Minutes of Proceedings

The Northern Ireland Assembly Commission

Meeting Venue: Parliament Buildings, Room 106

Meeting date: Wednesday, 19 November 2025

Meeting Time: 10.00 am

Assembly Commission Members:

Edwin Poots MLA, Speaker (Chairperson)

Sinéad Ennis MLA (joined remotely)

Trevor Clarke MLA (joined remotely)

Nuala McAllister MLA

Andy Allen MBE MLA

Colin McGrath MLA

Officials present:

Lesley Hogg, Clerk/Chief Executive

Tara Caul, Director of Legal, Governance and Research Services

Gareth McGrath, Director of Parliamentary Services

Paula Ewart, Interim Director of Performance and Improvement

Robin Ramsey, Adviser to the Speaker/Head of Corporate Support

Janet Hughes, Clerical Supervisor

Krystal Clarke, Executive Assistant

Others in attendance:

Dónall Curtin, Independent Member of the Assembly Commission Audit and Risk Committee (ACARC)

Sinéad McDonnell, Head of HR (Items 9, 10 and 11)

Shane McAteer, Clerk of Standards (Item 11)

Ken Eccles, Head of Usher Services (Item 13)

The meeting commenced at 10.04 am.

The Speaker welcomed Dónall Curtin to his first Assembly Commission meeting.

1. APOLOGIES

There were no apologies.

2. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

No interests were declared by Members.

3. CHAIRPERSON’S BUSINESS

The Speaker reminded Members that Assembly Commission Question Time was scheduled for 2 December 2025 and that the list of questions would be issued at the end of the week.

The Speaker updated Members on the portraits of former Speakers, Robin Newton and Alex Maskey.

4. MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETINGS

Minutes from the Assembly Commission meetings on 10 September 2025 and 3 November 2025 were approved for publication.

5. MATTERS ARISING

There were no matters arising.

6. ASSEMBLY COMMISSION ACTIONS

Members noted the status of actions.

7. CORRESPONDENCE

Members noted the following items of correspondence:

A letter from the Chairperson of the Northern Ireland Assembly Women’s Caucus dated 17 June 2025 in relation to a Gender Sensitive Parliament Audit and the Speaker’s response dated 2 October 2025.  The Speaker noted that the Caucus was taking forward the Audit and that the Assembly Commission would consider any recommendations within its remit when they are brought forward.

A letter from the Chairperson of the Committee on Standards and Privileges dated 1 October 2025 in relation to a Draft Unacceptable Behaviours Policy.  The Speaker advised that officials had prepared a paper on this matter for consideration at agenda item 11.

A letter from the Chairperson of the Committee for Communities dated 28 October 2025 in relation to assisting guests and visitors with hearing loss in Parliament Buildings.  The Speaker noted that he had recently responded to this letter and that a copy of the response would be included in the papers for the next Assembly Commission meeting.

8. CLERK/CHIEF EXECUTIVE UPDATE

Mrs Hogg noted that her report provided Members with an update on the key issues which had arisen since the 10 September 2025 Assembly Commission meeting and highlighted the salient points.

Management Accounts – September 2025

Mrs Hogg advised Members of the current forecast outturn for Resource DEL, Capital DEL and the Windsor Framework Democratic Scrutiny Committee (WFDSC) costs and outlined the reasons for variances against the June Monitoring position.    

Mrs Hogg noted that officials were preparing the January 2026 Monitoring return which was due for submission to the Department of Finance (DoF) on 20 November 2025.

2026-30 Budget Update

Mrs Hogg noted that the Assembly Commission budget for 2026-29 in relation to Resource DEL and Capital had been agreed by the Assembly in plenary on 10 November 2025 along with the estimated capital costs for 2029-30.

Mrs Hogg highlighted a potential shortfall which had been identified in the Windsor Framework Democratic Scrutiny Committee budget which she stated would be sought when His Majesty’s Treasury commissions its next budget exercise.

Annual Report and Accounts for the Year Ended 31 March 2025 and the Report to Those Charged with Governance

Mrs Hogg provided Members with a copy of the Northern Ireland Assembly Commission Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2025.

Mrs Hogg also provided Members with a copy of the Report to Those Charged with Governance (RTTCWG), produced by the Comptroller and Auditor General.  Mrs Hogg advised of the two findings referenced in the RTTCWG and their status.

Roof Update

Mrs Hogg updated Members on the two phases of the repairs to the roof of Parliament Buildings.

Litigation Update

Mrs Hogg updated Members on ongoing litigation.

Nuala McAllister joined the meeting at 10.12 am.

Mrs Hogg advised that a detailed paper on litigation cases would be prepared for a future Assembly Commission meeting.

Commissioner for Standards Appointment

Mrs Hogg noted that Stephen Wright had been appointed as the Northern

Ireland Assembly Commissioner for Standards on 3 November 2025,

following the resignation of Mark McEwan on 16 September 2025.

Independent Remuneration Board Recruitment

Mrs Hogg noted that recruitment of the Independent Remuneration Board had completed and that its first meeting was scheduled for 24 November 2025.

Flooding in Toilets

Mrs Hogg referred to recent communication with the Assembly Commission regarding a spate of what seemed deliberate acts of vandalism in a number of toilets that are not accessible to the general public.

Mrs Hogg advised that as a result of these incidents, all building users were informed of increased surveillance across all floors.

Correspondence from Nick Mattison MLA -  Defibrillator at Parliament Buildings

Mrs Hogg advised that following correspondence from Nick Mathison MLA and subsequent contact with the British Heart Foundation, the Assembly’s defibrillators have been successfully registered on the Circuit system with “restricted access”. 

December Staff Briefing – Building Closure

Mrs Hogg informed Members of an all-staff briefing planned for the morning of 12 December 2025 and, in order to progress preparations, sought confirmation from Members that they were content for the building to be closed to the public for a short period to maximise the opportunity for all staff to participate.   Members were content.

Assembly Commission Charity of the Year

Mrs Hogg advised that following nominations by staff of a charity which met the Speaker’s selected charitable purpose of ‘the advancement of health or the saving of lives’, Macmillan Cancer Support received the highest number of votes.  In line with the Charity Policy, she sought Assembly Commission approval for Macmillan Cancer Support to become the official Assembly Charity for one year from 1 January 2026.  Members approved the nomination.

Sinéad McDonnell joined the meeting at 10.23 for agenda items 9, 10 and 11.

9. NORTHERN IRELAND PUBLIC SERVICES OMBUDSMAN (NIPSO) SALARY ARRANGEMENTS

Mrs Hogg noted that, following consideration of an independent Evaluation and Salary Benchmarking Report at the Assembly Commission meeting on 10 September 2025, Members had requested additional information on the Review of the Governance and Accountability Arrangements for the NIPSO carried out by the former Audit Committee in 2022, to aid its deliberations.

Mrs Hogg subsequently presented a further paper, noting the additional information as requested from the 2022 Review Report.  Mrs Hogg referred Members to the former Audit Committee’s conclusion in relation to the  appointment and tenure of the NIPSO i.e. that no change was necessary and, in light of this, recommended that the Assembly Commission retained responsibility for setting the remuneration of the NIPSO.  Members approved the recommendation.

Mrs Hogg also provided an update on the status of the recommendations contained in the 2022 Review Report following engagement with the Audit committee.

Following discussion, Members agreed to lay a statutory rule to implement the recommendations in the Benchmarking Report, namely to increase the salary of the NIPSO as of 19 November 2025 and continue revalorisation of the NIPSO’s salary in line with the revalorisation of Assembly Commission staff salaries.

10. FUTURE PROVISION OF TEMPORARY WORKERS FOR THE NORTHERN IRELAND ASSEMBLY COMMISSION

Sinéad McDonnell presented a paper which sought approval of a business case for the future provision of temporary workers.

Mrs McDonnell noted that the current contract ends in June 2026 and referred Member to the business case which set out the history of the current contract.  

Mrs McDonnell advised that the HR Office had considered the recent use of the current contract and workforce data to estimate the contract value for a new temporary worker contract from June 2026 for four years,

Following consideration, Members approved the business case as presented.

Shane McAteer joined the meeting at 10.50 am for agenda item 11.

11. DEVELOPMENT OF AN UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOURS POLICY

Mrs McDonnell presented and sought approval of a revised draft Unacceptable Behaviours Policy.

Mrs McDonnell noted that a report prepared by the Unacceptable Behaviours Working Group, formed in November 2020 to take forward the development of an Unacceptable Behaviours Policy, had been considered by the Assembly Commission at its meeting in June 2022.

Mrs McDonnell advised that the Committee on Standards and Privileges had subsequently undertaken public consultation and detailed consideration, including legal advice, on the draft Policy and that it had proposed some amendments for consideration by the Assembly Commission. 

Mrs McDonnell outlined the applicable amendments proposed and sought Members approval of the revised draft Policy.

Colin McGrath left the meeting at 10.54 am.

Shane McAteer left the meeting at 11.00 am.

Following consideration, Members approved the revised draft Unacceptable Behaviours Policy; and proposal to amend the Assembly Commission Complaints Policy and Procedure so that complaints regarding the treatment by, or attitude of, Assembly staff are removed from its scope to avoid confusion and duplication.

Sinéad McDonnell left the meeting at 11.01 am.

12. DELEGATED AUTHORITY ARRANGEMENTS

Mrs Hogg referred to a paper considered by the Assembly Commission at its meeting on 18 June 2025, in relation to proposed revisions to her delegated authority, noting that Members had agreed that the matter required further consideration and asked that she engage with Members individually and prepare a further paper reflecting on the feedback provided.

Mrs Hogg noted that the requested engagement with Members had taken place and presented a further paper reflecting the feedback provided.

Following consideration, Members approved proposed increases to Mrs Hogg’s delegated authority threshold for capital expenditure; contracts; and consultancy; as well as the removal of the requirement to consult the Assembly Commission on ICT and consultancy projects in excess of £50k.

Ken Eccles joined the meeting at 11.05 am for agenda item 13.

13. SECURITY REVIEW RECOMMENDATIONS MADE BY POLICE SERVICE OF NORTHERN IRELAND (PSNI) AND THE OUTWORKINGS OF THE TERRORISM (PROTECTION OF PREMISES) ACT 2025 (AKA MARTYN’S LAW)

Ken Eccles presented a paper referring Members to a number of recommendations made by the PSNI, following previous reviews of security at Parliament Buildings and a recent Vulnerabilities Assessment.

Mr Eccles focussed on the key issues in relation to the recommendations, noting comments and recommendations made by Assembly Commission management which he stated would go some way to addressing the recommendations made.

Nuala McAllister left the meeting at 11.19 am and re-joined the meeting at 11.32 am.

Following discussion, Members agreed that checks should be performed on all goods vehicles and random checks on non-passholders entering the upper east and west car parks. In relation to the other recommendations, Members agreed that a further scoping exercise be carried out;.  It was also agreed that Mr Eccles would contact DoF Estate’s Management Unit (EMU) in relation to the security of the estate’s outer perimeter.

Action: Mr Eccles to contact DoF EMU to discuss the security of the estate’s outer perimeter.

Ken Eccles left the meeting at 11.47 am.

15. ITEMS ISSUED VIA CORRESPONDENCE

Minutes of ACARC meeting of 25 June 2025 issued to Members on 6 November 2025.

16. DECISIONS MADE VIA CORRESPONDENCE

Responses to DoF comments on budget proposals 2026 – 2029/30.

17.  ANY OTHER BUSINESS

Sinéad Ennis asked if there was an issue with the use of the security hut in the lower east car park.

Action: Mrs Hogg to follow up on this with the Director of Corporate Services.

18. DATE OF NEXT MEETING

Officials to liaise with Members in relation to arranging a date for the next meeting.

The meeting ended at 11.45 am.