Speaker Edwin Poots warns Stormont politicians about turning up late for Assembly business

Mr Poots has also announced that he intends to raise issues about the “standard of debates” in the chamber in coming weeks.

He recently reminded Alliance MLAs that Stormont is not a “student debating chamber” after some of the party’s MLAs demanded he intervened over comments made by the TUV’s Timothy Gaston. The Speaker advised MLAs be a little more robust.

On Tuesday morning, Mr Poots fired another warning shot to MLAs about their conduct in the chamber – saying Assembly sittings “are not just another engagement in Members' diaries and that the Chamber is not just another meeting room”. The South Belfast MLA said that “respecting our courtesies and procedures is about respecting the serious business that we have to do and respecting the people who put us here to do it” – and that he wanted to “create the conditions for our business to be done properly and effective scrutiny to be conducted”.

Mr Poots told the MLAs present: “Frequently, I raise issues with Ministers about ensuring that they bring business to the Assembly and that they comply with our procedures. The same must apply to Members. In the coming weeks, I intend to say more about our standards of debate. However, I am writing to Members today particularly about the need to be in the Chamber at the appropriate time for the business that they are due to participate in, whether that be questions, statements or debates. Ministers and Members are expected to give priority to the business of Assembly sittings on Mondays and Tuesdays.

“Last week, a Member apologised for not being in their place in time, which was appropriate, and they sat on for the entirety of Question Time. I have no issue with that — it was an honest mistake — but, last week, other Members did not turn up to ask their questions. A lot of time is spent by Departments and Ministers on preparing answers to questions, and a lot of expense is incurred. It is pure common courtesy to be here for Question Time. Not turning up and then not apologising for that will not be tolerated”.

Last week, the Speaker said some Members of the Assembly have “a very loose interpretation of smart” – referring to the dress code for the chamber.

Issuing a reminder about protocol during a plenary session of the Northern Ireland Assembly on Tuesday, Mr Poots told MLAs that he “sees everything” from his position.

Mr Poots also noted there were occasions when some MLAs did not acknowledge the Speaker as they left the chamber, and ticked off those who have been spotted taking cups of coffee and drinks cans into it.

He told MLAs on Tuesday: “Ultimately, the Speaker has means of ensuring that people comply. We do not want to use those. I am a very generous Speaker. I want to remain so and not come down hard on people. I encourage Members to use their common sense. Thank you for listening, good people who are here. Hopefully, the others who are not here will read what is in the letter”.