Minutes of Proceedings
Session: 2010/2011
Date: 14 September 2010
Venue: Room 106
The meeting began at 12.31 pm
1. Introduction and Apologies
1.1 There were no apologies.
2. Minutes of the meeting held on 7 September 2010
2.1 The minutes of the meeting held on 7 September were agreed and signed by the Speaker.
3. Matters Arising
3.1 There were no matters arising.
4. Finalisation of Order Papers for Plenary meetings in week commencing 20 September 2010
Executive Business
4.1 Members noted that there were no changes to the Executive Business for either Monday 20 or Tuesday 21 September.
Committee Business
4.2 Members agreed to schedule an additional four motions to extend the Committee Stage of the following Bills:
- Welfare of Animals Bill (Agriculture and Rural Development);
- Housing (Amendment) (No.2) Bill (Social Development);
- Energy Bill ( Enterprise, Trade and Investment); and
- Safeguarding Board Bill (Health, Social Services and Public Safety).
Private Members’ Business
4.3 Members noted that the wording of the DUP motion on ‘Carbon Monoxide Awareness and Strategy’, scheduled for Monday 20 September, had been revised by the tablers to call on the Executive collectively, rather than the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, to bring forward a strategy.
4.4 Junior Ministers Kelly and Newton confirmed that the Minister of Finance and Personnel would be responding to the motion on ‘Carbon Monoxide Awareness and Strategy’.
5. Provisional Arrangements for Plenary meetings in week commencing 27 September 2010
Executive Business
5.1 Members noted that the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development intended to seek permission from the Speaker to make a statement on Monday 27 September on ‘European Commission Disallowance of Single Farm Payments’.
5.2 Members noted that the only other Executive Business notified was Question Time to the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister and the Minister for Regional Development on Monday 27 September, and the Minister for Social Development and the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development on Tuesday 28 September.
Committee Business
5.3 Members noted that there was no Committee Business requested.
Private Members’ Business
5.4 Members agreed to schedule two Private Members’ motions on each day.
Under the system of allocating Private Members’ motions, the selections lay with the DUP and SDLP on Monday 27 September, and Sinn Féin and the DUP on Tuesday 28 September.
The following motions were proposed:
- ‘Planning Appeals Commission’ (P Givan, S Hamilton, P Weir, P McGlone);
- ‘Social Economy Enterprises’ (M Anderson, R McCartney, J McCann); and
- ‘Welfare Reform’ ( S Hamilton, M McIlveen).
5.5 The SDLP deferred its selection, and undertook to inform the clerk as soon as possible.
5.6 The Junior Ministers advised members that the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment would be unavailable on Tuesday 28 September. Mr Ramsey therefore agreed to exchange slots with Sinn Féin, to facilitate a Ministerial response to their motion on ‘Social Economy Enterprises’ on Monday 27 September.
5.7 Members, therefore, agreed to schedule the motions on ‘Planning Appeals Commission’ and ‘Social Economy Enterprises’ on Monday 27 September, and the motion on ‘Welfare Reform’ and the SDLP motion on Tuesday 28 September. Members agreed that up to 1 hour 30 minutes should be allocated for the debates, with the usual speaking times.
5.8 After the meeting, Ms Ní Chuilín advised the clerk that she wished to replace the motion on ‘Social Economy Enterprises’ with ‘Proposed Rose Energy Incinerator at Glenavy’ (M McLaughlin, P Butler, C Boylan), for debate on Monday 27 September.
5.9 Members agreed to schedule an Adjournment Debate on Tuesday 28 September. Under the system for allocating Adjournment Debates, the selection lay with the Sinn Fein.
Sinn Féin selected the following adjournment debate:
- ‘Future use of the former Social Security offices in Slieveban Drive, Andersonstown’ (P Maskey).
Members agreed to schedule the adjournment debate on ‘Future use of the former Social Security offices in Slieveban Drive, Andersonstown’ on Tuesday 28 September.
6. Any Other Business
6.1 Mr Ramsey expressed concerns that the Halloween recess appeared to be scheduled for the week before schools take their mid-term break. Other members indicated that the recess did coincide with school holidays in some areas. The clerk confirmed that, in previous years, the Halloween recess has always coincided with school holidays. However, as 31 October falls on a Sunday this year, it appears that school breaks are scheduled during the two weeks either side of Halloween. It was agreed, however, that where dates permit, the Halloween recess should be in line with school holidays.
7. Date and Time of next meeting
7.1 Members agreed to meet at approximately 12.30pm on Tuesday 21 September 2010 in Room 106.
The Speaker brought the meeting to a close at 12.40pm.
