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2 JUNE 2009

APN 39– 08/09

ALL PARTY NOTICES

CHANGES TO ASSEMBLY QUESTIONS

On 2 June the Assembly approved changes to Standing Orders which have the following effects on Assembly Questions.

Question Time

From 8 June 2009, Question Time will take place from 2.30 pm to 3.30 pm on Mondays and from 3.00 pm to 3.30 pm on Tuesdays, with questions to the Assembly Commission being taken after 3.30 pm on Tuesday, every twelve weeks. The new rota for questions to Ministers is attached. With effect from 15 June junior Ministers will be able to respond to questions for which they are responsible. From 22 June the first question may not be from a Member of the same Party as the Minister to whom it is addressed.

Oral Questions

From 9 June 2009, Members who wish to ask oral questions of any of the three Ministers at Question Time two weeks later must submit their names to the Business Office by 1.00 pm on the Tuesday shown on the rota. A computerised ballot of the names will be carried out. A list of the fifteen successful Members for each of the three relevant Departments will be produced in alphabetical order and notified to Members and party support staff that day.

Members whose names are selected in the ballot on Tuesday must submit the text of their questions to the Business Office by 1.00 pm on Thursday. The questions will be put into a random shuffle to determine the order in which they will be taken during Question Time. The question paper will be published each Friday.

Private Notice Questions

With effect from 3 June 2009, Private Notice Questions (PNQs) will be known as Questions for Urgent Oral Answer.

Written Questions

From 3 June 2009, Members may table up to five questions for written answer but only one of these may be for priority written answer. Questions for priority written answer should not request a large amount of historical or statistical information.

Advice and further information is available from the Business Office.

ROTA FOR QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWERS: 8 JUNE 2009 - SUMMER RECESS