Members may have received correspondence from BUPA informing them of a special discount rate for Assembly Members as a result of an agreement with "The New Northern Ireland Assembly Group". Members should note that there has been no direct contact between BUPA and the Assembly nor has any formal arrangement been made in relation to discount.

Enquiries have revealed that BUPA has varying discount rate arrangements with several groups of employees throughout both the public and private sectors. The offer to Assembly Members of a discount of 25% on current BUPACare rates is based on a similar arrangement for Local Government employees and Westminster MPs.

It seems that following devolution, BUPA decided to make a similar offer to Members of the Scottish Parliament as well as to Members of the Northern Ireland and Welsh Assemblies. It is for individual Members to decide whether they wish to join the BUPACare scheme and if so to arrange this directly with BUPA.

COMMITTEE ROOMS AND THE SENATE CHAMBER

Members, their support staff and Assembly Secretariat staff are asked to note that all requests to use Committee Rooms 21, 106, 135, 144 and 152, as well as the Senate Chamber, should be directed to the Committee Office. Contact points for such requests are Mrs Deborah Williams (Room 243 Ext 21889) or Mrs Siobhan Murphy (Room 244 Ext 21655).