Committees of the Assembly

Here you will find information regarding Committees established by the Assembly, including details of their role and powers and links to further pages containing information on their work and publications.

Committees of the Assembly were supported and serviced by the Committee Office. The Committee Office assisted the Assembly in its work as a legislature by supporting Committees in their consideration of subordinate legislation and in taking the Committee Stage of primary legislation. It also assisted Assembly Committees to fulfil their role in policy development and departmental scrutiny.

STATUTORY COMMITTEES

Statutory Committees of the Assembly had a scrutiny, policy development and consultation role in respect of the Department with which each was associated, and could initiate legislation. They had the power to:

• Consider and advise on departmental budgets and annual plans in the context of the overall budget allocation.


• Approve relevant secondary legislation and take the Committee Stage of relevant primary legislation.


• Call for persons and papers.


• Initiate inquiries and make reports.


• Consider and advise on matters brought to the Committee by its Minister.

The Statutory Committees of the Assembly were:

Agriculture and Rural Development Committee
Culture, Arts and Leisure Committee
Education Committee
†Employment and Learning Committee
Enterprise, Trade and Investment Committee
Environment Committee
Finance and Personnel Committee
Health, Social Services and Public Safety Committee
Justice Committee
Committee for the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister
Regional Development Committee
Social Development Committee

† An Act to change the name of the Department of Higher and Further Education, Training and Employment to Department for Employment and Learning was given Royal Assent on 20 July 2001.

STANDING COMMITTEES

Assembly Standing Orders made provision for the establishment of Standing Committees. Standing Committees were permanent Committees of the Assembly and had specific roles assigned to them within Standing Orders.

The Standing Committees of the Assembly were:

AD HOC COMMITTEES

Ad Hoc Committees were established from time to time to deal with specific time-bounded terms of reference that the Assembly set.

The Ad Hoc Committees of the Assembly are:

Ad Hoc Committee on Flags (NI) Order 2000
(Reported on 10 October 2000)
Ad Hoc Committee - Financial Investigations (NI) Order
(Reported on 6 February 2001)
Ad Hoc Committee - Life Sentences (NI) Order 2000
(Reported on 12 March 2001)
Ad Hoc Committee - Proceeds of Crime Bill
(Reported on 29 May 2001)
Ad Hoc Committee on Criminal Injuries Compensation
(Reported on 15 November 2001)
Ad hoc Committee on Criminal Justice Reform
(Reported on 14 January 2002)
Ad hoc Committee on Disqualification Legislation
(Reported on 14 June 2002)

Ad hoc Committee on proposed Draft Access to Justice (Northern Ireland) Order 2002
(Reported on 2 July 2002)

Ad hoc Committee on proposed Draft Firearms (Northern Ireland) Order 2002

Ad Hoc Committee on the Assembly Members (Independent Financial Review and Standards) Bill

Ad Hoc Committee - Private Security Industry (NI) Order 2009

Ad Hoc Committee on the Draft Criminal Damage (Compensation) (Amendment) (NI) Order 2008

Ad Hoc Committee - Local Postal Services

Ad Hoc Committee - Draft Sexual Offences (NI) Order 2007

Ad Hoc Committee - Draft Criminal Justice Order 2007

The Ad Hoc Committees set up prior to the devolution of powers on 2 December 1999 can be accessed by clicking here.

COMMITTEE REPORTS of the First Mandate (1998 - 2003)

Committee Reports from the first mandate may be accessed here.

COMMITTEE REPORTS before Devolution of Powers