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No Stormont scrutiny committees in absence of executive

Assembly committees can only be created after all ministerial offices have been filled
Assembly committees can only be created after all ministerial offices have been filled Assembly committees can only be created after all ministerial offices have been filled

THE Stormont assembly cannot establish scrutiny committees to examine the work of departments in the absence of a new executive.

Under assembly standing orders, committees can only be established and their membership determined after all ministerial offices have been filled following an election.

It means under the current rules there will be no committees established to scrutinise the work of government departments while they are controlled by civil servants.

Senior officials earlier this week gained control of the north's departments and finances after parties failed to reach an agreement on forming a new executive.

Reacting yesterday to civil servants taking control of finances, Alliance's deputy leader Stephen Farry described the situation as "extremely serious".

"The opportunity for the strategic use of resources will be much reduced, and any new policy decisions and capital allocations are on hold," he said.

"We do welcome some indications of short-term financing for the community and voluntary sector, but are very conscious that implementation of this does need to be tightly monitored and enforced."