Independent Remuneration Board
Minutes of Proceedings - 24 November 2025
Independent Remuneration Board - Minutes of Proceedings - 24 November 2025.pdf (144.58 kb)
Meeting Location: Private Dining Room, Parliament Buildings
Present:
Alan Lowry, Chairperson
Craig Griffiths, Member
Robert Herron, Member
In Attendance:
Gareth McGrath, Senior Advisor
Roisin Donnelly, Secretary
Claire Ellison, Clerical Supervisor
Lesley Hogg, Clerk and Chief Executive, Northern Ireland Assembly (Agenda item 5)
Tim Moore, Senior Research Officer, Research and Information Services, Northern IreIand Assembly (Agenda item 6)
The meeting commenced at 10:10 am.
1. Chairperson’s Welcome and Introductions
The Chairperson welcomed members to the first meeting of the Independent Remuneration Board.
The Board’s Senior Advisor outlined the responsibilities of the Board as set out in the Assembly Members (Independent Financial Review and Standards) Act 2011.
2. Board Membership
The Board noted its membership and Terms of Office.
3. Arrangements for Board Meetings and Board Procedures
The Chairperson advised members that it is a matter for the Board to determine its own procedures.
Agreed: The Board agreed its procedures and to publish minutes of its meetings to aid transparency.
The Board noted contact details for the Board secretariat.
4. Code of Conduct
The Board considered a draft Code of Conduct for its members.
Agreed: The Board agreed its Code of Conduct and that it be published.
Agreed: The Board agreed to maintain a formal Register of Interests of Board Members.
No interests were declared in relation to the Agenda items listed for the first meeting.
5. Requirements of the Assembly Members (Independent Financial Review and Standards) Act 2011
Lesley Hogg, Clerk and Chief Executive of the Northern Ireland Assembly joined the meeting at 10:53 am.
The Clerk/ Chief Executive briefed the Board on the requirements of the Assembly Members (Independent Financial Review and Standards) Act 2011 and the proposed protocols between the Northern Ireland Assembly Commission (‘the Assembly Commission’) and the Board.
The briefing was followed by a question and answer session.
The Chairperson thanked the Clerk/ Chief Executive for her attendance and she left the meeting.
The Board noted the terms of reference for the UK Remuneration Chairs Network.
Agreed: The Board agreed to adopt theproposed protocols between the Assembly Commission and the Independent Remuneration Board.
Agreed: The Board agreed to invite the Chairperson of the Assembly Members Pension Scheme Trustees to attend its next meeting to outline the current position of pensions payable to members of the Assembly.
Agreed: The Board agreed to invite a representative from the Assembly Commission’s Finance Office to attend its next meeting to outline the current position regarding salaries payable to members of the Assembly.
Agreed: The Board agreed to invite a representative from the Assembly Commission’s Legal Services Office to attend its next meeting to provide further information on the statutory obligations of the Board.
6. Regimes governing the pay and allowances of members
Tim Moore, Senior Research Officer in the Assembly Commission’s Research and Information Service (RaISe) joined the meeting at 11:42 am.
The Senior Research Officer briefed the Board on the regimes governing the pay and allowances of members of the Senedd, Scottish Parliament, House of Commons, Dáil Eireann and Seanad Éireann.
The briefing was followed by a question and answer session.
The Chairperson thanked the Senior Research Officer for his attendance and he left the meeting.
The Board noted the following RaISe briefing papers:
- Members’ Pay and Allowances: regimes and provisions, February 2025;
- Overview of devolved powers in the UK, March 2025; and
- Remuneration of members in other legislatures – update, October 2025.
Agreed: The Board agreed to request a research briefing from RaISe on salaries and wider financial circumstances in Northern Ireland.
Agreed: The Board agreed to consider the salaries determinations and relevant reports made by the other parliaments.
7. Forward Work Programme
The Board discussed the key milestones for its work.
Agreed: The Board agreed to request the views of the political parties and independent Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly on the work of the Board when considering its determinations on salaries and pensions.
Agreed: The Board agreed to discuss its priorities at the conclusion of the initial briefings it has requested to be scheduled at its next meeting.
Agreed: The Board agreed to schedule its third meeting to take place on 19 January 2026.
8. Any Other Business
The Board noted a press release announcing its first meeting.
9. Date, Time and Place of the next meeting
The next meeting of the Board was scheduled to take place at 9:30 am on Tuesday, 16 December 2025 in Room 106, Parliament Buildings.
The meeting was adjourned at 12:22 pm.
Chairperson, Independent Remuneration Board
16 December 2025
