Commentary on Sections Section 4: Resolutions about exclusion
13.This section amends section 30 of the 1998 Act. Section 30 currently enables the Assembly, by resolution, to exclude Ministers, junior Ministers or all members of a political party from holding ministerial office for a period of twelve months (subject to extension).
14.The amendments made by this Act impose a minimum duration on any exclusion, and distinguish in this respect between exclusion of individual Ministers, and exclusion of all members of a party. The test for exclusion remains the same.
15.The procedural safeguards provided for in section 30 at present will also continue to apply. These are –
	a motion for an exclusion resolution cannot (section 30(5)) be moved unless:it is supported by at least 30 members of the Assembly;it is moved by the First Minister and the deputy First Minister acting jointly; orit is moved by the Presiding Officer in pursuance of a notice served by the Secretary of State; and
	an exclusion resolution will require cross-community support in the Assembly (section 30(8)). Cross-community support, as defined in section 4(5) of the 1998 Act, can take two forms:Parallel consent: a majority of the members voting, including a majority of designated nationalists voting and a majority of designated unionists voting; orWeighted majority: the support of 60% of the members voting, including 40% of the designated Nationalists voting and 40% of the designated unionists voting.