New Standing Order
After Standing Order 27 insert: -
27A Voting by proxy
(1) A member (M) may arrange for M’s vote to be exercised by a proxy (P) where—
(a) M meets the conditions set out in paragraph 2,
(b) the Speaker has published a proxy voting scheme (the Scheme) in accordance with paragraph 3,
(c) P is not the Speaker or a deputy Speaker, and
(d) M and P have complied with the terms of the Scheme.
(2) The conditions are—
(a) M could, if an employee, exercise a right to maternity leave, paternity leave, adoption leave, shared parental leave or parental bereavement leave,
(b) M is affected by complications arising from pregnancy, including miscarriage, stillbirth and baby loss, or
(c) M has fostering responsibilities of a kind prescribed in the Scheme.
(3) The Scheme must include—
(a) the process by which M may designate P,
(b) the period for which a proxy vote may be exercised,
(c) how M may vary or withdraw that proxy, and
(d) subject to paragraph 4, details of how a proxy vote may be exercised.
(4) A proxy vote—
(a) may be exercised only in a plenary session of the Assembly,
(b) is to be disregarded for the purposes of Standing Order 9 (Quorum),
(c) must be recorded as such in the Official Report and the Journal of the Proceedings of the Assembly,
(d) may not be exercised in a vote on any of the following—
i. a Bill to which section 7A of the 1998 Act applies,
ii. the democratic consent process at Schedule 6A of the 1998 Act,
iii. any motion which requires the support of a number of members of the Assembly which equals or exceeds two thirds of the total number of seats in the Assembly, and
iv. any motion which requires the support of a number of members of the Assembly which equals or exceeds two thirds of the total number of members voting on the motion.
(5) In this standing order—
‘employee’ has the meaning given by Article 3 of the Employment Rights (Northern Ireland) Order 1996
‘the 1998 Act’ means the Northern Ireland Act 1998.
Committee Motion
09/10/2024
15/10/2024
22/10/2024
View Official Report