Minutes of Proceedings

The meeting began at 12.34 pm

1. Introduction

1.1 The Speaker noted apologies from Mr Paul Maskey.

2. Minutes of the meetings held on 13 October 2009

2.1 The minutes of the meeting held on 13 October were agreed and signed by the Speaker.

3. Matters Arising

3.1 In relation to paragraph 3.1 of the minutes of the meeting held on 13 October, Mr T Reaney updated members on the review of the security arrangements during US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s visit to Parliament Buildings on 12 October. Members noted that the review showed that, overall, the arrangements had worked well. There were a few minor learning points which would be addressed for future VIP visits.

3.2 In relation to paragraph 5.11 of the minutes of the meeting held on 13 October, members noted that the Speaker had written to the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister regarding Ministerial availability. The Speaker referred members to a copy of his letter.

4. Finalisation of Order Papers for Plenary meetings in week commencing 2 November 2009

Committee Business

4.1 Members agreed to reschedule the Committee on Health, Social Services and Public Safety motion on ‘Efficiency and Contingency Deficit Proposals in the Health and Social Care Trusts’ from 2 November to 9 November to facilitate a Ministerial response.

Executive Business

4.2 Members noted that the Consideration Stage of the Education Bill did not appear on the Executive’s most recent ‘Notice of Forthcoming Assembly Business’, and that the Executive had yet to consider the matter.

4.3 Mr O’Dowd expressed his concern that the Executive had not requested that the Bill be scheduled for 3 November, and referred to constraints on its legislative timescale.

4.4 Other members rehearsed concerns expressed at the previous meeting about the difficult position in which the Committee found itself in the context of Executive processes for bringing forward business.

4.5 It was agreed that, in the circumstances, Private Member’s Business would be scheduled for 3 November and that, if requested to do so by the Executive, the Committee would meet again to consider the scheduling of the Consideration Stage of the Education Bill.

4.6 It was agreed that the anticipated briefing paper on scheduling Assembly business should clarify whether the responsibility for scheduling Executive business lies with the Executive or with individual Ministers.

Private Members’ Business

4.7 Members agreed to schedule two Private Members’ motions on Monday 2 November and two motions on Tuesday 3 November.

Under the system of allocating Private Members’ Business, SDLP, DUP, SF and UUP each had one slot.

The following motions were proposed:

• Ryan Report (C Hanna, D O’Loan, D Bradley, M Durkan);
• Persecution of Christians in Orissa State (D Simpson, S Moutray, M Storey);
• Frontline Services and Hospital Beds (F Molloy, C McGill, S Ramsey); and
• Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (T Elliott, D Kennedy).

4.8 Junior Ministers Newton and Kelly informed members that the Minister for Health, Social Services and Public Safety was unavailable on both Monday 2 and Tuesday 3 November, and that the Minister for Finance and Personnel was unavailable on 3 November. Due to the unavailability of the Minister for Health, Social Services and Public Safety, Sinn F éin replaced their motion with the following motion:

• North West Region (M Anderson, F Brolly, P Doherty, C McGill).

4.9 The Executive agreed to consider whether the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister would respond to the motion on the ‘Ryan Report’.

4.10 Members therefore agreed to schedule the ‘Ryan Report’ and ‘Persecution of Christians in Orissa State’ motions for the two slots on Monday 2 November; and the ‘North West Region’ and ‘Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission’ motions on Tuesday 3 November. Members agreed that up to 1 hour 30 minutes should be allocated for the debates, with the usual speaking times.

4.11 Members agreed to schedule an adjournment debate on Tuesday 3 November. Under the new system for allocating Adjournment Debates, the selection lay with the DUP.

The DUP selected the following adjournment debate:

• Primary School Provision in Ballymena South (M Storey).

4.12 Members’ agreed to schedule the adjournment debate on ‘Primary School Provision in Ballymena South’ (M Storey) on Tuesday 3 November.

5. Provisional Arrangements for Plenary meetings in week commencing 9 November 2009

Executive Business

5.1 Members noted that the only Executive Business scheduled for Monday 9 November was Question Time to the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister and the Minister of the Environment.

5.2 Members noted that the only Executive Business scheduled for Monday 9 November was Question Time to the Minister of Finance and Personnel.

Committee Business

5.3 Members agreed to schedule the Committee motion on ‘Efficiency and Contingency Deficit Proposals in the Health and Social Care Trusts’ on Monday 9 November.

5.4 Members agreed to schedule the Health, Social Services and Public Safety Committee Report into Obesity on Tuesday 10 November, but noted that it may be rescheduled because the Minister is not available to respond on that date.

5.5 Members agreed that up to 1 hour 30 minutes should be allocated for both motions from the Committee for Health, Social Services and Public Safety, with the usual speaking times.

Private Members’ Business

5.6 It was agreed that Private Members’ Business would not be scheduled for Monday 9 or Tuesday 10 November until the position on the Consideration Stage of the Education Bill is clearer.

6. Date and Time of next meeting

6.1 Unless an earlier meeting is required, members agreed to meet at approximately 12.30 pm on Tuesday 3 November 2009 in Room 106.

The Speaker brought the meeting to a close at 1.07pm.

William Hay
The Speaker