FOI 33-26: A request for information relating to EV Chargers at Parliament Buildings

Information Standards Freedom of Information Response

Our ref: FOI 33-26a

21 August 2026

Freedom of Information Act 2000

I am writing to confirm that the Northern Ireland Assembly Commission (Assembly Commission) has processed your requests dated 3 June 2026 and 4 June 2026 in line with the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA).

Your first request

In your first request, you asked for:

‘[I]nformation… concerning the governance, administration, records management and oversight of electric vehicle charging facilities located on the Stormont Estate.

For clarity, this request concerns governance arrangements, accountability mechanisms and stewardship of public resources. It is not a request for personal data relating to any named individual. Please provide the following information:

Policy, Eligibility and Governance

1. All policies, guidance, protocols, procedures and instructions governing use of EV charging facilities.
2. The categories of persons eligible to use the facilities.
3. Whether eligible users may charge privately owned vehicles; family vehicles; vehicles owned or used by spouses or partners; vehicles used primarily for personal journeys.
4. All Assembly Commission papers, reports, minutes, briefing papers and decision records approving the scheme.
5. Any records considering whether users should contribute toward charging costs.
6. Any records considering whether free charging represents an appropriate use of public funds.

Booking System and Records

7. Details of the booking system used to reserve charging facilities.
8. Information required from users when making a booking.
9. Details of records generated through the booking process.
10. Whether booking records are retained.
11. If booking records are not retained: the relevant retention policy; deletion schedule; authority approving non-retention; date the arrangement commenced.
12. Whether any third-party provider holds booking or usage data on behalf of the Assembly Commission.
13. Copies of any records management, retention or deletion policies applicable to EV charging records.
14. Copies of any internal correspondence, reports, discussions or briefing papers since 1 January 2020 concerning the retention, deletion, availability or disclosure of EV charging records.

Controls, Monitoring and Assurance

15. Details of controls used to ensure facilities are used only by authorised persons.
16. Details of controls used to prevent unauthorised charging.
17. Details of controls used to prevent misuse.
18. Whether vehicle registration numbers are recorded or verified.
19. Whether usage is monitored by account, user, vehicle, card, application, booking reference or other identifier.
20. Copies of any audits, reviews, assurance exercises, investigations or reports concerning governance, compliance, misuse prevention or operation of the scheme.
21. Details of any complaints, concerns, investigations or remedial actions relating to use of the charging facilities since their introduction.
22. Confirmation of the officer, department or committee responsible for oversight of the scheme’’.

Our Response

1. All policies, guidance, protocols, procedures and instructions governing use of EV charging facilities.

Information on policies, guidance, or internal memos relating to the use of EV charging points is already publicly available in the response to FOI 30-26.

2. The categories of persons eligible to use the facilities.

All building users who drive a hybrid or electric vehicle are eligible to use the EV charging facilities. This includes Assembly Commission staff, Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) and Party Support Staff. Access to the charging facilities is managed through a booking system.

3. Whether eligible users may charge privately owned vehicles; family vehicles; vehicles owned or used by spouses or partners; vehicles used primarily for personal journeys.

Eligibility was based on the user of the vehicle and required only that the vehicle user was attending Parliament Buildings.

4. All Assembly Commission papers, reports, minutes, briefing papers and decision records approving the scheme.

A business case for the initial provision of EV chargers is attached at Appendix A. Subsequent updates concerning EV charging provision were considered by the Assembly Commission on 08 July 2021 and 16 October 2024, by the Secretariat Management Group on 1 April 2022 and by the Senior Management Team (formerly Senior Management Group) on 29 November 2024. The published minutes record respectively the proposed assessment of further EV charging provision in the Lower East Car Park, progress with installation in that car park, and the installation of two additional EV charging points at the rear of Parliament Buildings.

Updates were also provided to the Senior Management Team through the Assembly Commission’s annual Environmental Continuous Improvement Action Plans. This information is already publicly available in the response to FOI 37-26.

5. Any records considering whether users should contribute toward charging costs.

The Assembly Commission has not identified any records considering whether users should contribute towards charging costs. The original EV charging infrastructure was installed under the former Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) scheme. Under clause 6.6 of the associated e-car Host Agreement, the Assembly Commission was not permitted to charge EV users for electricity or use of the charge points until such time as the then Department for Regional Development advised what those charges should be. Searches undertaken have not identified any correspondence providing such advice.

6. Any records considering whether free charging represents an appropriate use of public funds.

The Assembly Commission has undertaken searches of its records and has not identified any records specifically considering whether the provision of free EV charging represented an appropriate use of public funds. The Assembly Commission does hold more recent papers relating to the review and future provision of EV charging facilities. However, searches have not identified any records specifically assessing whether the historic provision of free EV charging represented an appropriate use of public funds.

7. Details of the booking system used to reserve charging facilities.

The EV charging facilities were managed through an electronic booking system. Eligible building users could reserve charging slots by submitting a booking request, which was approved subject to the availability of charging points. The system recorded booking and vehicle information provided by the user together with the outcome of the booking request.

8. Information required from users when making a booking.

Users were required to provide their name, email address, vehicle registration number, vehicle make, vehicle colour and vehicle type. Users were also required to select the requested day and charging period (AM, PM or all day) when making a booking.

9. Details of records generated through the booking process.

The booking system generated records including the user's name, vehicle registration number, vehicle make, vehicle colour, vehicle type, the requested charging period (AM, PM or all day), the date on which the booking was submitted, the date for which charging was requested and the outcome of the booking request (i.e. whether a charging slot was available and the booking approved).

10. Whether booking records are retained.

Yes. Booking records were retained in accordance with the applicable retention period. Please see the response to Question 11 for details of the retention arrangements.

11. If booking records are not retained: the relevant retention policy; deletion schedule; authority approving non-retention; date the arrangement commenced.

This information is exempt from disclosure on the basis that it is held with a view to future publication. A fact-finding review of (among other things) the timeline and approval to change the data retention period from 90 to 7 days is currently taking place. The Assembly Commission considers it reasonable in all circumstances that the information should be withheld from disclosure until the review is completed. Further information about this review is available in the answer to AQW 49921/22-27.

12. Whether any third-party provider holds booking or usage data on behalf of the Assembly Commission.

The Assembly Commission is not aware of any booking or usage data held by a third-party.

13. Copies of any records management, retention or deletion policies applicable to EV charging records.

Please see the response to Question 11.

14. Copies of any internal correspondence, reports, discussions or briefing papers since 1 January 2020 concerning the retention, deletion, availability or disclosure of EV charging records.

Please see the response to Question 11.

Controls, Monitoring and Assurance

15. Details of controls used to ensure facilities are used only by authorised persons.

Access to the EV charging facilities was controlled through a booking system. Eligibility to make a booking was available to building users who drove a hybrid or electric vehicle. This included Assembly Commission staff, Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) and Party Support Staff. The booking system was used as the primary control mechanism to ensure that the charging facilities were only available to authorised users.

16. Details of controls used to prevent unauthorised charging.

Please see the response to Question 15.

17. Details of controls used to prevent misuse.

Please see the response to Question 15.

18. Whether vehicle registration numbers are recorded or verified.

Yes. Vehicle registration numbers were recorded as part of the booking process. Verification of authorised use was achieved through the requirement for the person making the booking to collect the activation card required to activate the charging point.

19. Whether usage is monitored by account, user, vehicle, card, application, booking reference or other identifier.

Usage was not monitored by account, user, vehicle, card, application, booking reference or any other identifier. Access to the EV charging facilities was managed through a booking system which recorded booking information only and did not record actual charging activity.

20. Copies of any audits, reviews, assurance exercises, investigations or reports concerning governance, compliance, misuse prevention or operation of the scheme.

Searches have not identified any other audits, assurance exercises, investigations, reviews or reports specifically concerning the governance, compliance, misuse, prevention or operation of the EV charging scheme.

21. Details of any complaints, concerns, investigations or remedial actions relating to use of the charging facilities since their introduction.

The Assembly Commission has no records of complaints concerning the EV charging facilities, although is aware of media commentary on this issue.

22. Confirmation of the officer, department or committee responsible for oversight of the scheme.

The Assembly Commission’s EV chargers are the responsibility of the Corporate Services Directorate.

Your second request

In your second request you asked for:

‘[I]nformation… concerning expenditure, value for money and financial governance relating to electric vehicle charging facilities on the Stormont Estate.

For clarity, this request concerns expenditure of public funds and associated governance arrangements. It does not seek personal data relating to any named individual. Please provide the following information:

Costs and Expenditure

1. The total installation cost of EV charging facilities.
2. Annual maintenance costs for each financial year since installation.
3. Annual electricity consumption attributable to the charging facilities for each financial year since installation.
4. Annual electricity costs attributable to the charging facilities for each financial year since installation.
5. The current number of charging points available.
6. The total number of charging sessions recorded in each financial year since installation.
7. Details of any grant funding, external funding or public funding received in relation to installation, operation or maintenance.
8. Copies of any contracts, service agreements or supplier arrangements relating to the charging facilities.

Business Case and Value for Money

9. Copies of all business cases, options appraisals, economic appraisals, cost-benefit analyses, equality assessments and environmental assessments prepared in support of the scheme.
10. Copies of any reports, reviews or evaluations assessing whether the scheme represents value for money.
11. Copies of any reports presented to the Assembly Commission concerning operation, uptake, cost, performance or effectiveness.
12. Details of any review undertaken since implementation.
13. If no review has been undertaken, confirmation of that fact.

Interaction with MLA Mileage Allowances

14. Copies of current guidance governing mileage allowances payable to MLAs.
15. Confirmation of whether mileage allowance rates are intended to contribute toward: fuel costs; electricity costs; depreciation; insurance; servicing; other vehicle operating costs.
16. Copies of any internal assessments, advice, reports, correspondence or briefing papers concerning interaction between mileage allowances and free EV charging facilities.
17. Copies of any records considering whether mileage allowances and free charging may result in overlapping public subsidy.
18. Copies of any records considering adjustment, restriction or review of mileage allowances where free charging facilities are available.

Reputational Risk and Future Policy

19. Copies of any records since 1 January 2020 discussing public criticism, reputational risk, media interest or public perception relating to the provision of free EV charging facilities.
20. Copies of any records considering amendment, restriction, charging, review or withdrawal of the current policy’.

Our response

1. The total installation cost of EV charging facilities.

The EV charging infrastructure was installed under the Pan Government Property Maintenance Framework, details of latest framework are published here. Further information is already publicly available in the response to FOI 30-26.

2. Annual maintenance costs for each financial year since installation.

Further information is already publicly available in the response to FOI 30-26.

3. Annual electricity consumption attributable to the charging facilities for each financial year since installation.

The EV charging infrastructure is not metered. Accordingly, the Assembly Commission does not hold metered data on the total amount of electricity (kWh) used at the charging facilities.

4. Annual electricity costs attributable to the charging facilities for each financial year since installation.

Please see the response to Question 3 above.

5. The current number of charging points available.

The Assembly Commission currently has eight electric vehicle charging points. Six charging points are located in the upper car park behind Parliament Buildings and two charging points are located in the Lower East Car Park.

6. The total number of charging sessions recorded in each financial year since installation.

The charging infrastructure does not record or retain charging session data. This information is not held.

7. Details of any grant funding, external funding or public funding received in relation to installation, operation or maintenance.

The Assembly Commission received grant funding under the OLEV Workplace Charging Scheme in relation to the installation of the first two electric vehicle charging points. The relevant Agreement provided for grant funding of up to 75% of eligible capital costs associated with the supply, fit, installation, connection and commissioning of charge points, subject to a maximum grant of £7,500 per charge point.

8. Copies of any contracts, service agreements or supplier arrangements relating to the charging facilities.

See the answer to Question 1, and information already published in the response to FOI 30-26. The Assembly Commission considers further information associated with the EV charging infrastructure to be commercially sensitive and exempt from disclosure under section 43 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA) for the reasons set out in FOI 30-26.

9. Copies of all business cases, options appraisals, economic appraisals, cost-benefit analyses, equality assessments and environmental assessments prepared in support of the scheme.

A business case for the initial provision of EV chargers is attached at Appendix A.

This information has been redacted to remove personal data, namely signatures of staff. Personal details are exempt from disclosure under section 40(2) of the FOIA, which provides that information is exempt information if it constitutes personal data of which the applicant is not the data subject and satisfies one of three conditions. ‘Personal data’ is defined by the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR).

The Assembly Commission is satisfied that the condition set out at section 40(3A) (a) of the FOIA is satisfied in respect of the information withheld.

The condition that ‘disclosure of the information to a member of the public otherwise than under this Act…would contravene any of the data protection principles…’

The data protection principles are set out at Article 5 of the UK GDPR. The first principle is that processing of personal data must be fair, lawful and transparent. Processing is ‘lawful’ under the first principle if it satisfies one or more of the conditions at Article 6 of the UK GDPR.

The Assembly Commission does not consider that any condition at Article 6(1) of the UK GDPR would permit the disclosure of staff signatures.

No Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA) was prepared in relation to the provision of EV chargers.

The Assembly Commission holds no further information such as options appraisals, economic appraisals, cost-benefit analyses, environmental assessments in support of the EV charging scheme.

10. Copies of any reports, reviews or evaluations assessing whether the scheme represents value for money.

The Assembly Commission has undertaken reasonable searches of its records and has not identified any reports, reviews or evaluations specifically assessing whether the EV charging scheme represents value for money. The EV charging infrastructure was originally introduced under the former OLEV scheme as an operational arrangement and the Assembly Commission does not hold any recorded information comprising a standalone value-for-money assessment of the scheme.

11. Copies of any reports presented to the Assembly Commission concerning operation, uptake, cost, performance or effectiveness.

The Assembly Commission has undertaken searches of its records and has not identified any reports presented to the Assembly Commission specifically concerning the operation, uptake, cost, performance or effectiveness of the EV charging scheme.

The Assembly Commission does hold more recent papers relating to the future provision and review of EV charging facilities, together with documentation associated with the original installation of charging infrastructure under the former OLEV scheme. These can be found in the published response to FOI 33-26a above. However, searches have not identified any reports presented to the Assembly Commission that evaluate or report on the operation, uptake, cost, performance or effectiveness of the scheme.

12. Details of any review undertaken since implementation.

No review had been undertaken at the date of this request. However, a review was commissioned in June 2026. Further information about this review is available in the answer to AQW 49921/22-27.

13. If no review has been undertaken, confirmation of that fact.

See the answer to question 12.

14. Copies of current guidance governing mileage allowances payable to MLAs.

Members are entitled to two travel allowances, Constituency Travel Allowance (CTA), for travel within a Member's constituency on Assembly business, and Assembly Travel Allowance (ATA), for travel from a Member's constituency office to Parliament Buildings.

The quantum and eligibility criteria for Members to receive these allowances are set out in the Assembly Members (Office and Staffing Costs and Allowances) Determination (Northern Ireland) 2025 (the Determination), with further guidance available in the Administrative Guide.

15. Confirmation of whether mileage allowance rates are intended to contribute toward: fuel costs; electricity costs; depreciation; insurance; servicing; other vehicle operating costs.

The Travel Allowances intended to cover the general costs of travel – this includes fuel, wear and tear of the vehicle, motor tax, insurance, maintenance and depreciation. This applies whether the vehicle is petrol, diesel or electric.

16. Copies of any internal assessments, advice, reports, correspondence or briefing papers concerning interaction between mileage allowances and free EV charging facilities.

The Assembly Commission does not hold this information.

17. Copies of any records considering whether mileage allowances and free charging may result in overlapping public subsidy.

The Assembly Commission does not hold this information.

18. Copies of any records considering adjustment, restriction or review of mileage allowances where free charging facilities are available.

The Assembly Commission does not hold this information.

19. Copies of any records since 1 January 2020 discussing public criticism, reputational risk, media interest or public perception relating to the provision of free EV charging facilities.

The Assembly Commission does not hold any information on public criticism and reputational risk relating to the provision of free EV charging facilities. Information on media interest and public perception has been published by a range of media outlets and is reasonably accessible by other means.

20. Copies of any records considering amendment, restriction, charging, review or withdrawal of the current policy.

See the answer to Q4 in FOI 33-26-part a.

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.

INFORMATION STANDARDS