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00:00I advise Members that I will be writing to all of you on the
00:03courtesies and conventions which apply to this House,
00:06following on from my remarks last week.
00:10Whilst I understand that individually these matters may
00:12appear trivial to some, together the procedures of this
00:15House underline the sittings of the Assembly are not just
00:18another engagement in Member's Darhouse, and this is just not
00:21another meeting room.
00:23At one time, there were only 90 people who had the immense
00:26privilege of participating in this Chamber, and they are
00:30given that privilege by the people who elect them.
00:34As an institution, this Assembly is the prime source of
00:37authority for devolved matters.
00:40Therefore, with the privilege given to us to be here comes
00:43the responsibility to exercise that authority by representing
00:47our constituents, holding Ministers to account in taking
00:51decisions to change policy and the law, to address the issues
00:55impacting all of the community.
00:58Respecting our courtesies and procedures is about respecting
01:03the serious business we have to do and respecting the people
01:06who put us here to do it.
01:08I also remind Members that next week will mark the first
01:10anniversary of the return of the Assembly, which the vast
01:14majority of Members of this Assembly wanted to see.
01:18Upholding a parliamentary culture around the serious
01:21business we have to do has a major part to play in restoring
01:25and increasing confidence in the Assembly.
01:28As Speaker, I cannot control the business that the Ministers
01:31and Members bring forward or the level of scrutiny which
01:34Members want to apply.
01:36However, it is my role and that of officials to seek to create
01:40the conditions for our business to be done properly and for
01:44effective scrutiny to be conducted.
01:47I have frequently raised issues with Ministers about ensuring
01:51that they bring business to the Assembly and that they comply
01:55with our procedures.
01:57The same must apply to Members.
01:59In the coming weeks, I intend to say more about our
02:01standards of debate.
02:03However, I am particularly writing to Members today about
02:06the need to be in the Chamber at the appropriate time for the
02:10business that they are due to participate in, whether that be
02:13questions, statements or debates.
02:16Ministers and Members are expected to give priority to
02:20the business of the Assembly sittings on Monday and Tuesday.
02:25Although it is acknowledged that all Members will not be
02:28involved in every debate on every issue in this Chamber,
02:31however, where they are due to participate, it is the
02:34responsibility of Members to monitor how business is moving
02:38and ensure that they are here when they are required to do so.
02:42Again, all of these points are about respecting business,
02:45we are here to do it and the people who have put us here
02:49to do it.
02:50One Member last week apologised for not being in their place in
02:53time, which was quite appropriate, and they sat on for
02:56the entirety of the question time.
03:00I have no issue with that.
03:01It was an honest mistake.
03:03However, there were other Members last week who did not
03:05turn up for questions.
03:07A lot of time was spent by Departments and Ministers
03:10preparing for those questions, and a lot of
03:13expense was put to them.
03:15It is pure common courtesy to be there for it.
03:19To not turn up and then not to apologise for it is something
03:24which we will not be tolerating.