Assembly backs two-day suspension for former UUP leader Steve Aiken

The sanction comes after a complaint that he had breached the Assembly Members’ Code of Conduct by disclosing confidential information in 2021.

The complaint was investigated by the independent Assembly Commissioner for Standards Dr Melissa McCullough.

Following her investigation report in March 2022, the Committee on Standards and Privileges concluded that Mr Aiken had breached the code through the unauthorised disclosure of confidential information relating to a live complaint and by failing to co-operate at all times with the commissioner’s investigation.

The committee recommended that Mr Aiken be excluded from assembly proceedings for a period of two sitting days.

During its plenary sitting on Tuesday, the assembly backed the recommendation.

The suspension will apply on May 13-14 and will include assembly committee meetings.

Mr Aiken responded in the assembly saying he respected the committee’s judgment and accepted the outcome of its deliberations.

In a statement, chairwoman of the Committee on Standards and Privileges Caral Ni Chuilin said while the committee takes all breaches of the code very seriously, “it noted the conclusion of the last committee that this was an egregious breach”, in reference to Mr Aiken being a member of the committee.

She added: “I am therefore pleased that the committee has agreed to recommend to the Assembly that it imposes what we consider to be an appropriate and proportionate sanction.”