Committee on Procedures
Minutes of Proceedings - 22 October 2025
Committee on Procedures - - 22 October 2025.pdf (154.56 kb)
Meeting Location: Room 21, Parliament Buildings
Present:
Órlaithí Flynn MLA(Deputy Chairperson)
Cheryl Brownlee MLA
Present by Video or Teleconference:
Robbie Butler MLA
Danny Donnelly MLA
Aoife Finnegan MLA
Cara Hunter MLA
Maolíosa McHugh MLA
Apologies: Kellie Armstrong MLA (Chairperson)
Trevor Clarke (MLA)
In Attendance:
Stella McArdle, Assembly Clerk
Christine Darrah, Assembly Clerk
Michael Best, Assistant Assembly Clerk
Veronica Lo Pinto, Clerical Officer
The meeting started at 10.01 a.m. in closed session.
1. Review of Committee Strategic Priorities - Further Discussion
Agreed: The Committee agreed to start the meeting in closed session.
Members noted the progress made to deliver the priority areas of work agreed in September 2024, discussed the proposed priority areas of work to be progressed over the next 12 months including initial actions to be taken and a timescale for the next review as identified at the review session held on 24 September 2025.
The meeting moved into public session at 10.08 a.m.
2. Apologies
As above.
3. Draft Minutes
Agreed: The Committee agreed the minutes of the meeting held on 8 October 2025.
4. Matters Arising
Item 1 - Motion to Repeal of Standing Order 70
The Deputy Chairperson informed the Committee that an issue had arisen with the Committee's motion to repeal Standing Order 70 and make consequential amendments to Standing Orders, and that the matter would be given consideration under item 6 of the meeting's agenda.
Item 2 - Responses from Parties on Petition of Concern
The Deputy Chairperson updated the Committee on whether written responses would be discoverable under Freedom of Information and on matters pertaining to publication of such responses.
5. Review of Committee Strategic Priorities - Agreed Approach
The Committee considered the note on the Review of Strategic Priorities Session on 24 September 2025.
Agreed: The Committee agreed the note of the Review of Strategic Priorities Session on 24 September 2025.
Agreed: The Committee agreed the priority areas of work to be progressed over the next 12 months.
Agreed: The Committee agreed the initial actions to be taken forward.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to undertake the next review of the key priorities and progress to deliver them in September 2025.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that the meeting should move into closed session.
The meeting moved into closed session at 10.14 a.m.
6. Repeal of Standing Order 70 and consequential amendments to Standing Orders - Further consideration of consequential amendment to SO22(2)
The Committee discussed the Repeal of Standing Order 70 and the consequential technical amendment to Standing Order 22(2).
Agreed: The Committee agreed to request further legal advice and an oral briefing on the consequential technical amendment to Standing Order 22(2).
7. Inquiry into an Extension of Standing Order 27A Voting by Proxy - Further consideration of policy and principles relating to an extension of SO27A for serious long-term illness and injury
The Committee considered options for the provision of supporting documentation to accompany the notification of proxy voting for serious long-term illness and injury.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to give further consideration to the process for the provision of supporting documentation to accompany the notification of a proxy vote for serious long-term illness or injury at a future meeting.
The meeting moved into public session at 11.04 a.m.
8. Forward Work Programme
The Committee considered an updated Forward Work Programme and the meeting dates for the session to Summer Recess.
Agreed: The Committeeagreed the updated Forward Work Programme and the dates of future meetings.
9. Correspondence
The Committee noted correspondence from the Public Accounts Committee on its primacy over Northern Ireland Audit Office reports.
The Committee considered correspondence from the Committee for Communities on changes to Northern Ireland Social Security legislation being made in Westminster by Statutory Instrument and whether it would be feasible for the Committee on Procedures to consider Statutory Instruments as part of its consideration of LCMs.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Committee on Communities advising it that the Assembly and Executive Review Committee (AERC) is currently undertaking a review of Statutory Instruments and suggesting that AERC would be best placed to look into this issue.
10. Chairperson's Business
None.
11. Any Other Business
None.
12. Date, Time and Place of next meeting
The next meeting will be held on Wednesday 12 November 2025 at 10.00 a.m. in Room 21, Parliament Buildings.
The meeting was adjourned at 11.07 a.m.
Kellie Armstrong MLA
Chairperson, Committee on Procedures
12 November 2025
