Ad Hoc Committee on the Assembly Members (Remuneration Board) Bill
Minutes of proceedings 1 April 2025
Ad Hoc Committee on the Assembly Members (Remuneration Board) Bill minutes of proceedings 1 April 2025.pdf (198.94 kb)
Meeting Location: Room 30, Parliament Buildings
Present:
Phillip Brett MLA, Chairperson
Cathy Mason MLA, Deputy Chairperson
Paula Bradshaw MLA
Pádraig Delargy MLA
Gary Middleton MLA
John Stewart MLA
Apologies:
Daniel McCrossan MLA
In Attendance:
Jim McManus, Committee Clerk
Roisin Donnelly, Assistant Assembly Clerk
Carla Campbell, Clerical Supervisor
The meeting commenced at 1:02 pm in public session.
1. Apologies
Apologies are noted above.
2. Declaration of Interests
The Chairperson advised members of their requirement to register their interests under Standing Order 69(5).
Agreed: The Committee agreed that as the Ad Hoc Committee has been established to scrutinise a Bill that relates to MLA salaries, allowances and pensions, the minutes should reflect that all members of the Committee have a financial interest in the work of the Committee.
3. Chairperson’s Business
There was no Chairperson’s business.
4. Draft Minutes
Agreed: The Committee agreed the minutes of the meeting held on 25 March 2025.
5. Matters Arising
There were no matters arising.
6. Assembly Members (Remuneration Board) Bill – Clause by Clause Consideration
The Committee commenced its clause by clause consideration of the Assembly Members (Remuneration Board) Bill.
Clause 1: Independent Financial Review Panel renamed as Remuneration Board
The Chairperson reminded members that the Committee had previously agreed a proposed amendment to Clause 1 to add the word ‘Independent’ to the name of the Remuneration Board.
Clause 1, Page 1, Line 3
After the second ‘the’ insert ‘Independent’
Agreed: The Committee is content with the amendment.
Agreed: The Committee is content with Clause 1 as amended.
Clause 2: Removal of function of determining allowances
The Committee considered Clause 2 as drafted.
Agreed: The Committee is content with Clause 2 as drafted.
Clause 3: Consideration of salaries in other legislatures
The Committee considered Clause 3 as drafted.
Agreed: The Committee is content with Clause 3 as drafted.
Clause 4: Temporary appointments
The Committee considered the Assembly Commission’s proposed amendments to Clause 4 to provide clarity on the arrangements for temporary appointments to the Board.
Clause 4, Page 2, leave out lines 39 to 41 and insert—
‘(9) Subject to the preceding provisions of this section, a temporary appointment is to be treated for all purposes (including, for example, for the purposes of section 5) as if it were an appointment under section 4(1).’
Clause 4, Page 2, Line 41, at end insert—
‘(10) But an order under subsection (7) may disapply or modify a provision of this Act (other than section 4(4)) in its application to a temporary appointment.’
Agreed: The Committee is content with the Commission’s amendments.
Agreed: The Committee is content with Clause 4 as amended.
Clause 5: Membership
The Committee considered Clause 5 as drafted.
Agreed: The Committee is content with Clause 5 as drafted.
Clause 6: Determinations
The Committee considered Clause 6 as drafted.
Agreed: The Committee is content with Clause 6 as drafted.
Clause 7: Minor and consequential amendments
The Committee considered consequential amendments to Clause 7 as a result of the Committee’s agreed amendment to Clause 1.
Clause 7, Page 3, Line 34
Before ‘Remuneration’ insert 'Independent'
Clause 7, Page 3, Line 39
After ‘The’ insert ‘Independent’
Agreed: The Committee is content with the amendments.
Agreed: The Committee is content with Clause 7 as amended.
Clause 8: Continuity of the law
The Committee considered consequential amendment to Clause 8 as a result of the Committee’s agreed amendment to Clause 1.
Clause 8, Page 4, Line 21
After the second ‘the’ insert ‘Independent’
Agreed: The Committee is content with the amendment.
Agreed: The Committee is content with Clause 8 as amended.
Clause 9: Interpretation
The Committee considered Clause 9 as drafted.
Agreed: The Committee is content with Clause 9 as drafted.
Clause 10: Commencement
The Committee considered Clause 10 as drafted.
Agreed: The Committee is content with Clause 10 as drafted.
Clause 11: Short title
The Committee considered a consequential amendment to the short title as a result of the Committee’s agreed amendment to Clause 1.
Clause 11, Page 4, Line 33
Before ‘Remuneration’ insert ‘Independent
Agreed: The Committee is content with the amendment.
Agreed: The Committee is content with Clause 11 as amended.
Long Title
The Committee considered the Long Title as drafted.
Agreed: The Committee is content with the Long Title as drafted.
The Chairperson advised that the formal clause by clause scrutiny of the Assembly Members (Remuneration Board) Bill had concluded.
The clause by clause consideration of the Bill was reported by Hansard.
The Committee agreed to move to closed session at 1.07 pm.
7. Assembly Members (Remuneration Board) Bill – Consideration of Draft Report
The Committee considered the content it wished to see reflected in its draft report on the Assembly Members (Remuneration Board) Bill.
The Committee agreed to move to public session at 1.09 pm.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to include the following recommendation in its report:
"The Committee, recommends that, when making determinations on Members’ salaries and pensions, the Remuneration Board must have regard to the wider financial circumstances of Northern Ireland including earnings as measured by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings."
The Clerk advised that a draft report would be circulated to Members for formal consideration and agreement at the next meeting.
8. Correspondence
There was no correspondence.
9. Forward Work Programme
The Committee noted that it would consider and agree its final report on the Bill at its next meeting on 8 April 2025.
10. Any Other Business
There was no other business.
11. Date, Time and Place of the next meeting
The next meeting of the Ad Hoc Committee was scheduled to take place at 1:00 pm on Tuesday, 8 April 2025 in Room 29.
The meeting was adjourned at 1.10 pm.
Phillip Brett MLA
Chairperson, Ad Hoc Committee on the Assembly Members (Remuneration Board) Bill
8 April 2025
