The Northern Ireland Assembly is back, here's what MLAs are doing today

12.40 MLAs now debating public finances

The parties are now debating public finances, with demands for more money from Westminster.

12.15 Chairs of statutory committees appointed as follows:

Health Committee Chair: Liz Kimmins, Sinn Fein

Justice Committee Chair: Joanne Bunting, DUP

Education Committee Chair: Nick Mathison, Alliance

Communities Committee Chair: Colm Gildernew, Sinn Fein

Economy Committee: Philip Brett, DUP

DAERA Committee: Tom Elliott, UUP

Vice Chair Education Committee: Pat Sheehan, Sinn Fein

Executive Office Committee: Paula Bradshaw, Alliance

Infrastructure Committee: Deborah Erskine, DUP

Finance Committee: Matthew O’Toole, SDLP

Vice Chair DAERA Committee: Declan McAleer, Sinn Fein

Vice Chair Finance Committee: Diane Forsythe – DUP

Vice Chair Health: Nuala McAllister, Alliance

Vice Chair Justice: Deirdre Hargey, Sinn Fein

Vice Chair Economy: Gary Middleton, DUP

Vice Chair Infrastructure: John Stewart, UUP

Vice Chair Communities: Ciara Ferguson, Sinn Fein

Vice Chair Executive Office: Connie Egan, Alliance

Standing committee appointments:

Chair Assembly and Executive Review Committee: Jonathan Buckley – DUP, Deputy Chair: Padraig Delargy – Sinn Fein

Committee for Procedures Chair: Kelly Armstrong, Alliance - Deputy Chair: Sinead Ennis, Sinn Fein

Standards and Privileges Committee Chair: Philip McGuigan, Sinn Fein – Deputy Chair: Danny Donnelly

Audit Committee Chair: Alan Chambers – UUP, Deputy Chair: Keith Buchanan

Public Accounts Committee – Chair: Daniel McCrossan SDLP, Deputy Chair: Cheryl Brownlee DUP

Windsor Framework democratic scrutiny committee:

Chair: Declan Kearney, Sinn Fein

Deputy Chair: David Brooks, DUP

11.47 DUP seek further suspension

The sitting will now resume at 12.15 when parties are expected to select scrutiny committee chairs. The Speaker says this will be the last adjournment.

10.58 Assembly suspended as parties discuss scrutiny committees

Speaker suspends events for 15 minutes as parties discuss which committee chairs they want. The process mirrors that of the selection of ministers on Saturday – but parties have been advised not to select committees which scrutinise their own departments.

10.54 Jim Allister challenges Speaker on ‘clean his clock’ comments

The TUV leader challenges Speaker Edwin Poots on comments he made on BBC Radio Ulster. Responding to a question about Mr Allister’s criticism of Mr Poots in the chamber on Saturday, the Speaker said: "I couldn't respond to that. Certainly he would have had his clock cleaned if I could have."

Raising a point of order Mr Allister said: "Given the dignity and expectations of your office, how was it compatible for you to publicly vent your desire to ‘clean my clock’ – which has the colloquial and indisputable meaning of indulging in physical violence. How is that compatible with the dignity of your office?”

Speaker Poots responded: “I think the member is being a little sensitive. We were in a debating chamber and the reference was in the import of the debating chamber. So Mr Allister had I had the opportunity to put you right, I would have put you right on that occasion, but I didn’t have the opportunity to do that. No other connotation should be taken from it, that would be entirely disingenuous or misleading. So that’s the situation.”

10.30am King Charles III cancer diagnosis

Alliance MLA Sorcha Eastwood is first up to speak. She praises the King for raising the issue of cancer awareness. She says 10,000 people are diagnosed with the disease each year. She sends warm wishes to the King and

Jim Allister speaks of palpable shock across the nation at the news. He acknowledges the fact both the Speaker Edwin Poots and Sorcha Eastwood have been personally affected by the disease – and encourages people to seek help.

The First Minister Michelle O’Neill wished the King a speedy recovery and said a lot of work needed to be done on cancer strategies, highlighting issues about provision at the NI Children’s hospice. She also sent condolences to the family of former Taoiseach John Bruton who has died.

DUP MLA Jonathan Buckley praised the King’s duty and wished him a recovery – and thanked God for the advancements in cancer treatments.

UUP leader Doug Beattie acknowledged how many people are suffering with cancer. He wished the King a speedy recovery and passed on his condolences to former Irish PM John Bruton.

Leader of the Opposition Matthew O’Toole SDLP commended Sorcha Eastwood for bringing the motion. He said the King has done something very brave in speaking publicly about the issue. He said it was deeply troubling that many people were having cancer diagnoses incidentally. King Charles’s cancer was discovered when going through another procedure.