PART VII - QUORUM OF THE ASSEMBLY

Quorum at commencement of the Assembly

36. (1)A quorum of the Assembly or of a Committee of the whole Assembly shall be a third

of its members.

(2) If there is not a quorum present when the Chair is taken, at the time appointed for a meeting of the Assembly, immediately after the saying of the prayer, the Speaker shall order the bell to be rung for ten minutes, and if no quorum is present at the expiration of the ten minutes, the Speaker may direct that the bell be rung for a further five minutes and if there is still no quorum present, the Speaker shall adjourn the Assembly forthwith to the next sitting.

Quorum during the proceedings of the Assembly

37. (1) If at any time after the Chair is taken, or when the Assembly is in Committee, a member objects that there is not a quorum present, the Speaker or the Chairperson shall count the Assembly or the Committee as the case may be.

(2) If on the count under paragraph (1) a quorum does not appear to be present, the Speaker or the Chairperson shall cause the division bell to be rung as on a division, and if no quorum is present at the expiration of the ten minutes-

(a) if the Speaker is in the Chair, the Speaker shall adjourn the Assembly until the

next sitting without question put;

(b) if the Assembly is in Committee, the Chairperson shall leave the Chair and

report the fact to the Speaker, who shall adjourn the Assembly until the next sitting without question put.

(3) Whenever the Speaker or the Chairperson, as the case may be, is engaged in

counting the Assembly or the Committee respectively, the doors shall remain unlocked but no member shall be allowed to leave the Chamber, except a party whip who may be permitted to leave the Chamber to seek the Members required to raise a quorum.

Quorum during voting or division

38. If, from the number of members taking part in an electronic voting or roll call division,

it appears that the members do not themselves constitute a quorum, the vote or division shall be invalid and the business then under consideration shall stand over until the next sitting and the Speaker shall proceed as if his or her attention had been drawn to the absence of a quorum, but if after so proceeding a quorum is then present, the next business shall be entered upon.

Decorum when quorum not present

39. When the Quorum bell is ringing members shall maintain order in the Assembly