FOI 12-25: Information in regards to New Support Staff Payroll Forms

Information Standards Freedom of Information Response

24 February 2025

Our Ref: FoI 12-25

Freedom of Information Act 2000

I am writing to confirm that the Northern Ireland Assembly Commission (Assembly Commission) has processed your request dated 28 January 2025 in line with the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA). In your request, you asked that the Assembly Commission provide-

"...copies of MLAs' New Support Staff Payroll Forms.

These forms (see attached) are completed when MLAs seek to add staff to the payroll. I am seeking an update on information which was disclosed in FOI reference no FOI 65-22.

For each MLA, please disclose the following for the period since May 2022:

- A redacted copy of each submitted New Support Staff Payroll Form. These should be redacted so that only page one and only the 'connected' and 'associated' persons sections are visible (see example redaction attached).

You may wish to simply disclose the forms submitted from 16 November 2022 to present (as I already have a copy of the submissions made between 13 May 2022 and 15 November 2022 from FOI 65-22)."

Our response

In the period from 16 November 2022 to 06 February 2025 there have been 181 submissions made by 75 Members.

Following a review of internal administrative processes within the Assembly Commission Finance Office, information is centrally recorded when a connection or an association is declared for payroll purposes. This information is then added directly onto the Payroll and HR software for new employees.

Please find this information attached at Appendix A. The table in the Appendix shows details for each new employee (indicated by reference number) from 16 November 2022 to 06 February 2025. The table shows the Member who employed them, their connected/associated person status and the nature of the connection/association.

Further Information

You have the right to request an internal review of this decision by the Assembly Commission. If you wish to request such a review, please write to me at the above address. If, after that review, you are dissatisfied with the way in which the Assembly Commission has handled your request for information, you may complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF.

Your request for information and our response may be published in the disclosure log maintained by the Assembly Commission under a publication scheme agreed with the ICO. The request and our response will be anonymised.

Yours faithfully

INDFORMATION STANDARDS