Debate contribution: Accessibility: Constituency Offices
Debate contribution by Mr Colin McGrath on .
- MLA
- Mr Colin McGrath
- Party at the time
- Social Democratic and Labour Party
- Date
- 1 April 2025
- Type
- Debate contribution
- Business
- Oral Answers to Questions
- Heading
- Accessibility: Constituency Offices
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 4877061
Read the official Assembly record
Text
I thank the Member for his question. As Members will be aware, the Assembly Commission published the Assembly Members (Office and Staffing Costs and Allowances) Determination (Northern Ireland) 2025, which is referred to as the "2025 determination", on 7 February this year. The 2025 determination sought to extend the provisions that already existed. Members may continue to recover costs that are wholly and necessarily attributable to a disability that a Member has. Members may also continue to recover the costs incurred in making reasonable adjustments to the constituency office for persons with a disability, where those costs are not covered under the terms of the lease. That may be for a disabled member of staff or to facilitate access for disabled members of the public. The nature of the disability is not defined. In the first instance, a Member should engage with their landlord to ensure that the terms of the lease are adhered to in that regard. Members are considered to be service providers for the purposes of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 1995. That legislation makes it unlawful to discriminate against disabled persons in connection with the provision of goods, facilities and services. The provisions of the 2025 determination allow a Member to recover the costs that are incurred but are not covered by the lease to meet the statutory responsibilities arising from the DDA regarding reasonable adjustments. That ensures that persons with a disability are not placed at a particular disadvantage when they are either employed by a Member or visit the office. Guidance on all areas of financial support is available in the administrative guide that accompanies the 2025 determination or on the Finance Office’s page on the Members’ portal.
284 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
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