AQW 165/17-22


Mr Steven Agnew
Green Party
North Down


Tabled Date: 20/09/2019
Answered On Date: 27/09/2019
Priority Written: No


Question:
To ask the Assembly Commission to lay in the Assembly Library any reports they have (i) written; or (ii) commissioned in relation to the establishment of a Youth Assembly.


Answer:
Further to AQWs 107 to 114/17-22 in relation to the establishment of a youth assembly, it would be useful to provide an update on developments since last year.
The Speaker asked officials to include an item on the agenda for the Commission’s meeting in March 2018 to provide it with the opportunity to consider the potential for addressing the issue of a youth assembly. A paper was presented to the Commission at its meeting on 5 March 2018 and the Commission decided that officials should prepare an options paper in relation to a youth assembly.
That options paper was produced following engagement with a range of relevant stakeholders and was presented to the Commission at its meeting on 24 June 2019. The Commission considered it and agreed that a further paper be prepared developing the option of a Commission-supported model of a youth assembly and that this should make clear the independence of the youth assembly in setting its own agenda. Work is now underway to produce a detailed paper on that preferred option for consideration at a future Assembly Commission meeting.
Arrangements will be made for a copy of the paper that was presented to the Commission on 5 March 2018 to be laid in the library. The options paper presented to the Commission at its meeting on 24 June 2019 will not be placed in the library at this stage as it relates to a policy still under development.
I hope you find the above information helpful.