Research and Information Service

Personal Independence Payment (PIP)  (updatd 27/09/23)
Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is a benefit that has replaced Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for people between the age of 16 and State Pension age. Given that constituency offices often receive requests for support and assistance with PIP claims and appeals, the purpose of this guide is to signpost to useful sources of information and advice on PIP.

Child Maintenance

The purpose of this constituency guide is to signpost MLAs and their constituency staff to useful sources of information. It includes information on the core bodies responsible for child maintenance; sourcing information and advice for constituents and employers; accessing child maintenance data; the appeals and complaints process; and sources of independent information and advice.

Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs)

This paper details changes to constituency MLAs including resignations, deselections and replacements as a result of the election.

2022 Assembly Election: Transferred Votes

This briefing note provides information on how votes were transferred between parties at the 2022 Northern Ireland Assembly Election.  It supplements the recently published Research and Information Service briefing paper on the 2022 Election results (NIAR 47-22 – “Election Report: Northern Ireland Assembly Election, 5 May 2022”)

Election Report: Northern Ireland Assembly Election, 5 May 2022

This paper provides an analysis of the Northern Ireland Assembly elections held on 5 May 2022, and compares the outcome with the 2017 election. The paper also includes an analysis of historic voter turnout and results by party and constituency. 

AERA Committee prioritised Common Frameworks – NorthSouth considerations

AERA Committee Members requested some follow up information in support of RaISe briefing paper NIAR 37-22. More specifically, Members asked for an overview of specific and explicit reference to North-South relationships/considerations within the five committee prioritised Common Frameworks (CFs).

Covid-19 Funding Allocations and Expenditure In Scotland and Wales - a basic overview

This briefing paper, commissioned by the Assembly’s Finance Committee, provides an overview of Covid-19 funding provided during the pandemic by the United Kingdom Government to the Scottish Government and to the Welsh Government.

Public expenditure on education

Resource funding 2022-25: Departmental Bids & Draft Budget Consultation Document

This Briefing Paper – commissioned by the Committee for Finance (the Committee) – aims to inform the Committee’s consideration of Resource budget planning for 2022-25

Executive’s Draft Investment Strategy for Northern Ireland:
A preliminary examination against key principles underpinning public investment strategies

This Briefing Paper seeks to inform the Committee for Education’s discussion regarding the Draft Investment Strategy for Northern Ireland (DISNI). It explains DISNI’s contents and key principles to consider when developing such public investment strategies. Thereafter, it provides a preliminary analysis of how well the DISNI appears to comply with those principles. 

AERA Committee prioritised common frameworks – overview and considerations

As requested by the Agriculture Environment and Rural Affairs (AERA) Committee, the following paper explores the five prioritised UK Common Frameworks (CFs) identified by the AERA Committee. It seeks to highlight some common areas for further consideration across all five, and also identifies issues specific to each framework. This paper is no way an exhaustive presentation of all issues and areas to be considered with the CFs, it merely acts as a starting point for further information and discussion.

Technical groups and opposition access to information

This briefing paper provides information relating to technical/political groups in other applicable legislatures (e.g. the Dáil, the Scottish Parliament and the Senedd (Welsh Parliament), including potential sources of evidence for the next AERC in the new mandate to pursue; and on how the protocol contained in Chapter 5 of the UK Government’s Cabinet Manual has been applied in practice and on any applicable arrangements in other comparator legislatures.

Newcomer Pupils in Northern Ireland

The aim of this paper is to provide an overview of newcomer pupils in Northern Ireland and the implications of the UK’s exit from the European Union (EU) on the number and profile of newcomer pupils. It considers some of the issues for newcomer pupils in accessing education, with particular consideration of some of the challenges for asylum seeking and refugee children and young people.

Employment (Zero Hours Workers and Banded Weekly Working Hours) Bill

This Bill Paper aims to inform Assembly scrutiny of the Employment (Zero Hours Workers and Banded Weekly Working Hours) Bill, including that undertaken by the Committee for the Economy. The Paper provides an overview of the Bill’s contents and identifies key potential issues for consideration.

Onshore Fracking (Prohibition) Bill

This Bill Paper seeks to assist the Northern Ireland Assembly, and in particular its Committee for the Economy, in scrutinising the Onshore Fracking (Prohibition) Bill. The Paper provides background information contextualising the Bill and an overview and analysis of its clauses. It also considers some of the broader implications arising from the Bill, including potential financial considerations. 

Constituency Casework Guide: Sources of bereavement support

This guide seeks to provide advice on who to tell about a death, Social Security benefits, financial support, dealing with debt when a loved one dies, arranging a funeral, advice on what to do when a loved one dies abroad, bereavement leave, parental bereavement and support for child funeral costs, coroners and inquests, and sources of emotional and practical support.

Constituency Casework Guide: Domestic heating and energy efficiency

The global energy crisis and a rise in the cost of living is impacting negatively on many consumers in Northern Ireland, particularly low-income and vulnerable households who may be struggling with household finances. The purpose of this Constituency Casework Guide is to signpost MLAs and their constituency staff to existing sources of helpful information.

Draft Executive Budget 2022-2025: Departmental Pressures

This Paper – Paper 4 - is part of a four-part series addressing key themes arising from the Draft Executive Budget (DEB) 2022-25, which the now collapsed Executive had approved in December 2021 for consultation alone. The Paper explores departmental pressures within the context of DEB identified funding.

Draft Executive Budget 2022-2025: Capital Investment

This Paper – Paper 3 - is part of a four-part series addressing key themes arising from the Draft Executive Budget (DEB) 2022-25, which the now collapsed Executive had approved in December 2021 for consultation alone. The Paper explores Capital Investment within the context of the DEB.

Brexit Outcomes and Northern Ireland: A Reading List (updated 25 Febraury 2022)

In the period between the referendum on the United Kingdom’s membership of the European Union in June 2016 and its formal departure on 31 January 2020, the Assembly’s Research and Information Service (RaISe) published 31 versions of ‘Brexit and Northern Ireland: A Reading List’. This was followed by 6 versions of ‘Brexit Transition and Northern Ireland: A Reading List’, the last appearing on 31 December 2020. This new reading list focuses specifically on the period following the departure of the UK from the EU – that is, the period from 1st January 2021. The list is intended to assist Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) and others in scrutinising this new situation, and particularly the ways in which it affects Northern Ireland and the border.

The Provisional Late Payments (Commercial Transactions) Common Framework

This briefing paper is prepared at the request of the Committee for the Economy, to assist its scrutiny of the Provisional Late Payments (Commercial Transactions) Common Framework (LPCF). It is a non-legislative Common Framework (CF), setting out the proposed arrangements in the area of Late Payments, to underpin working relationships between the United Kingdom (UK) Government, the Scottish and Welsh Governments, and the Northern Ireland (NI) Executive, following on from the UK’s exit from the European Union (EU).

Draft Executive Budget 2022-2025: Northern Ireland Economic Context

This Paper – Paper 2 – is part of a four-part series addressing key themes arising from the Draft Executive Budget (DEB) 2022-25, which the now collapsed Executive had approved in December 2021 for consultation alone. The Paper explores the economic context in which DEB was compiled by the Minister of Finance. 

Draft Executive Budget 2022-2025: Public Finance Context

This Paper – Paper 1 – is part of a four-part series addressing key themes arising from the Draft Executive Budget (DEB) 2022-25, which the now collapsed Executive had approved in December 2021 for consultation alone. This Paper explains fundamental elements contained in DEB, as compiled by the Minister of Finance.

The Provisional Company Law Common Framework

This briefing paper explores issues arising from the Provisional Company Law Common Framework, to assist the Committee for the Economy in its scrutiny role.

2021-22 Spring Supplementary Estimates: Key Points

This briefing paper aims to support the Committeefor Finance consideration of the 2021-22 Spring Supplementary Estimates (SSEs) and the 2022-23 Vote on Account, along with the corresponding Supply Resolutions; prior to the scheduled debate in the Assembly plenary on 21 February 2022. In particular, the Briefing contextualises and summarises the 2020-21 SSEs, highlighting key points meriting the Committee's attention.

Gender, diversity and good relations in a parliamentary context

This research paper has been prepared to provide the following information:

• initiatives in other jurisdictions to support women in parliament and profile their work;

• the work being carried out in other jurisdictions to create gender sensitive parliaments;

• how corporate bodies in other political institutions promote good relations between persons of different religious belief, political opinion or racial group; and

• the work being carried out by women’s caucuses in other jurisdictions and details of any significant achievements.

Covid-19 Funding: Allocations & Spending in Northern Ireland

This briefing paper aims to provide oversight of Covid-19 public funding provided during the pandemic – both allocations and spending. It explains how and when Covid-19 funding was received by the Executive from the United Kingdom Government, and then allocated and spent at departmental level in Northern Ireland. Included are key findings and potential issues for consideration, to support Assembly committee scrutiny.

Writing for a parliamentary audience

Newly published guide - ‘Writing for a parliamentary audience’ – jointly written by colleagues from central/devolved legislatures in the UK.  Part of joint initiatives undertaken via IPKEG (the Inter-Parliamentary Knowledge Exchange Group).

Defamation Bill

This paper provides an overview of the Defamation bill which was introduced on 7^th June 2021. It draws comparisons with defamation law in England & Wales, Scotland and the Republic of Ireland as well as a discussion of the key provisions contained in the Bill.

Cyberflashing and Deepfake Pornography

This briefing paper provides information about practices in other jurisdictions to address criminalising deepfake pornography and cyberflashing. The paper provides analysis of internet law as a reserved matter in the context of the Online Safety Bill currently progressing through the UK Parliament. It also looks at how other jurisdictions have legislated for these types of behaviours.