Minutes of Proceedings

Session: 2008/2009

Date: 12 May 2009

Venue: Room 106

The meeting began at 12.40 am

1. Introduction

The Speaker noted apologies from the junior Minister, Mr G Kelly, Mr B Armstrong and Mr P Ramsey.

2. Mi nutes of the meeting held on 5 May 2009

2.1 The minutes of the meeting held on 5 May 2009 were agreed and were signed by the Speaker.

3. Mi nutes of the meeting held on 6 May 2009

3.1 The minutes of the meeting held on 6 May 2009 were agreed and were signed by the Speaker.

4. Matters Arising

4.1 The Speaker referred members to paragraph 2.2 of the minutes of 6 May and to the letter he had received from the First Minister and deputy First Minister in response to the concerns he had raised on behalf of the committee regarding the availability of Ministers. Members noted the content of the letter.

5. Finalisation of Order Papers for Plenary meetings in week commencing 18 May

Private Members’ Business

5.1 The Speaker advised members that he had conveyed the committee’s concerns directly to the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety and reported that the Minister had undertaken to respond to one motion ie on ‘Health Provision for Older People’, on Monday 18 May. The Speaker suggested that in the short term members might consider it reasonable to schedule no more than one health motion each week.

5.2 Due to the unavailability of the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, Ms C N í Chuil í n requested that the motion on ‘Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority’, scheduled for Tuesday 19 May, be replaced by the motion on ‘Special Educational Needs and Inclusion Review’ (M O’Neill, J O’Dowd). Members agreed to the request.

5.3 Members further agreed to replace the cross-party motion on ‘Muscular Dystrophy Campaign’ scheduled for Tuesday 19 May. The DUP, who had given up their slot to accommodate the cross-party motion, proposed the motion on ‘EU Fisheries Council’ (I Robinson, J Wells, W McCrea)* for Tuesday 19 May. Members agreed to the new proposal.

*The DUP later changed the motion on ‘EU Fisheries Council’ to the ‘Byron Review’ (M McIlveen, E Poots, M Storey).

6. Provisional arrangements for Plenary meeting on 26 May

6.1 Members were referred to the provisional Order Paper for Tuesday 26 May. It was agreed that there would be no plenary sitting on Bank Holiday Monday (25 May) and that Question Time would be rescheduled for the Tuesday (26 May).

Executive Business

6.2 In addition to Question Time on Tuesday 26 May, members agreed to schedule the motion, tabled by the Minister for Social Development, to approve the Social Security (Lone Parents and Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2008.

Committee Business

6.3 There was no Committee business.

Private Members’ business

6.4 Members agreed to schedule two private Members’ motions and one adjournment topic on Tuesday 26 May. Business was considered under the system of allocating private Members’ business, with the UUP and Alliance having one slot each. The following motions were proposed to fill the two available slots:

  • ‘Decline in Bee Population ’ (L Cree, T Elliott) *
  • ‘Race Relations’ (A Lo, J McCann)

*Members were informed that the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development would not be available on Tuesday 26 May. Mr F Cobain therefore agreed to choose a new motion, to be confirmed at the next meeting.

6.5 Members therefore agreed to schedule the motion on ‘Race Relations’ (A Lo, J McCann) for Tuesday 26 May. Members agreed that up to 1 hour 30 minutes should be allocated for the debate, with the usual speaking times.

6.6 Members agreed to schedule one adjournment topic on Tuesday 26 May. Members proposed a total of three adjournment topics as follows:

  • ‘Ongoing Problems with Quads, Scramblers and Motorised Scooters in the Colin Area, Belfast’ (J McCann)
  • ‘Social Housing in Foyle’ (M Durkan)
  • ‘Redundancies at Nortel’ ( W McCrea)

6.7 The junior Minister, Rt Hon J Donaldson, informed members that the Minister of the Environment would not be in a position to respond to the adjournment topic on ‘Ongoing Problems with Quads, Scramblers and Motorised Scooters in the Colin Area, Belfast’. Ms C N í Chuil í n agreed to withdraw the adjournment topic. A vote being called, the votes of party delegations were cast as follows:

  • Social Housing in Foyle: 52 votes
  • Redundancies at Nortel: 53 votes

6.8 Members therefore agreed to schedule the adjournment topic ‘Redundancies at Nortel’ ( W McCrea) for Tuesday 26 May.

7. Proposed Change to Deadline for Amendments to Bills

7.1 The Speaker referred members to the advice paper setting out the proposal to bring the deadline for tabling amendments to Bills into line with the current deadline for amendments to motions. Members were content with the proposal and agreed to change the deadline for amendments to Bills, subject to the position being reviewed after the summer recess.

8. Any Other Business

Ad Hoc Committee - Draft Private Security Industry Act 2001 (Amendment) (NI) Order 2009

8.1 The Speaker referred members to a letter from the Minister of State, Mr Paul Goggins, and advised that it would be necessary to establish an Ad Hoc Committee to consider the proposal for a Draft Private Security Industry Act 2001 (Amendment) (NI) Order 2009. Members agreed the wording of the motion, including the numerical and party composition of the Ad Hoc Committee and the date by which the Committee should report to the Assembly (30 June 2009). Members agreed that the motion would be scheduled for Monday 18 May and that the names of Mr F Cobain and Mr T Burns would appear alongside the motion.

8.2 Mr K McCarthy raised the issue of Members reading supplementary questions during Question Time. The Speaker advised that was keen to move away from the practice and will continue to call Members to order who blatantly read out supplementary questions. However, he will permit some limited flexibility where Members refer to notes discretely.

9. Date and Time of next meeting

9.1 Members agreed to meet at approximately 12.30 pm on Tuesday 19 May 2009 in Room 106.

The Speaker brought the meeting to a close at 12.55 pm.

William Hay
The Speaker

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