FOI 63-25: Information regarding the funding for the Education Minister's trip to Israel

Information Standards Freedom of Information Response

28 October 2025
Our ref: FoI 63-25

Freedom of Information Act 2000

I am writing to confirm that the Northern Ireland Assembly Commission (Assembly Commission) has processed your request dated 27 October 2025 in line with the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA). Your request was as follows—

“Can the department please provide details of how the education minister's trip to Israel in October 2025 was funded?

Can the NI Assembly do the same for the Deputy Speaker and any other MLAs or officials who attended?”

Our response

The Assembly Commission did not organise or fund a trip to Israel by any member of the Assembly, including Dr Aiken, in October 2025.  The Assembly Commission accordingly does not hold information in relation to this request.

Further Information

You may 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 sincerely

Information Standards