AQO 1262/22-27 Oral question to the Assembly Commission
To ask the Assembly Commission what consideration has been given to increasing staff capacity following the Mediahuis judgement.
Asked by Paula Bradshaw MLA on 21 November 2024
- Answered
- Oral
- Answered in the Chamber
- Tabled
- 21 November 2024
- Answer due by
- 3 December 2024
- Answered
- 3 December 202412 days after tabling
- Department
- Northern Ireland Assembly Commission
- Priority question
- No
Answer
Answered in the Assembly Chamber on 3 December 2024. Extract from the Official Report (Hansard), including any supplementary questions:
Ms Ennis
I thank the Member. The Assembly Commission is committed to ensuring that the Assembly has the resources that it needs to carry out its scrutiny and legislative functions. It has carefully considered the recommendations of the renewable heat incentive (RHI) inquiry and the weaknesses that were identified in the Mediahuis judgement. The Assembly Commission's corporate strategy 2023-28 includes an objective to:
In light of that, the Assembly Commission has included in its budget requirements for 2025-26 funding for the establishment of new posts to perform increased support and scrutiny from both legal and parliamentary perspectives. That will include two additional legal advisers and, as recommended by the Chairperson's Liaison Group in the previous mandate, nine senior assistant clerks. Among other things, that increased staff capacity will allow Assembly Committees to devote dedicated time to taking legal advice on the human rights implications of Bills and enable them to consider and, if necessary, challenge a Department's assessment of proportionality issues in clauses that raise Convention rights issues. The increased staff capacity will also allow for significantly enhanced scrutiny of delegated legislation, particularly at proposal stage.
Ms Bradshaw
Thank you for the response. I am keen that, where new posts are created, there will be opportunities for Assembly staff members who have been here for many years, particularly in areas where there is under-representation. Is the Assembly Commission able to give an assurance that additional support will be put in place in order to ensure that there is equal access to those new posts?
Ms Ennis
The Committees' scrutiny role is not a matter for the Assembly Commission. However, anything that will help us to carry out our functions better is always to be welcomed. If any training needs to go along with that, the Assembly Commission will not be found wanting. Members and staff will need to get to grips with the new scrutiny arrangements, so officials will undertake the necessary training and awareness raising with all the relevant Committees, Members and staff. That will be done primarily through the parliamentary excellence programme, which provides a very effective delivery model for engagement with Members and their staff on parliamentary issues, individually and in Committees.
Madam Principal Deputy Speaker
Question 7 has been withdrawn.