Research and Information Service

US Trade Tariffs: key changes & initial considerations for Northern Ireland -  supplementary

This Briefing Paper provides an update on changes to US Trade Tariffs since June 2025 and identifies initial considerations arising from those changes for Northern Ireland businesses.

Costing requirements for Members’ Bills: a comparative perspective across the United Kingdom

This Briefing Paper - commissioned by the Northern Ireland Assembly Committee on Procedures - outlines any key existing procedural rules and processes relating to Member Bill costing requirements in the Assembly, the United Kingdom House of Commons, the Scottish Parliament and the Senedd Cymru, providing a comparative perspective.

The Real Living Wage in Northern Ireland

An update of a previous paper concerning those paid below the Real Living Wage (RLW) in Northern Ireland. As requested, the paper includes a breakdown by gender, and full-time / part-time employment status for the eleven local district council areas. Any regional disparities that exist are also highlighted in the Paper.

Decoding phonics: a primer on teaching literacy in Northern Ireland

This Research Paper provides an overview of phonics as a method for teaching literacy, examining its various forms and comparing it with alternative approaches such as whole language and balanced literacy. It explores the research landscape surrounding phonics, considers its role within the Northern Ireland curriculum and offers comparisons from across the UK and the Republic of Ireland.

US Trade Tariffs: key changes & initial considerations for Northern Ireland 

This Briefing Paper sets out a timeline of key changes (actual and currently proposed) to American trade tariff policy; and highlights potential impacts arising for Northern Ireland, including government and business, if such changes are implemented.