AVERAGE VOTING RECORD BY PARTY (ASSEMBLY TERM SINCE 2007):
DUP 81%
SDLP 78%
SF 74%
ALL 66%
UUP 60%
Best Individual Voting Records:
Alastair Ross MLA (DUP) 97%
Peter Weir MLA (DUP) 97%
Jimmy Spratt (DUP) 97%
Allan Bresland (DUP) 97%
Patsy McGlone (SDLP) 97%
Alex Easton MLA (DUP) 93%
Ian McCrea MLA (DUP) 93%
Simon Hamilton MLA (DUP) 93%
DUP Chief Whip Peter Weir has said that the publication of statistics on the voting record of all Assembly Members demonstrates the DUP’s commitment to serving the people of Northern Ireland and in ensuring that the Party’s MLAs are doing the work they are elected and paid for.
Mr Weir said, ‘Every Assembly Member will know the importance of constituency work and in assisting people with the problems which face them. However, one of the primary jobs of any MLA is as a legislator and that requires attendance at Stormont to scrutinise and vote on the Bills which are passing through the Assembly.
The attendance rate of the Ulster Unionist Party makes it difficult to ensure that important votes are won at the Assembly. Indeed, if the DUP adopted the same laissez-faire attitude as so many UUP MLAs do, I have no doubt that that nationalists would be winning key votes on important matters.
For all their moaning about full time representation and lack of executive scrutiny, it is telling that the Ulster Unionists have the worst group voting record. You can't scrutinise and hold to account if you don't bother turning up. If you don't bother turning up, you are in no position to demand higher standards of other people that you yourself don't abide by.
The average voting record for each party shows the importance which the DUP places upon ensuring that MLAs who are paid for the work of legislating are doing that work and attending Stormont to represent the people from constituencies across Northern Ireland who have elected them.
Of the five Assembly Members with the highest voting records, four of them are members of the Democratic Unionist Party. As unionists we have been clear that devolution is in the best interests of Northern Ireland and in the interests of our place within the United Kingdom.
Whilst the work of scrutinising legislation or even the debates in the Assembly go unseen by many people we believe it is vitally important that there is a demonstration of the work which many Assembly Members are doing at Stormont.
These figures are part of that demonstration and show the importance which each of the Parties clearly put on that work."