The School Uniforms Bill was introduced by Mr Poots' party colleague and Education Minister Paul Givan earlier this year

The Speaker of the Assembly Edwin Poots has rejected for debate an amendment to new school uniform laws which would see girls allowed to wear trousers to school.

The School Uniforms Bill was introduced by Mr Poots' party colleague and Education Minister Paul Givan earlier this year in an effort to make school uniform costs more regulated and affordable for families.

The bill was debated on the floor of the Assembly on Monday as part of its consideration stage, after a number of amendments were agreed and suggested by the Stormont Education committee.

The Assembly speaker has a scrutiny role in relation to the competence of legislation, selecting amendments to bills for debate at Stormont.

However, in a move which some Stormont sources described as "unusual", around half of the 23 amendments put forward to the Speaker were rejected by Mr Poots.

Among the amendments rejected were that new guidelines for schools include "provision prohibiting any aspects of school uniform policies which restrict choice of items of clothing on the basis of sex or gender."

Comments from the Education Authority as part of a consultation into the legislation noted "concerns around growing levels of misogyny in schools and instances of upskirting and sexual harassment towards schoolgirls" and suggested "there should be more flexibility in uniform policy".

Among the other amendments which were rejected by Mr Poots was the introduction of a specific cap of no more than four branded items of school clothing.

During an Assembly debate on the bill on Monday, MLAs were critical of the legislation and described it as "fairly light on detail" and lacking in specific guidance for schools.

Alliance MLA Nick Mathison, who chairs the Education committee, said the bill as it stands "gives us no assurances of what the guidelines will specifically allow schools to do".

Sinn Féin's Pat Sheehan described the rejection of a large number of amendments as a "missed opportunity".

"The minister and his party opposed practically all the amendments that were put forward by the committee and that's unfortunate," Mr Sheehan said.

"What we're left with, in my view, is a very watered down piece of legislation and we're not even sure what impact that will have."

The Speaker's Office and the Department of Education were contacted for comment.