Review of D'Hondt, Community Designation and Provisions for Opposition

The Committee has completed its Review of D’Hondt, Community Designation and Provisions for Opposition.  Please click here to view the Committee’s Report on the Review.  The Report was debated in Assembly Plenary on 2^nd July 2013. 

You can also find out what happened during the different phases of the review below:

TERMS OF REFERENCE

The Assembly and Executive Review Committee will review d’Hondt, community designation, and the provisions for Opposition Parties/Non-Executive Parties in the Northern Ireland Assembly to assist them in holding the Executive to account, guaranteeing safeguards and protections to ensure that the institutions operate on an inclusive and power-sharing basis.  The Review will not only address each area separately but examine the interrelationship between the three areas in the context of any proposed changes. 

Phase 1 – REVIEW EVIDENCE GATHERING

The Review took evidence on d’Hondt in relation to:

1) Whether there should be changes in the legislative provision and use of d’Hondt in the Northern Ireland Assembly in the allocation of Ministerial offices and/or Committee Chairpersons and Deputy Chairpersons.

The Review took evidence on community designation in relation to:

1) Whether there should be changes in the legislative provision and use of community designation in the Northern Ireland Assembly. 

The Review took evidence on provisions for Opposition in relation to:

1) Whether the accountability and effectiveness of the Northern Ireland Assembly and Executive could be improved through the introduction of provisions to formally recognise Opposition, while retaining the principles of power-sharing and inclusivity.

In particular, the Committee took evidence on whether:

a) Opposition Parties/Non-Executive Parties should be allocated appropriate financial resources to assist in their Assembly duties; 

b) Arrangements for allocating Chairs and Deputy Chairs of Assembly Committees should be changed to take account of a formal Opposition; and 

c) Opposition Parties/Non-Executive Parties should be guaranteed additional time to raise and debate non-Executive business in the Assembly — including priority speaking rights in response to Ministerial Statements and in Question Time. 

Phase 2 – CONSIDERATION AND REPORT

The Committee considered all evidence received in relation to d’Hondt, community designation and provisions for Opposition and report and made it's recommendations to the Assembly on these matters by early June 2013.

Submissions were made using the Stakeholder 'Call for Evidence' Paper. 

EVIDENCE SESSIONS

Upon completion of the review the Committee produced it's findings in their report which is available here.