Legislative Consent Motion

Stormont Consent-what does it mean?

| Readers 3638

Angela Merkel gave Boris Johnson 30 days to submit alternative proposals to replace the backstop. After a long wait (where it was speculated that the Prime Minister would merely amend the Withdrawal Agreement with tip-ex) the UK Government has finally submitted its plans. Spanning seven pages, Johnson’s proposals are a mis-mash of different ideas. All the hits you know and love are back. Remember Max Fac? It’s there. Nostalgic for Customs checks? Want a border down the Irish Sea? The …

Read more…

Theresa Villiers: “ultimately it is parliament’s decision whether we repeal the 1972 European Communities Act or whether we don’t.”

| Readers 1771

Andy’s valiant attempt at providing clarity on the role of the devolved institutions in the UK’s withdrawal from the EU doesn’t appear to have worked for some of our local representatives. The Northern Ireland Secretary of State, Theresa Villiers, couldn’t have been clearer. “In the weeks and months ahead we will be working with both the Scottish Government and the Northern Ireland Executive on all these matters,” [Theresa Villiers] told BBC’s Sunday Politics show. “But ultimately it is parliament’s decision whether we …

Read more…

“this is a power for which the Scots have been craving…”

| Readers 1495

So David touched on an intriguing ‘argument’ between Sinn Fein and the SDLP over the former’s use of the Legislative Consent Motion in such a way as to nullify any discussion of the proposed bill (an indigenous deal let us remember) at Assembly and in Westminster. This is effectively a measure constructed in OFMdFM and sent straight via DSD, to an Order in Council in Westminster and presumably on to the Queen for approval. Beyond the two parties in Stormont …

Read more…

Legislative Consent Motion vs Accelerated Passage

| Readers 898

DOING BUSINESS: Disagreement [again] between Sinn Fein and the SDLP over the virtues of Margaret Ritchie at Social Development introducing a Welfare Reform Bill under accelerated passage and the current move by the DUP/Sinn Fein to introduce reforms through the Legislative Consent Motion (LCM).

Assembly’s ‘consent’ for National Crime Agency Order is a challenge to the Speaker

| Readers 1406

In a Parliamentary written answer last week (16 March), the Secretary of State gave an update on the progress of the Draft Order in Council which will extend the operation of the National Crime Agency to Northern Ireland.  Here’s what Teresa Villiers said. The Northern Ireland Assembly recently agreed to the making of an Order which will enable the National Crime Agency (NCA) to be fully operational in Northern Ireland. That Order has been considered by Committees in both the …

Read more…

OFMDFM spokeswoman: “The Defamation Bill was never considered by the Executive”

| Readers 42

In the Belfast Telegraph, Liam Clarke has a glimpse behind the curtain at ministerial manoeuvring around the failure to consent to the UK Defamation Bill.  From the Belfast Telegraph article UK-wide legislation like the Defamation Bill can be extended to here by a motion of ‘Legislative Consent’ passed at the Assembly. A minister, though, must submit proposals to the Executive. The Department of Finance and Personnel (DFP), which is headed by Sammy Wilson, is responsible in this case. On May 22 …

Read more…

“unless it’s because politicians in Northern Ireland want to be able to sue newspapers more readily…”

| Readers 68

Some interesting added detail in the News Letter report following up on the story of the Northern Ireland Executive’s failure to consent to the Defamation Bill going through the UK Parliament.  To begin with, it’s claimed that it wasn’t the Executive after all… Last Wednesday, the News Letter revealed that the Defamation Bill – the first reform of the UK’s libel laws since the 19th Century – had been blocked from extending to Northern Ireland by Stormont’s leaders. However, the …

Read more…