Robin Newton, Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly, has called for a halt on new Private Member’s Bills, The Irish News reports.

A total of 19 bills have been proposed by backbench MLAs since the May election.

In correspondence seen by The Irish News, Mr Newton notes the “record” number of bills is “close to total of the 25 PMBs which was supported across the entire duration of the last assembly”.

In the letter to Gordon Lyons, chair of the Stormont committee on procedures, Mr Netwon said there will be “procedural and practical challenges from the increased interest in PMBs”.

He added: “I therefore think it would be prudent for our current procedures relating to PMBs to be reviewed and I would ask the committee to consider taking this forward.”

Until that review is concluded, the Assembly’s bills office will not offer support to MLAs proposing their own bills.