Minutes of Proceedings

Introduction and Apologies

1.1       Apologies were noted from Mr Dickson and Mr Swann.

2.         Minutes of the meeting held on 31 January 2012

2.1       The minutes of the meeting held on 31 January were agreed and signed by the Speaker.  

3.         Matters arising

3.1       The Speaker referred members to paragraph 6.2 of the minutes and to a copy of the letter he had sent to the Chairperson of the Committee on Procedures.

4.         Finalisation of Order Papers for Week Commencing 13 February 2012

Executive Business

4.1      Members noted that there were no changes to Executive Business previously agreed. However, members also noted the possibility of a statement on the recent NSMC Tourism meeting being made on Tuesday 14 February.

Committee Business

4.2      Members noted that no additional Committee Business had been requested.

Private Members’ Business

4.3      Members noted that no Private Members’ Business was scheduled.

Other Business

4.4     Members also agreed to schedule the presentation of public petitions by Mr Swann and Mr McDevitt on Monday 13 February, along with a Sinn Féin motion to change committee memberships.          

4.5      The Order Papers were agreed.

5          Provisional arrangements for Plenary meetings in week commencing 20 February 2012

Executive Business

5.1       Members noted that in addition to Question Time to the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure and the Minister of Education, the Consideration Stage of the Budget Bill and a motion on the Social Security (Loss of Benefit) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2011 had been scheduled for Monday 20 February 2012.

5.2       Members noted that in addition to Question Time to the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister and the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, the First Stage of the Marine Bill and the Further Consideration Stage of the Budget Bill, and a motion on the Official Statistics Order (Northern Ireland) 2012 had been scheduled for Tuesday 21 February.

Committee Business

5.3       Members noted that no Committee Business had been requested.

Private Members’ Business

5.4      Members agreed to schedule two Private Members’ Motions on Monday 20 and two on Tuesday 21 February 2012.

5.5      Under the system of allocation for Private Members’ motions the selections lay with Alliance, UUP, DUP and SDLP. Following discussion, the SDLP agreed to postpone their selection to allow for an All Party Motion to be scheduled on Monday 20 February.

The following motions were proposed and scheduled for Monday 20 February:

• ‘Emergency Life Support Skills’ (Mr P Weir, Mr K McCarthy, Mr J McCallister, Ms M Gildernew, Mr M Durkan); and
• ‘Decade of Centenaries’ (Mr C Lyttle, Mr S Dickson, Ms A Lo, Mr T Lunn).

The following motions were proposed and scheduled for Tuesday 21 February:

• ‘Action Plan to Improve the Sustainability of Indigenous Fish Stocks’ (Mr R Swann, Mr D Kinahan, Mrs S Overend); and
• ‘Organ Donation’ (Mr J Wells, Ms P Lewis, Mr G Dunne, Ms P Bradley).

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

5.6      Members agreed to schedule an Adjournment Debate on Tuesday 21 February 2012. Under the system for allocating Adjournment Debates, the selection lay with Sinn Féin.

 Sinn Féin selected the following topic:

• ‘Provision of home help services in Co Fermanagh’ (Mr P Flanagan).

5.7       The Junior Ministers advised that all relevant Ministers were available to respond.

6.         Date and Time of next meeting

6.1       Members agreed to meet at approximately 12.30pm on Tuesday 14 February 2012 in Room 106.

The Speaker brought the meeting to a close at 12.40pm.

Mr William Hay
Speaker