This guidance gives examples of the kinds of information that we would expect the Northern Ireland Assembly (the Assembly) to provide in order to meet their commitments under the model publication scheme. We would expect the Assembly to make the information in this definition document available unless:
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they do not hold the information;
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the information is exempt under one of the FOI exemptions or Environmental Information Regulations (EIRs) exceptions, or its release is prohibited under another statute;
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the information is archived, out of date or otherwise inaccessible; or,
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it would be impractical or resource-intensive to prepare the material for routine release.
The guidance is not meant to give a definitive list. The legal commitment is to the model publication scheme, and authorities should look to provide as much information as possible on a routine basis.
Who we are and what we do
Organisational information, structures, locations and contacts.
We would expect information in this class to be current information only.
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The role of the Northern Ireland Assembly
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The role of the Assembly Commission
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The role of the Secretariat Management Group of the Assembly
The Assembly should be providing both outline and detailed information about its roles and responsibilities and the roles and responsibilities of those working there.
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The roles and identity of the Speaker, First Minister and deputy First Minister, and Committee Chairs
Identification of, responsibilities of and biographical details of senior personnel in the Assembly. Any biographical details that are not work related should be published only with consent.
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Committee, Commission and
Secretariat Management Group
structure and membership
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Information relating to the legislation relevant to functions of the Assembly
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The role of and biographical details of Members of the Assembly Commission
Identification of, responsibilities of and biographical details of senior executives of the Assembly. Any biographical details that are not work related should be published only with consent.
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Members of the Northern Ireland Assembly
Details of those who sit in the Assembly as members of the legislature. Membership of committees. Composition of the Assembly by reference to party.
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Relationship of the Northern Ireland Assembly with other UK, Irish Republic and European legislative bodies
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Locations and contact details
Where possible named contacts should be provided
What we spend and how we spend it
Financial information relating to projected and actual income and expenditure, procurement, contracts and financial audit.
The minimum we would expect is that financial information for the current and, in due course, previous two financial years should be available.
If money is allocated to specific cost centres in the Assembly and it assists in understanding how public money is spent, the Assembly should consider publishing it.
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Financial statements, budgets and variance reports
Financial information in enough detail to allow the public to see where money is being spent, where the Assembly Commission is or has been planning to spend it, and the difference between the two. Financial information should be published at least annually and, where practical, we would also expect half yearly or quarterly financial reports to be provided. Revenue budgets and budgets for capital expenditure should be included.
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Audit of accounts
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Members’ salaries, allowances and expenses
Details of the schemes for the payment of salaries, expenses and allowances to Members. While some details of the expenses paid to individuals should not be disclosed without consent, we would expect to see that the public have ready access to at least the totals,
by reference to categories,
paid to or incurred by individual MLAs on an annual basis.
Categories will be such headings as travel, subsistence, accommodation.
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Workforce pay and grading details, allowances and expenses
The pay scales for those working at the Assembly together with schemes for the payment of allowances and expenses. Overall figures for the expenses, by reference to categories, paid to or incurred by the senior executive officer of the Assembly Commission. Categories will be such headings as travel, subsistence, accommodation.
Details of procedures for acquiring goods and services. Contracts available for public tender.
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Lists of contracts awarded and their value
We would normally expect the Assembly to publish details only of contracts that are large enough to have gone through formal tendering.
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Financial statements for projects and events
If there are identifiable projects, we would expect the publication scheme to cover at least the financial reports that indicate actual expenditure against original project budgets. The larger the project, the greater the detail that should be available. Similarly, where organised events are publicised, their cost should be available through the scheme.
What are our priorities and how are we doing
Strategies and plans, performance indicators, audits, inspections and reviews.
We would expect information in this class to be available at least for the current and, in due course, previous three years.
Below is a list of the type of information we would expect the Assembly to have readily available for publication. Any other reports or recorded information showing the Assembly’s planned or actual performance should normally be included.
An indication of how business is allocated to the Assembly and its committees. Calendars of business to be conducted. The legislative programme. The Commission’s corporate plan and other plans about the provision of administrative and financial services.
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Assembly Commission Annual Report
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Organisational, service provision and performance reviews
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Progress reports
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Statistics
How we make decisions
Decision making processes and records of decisions.
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Records of meetings and proceedings
Records of proceedings of the Assembly and its committees, minutes of the Secretariat Management Group and the Commission.
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Reports and papers provided for consideration at meetings
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Internal communications guidance, criteria used for decision making, internal instructions, manuals and guidelines
Where access to internal instructions, manuals and guidelines for dealing with the business of the Assembly would assist public understanding of the way decisions are made these should be readily available. We would not expect information that might damage the operations of the Assembly to be revealed.
Our policies and procedures
Current written protocols, policies and procedures for delivering our services and responsibilities.
We would expect information in this class to be current information only. If there is particular reason to provide information that is not still current, this should also be included.
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Policies and procedures for the conduct of the business of the Assembly
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Policies and procedures for the provision of services
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Policies and procedures for the recruitment and employment of staff
Such items as
Standing Orders of the Northern Ireland Assembly, procedural guidance, Speaker’s rulings, terms of reference,
codes of practice, memoranda of understanding and the like should be included. A number of policies, for example equality and diversity, health and safety, will cover both the provision of services and the employment of staff. It will include the equality scheme/statement produced in accordance with section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 and policies and procedures for dealing with information requests. If vacancies are advertised as part of recruitment policies, details of current vacancies will be readily available.
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Records management and personal data policies
This will include information security policies, records retention, destruction and archive policies, and data protection (including data sharing) policies.
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Customer service
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Charging regimes and policies
Details of any statutory charging regimes should be provided. Charging policies should include charges made for information routinely published and clearly state what costs are to be recovered together with the basis on which they are made and how they are calculated
Lists and registers
This should list any public registers the NI Assembly holds and how to access them.
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Asset registers and information asset register
We would not expect the Assembly to publish all details from all asset registers. We would expect some information from capital asset registers to be available and where an information asset register has been prepared for the purposes of RoPSI, this ought to be published.
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Registers of interests
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Register of gifts and hospitality provided to Members and senior personnel
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FoIA disclosure log
Where an information disclosure log is produced indicating the information that has been provided in response to requests it should be readily available. Disclosure logs are themselves recommended as good practice.
The services we offer
Information about the services the Assembly provides including leaflets, guidance and newsletters.
Generally this is an expansion of part of the first class of information. While the first class provides information on the roles and responsibilities of the Assembly, this class includes details of the services which are provided by it, internationally, nationally and locally as a result of them. The starting point would normally be a list or lists of the services that fall within the responsibility of the department, linked to details of these services.
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Arrangements for visiting the Assembly
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Services for which the Assembly is entitled to recover a fee together with those fees
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Ceremonies and occasions
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Assembly circulars
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Leaflets, booklets and newsletters
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Advice and guidance
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Media releases
Version 3
23 October 2008
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