Lord McDowall

[email address]

20 February 2009

Dear Lord McDowall

Thank you for your request for the following information:

“Please provide clarification on what the NIA do in order to prevent the apparent

religious privilege granted to MLA's, and the conflict of religious views on equality

and the celebration of diversity.

How does the NIA expect members of the public to be comfortable and able to

approach their MLA, when they are quoting religious scriptures to validate intolerant

and homophobic comments.

For example, how would the NIA and the First Minister react to a gay MLA, who

refused to support Christians due to their religious views or Muslims due to the

Quoran's intolerance of homosexuals. The MLA would be expressing his views as a

gay male, who is being confronted with unstomachable comments made by certain

persons of a specific religion.”

The Northern Ireland Assembly has approved and caused to be published written guidance for Members in the form of the “Code of Conduct and the Guide to the Rules Relating to the Conduct of Members”. This guidance is intended “to assist Members in the discharge of

their obligations to the Assembly, their constituents and the public at large”. All Members are provided with a copy of the Code and the Guide.

Both the Code and the Guide are published on the Northern Ireland Assembly website. Please find further details in the link below.

http://www.niassembly.gov.uk/reports/nia24-01.htm

In respect of privilege, while there is no `religious privilege' as such, for the purposes of the law of defamation absolute privilege attaches to any statement made in proceedings of the Assembly (section 50 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998).

The Northern Ireland Assembly Commission, the corporate body which supports the Northern Ireland Assembly, complies fully with its statutory obligations under section 75 of the 1998 Act.

The 1998 Act is available through the link below:

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts1998/ukpga_19980047_en_1

I hope this information is helpful.

Yours sincerely

Martina Dalton

Information Standards Officer

Commission Support & Compliance Unit

Northern Ireland
Assembly

Room 54

Parliament Buildings

Belfast, BT4 3XX

Tel: +44 (0) 28 9052 1147

Fax: +44 (0) 28 90418340

e-mail: [Northern Ireland Assembly request email]