All of the parties in the new Stormont executive have "serious reservations" about Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Brexit deal and the subsequent legislation to put it into effect, says Arlene Foster.

While the bill is likely to be approved at Westminster, adds the first minister, that won't be the end of the matter.

She says there are "important areas in which we require clarity from the government".

Image source, Getty Images

Those include trade between Northern Ireland and Great Britain - the DUP leader wants Mr Johnson to "deliver on his promise" of unfettered access to the GB market and that "competitiveness is maintained".

The Brexit deal poses "significant challenges for Northern Ireland" and it should be for MLAs at Stormont to "legislate for matters within our competence".

She adds that the assembly should "take a stand" to show that it's "back in business" and will not be overruled by the government.

After all that fuss, MLAs finally turn to the debate about the Brexit withdrawal legislation, a full 50 minutes later than planned.

First Minister Arlene Foster opens by saying the Executive Office would've liked to have brought the motion within the established time but it was the last chance available as the Brexit bill is going to the House of Lords tomorrow.

Image source, NI Assembly

The DUP leader says some of the aspects of the legislation are technical and uncontroversial.

But she says she and Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill are agreed they should recommend the assembly does not give its consent to the bill.

BBC Two

For all you political nerds and those of you who fancy dipping a toe into what happens up here on Stormont hill, we have something new for you.

Stormont Live begins on BBC Two NI this afternoon at 14:00.

Hosted by Mark Carruthers, the show has the latest from the chamber as well as analysis from our political editor Mark Devenport, commentary from Fionnuala O Connor and Stephen Grimason and some senior MLAs will give their views too.

You'll be able to watch the programme live at the top of this page.

The results are in - Jim Allister loses out and the debate about the Brexit bill will go ahead.

Of the 76 MLAs who voted, 14 supported Jim Alister's proposal - the other 62 rejected it.

Jayne McCormack
BBC News NI

There's some sympathy for Jim Allister's call for a delay to the debate about the Brexit bill.

Nichola Mallon (below) of the SDLP says her party gets his concerns but adds that the reality is this is the assembly's last opportunity to debate the bill as it goes to the House of Lords tomorrow.

Image source, NI Assembly

But Ulster Unionist leader Steve Aiken says there's time to have a proper debate at Stormont before the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill is rubber-stamped - his party will therefore support the proposal for postponement.

Kellie Armstrong says her Alliance Party was part of a cross-party group that wanted to put forward an amendment but there wasn't time - her party will vote to go ahead with the debate "with a very heavy heart".

Edwin Poots of the DUP says he has no sympathy for his party's critic-in-chief Mr Allister and accuses the TUV leader of grandstanding and seeking attention.

The DUP MLA Christoper Stalford (below) says this is the "last available time" for the assembly to give its opinion on the content of Boris Johnson's Brexit legislation before the bill passes at Westminster.

Image source, NI Assembly

The Scottish Parliament has already given its view, he says, while assembly members in Wales will do the same tomorrow morning.

Sinn Féin's John O'Dowd says he agrees with Mr Allister to a "certain extent" but given the "extraordinary circumstances we're in" the assembly should go ahead with the debate.

After that brief delay, Jim Allister is given the chance to outline his proposal to postpone the Brexit debate.

It's an "elementary rule" of any debate, he says - whether in a school society or the "highest chamber in the land" - that a motion can be amended.

Image source, Getty Images

The North Antrim MLA accuses the Executive Office - with its last-minute submission of the Brexit bill debate motion - of the "sort of action the Politburo would be proud of".

The assembly must have the right to "to sift, to debate and to amend", he adds as he urges MLAs to support his motion to "take the time to follow due process".

Within a few minutes of the sitting beginning, confusion reigns already.

Speaker Alex Maskey says TUV leader Jim Allister's request for a seven-day delay to the Brexit debate is a valid one.

Image source, NI Assembly

So he's calling for a debate about whether the debate should be delayed.

We're well used to political talks about political talks in Northern Ireland but debates about debates? That's a new one to us.

There's a 10-minute suspension so everyone can get their ducks in a line.

TUV leader Jim Allister isn't happy - he objects to the last-minute calling of the debate, saying the Executive Office submitted the motion so late that MLAs haven't been able to amend it.

He claims he only heard about it at 15:45 on Friday, which didn't allow time for amendments to be tabled within the limit set down in the assembly's rulebook, and he wants the debate postponed until next week.

Image source, NI Assembly

Speaker Alex Maskey says the motion for debate was accepted by the assembly's Business Committee this morning and it's "regrettable" this has happened.

He asks for patience from MLAs while he considers whether to suspend the debate.

Jayne McCormack
BBC News NI

A new code for Stormont's special ministerial advisers and how they are appointed will be made public later today.

Speaking outside the assembly chamber, Finance Minister Conor Murphy confirmed he had given ministers a strengthened code at the executive meeting this morning.

"There are consequences for people who break the codes," he warned.

"If as part of that we consider there's legislation needed, then of course we'll consider that but let's not get ahead of ourselves."

Mr Murphy said he wanted to get the process right and said a new code for civil servants was due to be published too.

Ministers are in the process of appointing their special advisers, of which there are 16 at Stormont.

It's what you've all been waiting for - the assembly has only be back for a couple of sessions and Prime Minister Boris Johnson's (below) Brexit deal is high on the agenda.

MLAs are due to debate a motion relating to the legislation that will take the UK out of the EU.

Image source, Reuters

The Executive Office has put forward a motion that asks MLAs to consider the elements of the Brexit bill that affect Northern Ireland - the wording is below.

The Brexit deal includes special arrangements for Northern Ireland and there is a role for the assembly in deciding whether Northern Ireland should keep following some EU customs rules.

The motion asks the assembly to "affirm that [it] does not agree to give its consent" to that.

Read more here: NI Assembly to debate Brexit deal for first time

Speaker Alex Maskey (below) introduces the first items of business - these are minor changes to the memberships of assembly committees and all are approved within a couple of minutes.

Image source, NI Assembly

For the DUP, its chief whip Keith Buchanan replaces party colleague and new Junior Minister Gordon Lyons as a member of the Business Committee.

And for Sinn Féin, its chief whip John O’Dowd and Sinéad Ennis replace their colleagues Carál Ní Chuilín and Declan McAleer on the same committee.

Talkback
BBC News NI

Straight into the politics on Talkback this afternoon - talking tuition fees.

You can listen to the programme on BBC Radio Ulster or on BBC Sounds from 12:00.

Jayne McCormack
BBC News NI

New ministers have been appointed to the Northern Ireland Executive - some will be familiar faces, others not so recognisable.

Image source, Getty Images

We've pulled together a guide of who's who at Stormont and what their roles involve.

Read more here: Who's who in the NI Assembly and executive?

BBC News NI

The Northern Ireland Assembly and the Stormont executive have been restored after three years of political deadlock.

Since the New Decade, New Approach deal, political parties and officials have been working to get the institutions operating as they did before devolution collapsed.

Watch our video above to find out how the devolved institutions at Stormont work.

First on the order paper for this afternoon's sitting, external is a quick run through some procedural business relating to the membership of the assembly's committees.

Image source, AFP

That won't take long, though, and then it'll be straight into the headline event of the day - a debate about the Brexit deal.

We knew it wouldn't be too long into this new Stormont session that the B-word was echoing round the chamber again...

Good morning and welcome to BBC News NI's live coverage of the Northern Ireland Assembly on this fine and frosty January day.

We've had a bit of housekeeping business in the chamber since the assembly resumed last week but today it gets into the serious stuff with a full-blown debate on the effects of the Brexit bill on Northern Ireland.

Stay with us as the session kicks off at 12:00.