Assembly Committee on Procedures Brings Forward New Procedures on Petitions of Concern

Session: Session currently unavailable

Date: 09 November 2026

Reference: Proc 01/26/27

New procedures, which would update the Assembly's rules and reflect recent changes to the law on petitions of concern, are being put forward by the Committee on Procedures.

The Committee, which is responsible for reviewing Assembly Standing Orders and procedures, has published its Report on Petitions of Concern which contains details of the proposals.  

Four new Standing Orders will now go to the Assembly for approval on a cross-community basis.

A petition of concern* is a process that enables 30 MLAs to require a matter to be decided by cross-community support - rather than a simple majority vote. Established under the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement, it is intended to ensure that significant decisions are supported by Nationalists and Unionists.

The Committee’s report examined Section 42 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, which provides the statutory basis for the petition of concern mechanism, and Standing Order 28, which sets out the procedures for how it operates in Assembly proceedings.  Section 42 had been amended by Westminster to take on board a number of reforms suggested in the New Decade, New Approach agreement.  The amendments to section 42 meant that Standing Order 28 should also be updated.

Kellie Armstrong MLA, Chairperson of the Committee on Procedures said: “As a Committee, we looked at what revisions Standing Order 28 needed, to take account of the amendments made to Section 42 as a result of the New Decade, New Approach agreement. 

“The New Decade, New Approach reforms were enacted in the Northern Ireland (Ministers, Elections and Petitions of Concern) Act in 2022. It was complicated and detailed work and we are grateful to the advice we received on legal and procedural matters and for the assistance from the Speaker’s Office.

“As part of our work, we developed draft illustrative Standing Orders and consulted with the political parties in the Assembly, independent Members and the Speaker. Their feedback helped us further refine these drafts which will now go to the Assembly for approval on a cross-community basis.

“I would also like to thank the Committee Members for their hard work on this matter.”

The first, draft Standing Order 28 Petition of Concern will replace the current Standing Order 28. An optional paragraph would allow a statement to accompany a petition when it is presented.

Draft Standing Order 28 A Petition of Concern: Consideration Period is the second proposal that provides for the setting up of an ad hoc committee to look at a specific petition and allows reports to be provided on the petition, during the 14-day consideration period.

The third draft Standing Order 36A Petition of Concern: Consideration Stage is an optional provision which would prevent the use of multiple petitions to create a chain of 14-day consideration periods - which in turn would affect the scheduling of Plenary Business and the effective use of Plenary time.

While the third draft Standing Order relates to the Consideration Stage of a Bill, the fourth draft Standing Order 40A Petition of Concern after Consideration Stage relates to the Further Consideration, Exceptional Further Consideration and Reconsideration stages of a Bill. It would, in the same way, prevent multiple petitions causing repeated delays and disruption to Plenary proceedings.

Ends

For further information please contact Felicity Templeton, Assembly communications office felicity.templeton@niassembly.gov.uk  / 07977 635930

 

Notes to editors:

  • The Assembly’s Committee on Procedures has power to consider and review, on an ongoing basis, the Standing Orders and procedures of the Assembly; initiate inquiries and publish reports; and call for persons and papers.  You can find out more about the work and membership of the Committee here.

 

  • *Reforms to the Petition of Concern were agreed as part of the New Decade, New Approach (NDNA) agreement in 2020. These were subsequently implemented through the Northern Ireland  (Ministers, Elections and Petitions of Concern) Act 2022, which amended Section 42 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998. 

 

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