Committee on Procedures
Minutes of proceedings 11 February 2026
Committee on Procedures, minutes of proceedings 11 February 2026.pdf (158.28 kb)
Meeting Location: Room 21, Parliament Buildings
Present:
Kellie Armstrong MLA (Chairperson)
Cheryl Brownlee MLA
Danny Donnelly MLA
Philip McGuigan MLA
Present by Video or Teleconference:
Órlaithí Flynn MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Danny Baker MLA
Robbie Butler MLA
Trevor Clarke MLA
Cara Hunter MLA
Apologies: None
In Attendance:
Stella McArdle, Assembly Clerk
James Gilsenan, Assembly Clerk
Michael Best, Assistant Assembly Clerk
Veronica Lo Pinto, Clerical Officer
The meeting started at 10.07 a.m. in public session.
1. Apologies
As above.
2. Draft Minutes
Agreed: The Committee agreed the minutes of the meeting held on 28 January 2026.
Órlaithí Flynn joined the meeting at 10.08 a.m.
3. Matters Arising
None.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that the meeting should move into closed session.
The meeting moved into closed session at 10.09 a.m.
4. Standing Order 42A Legislative Consent Motions – Consideration of Approach
The Committee considered an approach to translating the relevant recommendations from the previous Committee on Procedures’ Inquiry into Legislative Consent Motions Report into revisions to the current Standing Order 42A.
The Committee considered a proposal from the Minister of Justice, that was also in the previous Committee on Procedures Inquiry into Legislative Consent Motions Report, regarding a change to the meaning of “relevant day”.
The Committee considered correspondence from the Speaker, the Committee for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, the Committee for Finance and from Chairpersons Liaison Group highlighting issues they had experienced with the legislative consent process.
Cara Hunter left the meeting at 10.17 a.m.
Robbie Butler joined the meeting at 10.21 a.m.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to seek legal advice on amendments to Standing Order 42A to give effect to recommendations 1, 2, 3 and 5 of the previous Committee of Procedures Inquiry into Legislative Consent Motions Report.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to seek legal advice on amendments to Standing Order 42A to give effect to the proposal from the Minister of Justice, that was also in the previous Committee on Procedures Inquiry into Legislative Consent Motions Report, regarding a change to the meaning of “relevant day”.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to reply to previous correspondence from the Speaker, the Committee for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, the Committee for Finance and from Chairpersons Liaison Group outlining its proposed course of action.
5. Assembly Sitting Days – Consideration of Responses and potential further action
The Committee considered the responses received on a potential inquiry into switching Plenary sitting days from Mondays and Tuesdays to Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Agreed: The Committee agreed write to the Executive Office and to those parties who have not yet responded reminding them that the Committee is awaiting their response before deciding on further action.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to defer this issue to a later meeting when the outstanding responses are received.
6. Scrutiny of Delegated Powers in Bills – Further Consideration of draft Standing Orders – Feedback from Stakeholders
The Committee considered a response from the Bill Office on a draft Standing Order to codify the role of the Examiner of Statutory Rules in the scrutiny of delegated powers in Bills and to formalise an obligation on those introducing Bills to produce a Delegated Powers Memorandum (DPM).
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Bill Office asking it to undertake engagement with the appropriate officials in the NICS to ensure that all departments are aware of the protocol on provision of the DPM to Committees in a timely manner and on the possible codification of the protocol and to report back to this Committee when this engagement is complete.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Bill Office asking it to consider further the procedures necessary to ensure that Committee Bills, Commission - supported Private Members’ Bills and Private Members’ Bills introduced outside of the Assembly supported service, provide a DPM; and to report back to this Committee when those procedures are developed and ready to be implemented to discuss the timing of introduction of this aspect.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to send the draft Standing Order 43A to the Examiner of Statutory Rules for consideration of whether it codifies her role in the scrutiny of delegated powers in Bills in a suitable manner.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to defer further consideration of the provision in Standing Orders of an obligation to provide a DPM until a response is available from the NI Executive.
The meeting moved into public session at 10.33 a.m.
7. Forward Work Programme
The Committee considered an updated Forward Work Programme.
Agreed: The Committeeagreed the updated Forward Work Programme.
The Committee noted that Assembly Bills and provision in Standing Orders for corrective/tidying amendments from the Executive is scheduled on the Forward Work Programme for the meeting on 11 March 2026.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to request a briefing paper from RaISe on corrective/tidying amendments by the Executive to Bills.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to send a reminder to parties and the Speaker for responses to the Committee’s preferred position on the extension of Standing Order 27A Voting by Proxy.
8. Correspondence
None.
9. Chairperson’s Business
None.
10. Any Other Business
None.
11. Date, Time and Place of next meeting
The next meeting will be held on Wednesday 25 February 2026 at 10.00 a.m. in Room 21, Parliament Buildings.
The meeting was adjourned at 10.36 a.m.
Kellie Armstrong MLA
Chairperson, Committee on Procedures
25 February 2026
