Northern Ireland Assembly Members Bill [HL]

My Lords, the Bill will permit the Northern Ireland Assembly to delegate powers in relation to the setting of salaries and expenses for Members of the Northern Ireland Legislative Assembly. Currently, the Assembly is explicitly prevented from doing so under Section 47(7) of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, which states that the Assembly may not delegate such functions. The Bill therefore removes this restriction, thereby enabling the Northern Ireland Assembly, should it so decide, to confer the functions of setting salaries and allowances for Members of the Assembly on an independent body of its choosing. Although this is a short Bill with only three clauses, we have had a thorough and constructive debate throughout all of its stages in this House. At Second Reading in Grand Committee, it became clear that noble Lords wished to use the Bill as a means to address the issue of dual mandates. The Government recognised the strength of feeling on this issue, and on Report I returned to the House with two government amendments. The effect of these amendments was that any MLA who was also a Member of either House of Parliament or Member of the European Parliament would not receive any salary for their position as an MLA. Noble Lords recognised the Government’s willingness to seek a compromise on the sensitive issue of dual mandates and agreed to the amendments, for which I am grateful. This means that the Bill before us has the full support of the House. Through effective co-operation, we have shown yet again how the House can work together in order to find common ground. Motion Moved by