public Health bill had included a proposal for mandatory vaccinations. The bill was designed to deal with future public health emergencies like the coronavirus pandemic. However, campaigners said the new law would breach civil liberties and individual human rights by making vaccinations mandatory. Speaking to the Assembly on Monday about his bill, the minister acknowledged there was "concern about human rights and about government being in a position in which it will potentially overreach into people's personal freedoms and decision-making". The minister said he had not decided to go ahead with mandatory vaccination prior to the controversial consultation, but had included it "as an option". He added:"I did not support the proposal, but who am I to tell the population of Northern Ireland that people cannot even have an opinion on that?" But coming so soon after Covid, he realised his consultation was "making people fear for their civil, religious and human rights and liberties". While he is not bringing forward legislation in this mandate, he said, he has directed his officials to try and make the public understand that current 1967 public health legislation already allows the state to detain individuals - and that the range of threats to public health has far expanded since 1967. He hopes for a new public health bill in the next mandate which will be more to the satisfaction of his critics, he said - "not entirely so but more so". Upper Bann MP Carla Lockhart said the decision to halt the bill is "the right one". She added: "The Department must now listen carefully to the genuine concerns expressed by the public and ensure that any future proposals fully respect fundamental freedoms and the rights of every citizen.” TUV MP Jim Allister added: "This was a crazy proposition from the outset, however, the question remains as to why the minister ever thought this worthy of consulting on. Governments far too easily play fast and loose with personal liberties and freedoms." Speaking to the News Letter, the minister said that NI needs to replace the "outdated" 1967 legislation which focuses on infectious diseases. “We need legislation that covers infection and contamination from biological, chemical and radiological sources and brings us into line with the rest of the UK,” he added. His initial consultation "mirrored much of what England, Scotland and Wales all already have in place" he said. The purpose of his consultation was to gauge public sentiment but it was clear, he said, that “significant numbers are not content with what they believe was intended, although some of the concern was also regrettably informed by misguided commentary”. However his bill is "not being scrapped" he said. Instead he is taking work forward over the remainder of the mandate, as he wants this to be "correct rather than hurried". Departmental fact file on the bill can be seen at: www.health-ni.gov.uk/news/fact-file-consultation-public-health-bill
