Since 2015, members of the Northern Ireland Assembly, their staff and parliamentary officials have been permitted to charge electric vehicles free of charge at the Stormont estate’s parliament buildings. Members of the public using the same estate must pay for the service.

The Assembly Travel Allowance (ATA) received by MLAs is intended to cover running and maintenance costs, including fuel, an Assembly spokesperson has confirmed. The allowance is paid for travel to the Assembly and for journeys within constituencies.

Sinn Féin has stated that none of its MLAs uses the charging points. The SDLP said none of its representatives have used them.

Lagan Valley Ulster Unionist MLA Robbie Butler acknowledged making occasional partial use of the free chargers, adding that his main vehicle charging takes place at home. He said the ATA is not a direct reimbursement of fuel or electricity costs but instead contributes to general travel expenses such as wear and tear, insurance, motor tax, maintenance and depreciation.

Both the Democratic Unionist Party and the Ulster Unionist Party have called on any of their MLAs who used the facility to reimburse the additional benefit they received. DUP leader Gavin Robinson instructed three party MLAs to arrange reimbursement, and the party said no DUP members would use the chargers until a pay-to-charge system is introduced. UUP leader Jon Burrows urged the Assembly Commission to start charging MLAs immediately and said any party member who used the free charger should now contact the Assembly finance department to repay the cost.

The names of MLAs who used the chargers were reported to include DUP MLA Pam Cameron, Alliance MLA David Honeyford and Mr Butler. DUP MLA Trevor Clarke brought his wife’s electric car to Stormont but did not confirm whether it was charged there.

Separately, it has emerged that the Assembly deletes the names of those using the chargers and associated usage data after seven days.

The Assembly Commission is under pressure to end free charging for MLAs and introduce a pay-per-use system.