MLAs and Departments

Given the recent revelations about the expenses of MPs in the Daily Telegraph the Assembly debate on Monday (18 May) on the restructuring of the Execeutive and Assembly seemed to fit in nicely.

All of the parties appeared to agree that 108 was too high a number of MLAs for 1.8m people. The motion laid by UUP MLA David Mc Narry called on the Office of First and Deputy First Minister to report progress on the setting up of an Efficiency Review Panel and to provide a report to the Assembly on the number of MLAs and Departments by November. The DUP through Simon Hamilton and Jonathan ...I mean Alasdair Ross 'welcomed' them on board.

The SDLP stated that they felt the matter could be handled by the Assembly and Committee rather than the Office of First and Deputy First Minister and did not want reform to stop with MLAs and Departments. They felt that Committees should have greater powers of scrutiny and for example wanted a budget or a ways-and means committee to examine the budget.

Sinn Fein felt that no one had been brave enough on reform when decisions were being taken under the Review of Public Administration in relation to local councils. Sinn Fein wanted 7 eventually 11 was settled on.

The Alliance Party also stated that the numbers needed reformed in order to save money.

There will however be some issues to iron out with reduced MLAs and Departments.

- Are political parties grown up enough yet to face the possibility that they might not have a Minister?
- Less MLAs naturally means a heavier workload for whatever number of MLAs are left
- This will automatically mean that expenses and staff for the MLAs will be greater, although that should balance out
- What of the impact of the new Justice and Policing Department when that arrives?

In relation to recent scandals it shows that hard working politicians who serve their constituents need to claim higher expenses. If they are visibly trying to make the lives of their constituents better rather than having petty and ancient fights then the public will allow that.

Perhaps reductions and streamlining could instill public confidence in the system and encourage a mature development of our political system.