Committee on Standards and Privileges
Minutes of proceedings 3 December 2025
Meeting Location: Room 106, Parliament Buildings
Present:
Cathy Mason MLA (Chairperson)
Connie Egan (Deputy Chairperson)
Stewart Dickson MLA
Brian Kingston MLA
Declan McAleer MLA
Emma Sheerin MLA
Apologies:
Harry Harvey MLA
In attendance by video or teleconference:
Mark Durkan MLA
Paul Frew MLA
Declan McAleer MLA
In Attendance:
Shane McAteer, Committee Clerk
Ashleigh Mitford, Senior Assistant Clerk
Elaine Farrell, Assistant Clerk
Alison Ferguson, Clerical Supervisor
Laura Gourley, Clerical Officer
Maeve Corrigan, Legal Advisor (agenda item 5 )
The meeting commenced at 10.04 a.m. in closed 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.
Connie Egan declared an interest in relation to agenda item 5, in being a member of the Assembly Committee referred to in the complaint under consideration, and advised that she would recuse herself from the relevant agenda item.
Connie Egan declared and interest that she is a member of the proposed All-Party Group (APG) on Modern Slavery and Sexual Exploitation to be considered under agenda item 8.
Brian Kingston declared an interest in relation to agenda item 5, in being a member of the Assembly Committee referred to in the complaint under consideration.
Brian Kingston declared an interest that he is a member of the proposed APG on Modern Slavery and Sexual Exploitation to be considered under agenda item 8.
Paul Frew declared an interest that he is a member of the proposed APG on Modern Slavery and Sexual Exploitation to be considered under agenda item 8.
Emma Sheerin joined the meeting at 10.06 a.m.
Emma Sheerin declared an interest relation to agenda item 5, in being a member of the Assembly Committee referred to in the complaint under consideration, and advised that she would recuse herself from the relevant agenda item.
3. Minutes
Agreed: The Committee agreed the minutes of the meeting held on 12 November 2025.
4. Matters Arising
None.
Connie Egan and Emma Sheerin left the meeting at 10.11 a.m.
5. Complaint against a Member – briefing by Legal Services and Committee deliberation
The Committee Clerk briefed the Committee on the background to this agenda item.
The Assembly Legal Advisor, Maeve Corrigan, joined the meeting at 10.17 a.m. and briefed the Committee on her legal advice. This was followed by a question and answer session.
The Chairperson thanked the Legal Advisor for her briefing.
Paul Frew declared that he is the Chairperson of the Committee for Justice.
The Committee, having already considered the complaint case at its meeting on 12 November 2025, and in light of the legal advice received, discussed the specific circumstances of the case and range of options available in terms of the next steps, following the finding that the respondent has breached the MLA Code of Conduct.
The Committee deliberated on what sanction it could recommended to the Assembly, which would be proportionate and justified under Article 10(2) of the European Convention on Human Rights.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to recommend a sanction to the Assembly, as provided for under Standing Order 69B, for the exclusion of the Member from Assembly proceedings for a period of two sitting days.
Noted: The Committee noted that a draft plenary motion recommending the sanction to the Assembly will be considered at the next Committee meeting.
The Committee discussed the legal advice it had received in relation to the general issue of the applicability of the MLA Code of Conduct to Assembly Committee Chairpersons, which was separate from the case under consideration.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that the exemption in paragraph 2.2(c) of the MLA Code of Conduct, in relation to a Member acting exclusively in any other political office, does not apply to Assembly Committee Chairpersons, and agreed to commission further legal and procedural advice on how the Code might be amended to reflect the Committee’s position.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to consider the matter further upon receipt of the requested advice and, where applicable, address this in the forthcoming Committee report and motion seeking Assembly approval for various updates to the MLA Code of Conduct and Guide to the Rules.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to indicate in its adjudication report on the complaint case before it, that it will consider recommending to the Assembly that the position in relation to Assembly Committee Chairpersons is clarified in the MLA Code of Conduct.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that the publication of the minutes of the Committee meetings held on 12 November 2025 and today is deferred until the publication of the Committee’s adjudication report on the complaint case, in order to ensure that the decisions set out in the embargoed Committee report are not disclosed prior to the plenary debate on the report.
The Chairperson thanked the Legal Advisor for her briefing.
The Legal Advisor left the meeting at 11.10 a.m.
The meeting suspended at 11.11 a.m.
The meeting resumed at 11.15 a.m.
The following members were in attendance: Cathy Mason, Connie Egan, Stewart Dickson, Paul Frew, Brian Kingston, Declan McAleer and Emma Sheerin.
6. Complaint against a Member – Committee deliberation
The Committee Clerk briefed the Committee on the background to this agenda item.
The Committee deliberated on the complaint case as presented in the investigation report by the (former) Commissioner for Standards (‘the Commissioner’).
Agreed: The Committee agreed that no further information was required to enable it to decide on the complaint case.
Agreed: The Committee agreed with the Commissioner’s conclusion that the respondent has breached Rule 12 of the MLA Code of Conduct.
Noted: The Committee noted that it has previously highlighted the importance of maintaining confidentiality during the complaints process, including in terms of safeguarding the fairness and integrity of the process and avoiding unnecessary reputational damage to any of the parties involved.
The Committee discussed the specific circumstances of the case and the range of available options in terms of next steps, in light of the finding that the respondent has breached Rule 12 of the MLA Code of Conduct.
Agreed: The Committee agreed, that in order to resolve the matter, the respondent is asked to provide an apology in writing which would allow the Committee to report that the matter has been resolved.
Mr Durkan rejoined the meeting at 11.28 a.m.
7. Complaints against a Minister – Committee consideration
The Committee Clerk briefed the Committee on the background to this agenda item and explained how the procedural arrangements for determining complaints against Ministers differs from those for complaints against MLAs, given that the Committee does not currently have an adjudication role in relation to complaints of alleged breaches of the Ministerial Code of Conduct.
The Committee considered the complaint investigation report from the (former) Commissioner.
Noted: The Committee noted a written response, dated 18 November 2025, from the former Commissioner to the written submission which had been received from the respondent in the case.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that, in reporting on its consideration of the case, the Committee will follow the approach taken with previous ministerial complaint cases; whereby it will agree and publish a short covering report which explains the current procedural arrangements for such cases and attaches the (former) Commissioner’s investigation report, together with the written submission from the respondent and the former Commissioner’s response to the written submission from the respondent.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the First Minister and deputy First Minister to suggest that they consider the need for clarification on when the Ministerial Code of Conduct applies to Ministers; and to consider whether the wider Ministerial Code requires to be updated to reflect amendments to the Ministerial Code of Conduct arising from the Northern Ireland (Ministers, Elections and Petitions of Concern) Act 2022.
8. APG issues
The Assistant Clerk briefed the Committee on this agenda item.
Agreed: The Committee agreedthat it was content to approve the establishment of the APG on Modern Slavery and Sexual Exploitation and the APG on General Practice.
9. Correspondence
Noted: The Committee noted the correspondence, dated 10 November 2025, from the Ethical Standards Commissioner (Scotland) advising that his Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25 has been laid before the Scottish Parliament and is available on the website.
Agreed: The Committee noted the correspondence, dated 28 November 2025, from the Committee on Procedures regarding the proposed repeal of Standing Order 70 and a policy consideration arising from consequential amendments to Standing Order 22(2), and agreed the draft letter of response.
10. AOB
None.
11. Date, Time and Place of the next meeting
The next meeting of the Committee is scheduled to take place on Wednesday 21 January 2026 at 10.00 a.m. in Room 106.
The meeting was adjourned at 11.55 a.m.
Cathy Mason MLA
Chairperson, Committee on Standards and Privileges
21 January 2026
