Minutes of Proceedings

The meeting began at 12.32 pm

1. Introduction

1.1 The Speaker noted apologies from Lord Morrow.

2. Minutes of the meetings held on 20 October 2009

2.1 The minutes of the meeting held on 20 October were agreed and signed by the Speaker.

3. Matters Arising

3.1 In relation to paragraph 3.2 of the minutes of the meeting held on 20 October, members noted the response received by the Speaker from the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister regarding Ministerial availability.

3.2 In relation to paragraph 4.6 of the minutes of the meeting held on 20 October, the Speaker informed members that he had received a response from junior Ministers about the Executive’s process for scheduling Assembly business. Members noted that the response was incorporated within the advice paper provided to them.

3.3 The Speaker updated members on the outcome of his meeting with junior Ministers on 2 November and, in particular, an agreement between both parties that the Business Committee can only schedule Executive Business as it appears on the Final Notice of Forthcoming Assembly Business.

4. Finalisation of Order Papers for Plenary meetings in week commencing 9 November 2009

Speaker’s Business

4.1 Members agreed to schedule a public petition for Monday 9 November, in relation to support for victims of institutional abuse. Mr Pat Ramsey advised that a covering letter on the petition would follow.

Committee Business

4.2 Members agreed to reschedule the Committee for Health, Social Services and Public Safety’s motion on its report on the Inquiry into Obesity from Tuesday 10 November to Monday 16 November, as the Minister was unavailable on 10 November.

Executive Business

4.3 Members noted that the Consideration Stage for both the Goods Vehicles (Licensing of Operators) Bill and the Department of Justice Bill were scheduled for Tuesday 10 November.

4.4 Following a request by Mr Peter Weir, junior Ministers agreed to discuss with their Executive colleagues the possibility of rescheduling the Consideration Stage of the Goods Vehicles (Licensing of Operators) Bill to Monday 9 November to dedicate Tuesday 10 November to the debate on the Consideration Stage of the Department of Justice Bill.

4.5 The Speaker reminded members of the concerns raised previously in relation to the impact on sitting times of major pieces of legislation, such as the Department of Justice Bill, particularly where other business had also been scheduled. Members noted that no other business had been scheduled to follow the two Consideration Stages and that the first of those should not take overly long. Members therefore agreed that the Consideration Stage of the Department of Justice Bill should run until its natural conclusion on Tuesday 10 November. The Speaker reminded members that comments made during the debate on the Department of Justice Bill should be relevant to the Bill.

Private Members’ Business

4.6 Members agreed to schedule one Private Members’ motion on Monday 9 November. It was agreed that no Private Members’ motions or adjournment debates would be scheduled for Tuesday 10 November.

Under the system of allocating Private Members’ Business, the Alliance had the next available slot.

The following motion was proposed:

• Multi-unit Development Management Company Reform (Mr K McCarthy, Mr D Ford).

4.7 Junior Ministers Newton and Kelly confirmed that the Minister of Finance and Personnel was available on Monday 9 November. Members therefore agreed to schedule the ‘Multi-unit Development Management Company Reform’ motion for the slot on Monday 9 November. Members agreed that up to 1 hour 30 minutes should be allocated for the debate, with the usual speaking times.

5. Provisional Arrangements for Plenary meetings in week commencing 16 November 2009

Executive Business

5.1 Members noted that the Further Consideration Stage of the Financial Provisions Bill was scheduled for Monday 16 November, in addition to Question Time to the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety and the Minister for Regional Development.

5.2 Members also noted that an Executive motion was scheduled for Monday 16 November to approve the Child Support (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2009.

5.3 Members noted that the only Executive Business for Tuesday 17 November was Question Time to the Minister for Social Development.

Committee Business

5.4 Members agreed to reschedule the Health, Social Services and Public Safety Committee motion on its report on its Inquiry into Obesity for Monday 16 November.

Private Members’ Business

5.5 Members agreed to schedule one Private Members’ motion on Monday 16 November and two Private Members’ motions on Tuesday 17 November, as the position on the Consideration Stage of the Education Bill was not yet clear. Members agreed, however, to revise the Provisional Order Papers at the Business Committee meeting on 10 November, if necessary.

Under the system of allocating Private Members’ Business, the DUP had two slots and the SDLP had one.

The following motions were proposed:

• Common Fisheries Policy (Mr I Paisley Jnr, Mr J Shannon, Mr W Irwin), subject to confirmation (see paragraph 5.7 below);
• Rural Schools (Mr D Bradley, Mr T Gallagher); and
• NI Budget ( Mr S Hamilton, Mr G Campbell);

Members agreed that up to 1 hour 30 minutes should be allocated for the debates, with the usual speaking times.

5.6 Junior Minister’s Kelly and Newton confirmed that the relevant Ministers were available, but that the Minister of Education would not be available until noon on Tuesday 17 November. It was therefore agreed that the DUP motion would be debated before the SDLP motion.

5.7 Following the meeting, the DUP confirmed that it wished to select the EU Fisheries Council motion (Mr I Paisley Jnr, Mr J Shannon, Mr W Irwin) in place of the Common Fisheries Policy motion on Monday 16 November.

5.8 Members agreed to schedule an adjournment debate on Tuesday 17 November. Under the new system for allocating Adjournment Debates, the selection lay with Sinn F éin.

Sinn F éin selected the following adjournment debate:

• Realignment of Business Services Organisation from Tower Hill, Armagh City (Mr C Boylan).

Members’ agreed to schedule the adjournment debate on ‘Realignment of Business Services Organisation from Tower Hill, Armagh City’ C Boylan) on Tuesday 3 November.

5.9 Following discussions after the meeting, it was confirmed that the topic required a response from the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety. As the Minister was unavailable, Sinn F éin selected the following topic for debate on Tuesday 17 November:

• The delayed Multi-element Improvement Scheme for 19 rural cottages within the Housing Executive’s Lurgan District area (Mr J O’Dowd).

6. AOB

6.1 The Speaker referred members to a document containing Speaker’s Rulings that had been made from May 2006 to October 2009, copies of which were distributed at the meeting.

7. Date and Time of next meeting

7.1 Members agreed to meet at approximately 12.30 pm on Tuesday 10 November 2009 in Room 106.

The Speaker brought the meeting to a close at 12.50pm.

William Hay
The Speaker