Minutes of Proceedings

1. Introduction

1.1 The Speaker welcomed Mr Thomas Buchanan to the meeting in place of Lord Morrow.

2. Minutes of the meeting held on 11 March 2008

2.1 The minutes of the meeting held on 11 March were agreed and were signed by the Speaker.

3. Matters Arising

3.1 There were no matters arising.

4. Arrangements for plenary meetings in weeks commencing 7 and 14 April

4.1 Members were referred to draft Order Papers for Monday 7 and Tuesday 8 April and Monday 14 and Tuesday 15 April, along with a notice of forthcoming Executive business.

Executive Business – week commencing 7 April

4.2 In addition to Question Time, members agreed to schedule the Further Consideration Stage of the Public Health (Amendment) Bill for Monday 7 April.

4.3 Members agreed that the Consideration Stage of the Commission for Victims and Survivors Bill would be scheduled for Tuesday 8 April. Members further agreed that the Final Stage of the Taxis Bill would be scheduled for Tuesday 8 April.

Private Members’ business

4.4 Members agreed to schedule: two private Members’ motions on Monday 7 April and two private Members’ motions on Tuesday 8 April. Members further agreed to schedule one adjournment topic on Tuesday 8 April. Members proposed a total of five motions:

• ‘Further Education Provision for Young People with Disabilities’ (M O’Neill, S Ramsey, P Butler)
• ‘Forkhill Military Site’ ( Lord Morrow, W McCrea, T Clarke)
• ‘Bill of Rights and Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission’ (D Kennedy, T Elliott, P Weir, N McCausland, S Hamilton)
• ‘Northern Corridor Railway Development’ (D O’Loan, T Burns, J Dallat, M Durkan, P Ramsey, M Bradley)
• ‘Schengen Agreement’ (S Farry, D Ford, N Long, S Neeson)

4.5 By consensus, the motion postponed from Monday 31 March (‘Forkhill Military Site’ ( Lord Morrow, W McCrea, T Clarke)) was scheduled for debate on Monday 7 April. Also by consensus, the motion on ‘Further Education Provision for Young People with Disabilities’ (M O’Neill, S Ramsey, P Butler) was scheduled for debate on Monday 7 April. Members agreed that up to 1 hour 30 minutes would be allocated for each debate.

4.6 A vote being called, the votes of party delegations were cast as follows on the other three motions:

• Bill of Rights and Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission: 53 votes

• Northern Corridor Railway Development: 52 votes
• Schengen Agreement: 9 votes

4.7 Members therefore agreed to schedule the motion on ‘Bill of Rights and Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission’ (D Kennedy, T Elliott, P Weir, N McCausland, S Hamilton) and the motion on ‘Northern Corridor Railway Development’ (D O’Loan, T Burns, J Dallat, M Durkan, P Ramsey, M Bradley) for Tuesday 8 April. Members agreed that up to 2 hours and 1 hour 30 minutes should be allocated for each debate respectively.

4.8 Members proposed a total of three adjournment topics as follows:

• ‘Footpaths in Kingsdale Park, East Belfast’ (N Long)
• ‘Cancer services in Foyle’ (R McCartney)
• ‘Public car parking spaces in Enniskillen’ (T Gallagher)

4.9 As 62 votes were cast for the ‘Footpaths in Kingsdale Park, East Belfast’ (N Long), members agreed to schedule this adjournment topic for Tuesday 8 April.

Executive Business – week commencing 14 April

4.10 In addition to Question Time, members agreed to schedule the Further Consideration Stage of the Commission for Victims and Survivors Bill along with a motion to approve a Statutory Rule, from the Minister of Education, for Monday 14 April.

4.11 Members agreed that the Final Stage of the Commission for Victims and Survivors Bill would be scheduled for Tuesday 15 April.

4.12 Mr D McNarry raised the matter of timings for debates on forthcoming stages of the Commission for Victims and Survivors Bill, in the context of the possibility of amendments being tabled. The Speaker advised that as the purpose of the Bill is limited to the replacement of a Commissioner with a Commission, amendments relating to any other matter would fall outside the scope of the Bill.

Private Members’ business – week commencing 14 April

4.13 Members agreed to schedule: two private Members’ motions on Monday 14 April and two private Members’ motions on Tuesday 15 April. Members further agreed to schedule one adjournment topic on Tuesday 15 April. Members proposed a total of five motions:

• ‘Former Military sites’ (P Doherty, B McElduff, C McGill)
• ‘Cancelled Clinics’ (A Easton, T Buchanan, I Robinson)
• ‘Review of Strategic Investment Board’ (G Savage, R Beggs, L Cree, D Kennedy)
• ‘Private Finance Initiatives’ (T Gallagher)
• ‘Schengen Agreement’ (S Farry, D Ford, N Long, S Neeson)

4.14 A vote being called, the votes of party delegations were cast as follows:

• Former Military Sites: 27 votes
• Cancelled Clinics: 62 votes
• Review of Strategic Investment Board: 53 votes
• Private Finance Initiatives: 16 votes
• Schengen Agreement: 9 votes

4.15 Members therefore agreed to schedule the motions on: ‘Review of Strategic Investment Board’ (G Savage, R Beggs, L Cree, D Kennedy) and ‘Former Military sites’ (P Doherty, B McElduff, C McGill) for Monday 14 April; and the motions on ‘Cancelled Clinics’ (A Easton, T Buchanan, I Robinson) and ‘Private Finance Initiatives’ (T Gallagher) for Tuesday 15 April. Members agreed that up to 1 hour 30 minutes should be allocated for each debate.

4.16 Members proposed a total of two adjournment topics as follows:

• ‘Cancer services in Foyle’ (R McCartney)
• ‘Public car parking spaces in Enniskillen’ (T Gallagher)

4.17 A vote being called, the votes of party delegations were cast as follows:

• Cancer services in Foyle: 45 votes
• Public car parking spaces in Enniskillen: 25 votes

4.18 Members therefore agreed to schedule the adjournment topic ‘Cancer services in Foyle’ (R McCartney) for Tuesday 15 April.

5. Any Other Business

5.1 The Speaker referred members to a paper relating to the Committee on Procedures inquiry into committee systems and structures. Members were content with the recommendations in the paper and agreed that the Speaker write to the chair of the Committee on Procedures accordingly.

5.2 The Speaker drew members’ attention to a letter received from the Local Government Authority seeking a nomination to the United Kingdom delegation to the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities in Europe. The Speaker informed members that Mr S Neeson was the current Assembly representative. After discussion, members agreed that Mr K McCarthy would ascertain if Mr Neeson would be content to remain as the Assembly representative on this body. On that basis, a business motion would be agreed for scheduling on the Order Paper for Monday 14 April.

5.3 Mr K McCarthy raised an issue relating to the recent decision by the Assembly Commission that three Members’ signatures were now required when sponsoring an event in Parliament Buildings. The Speaker acknowledged Mr McCarthy’s point and advised that this issue lay with the Assembly Commission.

6. Date and Time of next meeting

6.1 Members agreed to meet during the lunchtime suspension at approximately 12.30 pm on Tuesday 8 April in Room 106.

The Speaker brought the meeting to a close at 1.20 pm.

William Hay
The Speaker