To ask the Minister for Communities for an update, including a timeline, on the delivery of the Heritage, Culture and Creativity suite of policies.

I launched the Heritage, Culture and Creativity Programme in July 2024.

I said that it would address the long-standing policy void in relation to the Executive’s support of the arts and of the historic environment, and would see the development of contemporary policies for museums and public libraries.

I am proud to say that significant progress has been made on all fronts.

In particular, members will no doubt be aware that a public consultation to inform the direction of a new Museums Policy opened on 27 April 2026 and has now concluded. My officials are evaluating the responses and suggestions provided through that exercise and a response will be published in due course.

A public consultation to inform development of the new Historic Environment Policy opened on 14 August and will remain open until 23 October 2026.

I can advise that final preparations are in train for the launch of a public consultation in relation to a new Public Libraries and that work on a similar exercise in respect of the arts is in the closing straight. I expect to be able to say more on that in the coming weeks.

My expectation remains that all four new policies will be in place in the early part of 2027.