Part of Ministerial Statements – in the Northern Ireland Assembly at 10:45 am on 25 June 2024.
Carál Ní Chuilín
Sinn Féin
10:45,
25 June 2024
Thank you, First Minister. Before I bring in Members to ask questions, I must explain that a lot of Members rose in their places at the same time. If Members bear with us and try to get up and down again, we will try to ensure that they are listed to speak.
Ministerial statements are made after questions and urgent questions, before the main business of the day. A minister speaks on behalf of the government to present its views to Parliament. Statements can be on any subject ranging from a new policy announcement to an important national or international event or crisis.
Ministers make up the Government and almost all are members of the House of Lords or the House of Commons. There are three main types of Minister. Departmental Ministers are in charge of Government Departments. The Government is divided into different Departments which have responsibilities for different areas. For example the Treasury is in charge of Government spending. Departmental Ministers in the Cabinet are generally called 'Secretary of State' but some have special titles such as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ministers of State and Junior Ministers assist the ministers in charge of the department. They normally have responsibility for a particular area within the department and are sometimes given a title that reflects this - for example Minister of Transport.
