Speaker of the NI Assembly, Alex Maskey MLA has written to all 90 MLAs to outline a new category of business, called ‘Members’ Statements’, that will be scheduled at the beginning of Plenary, occurring on a weekly basis.
Members’ Statements are aimed at providing greater opportunity for Members to make a statement to the Assembly on a topical matter of public interest.
The scheduling of Members’ Statements will be a matter for the Business Committee. The Committee on Procedures has said it expects the Business Committee to schedule Members' Statements usually on a weekly basis.
A maximum period of 30 minutes is expected to be available for Members’ Statements.
With the volume of legislation for the Assembly to consider before the end of the mandate, there will be occasions when the Business Committee agree that it is not appropriate for Members’ Statements to be scheduled.
A statement may, for example, be used as an opportunity to draw attention to a matter within a Member’s constituency, mark an achievement, or highlight a topical concern about public services. It may relate to local, national or international matters.
The Assembly has agreed that a statement must not: exceed three minutes in duration; relate to a matter scheduled for debate in the Assembly; address a question that has already been decided by the Assembly within the previous 6 months; or be used to impugn or to attack another member.
Members’ Statements are not intended to replace Matter of the Day which concerns matters of “exceptional public interest” and “relate to a matter which directly affects the people of Northern Ireland”.