Health Minister Robin Swann announced a urology public inquiry
Education Minister Peter Weir and Finance Minister Conor Murphy appeared in the chamber for Question Time
Jim Allister's Functioning of Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill reached its consideration stage
Image source, ReutersThat’s all from us today.
We’re leaving MLAs to continue their debate on the Functioning of Government Bill into the late hours of this evening.
You can join us again tomorrow morning from 10:00 for more live coverage however.
We’ll be following proceedings at the Economy Committee which will be briefed on Brexit preparations by the department.
We hope to see you then.
Image source, NI Assembly"Clause 5 deals with the tricky issue of how complaints against ministers should be dealt with," says Mr Alistair.
He says that the members all know that there is an Assembly Commissioner for Standards and that the commissioner is the arbitrator for complaints against MLAs.
Up until now "there wasn't really a process" for dealing with complaints against ministers, the TUV MLA says.
New Decade, New Approach suggested that the first and deputy first ministers could appoint three commissioners to deal with complaints against minister, he explains.
Mr Allister says his bill proposes that there should be "a single standards commissioner" whether you are a minister or an MLA.
"Of course, ministers are both," he adds.
Image source, NI AssemblyPatsy McGlone, the deputy speaker of house, replaces Alex Maskey in the hot seat.
He turns MLAs’ attention to the second group of amendments relating to the Functioning of Government Bill.
This group of amendments deals with “accountability to the assembly”.
Image source, NI AssemblyThe clerk reads the result of the vote on amendment 7 and it passes.
Amendments 8 and 9 pass on oral vote.
The Speaker, Alex Maskey, suspends the sitting for 15 minutes for members to stretch their legs.
Image source, NI AssemblyThe votes are in and amendment 4 has fallen.
Amendment 5 and 6 pass on oral vote, but the house once again divides over amendment 7.
Jim Allister is back on his feet to wind the debate on the first group of amendments relating to the Functioning of Government Bill.
The TUV MLA refers to a number of newspaper publications about the bill written by commentators such as John Manley, external (Irish News) and Susan Breen, external (Belfast Telegraph) - the MLA also makes reference to an Editorial in the News Letter., external
Image source, NI AssemblyTurning to a number of points raised by members about specific amendments, particularly number 4, Mr Allister says it draws “carefully and explicitly on what was in the old code”.
He adds that this bill “simply puts it into legislative form”.
“It’s nothing new that suddenly would have to be done, it’s something that always should’ve been done,” says the TUV MLA.
In response to points raised about SPAD pay, Mr Allister says “a cap on the pay in principle is right”.
Amendments 1, 2 and 3 pass on oral votes.
The result of the oral vote on amendment 4 is unclear so Speaker Alex Maskey calls a division.
Image source, PA MediaPeople from three households in Northern Ireland will be allowed to meet indoors for five days over the Christmas period, the first and deputy first ministers have said.
The decision will apply to all four devolved nations.
Three households will be allowed to bubble from the 23 to 27 December.
NI is due to begin a two-week lockdown from this Friday until 11 December, in a bid to curb the spread of the virus before Christmas.
Finance Minister Conor Murphy says he has the job of replying to the bill because the executive appointed him "to lead its response to the RHI Inquiry".
He says "representatives of the five main parties were involved in the discussion of improvement to the ministerial code and special adviser codes and the NICS (NI Civil Service) code of ethics and the conclusions of those discussions were then reflected in New Decade, New Approach".
Image source, NI AssemblyHe says it was the executive that decided legislation was not necessary, not the finance minster as Matthew O'Toole had claimed.
The finance minister says his opposition to the bill is nothing to do with the politics of the proposer.
He says other parties "could have chosen to go out to public appointment for their special advisers, could have chosen to publish the details of who they interviewed, could have chosen to advertise the post. They all chose to appoint their special advisers under the arrangements that were put forward".
"I oppose this legislation," the minister concludes.
Image source, NI AssemblyPeople Before Profit’s Gerry Carroll says “I find it unsettling that Spads are afforded any powers and privileges far and above what other civil servants are afforded”.
“The big parties have driven forward a gravy train,” says the West Belfast MLA, adding that he will be supporting much of what is contained within the bill.
Mr Carroll says he will be voting for amendment 2, 3 and 4 but will oppose Clause 1.
The MLA calls for "root and branch reform".
Rachel Woods of the Green Party describes the bill as "this vital piece of legislation".
She says it's "disappointing" that some in the house would prefer to see this matter dealt with through codes.
"We need confidence in these institutions, we need accountability and we must have transparency" the North Down MLA says.
She quotes from the conclusion of the RHI Inquiry: "Transformation must happen."
Image source, NIU AssemblyIndependent MLA Claire Sugden says she "generally" supports the group one amendments.
She says that as a former minister herself she has had the experience of appointing a SPAD.
"Not all SPADs are bad," the former justice minister adds.
Enda McClafferty
BBC News NI political correspondent
Image source, Getty ImagesSickness absence levels in Northern Ireland councils are the highest in the UK, auditors have found.
Figures show an average of almost 14 days per employee in 2018-19 - a 13% increase in five years.
The findings come from a joint report by Northern Ireland's two public sector auditors.
Teachers in Northern Ireland also take more sick days than other parts of the UK, according to the report.
Auditor General Kieran Donnelly and Local Government Auditor Pamela McCreedy warned that sickness absence is placing a strain on services.
SDLP MLA Pat Catney is up next.
“You’ll be pleased to know I have a shortened script and a longer script, but I’ve decided to go for the shortened one,” he says to an outbreak of laughter in the chamber.
Mr Catney thanks Jim Allister for bringing the bill forward and for working with the committee to get it to this stage.
Image source, NI AssemblyHe runs through the amendments, and outlines which he will be supporting.
“RHI was only the latest and most well published issue with the function of the executive, and change must be achieved,” he adds.
Jim Wells, the DUP MLA who has had the party whip removed, is next to speak on the Functioning of Government Bill.
He says “there is always something interesting comes along” since he has been a member of the Finance Committee, adding that “time flies”.
“We have spent many, many hours taking evidence from expert witnesses,” he adds.
Mr Well refers to the background of the RHI inquiry and says he is a “enthusiastic supporter” of Mr Allister’s bill.
Image source, NI AssemblyThe South Down representative lifts a copy of Sam McBride’s ‘Burned’ - a book the Renewal Heat Incentive - and talks about some of its contents.
Mr Wells says “the two major parties, they have both behaved appallingly”.
“Sinn Féin are sitting there like little mice there in the corner, and they’re not answering any of these points because they know they haven’t a leg to stand on,” he adds.
Image source, NI AssemblyThe DUP's Mervyn Storey says he has been taken aback by the number of Biblical quotations in the debate so far and reminds the members that today marks the 448th anniversary of the death of the Scottish theologian, John Knox.
He says he has been a member of the house since 2003 and "the one thing I have always struggled with is that it is almost impossible to find a member in any one of the benches right around this house to actually stand up and say 'you know this, we got it wrong'".
Image source, NI AssemblyAndrew Muir of Alliance is on his feet next.
He says the findings of the RHI Inquiry "should be recognised in the round" when looking at this bill.
Mr Muir says the Alliance Party differs with Mr Allister on "whether the methods proposed achieve the outcomes desired and are appropriate and balanced".
"Populist politics should not be allowed to run roughshod over the need for good policy and correct legislation," he adds.
SDLP MLA Matthew O’Toole says there is a need to “rebuild public trust and confidence” in the assembly, and to ensure “we are using legislation in the right way”.
The South Belfast MLA refers to the RHI (Renewable Heat Incentive) Inquiry and the Coghlin report.
He says the real question is whether the draft legislation and amendments “offer the best means of addressing the challenges that we know exist”.
Image source, NI AssemblyMr O’Toole outlines the role and “importance” of special advisers and says "they act as a bridge between ministers, their parties and the permanent civil service".
“We operate in a 24-hour government,” he says, and pays tribute to the long hours ministers and their advisers fulfil.
Image source, NI Assembly"Fundamentally we disagree with the premises of this bill, " says Maolíosa McHugh of Sinn Féin.
He says that a representative of the Human Rights Commission (HRC) said that the objectives regarding SPADs "could be met through a code of conduct".
Mr McHugh says that HRC representative was concerned that legislation "could end up criminalising and putting SPADs and parties in the straitjacket".
"I haven't always experienced respect in that committee," he says, and people who have come to give evidence have been given "total disrespect".
Before finishing his opening sentence, Paul Frew of the DUP is heckled by colleagues to be “brief” in his submission to the debate.
“There is absolutely no chance of that!” he chuckles in response.
The MLA says he put down an amendment that wasn’t accepted by the speaker.
“My party is up for reform, my party wants to see reform, my party acknowledges that there have been mistakes made in the past,” says the MLA.
The North Antrim MLA says “it’s right and proper with any job that there would be a disciplinary code”.
Image source, NI Assembly“I think most of the parties recognise that eight was too many Spads (Special Adviser) working in the Executive Office,” says Mr Frew.
“It was quite clear that three was suitable,” he adds.
The North Antrim representative says he supports all of the amendments in this group, “except for amendment four”.
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Image source, NI AssemblyThe members now return to the debate on the consideration stage of the Functioning of Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill.
Deputy Speaker Patsy McGlone reminds members that they are debating clauses relating to the appointment, conduct and management of special advisers.
Steve Aiken resumes his speech, which was interrupted by the lunch break and Question Time.
He says the UUP will be supporting Mr Allister's amendments.
"I would strongly encourage all members of the assembly to join us in trying to restore trust in our institutions," he says.