Northern Ireland Assembly Content
Northern Ireland Assembly Explanatory Financial Memorandums
Northern Ireland Assembly Notices of Amendments
Northern Ireland Assembly Marshalled Lists
Northern Ireland Assembly Groupings
Northern Ireland Assembly Committee Reports
Northern Ireland Assembly Registers' of Members Interest
Northern Ireland Assembly Acts and Act Explanatory Notes
Official Report Hansard Written Answers
Official Report Hansard
Primary legislation is brought about by way of a bill, which sets out proposed law presented to the Assembly for scrutiny and discussion. Most bills are Public Bills and these deal with matters of general public interest. They can be introduced by:
- A Minister (Executive Bill)
- A Member of the Assembly (Private Member's Bill)
- One of the Assembly's Statutory Committees.
A bill becomes an Act when it has been passed by the Assembly and has received Royal Assent. The stages of a bill are as follows:
First Stage
Introduction of the Bill
Second Stage
General debate of the bill with an opportunity for Members to vote on its general principles.
Committee Stage
Detailed investigation by a committee which concludes with the publication of a report for considerationby the Assembly.
Consideration Stage
Consideration by the Assembly and an opportunity for Members to vote on the details of the Bill including amendments proposed to the Bill.
Further Consideration Stage
Further consideration by the Assembly and an opportunity for Members to vote on further amendments proposed to the Bill.
Final Stage
Passing or rejecting of the Bill by the Assembly, without further amendments
Royal Assent
Once Royal Assent is granted the Bill becomes an Act of Parliament.
Explanatory memoranda are available to aid understanding of all Northern Ireland Assembly Bills. They are intended for those not legally qualified or without specialist knowledge of the subject matter. Explanatory Notes help to explain what each section of the bill is planned to do and what the bill is likely to cost.
Amendments to Bills as first published
Marshalled List of Amendments as of the date stated on the publication.
Groupings of amendments as determined by the Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly.
The reports of the Departmental Commitees, Standing Committees and Ad hoc Committees of the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Members are required to provide information of any financial interest or other material benefit which might reasonably be thought by others to influence his or her actions, speeches or votes in the Assembly, or actions taken in his or her capacity as a Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Full text of the Acts of the Northern Ireland Assembly as they were originally enacted
Northern Ireland Assembly Act Explanatory Notes
Explanatory Notes seek to make the Act accessible to readers who are not legally qualified and who have no specialised knowledge of the matters dealt with. Explanatory notes are often published at the same time as the Act but this is not always possible and may follow some days after the publication of the Act.
The Answers Booklet contains all the questions for which written answers have been received during that week. To access the answers click on appropriate date below
The Official Report (Hansard) of the Northern Ireland Assembly is the authoritative record of all plenary proceedings of the Assembly and certain Committee meetings. Each Official Report contains a substantially verbatim transcript of proceedings, including speeches, questions, decisions and votes.
A full report of each Assembly sitting is published the day after each plenary sitting.
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