Plenary A to Z
Plenary, also known as a "sitting", refers to when MLAs meet in the Assembly Chamber to conduct the business on the Order Paper for that day. Sittings are usually held on Mondays and Tuesdays, but can take place on any day.
The Speaker, assisted by the Deputy Speakers and the Principal Deputy Speaker, presides over (chairs) plenary meetings of the Assembly.
Plenary meetings are open to the public to attend in the Public Gallery, and are streamed live on NIAssembly.tv. You can also watch again recordings of previous plenary sessions.
Click on a letter below to read more about any terms that begin with that letter:
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
A
- Abstain
- To abstain is to decline to vote either in favour or against a proposal or motion, bill or amendment.
- Acting Speaker
- The Acting Speaker is the oldest member present at the Plenary meeting.
- An Acting Speaker is required to chair Plenary proceedings during:
- the first meeting of the Assembly after dissolution, if, for any reason, the outgoing Speaker cannot take the chair;
- the election of a Speaker for a new Assembly term, where the outgoing Speaker is either seeking re-election, or where the Assembly is unable to elect a Speaker.
- An Acting Speaker will also chair the election of a new Speaker during an Assembly term where the Speaker gives notice to the Clerk of his/her intention to resign and is unable to chair that item of business;
- For the election of a Speaker during an Assembly term where there is vacancy in the Office of Speaker.
Helpful links to learn more about an Acting Speaker:
- Adjournment
- The adjournment is a specific item on the Order Paper which indicates the close of Plenary proceedings for that day. In the Assembly Chamber, the Speaker, Principal Deputy Speaker, or Deputy Speakers will announce: "The question is that the Assembly do now adjourn. The Assembly is adjourned."
- Adjournment Debates
- An adjournment debate is a particular type of debate. Adjournment debates are generally used so that an MLA can highlight issues within their constituency and may receive a ministerial response in the Assembly Chamber.
- Adjournment debates last for one hour. They are, Plenary time permitting, scheduled by the Business Committee, usually as the last item of Plenary business on a Tuesday. The topic of the adjournment debate will be listed on the Order Paper and the Indicative Timings. There is no vote on the adjournment debate.
Helpful links to learn more about adjournment debates:
- Amendments
- Amendments are designed to add to, or otherwise alter the wording of a motion or a clause or a schedule of a bill.
- Ministers, committees or individual MLAs can suggest changes, known as amendments, to bills and motions by proposing them to the Speaker who will chose which amendments will be debated in Plenary. MLAs will debate and then vote on which amendments should be accepted.
Helpful links to learn more about Amendments:
- Assembly Chamber
- The Assembly Chamber is where Plenary sessions are held.
- The Assembly Chamber is used on Mondays and Tuesdays, or other days as required, to hold Plenary meetings. The Chamber is located on the ground floor of Parliament Buildings and can accommodate 90 MLAs, and a small number of Assembly officials.
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Helpful links to learn more about the Assembly Chamber:
- Assembly Consent Motion
- An Assembly consent motion is a mechanism for the Assembly to provide its consent for a UK Department to make subordinate legislation that relates to a Devolved Matter. Assembly consent motions are normally used when a government department wishes to set up or dissolve a public body.
- The procedure was developed as a result of a requirement in the Public Bodies Act 2011 for the Assembly to consent to the making of a provision under the Act which would be within the competence of the Assembly. It is not the same as a Legislative Consent Motion (LCM).
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Helpful links to learn more about Assembly Consent Motions:
- Assembly Questions (Questions for Answer)
- The purpose of Assembly questions is to ask for information or to press for action.
- There are four different types of Assembly questions:
- Questions for Written Answer;
- Questions for Oral Answer (Oral Questions);
- Topical Questions; and
- Questions for Urgent Oral Answer.
All questions are tabled in the Business Office and can be asked of ministers, on matters relating to the minister's official responsibilities; and a member representing the Assembly Commission (on matters relating to the Commission's responsibilities).
Questions must also adhere to the criteria in Standing Order 19.
Helpful links to learn more about Assembly Questions:
B
- Business Committee
- The Business Committee makes arrangements for the business of the Assembly. It agrees the Order Paper and the timings for debates. It also determines the dates of Assembly terms, and may perform such duties as the Speaker may request or the Assembly determines. The Business Committee is a Standing Committee of the Assembly.
- It is made up of the Speaker (as Chairperson), and a maximum of twelve other members of the Assembly. Each of these other members is entitled to appoint a substitute member to attend the committee in his/her place. Where there is an Opposition, at least one member of the Business Committee must be a member of the opposition.
Voting at Business Committee is on the basis of party strength, with each party delegation present at the committee entitled to cast a number of votes equivalent to the number of members who adhere to the Whip of that party.
Helpful links to learn more about the Business Committee:
- Business Diary
- The business diary is a list of all planned Plenary business and committee business for the week ahead. It is published on the Assembly's website.
- Business Office
- The Business Office facilitates the running of Plenary, in particular, the tabling of motions and questions. It also provides secretariat support to the Business Committee.
C
- Cross-Community Support (cross-community vote)
- Cross-community support is one form of voting in the Assembly. It is demonstrated when the majority of designated Unionists and the majority of designated Nationalists (see Designation) vote in favour of an item of business. It differs from the more common simple majority vote. The Northern Ireland Act 1998 and Standing Orders make provision for the items of business that require cross-community support.
- Cross community support can be demonstrated in two ways:
(i) Parallel Consent requires the support of a majority of the members voting, a majority of designated Unionists voting and a majority of designated Nationalists voting.
(ii) Weighted Majority – requires the support of 60% of the members voting, 40% of designated Unionists voting and 40% of designated Nationalists voting.
D
- D'Hondt
- D’Hondt is a mathematical method that Northern Ireland uses to appoint its ministers and chairpersons and deputy chairpersons of the committees that examine the work of individual departments. D’Hondt ensures that there is cross-community representation. It works on the basis of ‘highest average’ and is used to work out each party's entitlement to ministers, chairs and deputy chairs based on the number of seats they've won in the Assembly election. The positions of First Minister and deputy First Minister and the Minister of Justice are not filled using the d’Hondt method (however if a party has already secured the position of Minister of Justice, that will count towards it d’Hondt allocation). Read more about D'Hondt and it's use in the Assembly.
- Debate
- A debate is a discussion among MLAs in the Assembly Chamber on a particular proposal. MLAs take it in turn to give a speech outlining their reasons for either supporting or not supporting the proposal. After most debates, MLAs vote on whether they support the proposal or not.
- Typically, debates take the same general format. A member or minister who has tabled the proposal/debate, begins the debate by formally moving it and making an opening speech. Other members who have indicated they wish to contribute are also called. In calling other members, the Speaker will take account of party balance, whether an amendment has been tabled, whether a Minister is providing a response and the timings indicated by the Business Committee. The proposer of the debate winds (concludes) the debate. At the end of the debate, the Speaker will put the question (if applicable) and members will vote on whether or not to support the tabled proposal.
- Designation
- A member’s political designation may be ‘Unionist’, ‘Nationalist’ or ‘Other’. After giving the Undertaking and signing the Roll of Membership, a member may enter in the Roll his or her designation. This designation is important where cross-community support is required for electing a Speaker and Deputy Speakers, approving a Budget Bill or other Assembly business including amending or suspending Standing Orders. Provisions for changing political designation are set out in Standing Order 3A.
- Division
- Following a debate in the Assembly Chamber, the Speaker puts a question asking members to call out whether they agree or not with the proposal being debated. If the result of the vote is unclear from the voices alone, or if at least one member persists, the Speaker will call a division. This means that Members will record their vote physically by entering either the ‘Aye’ Lobby, the ‘No’ Lobby, or both (see abstain / abstention). Members go to the division lobbies on either side of the Chamber according to which way they want to vote: ‘ayes’ to the Speaker’s right and ‘noes’ to the Speaker’s left. Each vote is then counted and passed to the Speaker to declare the result. If a member wishes to abstain from the voting, but have their vote formally recorded, he/she will vote in both lobbies, negating his/her vote. Helpful links to learn more about division:
E
- Earlier Sitting of the Assembly (Recall)
- Notice can be given to the Speaker by the First Minister and deputy First Minister or at least 30 members for the Assembly to meet at an earlier date than that to which it stood adjourned. This includes during periods of recess. The Speaker is required to summon the Assembly to meet as soon as may be following receipt of a valid notice. The notice must set out the specific matter or matters to be discussed. Other business that is not specified on the notice cannot be discussed. Helpful links to learn more about earlier sittings of the Assembly:
H
- Hansard (The Official Report)
- Hansard is a substantially verbatim report of what members say during Plenary and is a record of all the decisions the Assembly makes. Hansard also prepares a bound volume of Assembly sittings and committee meetings which form part of the legislative process. These bound volumes also contain written questions and answers and written Ministerial Statements.
I
- Indicative Timings
- Indicative timings are estimated timings for the individual items of business in Plenary and, as the name suggests, are purely indicative. They are made available to members and meant to be a guide. However, items of business sometimes can run over their allotted times or end earlier than expected. Therefore, it is important to be aware of how slowly/quickly items of business are running in “real time” because, if an item of business concludes early, the next item is taken immediately.
M
- Marshalled List of Amendments
- The maiden speech is the first time that a new MLA gives a speech in the Assembly Chamber. Traditionally, the maiden speech is not interrupted by other MLAs. By convention, maiden speeches should be uncontroversial and brief and may contain a tribute to the member’s predecessor and/ or favourable remarks about their constituency.
- Maiden Speech
- Members may table an amendment or amendments to most motions, and to bills at their Consideration Stage and Further Consideration Stages. If a tabled amendment has been selected for debate by the Speaker, the amendment is marshalled and published on a marshalled list of amendments in advance of the debate.
- Matters of the Day
- Matters of the Day are topical statements made by individual MLAs on something of exceptional public interest or relating to a matter which directly affects Northern Ireland. The proposed Matter of the Day is submitted to the Speaker by 9.30am on the day of the sitting, enclosing a brief explanation of how it meets the criteria in Standing Order 24. The Speaker decides whether it should be added to the schedule for that day.
- Members' Statements
- Members' Statements is a period of time, listed on the Order Paper by the Business Committee, when members may make statements in the Assembly Chamber on topical matters of public interest. If a member wishes to make a statement in the Assembly Chamber during Plenary, he or she must rise in their place. The Speaker will select members to make a statement from among those indicating they wish to do so. During a statement, no other member may intervene, no questions will be taken and there is no vote at the end. The statement must not take more than three minutes, must not relate to a matter scheduled for debate in the Assembly, must not address an issue that has been decided by the Assembly in the previous six months and must not be used to attack or impugn another member.
- Ministerial Statement
- Ministers come before the Assembly to tell the members of any proposed changes to policies, procedures or proposed legislation that they are intending to bring forward. It is convention that ministers tell the Assembly before they announce these changes to the public. Ministers can make either a written statement or oral statements. Written statements can be made any time. An oral statement is made in the Assembly Chamber and is usually taken near the start of business or after Question Time. Oral statements provide members with an opportunity to question the minister on the information in the statement. After the oral statement has been made, questions may be taken for up to one hour.
- Minutes of Proceedings (MoPs)
- The minutes of proceedings are the official record of the business considered and the decisions made at a meeting. After each sitting of the Assembly, the Speaker approves the Plenary minutes of proceedings, and the approved minutes are published on the Assembly’s website. Committee minutes of proceedings are considered by a committee at its next meeting and, once approved, minutes are published on the committee’s webpages.
- Motion
- A Motion is a formal proposal or statement scheduled for debate in the Assembly Chamber, in which a course of action is proposed or an Assembly decision is sought on a relevant issue. Motions may be tabled by ministers, committees and private members in the Business Office.
N
- No Day Named List
- A No Day Named List is a document of all motions that have been tabled in the Business Office during the mandate, but for which no date has been scheduled (or named) for debate. The Business Committee considers the No Day Named List when it decides which motions to schedule for debate onto the Order Paper. The No Day Named List is available on the Assembly’s website. It is a useful mechanism for parties to show their position on a particular topic even if that motion does not get selected for debate.
O
- Official Report (Hansard)
- The Official Report is a substantially verbatim report of what members say during Plenary and is a record of all the decisions the Assembly makes. Hansard also prepares a bound volume of Assembly sittings and committee meetings which form part of the legislative process. These bound volumes also contain written questions and answers and written ministerial statements.
- Oppoistion (The)
- A party or parties may form an Opposition if:
- (i) they are entitled to a ministerial position in the Executive, but choose not to take it either after the election or during the period of two years beginning with the date ministerial offices were filled after the election; or
- (ii) their members comprise eight per cent or more of the total number of members of the Assembly at the end of the day in which it first meets.
- Opposition Business
- Eligible parties may decide not to join the Executive, but instead to form an Opposition. When this happens, the Assembly will set aside a number of days where business in the Assembly sittings are devoted to Opposition Business and will feature motions and debates put forward by the parties that form The Opposition.
- Order Papers
- The Business Committee, which meets weekly, agrees the business for a Plenary session or sitting. This is set out on an Order Paper. The Order Paper is a list of business to be covered during a plenary sitting. The Business Committee, chaired by the Speaker, meets weekly to agree the business. The Order Paper is usually available on the Friday before each Plenary session or sitting, and is published on the Assembly’s website. An Order Paper might include the following items of business.
- Prayers
- Assembly Business
- Executive Committee Business
- Committee Business
- Questions
- Opposition Business
- Private Members’ Business
- Private Business
- Adjournment Debates
- Party Business
- Matters of the Day
- Members Statements
P
- Petition of Concern
- A Petition of Concern is a mechanism where 30 MLAS, from more than one party, can petition the Assembly requiring a matter to be passed on a cross-community basis rather than a simple majority. Section 42 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 was amended to take account of changes agreed to the Petition of Concern mechanism in New Decade, New Approach. These include:
- A new 14-day period of consideration between a valid petition being lodged and any vote on the matter concerned. On the day after the consideration period, the petition must be confirmed by 30 members;
- A petition cannot be submitted: at the Second Stage of a bill; on items of business concerning the sanction in relation to the conduct of a minister or member; or on motions and questions that have no express legal or procedural effect.
- Plenary
- Plenaries are when the MLAs meet in the Assembly Chamber to debate proposed bills and motions and to ask questions during question time and on ministerial statements. These meetings are open to the public and usually held on Mondays and Tuesdays with the public welcome to attend in the Public Gallery. Plenary sittings are streamed live on the Assembly website, and on YouTube and Facebook.
- Point of Order
- A point of order is an appeal to the Speaker for clarification or for a ruling on a matter of procedure in the Assembly. An MLA may stand up during a debate or statement to ask the Speaker a point of order. It is for the Speaker to rule on this and his/her decision is final. Points of order should not be taken during question time or, if a matter of the day is scheduled, until after that item has concluded.
- Prayers
- Usually, the first two minutes of each Plenary session is dedicated to prayers. Only members and the Speaker and his/her officials are allowed in the Chamber. This period is an opportunity for silent individual reflection.
- Private Members' Business
- Private members’ business is business that is tabled by a member or group of members. It can be a private members' bill (PMB) or a private members’ motion. If time permits, the Business Committee may set time aside to debate private members’ business, although in the past it has tried to schedule private members’ business where it relates to legislation.
- Public Gallery
- The Public Gallery is where members of the public may view the work of the Assembly either in the Assembly Chamber and or in committees. Members of the public do not need to book to attend either the Assembly Chamber or committees that are sitting in public session.
Q
- Questions for Oral Answer (Oral Questions)
- Questions for oral answer are taken between 2pm and 3.30pm each Monday and Tuesday when the Assembly is sitting. Questions for oral answer are an opportunity to hold the Minister to account and press for action. Two Ministers are scheduled on a Monday and one on a Tuesday. This period usually lasts for 30 minutes (which is followed by 15 minutes of Topical Question. The Business Committee agrees the rota for Ministerial questions, which includes questions to the Assembly Commission approximately every 12 weeks.
- Questions for Urgent Oral Answer
- A Question for Urgent Oral Answer is a special type of question. It is an opportunity to ask a Minister about a matter that is of an urgent nature and is of public importance. It is the Speaker’s decision whether or not to accept an Urgent Oral Question. If selected, it is generally scheduled immediately after Question Time.
- Questions for Written Answer
- Written questions are a useful tool to hold Ministers to account by requesting information and pressing for action. Members can table up to five written questions per day, one of which maybe a question for priority written answer.
- Question Time
- Question Time is an opportunity for Members to question Ministers and the members representing the Assembly Commission about matters for which they are responsible. These questions are asked and answered in the Assembly Chamber. Question Time consists of 30 minutes of Questions for Oral Answer (Oral Questions), that are published in advance, followed by 15 minutes of Topical Questions (or unseen) questions.
- The Business Committee agrees a rota for Question Time, setting the dates when Ministers and the members of the Assembly Commission will answer questions in the Assembly Chamber. The rota is published online and also includes the deadlines for Members submitting their name to the ballot and the text of their question. The Executive Office is scheduled to answer questions every two weeks. The First Minister and deputy First Minister usually take it in turn to answer. The Assembly Commission is scheduled for oral questions approximately every 12 weeks, although they do not answer topical questions.
- Quorum (Plenary)
- Quorum is the minimum number of MLAs required to be in the Assembly Chamber during Plenary sessions to begin proceedings or for decisions to be made. The quorum during Plenary sessions is ten members, including the Speaker. If a quorum is not present, the Speaker will call for the division bells to be rung. If, after five minutes, a quorum is still not present, the Speaker will either suspend the Assembly to a later time; or adjourn the Assembly until the next sitting day.
R
- Recess
- Recess is a period of time when the Northern Ireland Assembly is not in session i.e. no Plenary sittings or committee meetings are scheduled to take place. Recess periods generally occur during the summer months and at Halloween, Christmas and Easter. During recess, MLAs can spend more time in their constituencies, meeting with local people and plan how to bring issues of concern to the Assembly. The Business Committee determines the dates for recess in accordance with Standing Order 10 (9). Although committees do not normally meet during recess, they can do so if they feel it is appropriate. Similarly, 30 members (or the First Minister and deputy First Minister) can give notice to the Speaker to recall the Assembly during recess (under Standing Order 11) for the purpose of discussing a specific matter of urgent public importance, or several such matters.
S
- Simple Majority
- A simple majority vote is where more than 50% of votes cast is required, in favour of or against a motion, bill or amendment. Most decisions of the Assembly are taken by a simple majority of members voting, however some decisions require Cross-community support (as provided for in statutory provisions or Standing Orders). Helpful links to learn more about simple majority:
- Single Transferable Vote (STV)
- 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. Multi-member constituencies are required for STV which means constituencies elect several representatives rather than just one. There are 5 MLAS elected for each of the 18 Northern Ireland constituencies.
- Speaker
- The Speaker of the Assembly is elected by a majority of MLAs by cross-community support. The Speaker has three main roles: procedural, corporate and representational. Read more about the Speaker...
- Speaker’s Rulings and Conventions
- The Northern Ireland Assembly Companion sets out rulings, conventions and practice in the Northern Ireland Assembly from 1998-2002. Speaker’s rulings and conventions is a document marshalling all rulings, conventions and practice emerging across recent mandates, as well as during The Assembly and The Transitional Assembly.
- Standing Orders
- Standing Orders are written rules which detail the procedures that regulate the way the Northern Ireland Assembly carries out its business. The Committee on Procedures was established to consider and review Standing Orders and the procedures of the Assembly. New, or amendments to, Standing Orders require cross-community support.
- Supplementary Questions
- Supplementary questions are follow-up oral questions that may be asked, without prior notice, during Question Time.
- Suspension of Standing Orders
- Suspending Standing Orders allows parliamentary business to be carried out in a way which would not otherwise be allowed by Standing Orders. Standing Orders can only be suspended if there is cross-community support among MLAs in plenary. It is most commonly used to permit the sitting to carry on beyond the time limits in Standing Orders, but has also been used to allow bills to pass in a timeframe outside that permitted in Standing Orders.
T
- Temporary Speaker
- The Temporary Speaker will chair a sitting of the Assembly if neither the Speaker nor any Deputy Speakers are available. The Temporary Speaker is the member present at the sitting, who has served the Assembly the longest number of days. In the case of a tie, the oldest of the longest-serving member present shall be the Temporary Speaker.
- Topical questions
- Topical questions are taken after questions for oral answer during question time, and are scheduled for 15 minutes. Topical questions are unseen questions. Ministers do not know what topical questions will be asked. Topical questions must be on a matter relating to the minister’s official responsibility.
U
- Urgent Oral Questions
- Urgent oral questions relate to issues of immediate public importance. Members submit these to the Speaker on a sitting day. The Speaker is responsible for assessing whether or not an urgent oral should be permitted. If the Speaker agrees, the urgent oral is usually answered immediately after Question Time.
V
- Voting lobbies
- The corridors to the left and right of the Assembly Chamber are used as division lobbies when the Assembly divides for a vote in Plenary. MLAs cast their vote by walking through either one lobby or the other and are counted as they do so. These corridors are known as the Aye Lobby and the No Lobby. The lobby to the right of the Speaker is always used for those voting in favour (Aye); the lobby to the left for those voting against (No).
- The result of a vote in Plenary (also called a division), is announced by the Speaker in the Chamber, after which it is published on the Assembly’s website together with lists of those MLAs that voted Aye, No or Abstained.
W
- Whips
- Whips are MLAs in each party who are responsible for keeping party members informed about Assembly business. Whips try to ensure that MLAs vote in line with their party’s policies.
- Written Questions and Answers
- When the Assembly is in session, MLAs may ask five questions every working day of ministers or the Assembly Commission. One of these written questions may be for priority answer, which means that that it will be answered within two to five working days. Other written questions will be answered within 10 working days.
