Reading the bill’s publication files and writing a plain-English Green Book note…
Reading the bill’s publication files and writing a plain-English Green Book note…
Proposal 2858
A Bill to make provision about Ministerial appointments, extraordinary Assembly elections, the Ministerial Code of Conduct and petitions of concern in Northern Ireland.
Appraisal prepared just now from the official papers. Next scheduled update after the next sitting or within about 24 hours.
Sponsor: Northern Ireland Office
Open publications on bills.parliament.ukPlain-English note and Green Book five-case reading from the official papers — the heart of this page.
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In plain English
The Bill will extend the time for the appointment of Ministers before the Secretary of State comes under the duty to propose a date for an election.
The papers we read for this bill do not say who would be affected if it became law.
Aspects of the New Decade, New Approach deal are devolved matters that will require the Executive and the Assembly to pursue.
Same bill, simpler words — a deeper read without the jargon.
Imagine the country is making a new rule. This one is about: The Bill will extend the time for the appointment of Ministers before the Secretary of State comes under the duty to propose a date for an election.. The people who would notice most are: we are still checking who that would be. If it became a real law, the everyday change would be: Aspects of the New Decade, New Approach deal are devolved matters that will require the Executive and the Assembly to pursue..
Green Book 2026 · 5 Case Model
The Bill will extend the time for the appointment of Ministers before the Secretary of State comes under the duty to propose a date for an election.
It is currently at Royal Assent in the Unassigned, sponsored by Northern Ireland Office.
Accountability · outcome beside Green Book evidence
Northern Ireland (Ministers, Elections and Petitions of Concern) Act 2022 became law. The official papers we read covered some Green Book cases well and left gaps in others. For accountability, the outcome sits beside a mixed evidence trail — worth reading the case notes below.
Strategic: The Bill will extend the time for the appointment of Ministers before the Secretary of State comes under the duty to propose a date for an election.
Economic: Gap — The papers we read for this bill do not give a figure in pounds for what it would cost or save. That is not a yes or no on the bill.
Commercial: Gap — The papers we read for this bill do not say how this would be bought, contracted or put in place.
Financial: Gap — The papers we read for this bill do not say who would pay for it, or where the money would come from.
Management: Policy background 3 The Northern Ireland Executive was restored on 12 January 2020 after there had been no functioning Executive since 9 January 2017, when the then deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland resigned. This also resulted in the First Minister ceasing to hold office.
This is an accountability reading, not a recommendation and not a score. It does not say whether Parliament should have passed or rejected the bill. It only sets the actual parliamentary outcome beside how complete the Green Book five-case evidence was in the official papers.
These UK Acts sit in a similar policy space and are already law. Pairing uses this proposal’s official papers (and the plain-English note themes). It is not a verdict that the proposal is redundant or unnecessary.
UK Act · Royal Assent · 2023-02-21
Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc) Act 2022
Same policy area (“Constitution / devolution”) with overlapping title wording. Matched using wording from this bill’s official papersAlready law — useful context when asking whether this bill adds something new or mainly revisits covered ground.
UK Act · Royal Assent · 2018-03-29
Northern Ireland Assembly Members (Pay) Act 2018
Same policy area (“Constitution / devolution”) with overlapping title wording. Matched using wording from this bill’s official papersAlready law — useful context when asking whether this bill adds something new or mainly revisits covered ground.
UK Act · Royal Assent · 2010-04-13
Northern Ireland Assembly Members Act 2010
Same policy area (“Constitution / devolution”) with overlapping title wording. Matched using wording from this bill’s official papersAlready law — useful context when asking whether this bill adds something new or mainly revisits covered ground.
UK Act · Royal Assent · 2024-01-26
Northern Ireland (Executive Formation) Act 2024
Same policy area (“Constitution / devolution”) with overlapping title wording. Matched using wording from this bill’s official papersAlready law — useful context when asking whether this bill adds something new or mainly revisits covered ground.
UK Act · Royal Assent · 2023-07-27
Northern Ireland (Executive Formation and Organ and Tissue Donation) Act 2023
Same policy area (“Constitution / devolution”) with overlapping title wording. Matched using wording from this bill’s official papersAlready law — useful context when asking whether this bill adds something new or mainly revisits covered ground.