Jim Allister today challenged the decision of the Executive parties to remove the ability of MLAs to question Ministers – something which isn’t happening elsewhere in the UK. He had to raise his concerns by way of a point of order as the motion was passed without debate.
Mr Allister said:
“The House is being invited to consider a motion without debate. Yet, that motion will remove the opportunity for Members during coming weeks to ask oral questions of Ministers in the House. That seems to be a wholly retrograde step compounded by the fact that we are not even to debate it.
“I recognise entirely that these are utterly unprecedented times and that our focus should be single-minded in respect of the medical crisis but we are sent to the House as MLAs, and part of that function is to scrutinise the work of the Executive. Once the Coronavirus Bill is passed, tomorrow or in the following days, the Executive will acquire immense, draconian powers, because that Act is effectively an amazing special powers Act. Yet, that will coincide with removing the regular facility of the House to question Ministers at Question Time. That is not happening, generally, elsewhere. It is not happening in Westminster. The First Minister in Scotland is still taking questions, and, I believe, it is so in Wales. Yet, in this House, we will, on the nod, remove that facility from Members. That is incongruous, it is wrong and it is particularly wrong that we will do that without debate. If that is the will of the House, then let it be manifested in debate. The House is a place apart. It is a place without an opposition, and yet now we will have an Executive with the facility of Members to even question them removed. That seems wrong.”