Assemblyand Executive Review Committee
Minutes of proceedings 08 April 2025
Assembly and Executive Review Committee minutes of proceedings 08 April 2025.pdf (156.95 kb)
Meeting Location: Room 21, Parliament Buildings
Present:
Jonathan Buckley MLA (Chairperson)
Pat Sheehan MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Sinead Ennis MLA
Michelle Guy MLA
Michelle McIlveen MLA
Gary Middleton MLA
Carál Ní Chuilín MLA
Present by Video or Teleconference:
Apologies:
Matthew O’Toole MLA
John Stewart MLA
In Attendance:
Shane McAteer, Committee Clerk
Nick Mitford, Senior Assistant Clerk
Elaine Farrell, Assistant Clerk
Laura Gourley, Clerical Supervisor
Alison Ferguson, Clerical Officer
Ray McCaffrey, Research Officer (agenda item 5)
The meeting commenced at 9.37 a.m. in open session
1. Apologies
As above.
2. Declaration of Interests
The Chairperson advised Members of the ongoing requirement to declare relevant financial or other interests as and when they arise and before taking part in any Assembly proceedings, including Committee proceedings, relating to that matter.
No interests were declared at this point in the meeting.
3. Draft minutes
Agreed: The Committee agreed the minutes of the meeting held on 11 March 2025.
4. Matters arising
None.
5. Review into Assembly and Executive Reform – briefing by RaISE
The Assembly Research Officer, Ray McCaffrey, joined the meeting at 9.40 a.m.
The Research Officer briefed the Committee on this agenda item and this was followed by a question and answer session.
The Chairperson thanked the Research Officer for his briefing.
6. AERC reviews – next steps
Review into Assembly and Executive Reform – implementation plan
The Committee Clerk briefed the Committee on the background to this agenda item and the details of the proposed review implementation plan.
Agreed: The Committee agreed the approach to gathering evidence, as set out in the review implementation plan, including the questions which respondents to the call for evidence will be asked to address.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to invite Dr Conor Kelly, Professor Alan Renwick and Alan Whysall from The Constitution Unit, University College London, to give oral evidence at the meeting on 13 May 2025, in relation to their recent report entitled “Reform of Stormont – Options for Discussion”.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that the closing date for the call for evidence will be 26 May 2025.
Michelle McIlveen left the meeting at 9.53 a.m.
Review of Assembly Committee engagement on cross-cutting Executive strategies – implementation plan
The Committee Clerk briefed the Committee on the background to this agenda item and the details of the proposed review implementation plan.
Noted: The Committee noted the tabled correspondence, dated 7 April 2025, from The Executive Office (TEO) which indicated that ministers have no issues to raise regarding the draft Terms of Reference for the Review.
Agreed: The Committee consequently agreed the Terms of Reference for the Review of Assembly Committee engagement on cross-cutting Executive strategies.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to schedule a research briefing by RaISe at the meeting on 13 May 2025, which will present comparative research on the arrangements for cross-cutting scrutiny in other applicable legislatures.
Agreed: The Committee agreed the approach to gathering evidence, as set out in the review implementation plan, including the questions which respondents to the call for evidence will be asked to address.
Noted: The Committee noted that the timetable for the public call for evidence will be determined at a future meeting and following receipt of the comparative research which it had commissioned.
Review into the development of a formal process and guidance on the handling of Westminster Statutory Instruments (SIs) which include a role for the Assembly – implementation plan
The Senior Assistant Clerk briefed the Committee on the background to this agenda item and the details of the proposed review implementation plan.
Noted: The Committee noted the tabled correspondence, dated 7 April 2025, from TEO which indicated that ministers have no issues to raise regarding the draft Terms of Reference for the Review.
Agreed: The Committee consequently agreed the Terms of Reference for the Review into the development of a formal process and guidance on the handling of Westminster SIs which include a role for the Assembly.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to schedule a research briefing by RaISe at a future meeting, which will present comparative research on the arrangements for the scrutiny of applicable SIs in the other devolved legislatures.
Agreed: The Committee agreed the approach to gathering evidence, as set out in the review implementation plan, including the questions which respondents to the call for evidence will be asked to address.
Noted: The Committee noted that the timetable for the public call for evidence will be determined at a future meeting and following receipt of the comparative research which it had commissioned.
Noted: The Committee noted that a draft implementation plan for the Review of arrangements for Assembly Members’ participation in inter-parliamentary and international bodies will be prepared for consideration at a future meeting.
7. Correspondence
None.
8. AOB
None.
9. Date, Time and Place of the next meeting
The next meeting of the AERC will take place on Tuesday 13 May 2025 at 9.30 a.m. in Room 21, Parliament Buildings.
The meeting was adjourned at 10.10 a.m.
Jonathan Buckley MLA
Chairperson, Assembly and Executive Review Committee
13 May 2025
