Chairpersons’ Liaison Group

Minutes of Proceedings - 17 June 2025

Chairpersons’ Liaison Group - 17 June 2025.pdf (190.44 kb)

Room 30, Parliament Buildings

 

Present:

Deborah Erskine (Chairperson)

Kellie Armstrong MLA

Paula Bradshaw MLA

Phillip Brett MLA

Joanne Bunting MLA

Ciara Ferguson MLA

 

Apologies:

Jonathan Buckley MLA

Robbie Butler MLA

Alan Chambers MLA

Colm Gildernew MLA

Cathy Mason MLA

Nick Mathison MLA

Daniel McCrossan MLA

Philip McGuigan MLA

Matthew O'Toole MLA

 

In Attendance:

Roisin Kelly (Clerk)

Mary Kerr (Senior Assistant Clerk)

Charmaine McBride (Assistant Assembly Clerk)

Sarah Wright (Clerical Supervisor)

Lesley Hogg (Chief Executive/Clerk to the Assembly)

Frank Geddis (Clerk Assistant)

Stephanie Mallon (Clerk Assistant)

 

The meeting commenced at 1:16 in closed session.

 

1. Apologies

As above.

 

2. Chairpersons' Business

There was no Chairperson's Business.

 

3. Minutes of Previous Meeting

Agreed: Chairpersons agreed the minutes of the meeting held on 13 May 2025.

 

4. Matters Arising

Letter issued from Chairpersons' Liaison Group (CLG) to First Minister and Deputy First Minister regarding enhanced Scrutiny Procedures at the Assembly

Members noted a letter that was issued from CLG to the First Minister and Deputy First Minister (and copied to all Ministers) on 21 May 2025, regarding enhanced scrutiny procedures at the Assembly.

Letter issued from CLG to the Speaker regarding Standards of Dress in Committees

Members noted a letter from CLG to The Speaker on the 5 June 2025, in response to his correspondence on 7 April 2025 regarding standards of dress in committees.

Members also noted the work ongoing on this issue by the Clerking and Member Support Office (CAMS Office) for consideration by CLG at a future meeting.

 

Paula Bradshaw joined the meeting at 1:18pm

 

5. Correspondence

Letter to CLG from the Assembly Executive Review Committee (AERC) regarding its call for evidence on the Review of Assembly Committee Engagement on Cross-cutting Executive Strategies

Members noted the correspondence from AERC and noted the following:

  1. that CLG has been identified as a stakeholder
  2. that CLG has been invited to submit a response by 30 September 2025
  3. the call for evidence questions appended to the letter from AERC

Agreed: The Clerking and Member Support Office (CAMS office) will circulate the key questions from the review to Chairs for response.

Agreed: CAMS office will use the responses from Chairs, along with an analysis of any available draft responses from Committees, to formulate a draft CLG response.

Agreed: The draft CLG response will be considered for comment and approval at the next meeting of the CLG in September 2025.

 

Letter to CLG from Public Accounts Committee (PAC) regarding Guidance and Training for Members and Committees on the use and effectiveness of Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Members noted the correspondence from PAC regarding two issues for Members' consideration:

  1. Guidance and training for Members and Committees on the appropriate use and effectiveness of AI in fulfilling their responsibilities; and
  2. An overarching policy on the use of AI within the Assembly, including how such a policy would take account of the specific needs and function of committees.

Agreed: CAMS Office to liaise with officials supporting the Parliamentary Excellence Programme (PEP) to request that training for Members on the appropriate use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in a parliamentary setting is considered as an addition to the Autumn/Winter 2025 training programme.

Agreed: CAMS Office to invite the Chair of the Assembly Commission's AI Working Group to update CLG on the work of this group in relation to policy and guidance on the use of AI in a parliamentary setting, in the Autumn.

Agreed: CAMS Office to draft a response to the Public Accounts Committee, outlining the work that CLG has undertaken to date in this area, to advise that the Assembly Commission has established an AI working group, and to note that CLG will further update the Committee in the Autumn when it has received more detailed updates from the AI working group and from the Parliamentary Excellence Programme.

 

6. Draft Forward Work Programme

At the meeting of CLG in May 2025, Members selected Guidance on Staffing of Committee Meetings in a Recess Period from the items listed in the Forward Work Programme as a priority topic for their June meeting.

Members were content to note the Clerk Assistants' guidance note for Chairpersons on the current arrangements for the staffing of committee meetings during recess and thanked Clerk Assistants for preparing the guidance note.

Agreed: Members agreed that they consider the matter of Legislative Consent Motions (LCMs) as laid out in Standing Orders and as listed in the Forward Work Programme at a future meeting of CLG.

Agreed: CAMS Office will prepare a briefing note for Chairpersons to support this future session.

 

7. Any Other Business

None.

 

8. Date, Time and Place of Next Meeting

The next meeting will be on Tuesday 23 September 2025, at 1:15pm.

The meeting was adjourned at 1:40pm.

 

Deborah Erskine (Chairperson)

17 June 2025