Attending Sittings
Every sitting of the Network Assembly of the Velocity Interoperability Network is open to the public. The Assembly meets in the Assembly Chamber at Central Exchange, the principal site of the Network, in fortnightly sitting weeks from Tuesday to Thursday. Sittings open at 10:00 and rise at 18:00, with an adjournment between 13:00 and 14:00. The calendar for the remainder of 2026 is set out on the Proceedings page.
The public gallery seats 120. Seats may be reserved by requesting a ticket from the Office of the Clerk by email, and 40 seats are held on every sitting day for visitors who arrive without one. Admission is free. The first regular sitting week begins on Tuesday 15 September 2026, and tickets for that week may be requested from today.
Galleries and capacity. The table below sets out where visitors may sit and how seats are allocated.
| Gallery | Seats | Admission | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public gallery | 120 | Ticket requested by email, or same-day admission from 09:30 | Open on every sitting day, 09:30 until the Assembly rises |
| Same-day seats | 40 of the 120 | No ticket; admitted in order of arrival | Held until 10:30, then released to ticket holders on the waiting list |
| Press gallery | 24 | Accreditation by the Office of the Clerk | Open on every sitting day from 09:00 |
| Accessible seating | 8 wheelchair spaces and 8 companion seats | Ticket requested by email; not released to the same-day queue | Step-free access from the Chamber entrance |
| Committee rooms | 20 to 36, depending on the room | No ticket; admitted in order of arrival | Open when the committee meets in public |
Requesting a ticket. Tickets are requested and confirmed by email.
Step 1: Choose a sitting day
Check the sitting calendar on the Proceedings page and the order paper, published on the Friday before each sitting week, to find the business you wish to hear.
Step 2: Write to the Office of the Clerk
Send your name, the number of seats requested (up to four), the sitting day and whether you need accessible seating, at least two sitting days before the sitting. Requests are met in order of receipt.
Step 3: Receive your ticket
Tickets are confirmed by email, normally within one working day. A ticket admits the holder for the whole sitting day; you may leave and return during the adjournment between 13:00 and 14:00.
Step 4: Arrive and pass through screening
Arrive at the Chamber entrance at Central Exchange at least twenty minutes before the business you wish to hear. Bring identification and your ticket. Bags are screened and large items are left at the cloakroom.
Questions about attending. The answers below cover the questions most often asked of the Office of the Clerk.
Ticket requests, group visits and enquiries about access may be sent to contact@assembly.gov.vin. For the order of business on a sitting day and the rules that govern the galleries, see the Standing Orders; for other common questions about the Assembly, see the frequently asked questions.