GCSE Government and Politics

Role of MLAs:

Representation role

  Interactive constituency map & election results and performance

  Interactive game - ‘Work of an MLA’

  Interactive game - ‘Constituency Time’ challenge

  Representation explained animation

  Getting Involved

  Introduction to the Assembly

  How the Assembly works

  Visit to Northern Ireland Assembly through its Education Service - opportunity to meet with MLAs

Legislative role

  How laws are made in the Northern Ireland Assembly

  Legislative role of an MLA and examples of recent bills

  Bills 2017-2022 (www.niassembly.gov.uk)

To watch a debate live:
  www.niassembly.gov.uk

Scrutiny role

  How the Assembly scrutinises the Executive i.e. opposition, committees, questions and debates

  The Assembly and Executive

  Scrutiny explained animation

Voting

  How MLAs vote in the Assembly chamber and cross community voting

  A video (from our archive) showing how MLAs vote in the Assembly chamber

  Voting in the Chamber explained animation

Private Member’s Bills

  How laws are made in the Northern Ireland Assembly

  Legislation passed in the 2011-16 mandate with details of Private Member’s Bills

  Private Members’ Bills (Non-Executive Bills) 2017 -22 (www.niassembly.gov.uk)

Opposition

  Official Opposition

  Scrutiny explained animation

  Assembly and Executive

Question Time

  Questions i.e. written/ oral and the role of the Speaker in Question Time

  Interactive game - Take the Question Time challenge

Watch clips of previous Question Times:
  Assembly’s YouTube channel
  niassembly.tv/categories/question-time

  From this page you can access information regarding Assembly questions which have been submitted for either written or oral answer

Committees

How committees work:
  Part 1
  Part 2

  Information on the different types of Committees in the Northern Ireland Assembly

  Information can be accessed here on current Assembly Committees and their work

How MLAs and MPs in Northern Ireland are elected and the pros and cons of each of these electoral systems.

  Race to Stormont - what happens before, during and after an Assembly election

  Animation explaining what happens when an Assembly election is called

  Different ways to choose your elected representatives in a democracy

  Proportional representation and STV

  Animation explaining how STV works

  Counting votes in an STV election

  Links to research papers on election results

Voting trends

  This research paper, produced by the Assembly’s Research and Information Service (RaISE), provides an analysis of the Assembly election held on 2 March 2017. The paper also includes an analysis of voter turnout and results by party and constituency.

  This research paper, produced by the Assembly’s Research and Information Service (RaISE), provides an analysis of the Westminster General Election held on 8 June 2017, and compares the outcome with the 2015 election. The paper also includes an analysis of voter turnout and results by party and constituency.

  Performance of the 5 main parties from 1998 to 2016

The policies of the five largest political parties in Northern Ireland – including similarities and differences on the major issues of:

• the economy
• education
• the environment
• immigration

  Interviews with political parties can be found in the video gallery. Politicians explain what their party stands for and discuss their views on the issues affecting young people e.g. education, student fees, votes at 16

  Revised GCSE Student Guidance for Government & Politics - The Northern Ireland Political Parties (www.ccea.org.uk/)

  Visit to Northern Ireland Assembly through its Education Service – opportunity to meet with MLAs

The range of actions a citizen can take to achieve their aims and hold the powerful in society to account

  Visit to Northern Ireland Assembly through its Education Service – opportunity to meet with MLAs

  Getting Involved