Engagement Newsletter
March 2025
Welcome to the March edition of the Assembly Engagement Newsletter. We hope that you find the content helpful and informative. If you have any feedback, comments, or ideas for content, please email the Participation and Outreach Team at engagement@niassembly.gov.uk.
Did you know that each MLA can submit five questions to Ministers per day? This enables MLAs to ask for information or to press for action. More than 4000 questions have been asked by MLAs since the beginning of 2025. You can search the range of topics and issues covered, as well as the responses:
Did you know you can watch live coverage of Assembly debates and committee meetings on our live streaming channels?
NI Assembly TV provides information on what is being shown live each day. You can also watch archived videos of plenary, question time and committee meetings.
Members' Bills
Most of the primary legislation that passes through the Assembly is brought by Executive Ministers. These are known as Executive Bills. Bills can also be introduced by individual MLAs/Members, an Assembly Committee, or the Assembly Commission. These are known as Members' Bills or Non-Executive Bills.
Members' Bills offer individual MLAs the chance to introduce legislation independently from Executive departments and follow the same scrutiny process as Executive Bills.
There are eight Members’ Bills currently seeking public consultation. Get involved and have your say on issues that matter to you.
Call for Evidence
The Assembly Members (Remuneration Board) Bill was introduced to the Assembly on 3 February 2025. The purpose of the Bill is to amend the Assembly Members (Independent Financial Review and Standards) Act (Northern Ireland). This Act established the Independent Financial Review Panel (IFRP) and conferred on it the power to make determinations in relation to MLA's salaries, pensions and allowances.
Under the proposed legislation, responsibility for making determinations in relation to Members’ salaries and pensions would remain with the Remuneration Board with four amendments.
To find out more or give your views click the link below. The survey closes on 19 March 2025.
Justice Bill - Call for Evidence
The Justice Bill was introduced by the Justice Minister on 17 September 2024. It is now at the committee stage of the scrutiny process, which is when the relevant Assembly Committee (in this case, the Justice Committee) examines the Bill in detail and gathers the views of people who could be affected by parts of the Bill.
The Justice Bill sets out to:
- amend the law about the retention and destruction of fingerprints and DNA profiles under Part 6 of the Police and Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1989;
- amend the law about the release of children on bail and about their detention;
- permit the use of live links for the exercise of certain police functions;
- make other provision in connection with the administration of justice; and for connected purposes.
The Minister of Justice has also advised of her intention to table amendments to the Bill at a later stage in the legislative process, which relate to the following matters:
- Restorative justice
- Serious organised crime
- AccessNI filtering
- Reform of rehabilitation periods
- Repeal of vagrancy legislation
- Live links for courts and tribunals
The Justice Committee is seeking your views on the objectives, proposals and potential consequences of the Bill. Your views will help to inform the Committee’s consideration of the Bill.
The Committee would also welcome your views on the amendments proposed to the Bill by the Minister of Justice.
The survey closes on 21 March 2025.
Public Accounts Committee - Call for Evidence
What is your experience of accessing GP services in Northern Ireland? The Public Accounts Committee has started an inquiry into Access to General Practice in Northern Ireland and we would like to hear your views.
Complete our short survey to share your experiences of accessing General Practice in Northern Ireland. This survey should take 10 to 15 minutes to complete and the information gathered will be used to inform the recommendations made when the Committee publishes its report. Publication is currently scheduled for June 2025.
The survey closes on 27 March 2025.
2025 Women's Parliament
On Friday, 28 February, the Assembly Speaker, Edwin Poots MLA, chaired a special sitting of the Women’s Parliament in the Assembly Chamber.
Woman from a range of local groups and organisations who work with, support and represent women from across Northern Ireland took part in today’s debate. Participants led on a motion which included speeches on Violence against Women and Girls; Access to Health Services for Women; as well as issues that affect Rural Women, Older Women and Disabled Women.
The Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Andrew Muir MLA, the Minister of Health, Mike Nesbitt MLA and Junior Ministers, Aisling Reilly MLA and Pam Cameron MLA were also present to respond to the motion.
Speaking after the sitting of the Women’s Parliament, the Assembly Speaker Edwin Poots MLA said: “In recent years, my predecessors and I have used our ability to grant the privilege of using the Assembly Chamber to enable sectors within our local community to have their voices heard by Members and Ministers. As Speaker, I was delighted to chair this important debate today and to facilitate the key issues and concerns impacting and affecting women across Northern Ireland to be expressed and responded to.”
The Chairperson of the Assembly Women’s Caucus Steering Group, Claire Sugden MLA added: “Events like today are key to creating a network of encouragement and discussion. We, as a Caucus, know that to deliver real change, we all must work together to combine support, resources, and political-will."
Assembly Explained Workshops
The Participation and Outreach Team is continuing to deliver workshops both in Parliament Buildings and in venues across Northern Ireland. The Team was delighted to connect with a range of community and voluntary groups last month, including Unite the Union, The OK Club, Triax Hens Shed, Southern Agewell in Newry, Seniors in Dungiven and Ballybeen Women's Group.
The workshops last around two hours and give a short overview on what the Assembly is, how it works, and how to have your voice heard. The workshops also include an interactive demo of the NI Assembly website.
The sessions are suitable for everyone and are tailored to each group.
No prior knowledge of the Assembly is required.
The workshops can be delivered in Parliament Buildings, online, or as an outreach session in your community.
To book, or to find out more, please click one of the links below.
Get in Touch
To find out more about the work of the NI Assembly Participation & Outreach Team please email engagement@niassembly.gov.uk
