Assembly Round Up - Official blog from the Northern Ireland Assembly

Understanding the D'Hondt Method: Its Use in the Northern Ireland Assembly

noreply@blogger.com (NI Assembly) — Fri, 07 Jul 2023 12:36:00 +0000

The D'Hondt method is a mathematical formula used worldwide in various electoral systems, including the Northern Ireland Assembly. But what exactly is it, and how does it work? In this article, we'll delve into the intricacies of the D'Hondt method and its application in the Northern Ireland Assembly.

What is the D'Hondt Method?

The D'Hondt method, named after Belgian mathematician Victor D'Hondt, is a highest averages method for allocating seats in party-list proportional representation. The method aims to proportionally distribute seats based on the number of votes each party receives.

The D'Hondt Method in the Northern Ireland Assembly

In the Northern Ireland Assembly, the D'Hondt method is used to distribute ministerial positions among parties. The process begins after the Assembly election, where parties are allocated seats based on their electoral performance.

Why is the D'Hondt Method Important?

The D'Hondt method ensures a fair and proportional distribution of power among parties. This is crucial in a diverse political landscape like Northern Ireland, where multiple parties compete for influence.

Conclusion

Understanding the D'Hondt method is key to comprehending the political workings of the Northern Ireland Assembly. By ensuring a proportional distribution of power, the D'Hondt method plays a vital role in maintaining a balanced and representative governance.

For more insights into the workings of the Northern Ireland Assembly, check out our other articles.

Watch...

This video from the Northern Ireland Assembly's Education Service explains how D'Hondt is used:

What happens next? 5 Procedural Things MLAs Should Do After The Election

noreply@blogger.com (NI Assembly) — Sat, 07 May 2022 19:21:00 +0000

The election is over and the results are in. Here's a quick rundown of the 5 procedural things that should happen for the Assembly to resume normal business:

Newly elected Members must give the Undertaking and sign the Roll of Membership. This usually takes place at the first plenary after the election. The first plenary must happen within 8 days of polling day.

Once they've done that, they must elect a Speaker and Deputy Speakers. If this isn't done then no further Assembly business can happen.

If there is a Speaker then next up will be nominations for the offices of First Minister and deputy First Minister and those posts being filled.

The position of Minister of Justice is then filled on a cross-community vote.

All remaining Ministerial offices are filled through D’Hondt.

If you want to hear more about what happens after the election listen to this section of Episode one of The Assembly Podcast.

To keep up to date with Assembly Business at anytime but particularly over the next week follow us on twitter on @niassembly.

The Assembly Podcast: Episode 1 Dissolution and the Election

noreply@blogger.com (NI Assembly) — Mon, 25 Apr 2022 12:41:00 +0000

In this episode we take a look at what happens at the Northern Ireland Assembly before, during and after an Assembly Election. During the podcast we talk about a system of voting called d'Hondt that is used to appoint Government Ministers. You can find out more about d'Hondt on our blog by following this link - What is d'Hondt and how do we use it at the Assembly?

A Comprehensive Guide to Single Transferable Vote (STV) in Assembly Elections

noreply@blogger.com (NI Assembly) — Mon, 04 Apr 2022 17:21:00 +0000

The Single Transferable Vote (STV) is a form of Proportional Representation (PR). It is the system of voting used to elect MLAs to the Northern Ireland Assembly. It's a complicated subject but with the help of our Assembly Education Service we wanted to try and shed some light on it.

Tl;dr - Watch this video

Single Transferable Vote from NI Assembly on Vimeo.

This particular method of voting was first introduced to Northern Ireland in 1973. It is considered by many to be a fairer and more representative system. It maximises choice and gives voters the opportunity to show a preference between parties and even different candidates within parties. Many argue that it also means fewer wasted votes. As votes for smaller parties and independent candidates can still count through a transfer to another candidate.

So how does it work?

In the Assembly election on 5 May there will be five seats per constituency to fill. When you go to your polling station the staff will give you a list of candidates in your constituency. You then rate those candidates by your preference.

So, for your first preferred candidate you will put a ‘1’ in the box next to their name. A ‘2’ in the box next to the name of your second preferred candidate and so on. There is no maximum or minimum number of preferences to mark. You could choose to give a preference to all candidates or to one or two.

When the polls close the ballot boxes will be delivered to the counting centres throughout Northern Ireland. The actual count takes place the following day, Friday 6 May. It can take a couple of days for all the votes to be checked and counted.

How are the votes counted?

The ballot boxes are opened and all the votes checked. Any invalid votes, spoiled ballot papers are removed. The total number of valid votes are then counted, verified and recorded. The valid votes will be sorted by the election counting teams into piles according to first preferences. These are then recorded.

What is the Quota and how is it worked out?

During the election count you will hear the word "quota" or the phrase "...has reached the quota..." used a lot. The quota is the number of votes each candidate needs to get elected. This is where it can get a little complicated. There is a formula to follow to work it out. The quota is calculated for each constituency by adding together the total number of valid ballot papers, dividing this by the total number of seats to be filled plus one.

Here is an example. Let’s say that there are 2,400 valid votes in constituency X and five seats to fill. We would add a one to the five seats and then divide the 2,400 votes by six. Which gives us 400.

We then add a further one to this figure. This means that the quota is 401, so each candidate will need to get 401 votes to get elected.

The whole number is always used in calculating the quota. Should there be a fraction, the numbers after the decimal point are ignored.

So now that we have the quota and know the number of votes each candidate needs to get elected, it’s on with the count.

What is a transfer and how does it work?

Voting papers are sorted into bundles according to first preferences and counted. Any candidate reaching or exceeding the quota is elected. If they are elected with more first preference votes than the quota, their extra votes are called a surplus.

The Surplus

Surplus votes from candidates who exceed the quota are transferred to the remaining candidates who were chosen as number 2 on the elected candidates’ ballot papers. All votes are transferred at a fractional value.

The surplus is calculated by taking the number of valid votes received and subtracting the quota.

In our example the quota in constituency X is 401 votes and candidate A received 500 votes. Their Surplus = 500 – 401. Therefore, candidate A has a surplus of 99.

What happens to the transfers?

In our example Candidate A was selected at the first count, having exceeded the quota. It would not be a fair system to only transfer candidate A’s 99 surplus papers to the other candidates. If only the ‘extra’ papers were transferred there would be no way of ensuring that the 2nd preferences on the 99 papers were representative of all the 500 ballot papers that Candidate A had received. 401 people would not have their second preferences considered. For fairness, all the candidate’s ballot papers with a 2nd choice are redistributed. These are called transferable ballot papers as the voter has indicated a 2nd preference.

The transferable ballot papers are reallocated to the next choice candidates at a transfer value - a fractional percentage of one vote. This reduces the value of each vote transferred, so that the total redistributed vote is not worth more than the value of the candidate’s surplus.

So when we talk about transferring the surplus, we really mean transferring the value of the surplus rather than transferring the actual surplus papers.

Yes, that does sound a bit complicated so let's take a look at Candidate A again...

...if all their papers have a 2nd preference then there are 500 transferable papers to be reallocated. This will be at a total transfer value of their surplus (99). So, 500 papers transferred to equal a total value of 99 means that each ballot paper has an individual transfer value of 0.2. This is calculated by dividing the surplus (99) by the total number of transferable ballot papers for a candidate (500).

What happens if none of the candidates reach quota on the first count?

While it would be unusual for no candidate to meet the quota on the first count this can happen. If it does the candidate with the lowest number of votes is eliminated. Their votes are redistributed to the remaining candidates in order of preference. The transfer value of each transferable paper is still 1 vote, as the 1st preference was not used.

Getting to 5 candidates elected

The above process will continue until all 5 seats are filled.

Questions?

We hope this helps you get a better understanding of how STV works in Assembly elections. If you do have any questions please use the comments section below and we'll do our best to find the answers.

More Information

You can find more information on elections in Northern Ireland on the Electoral Commission and the Electoral Office websites:

A guide to voting in the Assembly Election

noreply@blogger.com (NI Assembly) — Fri, 01 Apr 2022 13:56:00 +0000

Do you know how to vote in the Assembly election on 5 May? Here's everything you need to know about voting - including how to register, when and where to vote, and who can vote by post or proxy.

Checking your Registration

Once you are registered to vote (if you aren't sure check with the Electoral Office by calling 028 9044 6680 or checking on their website by following this link) there are a few things you need to remember to take with you to your local polling station.

Voting at a Polling Station

When you vote at a polling station you will need to show one of the following documents to confirm your identity:

A UK, Irish or EEA driving licence (photographic part) (provisional accepted)
A UK, Irish or EU passport (or Irish passport card)
An Electoral Identity Card (use this link to apply for an Electoral ID Card)
A Translink Senior SmartPass
A Translink 60+ SmartPass
A Translink War Disabled SmartPass
A Translink Blind Person’s SmartPass

Your ID document doesn't need to be current. But the photograph must good enough to allow polling station staff to recognise you.

Bring your Polling Card if you have one but don't worry if you forget it as the staff can check your details at the polling station. Having your polling card just speeds up the process.

Proxy Votes and Postal Votes

You can find details on the Electoral Office website on how to vote by post or how to use a proxy vote by following this link.

How to cast your vote

The system of voting used to elect MLAs to the Northern Ireland Assembly is the Single Transferable Vote or STV. This is a form of Proportional Representation.

If you want to know more about how STV and your votes works in the Assembly election read our article "A guide to the Single Transferable vote (or how you vote in an Assembly election."

The Northern Ireland Assembly is now dissolved. But what does that mean?

noreply@blogger.com (NI Assembly) — Mon, 28 Mar 2022 06:00:00 +0000

Dissolution is the official term for the end of an Assembly mandate.

An Assembly mandate is five years in length, beginning on the date that the first sitting of the Assembly takes place following an election. The Assembly was dissolved at 00:01 on Monday 28 March, 2022. Elections to the next Assembly will take place on Thursday 5 May, 2022.

Dissolution means that no Assembly business takes place. That is no committee meetings or Plenary meetings. MLAs stop being MLAs, they go back to being members of the public. Losing any privileges associated with being an MLA. For example, access to the offices in Parliament Buildings and other resources. This is to ensure that former MLAs don't have an advantage over other candidates. Anyone who wants to be an MLA again must stand in the Election.

As the Northern Ireland Assembly and the Executive are two separate institutions. Ministers remain in office during dissolution. They have a caretaking role, managing the work of the Departments, until the day of the election. The Speaker, Alex Maskey, along with the Deputy Speakers, Roy Beggs and Patsy McGlone also remain in office during dissolution. The election of a new Speaker (and deputies) takes place when the Assembly meets after the election.

The Northern Ireland Assembly podcast team are busy creating episodes which explore the work of the Assembly and its committees. Episode 1 seeks to explain what it means for the Assembly to be dissolved and what happens next...after the election. You can find the Assembly Podcast on Acast, Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

Sign of The Times at the Northern Ireland Assembly

noreply@blogger.com (NI Assembly) — Thu, 16 Dec 2021 08:00:00 +0000

Speaker Alex Maskey (left) pictured in Parliament Buildings with ISL signer Amanda Coogan (centre) and BSL signer Kristina Laverty (right)

Monday, 13 December 2021, was a red letter day for the local deaf and hard of hearing community when for the first time in the Assembly’s history, the Executive Office Question Time was live signed in both British (BSL) and Irish (ISL) sign language.

This new pilot project, which has been a priority for the Assembly Speaker, Alex Maskey MLA, will continue to run until the end of this Assembly Mandate, expected to be at the end of March 2022.

The signing of Executive Office Question Time underlines the Assembly’s long standing commitment to making its work as accessible as possible to everyone. It is also hoped that it will give all those in the deaf and hard of hearing community, the opportunity to participate more fully in the democratic process and to stay informed on the issues that affect them as local citizens.

Executive Office Question Time takes place every second Monday and rotates between the First Minister and the deputy First Minister. First up this week was the deputy First Minister, Michelle O’Neill MLA, who began by signing a special welcome to the deaf and hard of hearing community, many of whom were tuning in for the first time.

Watch this week’s full Executive Office Question Time:

As well as live signing of Executive Office Question Time, the pilot also includes manual subtitling that will be available on playback rather than in real time. Subtitling will usually be available within 3 working days. You can watch this week’s subtitled Executive Office Question Time below.

If you can't see the subtitles click on the subtitle / caption button on the video.

The next signed Executive Office Question Time is scheduled for 2pm on 24 January 2022, and you can find all of the upcoming scheduled dates for Executive Office Question Time on the Assembly website by looking at the Question Time Rota. You can also catch it live or watch a recording on the Assembly TV site niassembly.tv

Each Minister’s slot is a maximum of 45 minutes: the first 30 minutes are allocated for scheduled oral questions, followed by 15 minutes of topical, or unscheduled, questions from Assembly Members (MLAs) to that Minister.

A maximum of 15 questions are selected for oral answer and these will be published 10 days before the Question Time on the Questions section of the Assembly website. It is common for time to run out before all the submitted questions are answered. The written answers to oral questions are in the Official Report (Hansard) for each sitting.

During this pilot period, the Assembly will hold regular meetings with representatives from the deaf and hard of hearing community to review how the project is working. In addition, the representatives will assist with a formal evaluation of the pilot at the end of this Assembly mandate.

Understanding the Legislative Process in the Northern Ireland Assembly

noreply@blogger.com (NI Assembly) — Thu, 02 Dec 2021 08:00:00 +0000

Introduction

This article will guide you through the path of a bill in the Northern Ireland Assembly to help you understand the legislative process in Northern Ireland.

The Law-Making Steps in the Northern Ireland Assembly

A new law proposal, or a bill, can be introduced by Ministers, Committees, or individual Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs). For a bill to become law, it must pass through up to six stages of debate, discussion, and review:

First Stage: The First Stage is a short announcement in the Assembly Chamber by the bill's sponsor. The sponsor could be a Minister, in which case it's an Executive bill, or an MLA, making it a Private Members’ bill.

Second Stage: During the Second Stage, all MLAs debate the bill’s main principles. The sponsor starts the debate, with all Members following with their comments. At the end of the debate, MLAs vote on whether they support the main principles. If they do, the bill moves to the relevant committee for a detailed examination.

Committee Stage: This stage involves a committee gathering feedback on the bill from the public and others interested in the bill's subject matter. The committee can also gather information from groups and individuals with expertise in the bill's areas. At the end of the Committee Stage, the committee members, who are MLAs from various parties, review each part of the bill, prepare a report for the Assembly, and may suggest changes to the bill, known as amendments.

Consideration Stage: During the Consideration Stage, individual MLAs can suggest amendments to the bill. They debate and vote in the Assembly Chamber on each amendment to decide whether it should be included in the final bill. They then have another chance to suggest amendments during the Further Consideration Stage.

Final Stage: At the Final Stage, the entire bill, with any amendments, is discussed one last time, and MLAs vote on whether it should become law. If the majority of MLAs vote in favour, the bill is passed.

Royal Assent: Once passed, the bill is sent to the Secretary of State who presents it for Royal Assent. Once granted, the bill becomes a law in Northern Ireland.

Conclusion

Each stage of the law-making process ensures that proposed laws are thoroughly examined, debated, and refined before they become laws. This rigorous process is a reflection of the democratic principles that form the foundation of Northern Ireland's governance. View all the legislation considered and passed by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Committee hosted a range of events to mark COP26

noreply@blogger.com (NI Assembly) — Fri, 19 Nov 2021 10:46:00 +0000

The focus of our Committee work in recent months has been on gathering evidence to help us examine the two new Climate Change Bills that are currently going through the Assembly.

We’ve also been exploring the impact that climate change has on our local environment and investigating some of the emerging technologies and innovations that could help us reduce our carbon footprint in the years ahead.

To help inform our work and raise awareness of the recent COP26 conference in Glasgow, we organised a series of events to highlight the issue of climate change locally.

We also took the opportunity to encourage discussion about climate change, in the context of our examination of the Bills, and to showcase some of the important local carbon-friendly initiatives that are underway.

The arrival of the Zero Carbon Hydrogen bus tour at Parliament Buildings on 30 September got the ball rolling. Transport is clearly a major source of greenhouse gases and the shift away from using petrol and diesel to electric and hydrogen powered vehicles will be one of the biggest changes we will see in the next few years.

We were delighted to get an opportunity to see the bus first hand and to learn more about how the decarbonisation of local public transport will help to reduce our emissions.

COP26 was particularly timely for us in terms of increasing our knowledge of the current issues, debates and global legislation in relation to climate change, and on how we can all play our part in helping to develop good policy and laws to tackle its effects in the future.

Some of our Members travelled to Glasgow to take part in COP26 events, with our Deputy Chairperson, Philip McGuigan MLA leading the way by cycling to the conference in Glasgow and back!

We were also delighted that the Assembly Commission agreed, at our request, to light Parliament Buildings green on Monday 1 November to mark the beginning of COP26 and to highlight this important global event.

While climate change affects us all, we are conscious that our children and young people will be most affected by the actions that we take in the next ten to fifteen years, so we wanted to hear the views of local school pupils on what climate change means to them.

We had a great Q and A session with pupils from three local schools who absolutely blew us away with their knowledge and insightful questions on reducing fossil fuels, renewables, global warming, creating 'green' jobs and much more. You can watch the full video (with subtitles) from our event.

Finally, on 10 November, we marked the Transport themed day at COP26 by partnering with SustransNI who came to Parliament Buildings to tell us about the benefits of their Active Travel Programme. The highlight of the day was an opportunity for the Committee and other MLAs to trial electric powered bikes as an alternative e-friendly and sustainable form of transport.

Happily, the weather was on our side and we proved the old adage that (luckily) you never forget how to ride a bike. Albeit, tackling those steep hills around the Stormont Estate was made a lot easier with the assistance of electronic pedal power. You can find out more information on Sustran’s Active Travel Programme and e-bikes on their website.

While COP26 has ended, we are only at the beginning of our local climate change journey. In the months ahead, we will continue our work on both Climate Change Bills, as well as helping to review, examine and develop future environmental policy.

If you have missed any of our evidence sessions you can catch up here and watch upcoming meetings live via https://niassembly.tv/

Generating Electricity from Renewable Energy - a report from the Public Accounts Committee

noreply@blogger.com (NI Assembly) — Thu, 23 Sep 2021 08:00:00 +0000

The Public Accounts Committee has published a report into the Renewable Energy Scheme.The report looks at the Northern Ireland Renewables Obligation (NIRO) scheme and whether it provided value for money.

This committee is has the widest remit of all Assembly Committees as it looks at the way Government Departments implement policies, strategies, and programmes. It also carries out inquiries into Government spending.

Renewable Energy Scheme

The Renewable Energy Scheme was introduced in 2005 by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (DETI). It was then continued by the Department for the Economy (DfE). While the scheme closed to new applicants in 2016, it continued to accredit new generating stations until 2018.

Based the amount of electricity generated from a renewable source like wind. The scheme gives financial support to investors and owners of accredited generating stations. This financial support lasts for twenty years, from the accreditation date of each generating station.

Findings of the Report

The scheme met and exceeded its primary objective of encouraging the generation and consumption of electricity that comes from renewable energy sources. Approximately 49% of all electricity consumed in Northern Ireland now comes from renewable energy sources. However, it is not clear that this was achieved at the lowest cost to the consumer.

There were also negative unintended planning and environmental consequences that went unmanaged until 2018. A lack of joined up thinking and formal engagement between DETI and other key public bodies before introducing the NIRO scheme mean that planning and environmental risks were not identified until after the scheme had begun, making these more difficult to manage.

The Committee also found that the local scheme did not include some of the cost controls that featured in other similar scheme in Great Britain, something that could lead to overgenerous financial support to small-scale renewable electricity generators.

The report will be sent to the Department for the Economy and includes eight recommendations. You can read the report in full on the Assembly website by following this link.

Have your say on the Climate Change (NO.2) Bill

noreply@blogger.com (NI Assembly) — Tue, 14 Sep 2021 16:28:00 +0000

Climate change is one of the most challenging issues facing all of us and whatever pathway we choose to address it, there is no doubt that it will change how we currently live, work and travel.

While many countries around the world have, in recent years, introduced laws and strategies to reduce emissions from greenhouse gases (GHG), we have yet to develop and implement dedicated climate change legislation here. It is the responsibility of all of us to ensure that we play our part in “this decisive decade” to tackle climate change and to put in place the mechanisms and solutions to protect our local environment and communities.

In May 2021, the Committee for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, of which I am the Chairperson, launched its ‘Call for Evidence and Views’ on a Private Member’s Climate Change Bill. While, we continue to examine and review the evidence submitted in relation to this Bill, we are now also calling on local people and relevant stakeholders to provide their views on a separate Climate Change (No.2) Bill, introduced by the Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in July 2021, which we expect to come to the Committee this September.

While, it is unusual for a Committee to seek evidence and views on two separate pieces of legislation that fall within the same policy area, we have a responsibility to examine and consider the merits and impacts of each Bill independently, in line with the Assembly’s legislative process.

Working to mitigate the harmful effects of climate change is our primary concern and it’s essential that we are open to exploring all proposed pathways to assist us in reaching that goal. It’s also crucial that each sector of our economy and those who live and work in our local communities are provided with an opportunity to have their say on the full range of policy options and strategies available.

The Climate Change (No.2) Bill contains a number of proposals which include a target to reduce net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by at least 82% by 2050 (compared to baseline levels) and the setting of interim emissions targets for 2030 and 2040. It would also give responsibility to the Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs to set Carbon Budgets here, outlining the maximum GHG emissions level on a 5-yearly basis. Further proposals include; progress reports being laid with the Assembly on the attainment of Carbon Budgets and periodic independent reports from the UK Committee on Climate Change on the progress made on mitigation strategies.

The Committee understands that while many will feel that this Bill provides a viable and achievable pathway towards tackling and mitigating climate change, others may think that it does not go far enough. That is why it is vitally important that all relevant stakeholders and our local citizens take this opportunity to give us their views. It is our responsibility to listen to all voices and opinions and to work towards shaping this legislation so that it provides a balanced, fair and holistic approach towards tackling climate change.

If you have a view on this Bill complete our ‘Call for Evidence and Views’ on the Assembly’s website at by Thursday, 30 September 2021.

Let’s Talk about the Climate Change Bill ...

noreply@blogger.com (NI Assembly) — Tue, 22 Jun 2021 16:12:00 +0000

As part of its scrutiny of the new Climate Change Bill and its ‘Call for Evidence and Views’, the Assembly’s Committee for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs held two recent stakeholder events to get the views of a range of individuals and organisations on the detail of the Bill.

Unlike other jurisdictions, we do not have dedicated legislation in place here to tackle Climate Change, nor an agreed pathway to mitigate against its worst effects.

The Committee recognises that there are many and varied opinions on the content and direction of the Bill, so this was a great opportunity to openly debate and discuss the main proposals in the Bill, primarily;

Whether or not it is possible to reach the Bill’s target of achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045.

The usefulness of 5 yearly Climate Change plans and sectoral plans to help us reach that target.

The measures that could or should be included in Climate Change and sectoral plans and how these would be evaluated.

The impact the net zero target could or would have on our farming, agricultural, general industries and rural communities and;

If there is a need for a local and dedicated Climate Commissioner to report on the effectiveness of climate plans and the progress made by government here.

The first event brought together participants from organisations representing the environment, agriculture and business sectors, as well as contributors from rural development and community groups. While the evening session focussed on youth engagement with representatives from local young people and children’s groups, young farmers and those interested in agriculture and rural issues, as well as young people actively involved in environmental/Climate Change groups and organisations.

There were over 60 participants across both events with lively debate and discussion on the merits, aims and challenges associated with the Climate Change Bill. The feedback from the stakeholder events will be invaluable in helping to inform the Committee’s consideration of the Bill, as it moves forward to the next stage of the legislative process.

If you would like the opportunity to tell the Committee what you think about the Climate Change Bill, you can access our ‘Call for Evidence or Views on the Assembly’s website or by following this link.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Assembly Women’s Caucus takes first steps on journey towards a Gender Sensitive Assembly

noreply@blogger.com (NI Assembly) — Thu, 25 Mar 2021 15:36:00 +0000

Increasing the participation of woman in politics is not as simple a proposition as it should perhaps be. In recent years we have become more and more aware of the barriers faced by women in all walks of life, not least of all in the political sphere, an environment that remains heavily dominated by men. Levelling the playing field is often easier said than done, it’s not just a matter of spearheading equality for equality sake, we need to recognise the particular circumstances faced by women and work together to create an environment which identifies the hurdles to participation and maps out a route around and over them.

With women making up just 35% of the total number of MLAs in the Northern Ireland Assembly, it is clear that much more needs to be done to encourage woman to enter political life. But where do we start? Well, the Northern Ireland Assembly Women’s Caucus, a group open to all women MLAs, may just have a plan and it’s one that they appropriately unveiled on March 8, International Women’s Day. For the very first time, the Women’s Caucus which was formed in 2016, brought a motion to the floor of the Assembly which called on MLAs to endorse and adopt an Action Plan to create a Gender Sensitive Assembly.

The Action Plan was based on the recommendations stemming from the Assembly and Executive Review Committee’s 2015 report on Women in Politics and the Northern Ireland Assembly. It calls for the Assembly to adopt and put in place targeted measures that will help to create and support a gender sensitive environment within the Assembly. This includes the adoption of processes that facilitate universal participation; the creation of tangible actions that promote equality and participation; an accessible working environment; and gender-sensitive political parties.

Speaking just before the Assembly debate, the Chair of the Women’s Caucus, Clare Bailey MLA spoke about “…the marginalisation of women and how the Gender Sensitive Assembly Action Plan seeks to address this by focusing on the structural barriers to women's full participation in political life.” She stressed the need for “…creating targeted actions to break those barriers down, towards a vision of a Northern Ireland where women are equally represented in politics.”

She underlined that the central aim of the Caucus was to “...encourage women to get into politics, support them when they're elected, enable them to remain in those positions, and champion their progression.”

Echoing the Chair’s sentiment, Deputy Chairperson Rosemary Barton MLA said that “…the Women's Caucus Action Plan lays out essential and achievable priorities, and strategic well targeted interventions - for the Assembly environment, its processes and structures, as well as for the political parties.”

She added that a Gender Sensitive Assembly would be “…founded on the principle of gender equality so that both men and women can access their equal right to participate without discrimination. "

The motion was overwhelmingly supported and passed, but of course this is just the start of the journey. Over the coming weeks and months, the Women’s Caucus will be developing and spearheading a number of initiatives and events as they work towards ensuring the full implementation of a Gender Sensitive Northern Ireland Assembly.

So how can you get involved? Well, we’ve created a webpage, which over the coming months, we’ll be continuing to populate with new resources and content and where we’ll also provide information about our upcoming initiatives and events. You can also sign up to our mailing list and follow us on Twitter @NIAWomensCaucus.

If you missed the debate on International Women’s Day, you can watch it in full at nia1.me/4gi

Prepare to be inspired and as the great Ruth Bader Ginsberg once said remember that “Women belong in all places where decisions are being made. … It shouldn't be that women are the exception”

Decarbonising Northern Ireland’s road transport

noreply@blogger.com (NI Assembly) — Tue, 16 Mar 2021 08:22:00 +0000

Electric vehicle at public charging point

How can Northern Ireland contribute to the goal of achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050? That’s the goal that the UK has set—and everyone knows that this cannot be achieved without a fundamental change in how both people and goods are transported.

Northern Ireland’s contribution to this ambitious goal will need to be in the realm of an 82% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. For us to achieve this target, it is clear that transport—which accounts for almost 28% of all greenhouse gas emissions in 2018 (the latest year for which figures are available)—will need to change. Cars are thought to be the main source of road transport greenhouse gas emitters—and, as part of that, the way cars are fuelled will need to change significantly.

What measures can we take to help achieve these goals? Of course, we can reduce our dependence on the car: we can walk more, cycle and take public transport for more of our journeys. The most obvious way we can contribute to zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 is to adopt cars that use low carbon technologies and have tailpipe emissions of less than 75g of CO2 per kilometre. In other words, ultra low emission vehicles—either pure electric or plug-in hybrid electric cars.

So far, we are buying more pure electric and plug-in hybrid cars—but they only account for 0.5% of licensed vehicles in the UK, with sales of new petrol cars increasing at a much higher rate.

Cars registered for the frst time by fuel type, UK 2015 to 2019

For Northern Ireland, the percentage of new ultra low electric vehicles registered per year is growing but is still at a very low level, as can be seen in the following chart.

Share of cars registered for the first time that are ULEX, NOrthern Irteland 2015 to 2019

For us to transform into a net zero carbon emission society, the take up of electric cars will need to increase substantially.

Why are we not adopting this new technology at a higher rate? What is holding us back? We know what some of these issues are. The price of electric cars, anxiety about how far they can go before needing to be recharged, the lack of charging infrastructure and the restricted range of electric cars compared with cars using fossil fuel—all of these can slow the change-over.

Have these issues prevented you from either purchasing an electric vehicle or contemplating such a purchase? If you have made the switch, what were the factors that encouraged you to do so? Were you put off by the lack of public charging points? Or, are you waiting until there is more vehicle choice? Are you aware of the Government incentive grants to help you purchase an ultra-low emission vehicle?

These are some of the questions that the Northern Ireland Assembly’s Infrastructure Committee is seeking to answer in its Decarbonisation Inquiry. As part of this Inquiry, the Committee has prepared a survey to find out how people feel about ultra low emission vehicles—both pure electric and plug-in hybrids, what the barriers are to changing from petrol or diesel, and what our government can do to make such a change more attractive.

You can take part in the Committee’s survey and find out more about the Committee’s Inquiry by following this link.

COVID-19 and its Impact on Care Homes

noreply@blogger.com (NI Assembly) — Mon, 01 Feb 2021 12:46:00 +0000

How have care homes coped with COVID-19 during the second wave? What were the key concerns that affected care homes during the pandemic? What can we learn from this experience? These are just some of the issues that the Assembly’s Health Committee wanted to explore when it set up its Inquiry into COVID-19 and its Impact on Care Homes.

As part of the inquiry, the Health Committee asked a number of stakeholder groups to give written submissions. Twenty-one submissions were received from a range of groups, spanning public, private and charitable organisations, professional bodies and trade unions.

In addition, the Committee held oral evidence sessions with a number of key stakeholders as well as senior Department of Health officials. To gain the views of those living in care homes, their relatives, owners of care homes and their staff, the Committee also used an online survey that elicited nearly 700 responses.

Among the issues covered by the inquiry, three stand out: the real need for reform of the adult social care system; the importance of involving care homes in pandemic planning; and the importance of real contact between families and those in care, even during a pandemic such as COVID-19.

Even before the pandemic, there have been serious issues facing the care home sector, not least of which was the need to make changes to the entire adult social care system. Long-standing issues such as those identified in the Department of Health’s 2017 report Power to People: proposals to reboot adult care and support in NI, were highlighted, including the need to give greater control to those living in care homes, supporting family carers and crucially, improving conditions for the social care workforce. The costs of the adult care sector, and who should be responsible for these, were brought sharply into focus with the increased need for personal protective equipment (PPE) and the increased responsibility of those working in the care home sector.

In an evidence session to the Committee on Thursday 22 October 2020, Ms Pauline Shepard, representing the Independent Health and Care Providers, highlighted the issues of staff shortages and the difficulty in recruiting suitable workers, in part due to the levels of pay and conditions prevalent within the sector. Progressing these reforms will require the commitment of the Department of Health, something that has been acknowledged and agreed by the Minister.

No one is in any doubt that COVID-19 was a crisis of a magnitude greater than anything that had come before. At the same time, issues arose in the way guidance and advice were developed and put in place. Initiatives were introduced without prior engagement with either the care sector or unions, leading to an undermining of confidence in the guidance provided. These matters were compounded by initial shortages of appropriate PPE and training for their use. To address these specific issues, the Committee has recommended that, during a pandemic, there should be a centralised procurement and supply of PPE to care homes, without charge. In addition, it is important that staff are able to access training as new information emerges.

We all instinctively understand how important it is for those in care homes to have contact with their loved ones, but the Covid regulations have highlighted the negative and sometimes traumatic impact of visiting restrictions on the mental health and well-being of residents and carers alike. Some of the problems highlighted by families were communication issues, where those with loved ones in care homes felt that they had no input in decisions around visiting.

Ensuring that visits could take place was again closely linked to both testing and the availability of PPE, which had financial and resource implications for care homes. The Committee strongly recommended that families be directly involved in decision-making around visiting. For example, virtual visiting, while welcome, was not suitable for all care home residents, particularly those with cognitive or sensory impairment, while the recent use of visiting pods was welcomed.

One thread that connected all the different issues was that of keeping people’s human rights front and centre when designing and implementing any regulations and guidance. The physical and mental well-being of residents, families of those in care, as well as the dedicated staff – this is just as important as appropriate testing and PPE regimes.

While the COVID-19 pandemic might be a once in a generation event, the issues affecting the adult care sector have been recognised for some time. The recommendations made by the Committee, working with the Department and all stakeholders, should improve the entire sector as well as increasing its resilience in any future pandemic.

Read the Committee’s Report.
Read some of the evidence sessions by going to the Committee’s Minutes of Evidence.

Watch MLAs discuss the report during Plenary below:

Bill of Rights Consultation - What difference would a bill of rights make and what would it contain?

noreply@blogger.com (NI Assembly) — Tue, 19 Jan 2021 14:47:00 +0000

A local bill of rights would detail the rights protections that everyone can depend on; it would set out the laws that we would agree to protect everyone. A bill of rights could show everyone what we, as a society, aspire to.

But how would we do that to ensure that the rights of everyone are represented?

In Northern Ireland, many place great importance on what is called ‘parity of esteem’, that is, to value all traditions equally, and think this parity should be backed up by legal provisions. Do you think that this or other values should act as a foundation for rights here?

A bill of rights could also include what are called civil and political rights. Commonly these include freedom of expression, the right to gather together in public, the right to practice your religion freely, the right to a fair trial and the right not to be discriminated against. We want to know whether you think these types of rights should be included within a bill of rights here.

Can you think of other civil and political rights that it might be useful to include in a bill of rights? For example, we might think that children deserve explicit rights, or that the right to move freely and live wherever you want in Northern Ireland should be specified in any human rights bill.

Besides the rights we commonly think about as being civil and political rights there has been a view that economic, social and cultural rights should also be included in any bill. Should people have a right to an agreed standard of living? Should people have a right to be educated in the language of their choice? Are there any other social, economic and cultural rights that you think are important? For example, should everyone have the right to be as healthy as possible and to have access to good health services?

We all know that dealing with the changing climate and the environment are more important than ever. Everyone is being encouraged to eat more locally-produced foods, use less plastic and recycle. But should the right to a healthy environment be included in a bill of rights?

While our survey tries to cover a range of issues that could form part of a new bill of rights, we want to make sure that we don’t miss anything that you feel is important. So please, tell us what you think, what you feel is important and let us know if there’s anything we haven’t considered.

Have your say by filling in this short online survey. Paper copies of the survey are available (email Engagement@NIAssembly.gov.uk ) or you can request to complete the consultation via phone on 02890 521169.

The closing date for the consultation is Friday 5^th February at 5pm.

Bill of Rights Consultation - Do we all enjoy the same basic human rights?

noreply@blogger.com (NI Assembly) — Thu, 14 Jan 2021 14:26:00 +0000

When we talk about human rights, we mean basic rights and freedoms that every person has, no matter who they are. We commonly understand these rights to include a right to vote and express your opinions, a right to an education and family life and a right not to be treated badly or punished in a cruel way.

So, do you think everyone who lives in Northern Ireland enjoys the same basic human rights?

The Ad Hoc Committee on a Bill of Rights is currently looking at the issues of creating a bill of rights for Northern Ireland. The subject of a bill of rights here has been discussed for decades and has been mentioned in many historical documents, including the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement and most recently, New Decade New Approach.

Even though we have left the European Union, the rights of people here are still covered by the European Convention on Human Rights. But is that enough to support the needs of everyone who lives here, or does Northern Ireland require its own bill of rights? If so, what rights should it include? These are the questions at the heart of this Committee’s consultation.

Due to Northern Ireland’s particular circumstances, many rights and provisions which are sometimes included in a bill of rights can be politically divisive, such as language, culture and heritage. Do some people or sections of society here require additional protection for their rights? For example, do people with caring responsibilities or those from a minority background need more protection than they have currently?

These are important questions and this is why the Committee is so keen to hear from as many people as possible as part of its public consultation, to ensure that as wide a range of views are represented so that responses are reflective of society.

Since March 2020, the Committee has been examining the background to a bill of rights here, as well as consulting with many experts on human rights from across the globe. The Committee will report its findings and present them to the Assembly for debate, but first, it wants and needs to hear from you – the people who live here and whose rights are at the centre of this consultation.

Have your say on the creation of a bill of rights by filling in this short online survey or by making a detailed submission to the Committee.

Paper copies of the survey are available (email Engagement@NIAssembly.gov.uk ) or you can request to complete the consultation via phone on 02890 521169.

The closing date for the consultation is Friday 5^th February at 5pm.

Domestic Violence and Family Proceedings Bill - We Want Your Views

noreply@blogger.com (NI Assembly) — Thu, 21 May 2020 10:47:00 +0000

The Northern Ireland Assembly’s Committee for Justice is currently examining the Domestic Violence and Family Proceedings Bill.

We want your views—what do you think about it? Do you think that this Bill will make a real difference? Do you agree with its aims and how it will deal with both the victims of abuse and the abusers? Why not have your say and tell us what you think.

The Domestic Violence and Family Proceedings Bill is intended to make it easier for victims of abuse to receive justice and make it harder for abusers to evade.

One of the issues that this Bill will address is that of ‘coercive control’. The Bill recognises that domestic abuse often takes place over a period of time and can include psychological and emotional abuse as well as physical abuse. At present, non-physical abusive behaviour is not addressed under existing offences.

One of the ways that the new Bill addresses this issue is by recognising a pattern of non-violent abusive behaviour and allowing the police to bring charges based on it. This should help victims to come forward and engage with the justice system. A ‘pattern of behaviour’ is defined as behaviour that occurs on two or more occasions which a reasonable person would consider likely to cause the victim fear, alarm or distress and where the abuser intends to cause harm or ought to have known that the behaviour would be likely to cause harm.

The proposed Bill, aside from making it a crime to psychologically or emotionally abuse a partner, ex-partner or close family member, also includes the option of heavier sentencing where a child (defined as a person under the age of 18) is a victim of domestic abuse, either as a partner or family member, or sees, hears or is present while abusive behaviour is being carried out. In addition, if criminal damage takes place as part of domestic abuse and involves a child, the sentence can also be increased.

Another of the Bill’s provisions is to prohibit the accused from cross-examining a partner or connected person either in criminal court or family proceedings. There are already some laws prohibiting this—but for the first time it would apply in domestic abuse cases. The Bill further provides that the court will be able to appoint a court funded legal representative to carry out any cross-examination on behalf of the accused.

These changes would ensure that neither the criminal justice system nor the family justice system can be used by the accused to further abuse and control a partner or connected person.

You can read more about the Bill here: http://nia1.me/415

Why not give your views on this Bill to the Committee?

You can let the Committee know what you think by:

Emailing Domesticabusebill@niassembly.gov.uk

or by post to:

The Committee Clerk,
Room 242, Parliament Buildings,
Ballymiscaw,
Stormont,
Belfast,
BT4 3XX.

You can also give your views in confidence if you wish.

Speaker's Statement - Assembly Business and Covid-19

noreply@blogger.com (NI Assembly) — Wed, 18 Mar 2020 20:42:00 +0000

The Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly, Alex Maskey MLA, said:

“Further to my statement on Monday, I have had further conversations with the political parties today in relation to how Assembly business will be managed in the time ahead.

Consequently, I have written to all MLAs this evening setting out some agreed initial changes, including to business next week. All non-essential Assembly business will be avoided in order that it does not distract from the delivery of public services to deal with the impact of Covid 19.

The priority of the Assembly will be on ensuring that decisions on Executive business, including legislation, can be taken, and that the ability for Ministers to provide updates and be scrutinised on these issues continues in a publicly transparent way in the Assembly Chamber.

I am conscious that it is highly unusual for any Speaker to seek to reduce the ability of elected representatives to scrutinise Ministers but these are extraordinary times and they require extraordinary measures. I am grateful for the co-operation that I have had from the political parties and their commitment to supporting public services and protecting public health during these difficult times.”

Copy of the letter written to MLAs.

Ad hoc Committee for Bill of Rights meets for the first time

noreply@blogger.com (NI Assembly) — Wed, 04 Mar 2020 17:04:00 +0000

But what is the Ad hoc Committee, why was it set up, what will it do, and who's on it?
Read on to find out....

What is an Ad hoc Committee?

Ad hoc Committees are sometimes set up by the Assembly to look at specific time-bound issues and are allowed under Standing Orders, which are the rules that govern Assembly business. When these committees are set up, the Assembly sets the terms of reference for them, as well as who the members will be and how the committee will operate.

Currently, the Assembly has set up an Ad hoc Committee for a Bill of Rights.

Who decided to establish the Assembly Ad hoc Committee for Bill of Rights?

The New Decade, New Approach document, which was endorsed by political parties in January 2020, provided for the establishment of an Ad hoc Assembly committee to consider the creation of a Bill of Rights that is faithful to the 1998 Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement in that:

it contains rights supplementary to those contained in the European Convention on Human Rights, which are currently applicable and “that reflect the particular circumstances of Northern Ireland”; as well as reflecting the principles of mutual respect for the identity and ethos of both communities and parity of esteem.

The Ad-Hoc Committee will be assisted in its work by a Panel of five experts appointed jointly by the First Minister and deputy First Minister.

The Panel should initially seek to advise the Ad-Hoc Committee on what constitutes our “particular circumstances” drawing upon, but not bound by, previous work on a Bill of Rights and should review and make recommendations on how the UK’s withdrawal from the EU may impact on our “particular circumstances”.

The terms of reference and timetable of the Committee will be agreed within 30 working days of the restoration of devolution. The establishment of cross-party and cross-community support will be critical to advancing a Bill of Rights.

How was the Assembly Ad hoc Committee for Bill of Rights established?
On 24 February 2020, the Assembly established the Ad hoc Committee on a Bill of Rights, with the following terms of reference:

That, as provided for in Standing Order 53(1), this Assembly appoints an Ad Hoc Committee to consider the creation of a Bill of Rights as set out in paragraph 28 of Part 2 of the New Decade, New Approach document; and to submit a report to the Assembly by 28 February 2022.

Who are the members of the Committee?
There are seven Members of the Assembly Ad hoc Committee for Bill of Rights:

Paula Bradshaw MLA
Mark H Durkan MLA
Carál Ní Chuilín MLA
Emma Sheerin MLA
Mike Nesbitt MLA
Christopher Stalford MLA
Michelle McIlveen MLA

Who are the Chair and Deputy Chair of the Committee?
The Chair of the Committee is Emma Sheerin MLA and the Deputy Chairperson is Mike Nesbitt MLA. You can listen to the election of the Chair and Deputy Chair in this short audio clip:

What is the Committee quorum?
Quorum is the minimum number of Committee Members required to be in attendance during a Committee meeting in order for Committee to carry out official business. For the Ad Hoc Committee for Bill of Rights to make decisions or take evidence, a quorum of five (including the Chairperson) must be present.

When will the Committee meet?
The Committee is due to meet every other week on a Thursday. The Committee’s first meeting took place on Thursday 05 March 2020.

What did the Committee discuss during its first meeting?
At its first meeting, the Committee elected Emma Sheerin MLA as Chairperson and Mike Nesbitt MLA as Deputy Chairperson. The Members also discussed the background to the Bill of Rights, the Committee’s Terms of Reference, its forward work programme, and list of suggested witnesses.

How do I keep up to date with the work of the Committee?

Follow the Committee on Twitter @NIABillofRights
Read Committee papers and see the Committee agenda
Watch/listen again to meetings
Attend a public session of the Committee – check business diary for meetings

Upcoming Legislative Programme - 2020

noreply@blogger.com (NI Assembly) — Wed, 12 Feb 2020 15:46:00 +0000

The First Minister and deputy First Minister issued a statement this week setting out the bills (legislation) they expect to introduce before the Assembly’s summer recess.

There will be ten bills introduced covering Finance, Communities, Justice and the Exective Office.

Finance

The Minister of Finance will introduce the normal Budget Bills as part of the annual financial cycle.

Communities

There will be four bills from the Minister of Communities. The bills will deal with Welfare Mitigation, Pension Schemes and Liquor Licensing.

Welfare Mitigation / Social Sector Size Criteria

The bill will ensure that mitigations for the "Bedroom Tax" will continue past 31 March 2020.

Pension Schemes Bill

This bill aims to ensure that those saving into a Master Trust scheme, a form of multi‐employer occupational pension scheme, are protected.

Housing (Amendment) Bill

The purpose of the bill is to make the changes required to address the Office for National Statistics’ classification of Housing Associations to the public sector.

Reclassification to the private sector will allow Housing Associations to borrow money to help the Social Housing Development Programme and to access Financial Transactions Capital. Without reclassification, all Housing Association borrowing would be charged against Executive Funds and Financial Transaction Capital would not be available.

Licensing and Registration of Clubs (Amendment) Bill

This bill will tackle practices within the licensed trade which could contribute to alcohol misuse.

It will support the hospitality sector to promote tourism. Making its offering more sustainable and attractive. It will also recognise the role licensed premises and private registered clubs play in their communities as places to socialise and employers.

The proposals in the bill will:

Place restrictions on the advertising of alcoholic drinks in supermarkets and off sales premises.
Make provision for a Special Events Licence for events such as The Open Championship at Portrush.
Introduce a new category of licence for local producers of alcoholic drinks.
Introduce occasional additional late opening for certain licensed premises. Changes to holiday period opening hours for certain licensed premises and registered clubs.
Introduce changes to the law affecting private members clubs.

Justice

The Minister of Justice will introduce two bill. A Criminal Justice Bill to reform the Committal process, and a Domestic Abuse Bill.

Criminal Justice Bill to reform the Committal process

Committal Reform is one project within the wider ‘Speeding Up Justice’ programme of work.

Domestic Abuse Bill

The bill will create a new domestic abuse offence. Closing a gap in the law to ensure that protection is not limited to cases of physically violent behaviour.

Northern Ireland Act 1998 Amendment No 1, 2 and 3 Bills

The First Minister and deputy First Minister will introduce three legislative packages to put in place commitments given in the New Decade, New Approach Deal. These will:

Make provision for an Office of Identity and Cultural Expression and repeal the Administration of Justice (Language) Act 1737.
Appoint an Irish Language Commissioner and to provide official recognition of the status of the Irish language.
Make provision to appoint a Commissioner to enhance and develop the language, arts and literature associated with the Ulster Scots and Ulster British tradition in Northern Ireland. Make provision for a duty on the Department of Education as regards Ulster Scots.

The First Minister and deputy First Minister intend to table a motion for a debate in the Assembly on the Legislative Programme.

The Northern Ireland Assembly and the Northern Ireland Executive - What's the difference?

noreply@blogger.com (NI Assembly) — Mon, 13 Jan 2020 14:00:00 +0000

The Executive and the Assembly are not the same!

The Assembly is the legislature, or law-making body, made up of MLAs elected by the people of Northern Ireland to represent their views and make laws on their behalf. It meets in the Assembly Chamber of Parliament Buildings, in the grounds of the Stormont Estate in Belfast.

The Executive is the government of Northern Ireland, made up of Ministers in charge of Government Departments. It meets in Stormont Castle, not too far away from Parliament Buildings, also on the Stormont Estate.

The Ministers are MLAs chosen by their parties, using the D'Hondt System, which allocates seats on the Executive based on the number of seats parties win in the Assembly elections. The more MLAs a party has, the more Ministers it can appoint. Currently, the DUP and Sinn Féin have 3 ministers, the SDLP have 1 and the UUP have 1. The Justice Minister is not appointed using d'Hondt but is elected by the Assembly and must have cross-community support, ie, from both unionists and nationalists.

Departments and Ministers

Executive Office - First Minister, Arlene Foster MLA, DUP and deputy First Minister, Michelle O'Neill MLA, Sinn Féin
Department for Communities - Deirdre Hargey MLA, Sinn Féin
Department for the Economy - Diane Dodds MLA, DUP
Department of Health - Robin Swann MLA, UUP
Department of Education - Peter Weir MLA, DUP
Department of Finance - Conor Murphy MLA, Sinn Féin
Department of Justice -Naomi Long MLA, Alliance
Department for Infrastructure - Nichola Mallon MLA, SDLP
Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs - Edwin Poots MLA, DUP

The Executive's work is coordinated by the Executive Office (home of the First and deputy First Minister). The Executive Ministers are responsible for day to day government operational decisions within their own areas of responsibility. They get together to draw up the draft Budget and the draft Programme for Government (PfG) which have to be approved by the Assembly. The Executive also approves the introduction of Executive legislation to the Assembly.

The Assembly

As the elected body which appoints the Ministers, the Assembly must hold the Executive to account, checking and challenging their work and approving the Executive's budget. For every Government Department, there is an Assembly Committee which shadows the work of that Department and Minister.

MLAs can individually hold Ministers to account by asking written and oral questions and highlighting issues in Assembly debates during Plenary sessions which they want Ministers to address.

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