Minutes of Proceedings

The Assembly met at noon, the Speaker in the Chair.

1. Prayers

Members observed two minutes' silence.

2. Executive Committee Business

2.1 Statement – Inter-Governmental Agreement on Cooperation on Criminal Justice Matters

The Minister of Justice, Ms Claire Sugden, made a statement regarding the Inter-Governmental Agreement on Cooperation on Criminal Justice Matters, following which she replied to questions.

3. Private Members' Business

3.1 Motion – EU Special Status for Northern Ireland

Proposed:

That this Assembly notes the current public concern arising from the European Union Referendum vote; endorses the proposal of the Irish Government and others that there should be legal recognition of the unique status of Northern Ireland and the circumstances on the island as part of the arrangements to leave the European Union; believes that this is one mechanism that can safeguard the interests of the people of Northern Ireland, including future access to European Union funding opportunities; and calls on the British Government to fully endorse, and to negotiate for, this outcome in discussions on leaving the European Union.

Mr C Eastwood
Ms C Hanna
Mr A Attwood
Mr M Durkan

The Principal Deputy Speaker (Ms Ruane) took the Chair.

Debate ensued.

The debate was suspended for Question Time.

The Speaker took the Chair.

4. Question Time

4.1 The Executive Office

Questions were put to, and answered by, the deputy First Minister, Mr Martin McGuinness. The junior Minister, Ms Megan Fearon, also answered a number of questions.

4.2 Finance

Questions were put to, and answered by, the Minister of Finance, Mr Máirtín Ó Muilleoir.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr Kennedy) took the Chair.

5. Executive Committee Business

5.1 Statement – The Sustainable Schools Policy and Area Planning

The Minister of Education, Mr Peter Weir, made a statement regarding The Sustainable Schools Policy and Area Planning, following which he replied to questions.

6. Private Members' Business (cont'd)

6.1 Motion: EU Special Status for Northern Ireland (cont'd)

Debate resumed.

The Question being put, the motion fell (Division).

6.2 Motion: Domestic Abuse, Rape and Sexual Crime

Proposed:

That this Assembly expresses deep concern at the levels of domestic abuse, rape and sexual crime; encourages victims of these crimes to come forward; welcomes the increased reporting of domestic abuse, rape and sexual crime but recognises that a high level of underreporting still exists; further welcomes the commitment from the Minister of Health and the Minister of Justice to prioritise addressing this type of crime; and calls on the Executive to work together to support victims and survivors and address domestic abuse, rape and sexual crime.

Ms M Boyle
Mr D Kearney
Mr P Sheehan
Ms J McCann

6.3 Motion: Amendment 1

Proposed:

Leave out all after 'exists,' and insert:

'notes that an analysis of final prosecutorial decisions between 2010 and 2014 shows that in 83 per cent of rape cases no prosecution was recommended; calls on the Executive to work together to address domestic abuse, rape and sexual crime and to support victims and survivors of such crimes; and further calls on the Public Prosecution Service to work to improve rape prosecution and conviction rates.'

Ms C Bailey
Mr S Agnew

6.4 Motion: Amendment 2

Proposed:

Leave out all after 'type of crime,' and insert:

'notes that the criminal justice system currently treats each reported occurrence of domestic violence as an individual, isolated act and not as a pattern of behaviour or an extended course of conduct; calls on the Executive to work together to support victims and survivors and address domestic abuse, rape and sexual crime; further calls for the immediate extension of the Justice Support Worker scheme to all policing districts so patterns can be identified from victims making multiple reports; and calls on the Minister of Justice to introduce urgently legislation to criminalise such patterns of abuse and coercive control which victims are subjected to by their abusers.'

Mr A Attwood
Mr M Durkan
Ms N Mallon

Debate ensued.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr McGlone) took the Chair.

The Question being put, Amendment 1 was made without division.

The Question being put, the motion, as amended, was carried without division.

7. Adjournment

Proposed:

That the Assembly do now adjourn.

The Speaker.

The Assembly adjourned at 6.26pm.

Mr Robin Newton
The Speaker

17 October 2016

Northern Ireland Assembly

17 October 2016
Division

Motion – EU Special Status for Northern Ireland

Proposed:

That this Assembly notes the current public concern arising from the European Union Referendum vote; endorses the proposal of the Irish Government and others that there should be legal recognition of the unique status of Northern Ireland and the circumstances on the island as part of the arrangements to leave the European Union; believes that this is one mechanism that can safeguard the interests of the people of Northern Ireland, including future access to European Union funding opportunities; and calls on the British Government to fully endorse, and to negotiate for, this outcome in discussions on leaving the European Union.

Mr C Eastwood
Ms C Hanna
Mr A Attwood
Mr M Durkan

The Question was put and the Assembly divided.

Ayes: 46
Noes: 47

AYES

Mr Agnew, Ms Archibald, Ms Armstrong, Mr Attwood, Ms Bailey, Mr Boylan, Ms Boyle, Ms S Bradley, Ms Bradshaw, Ms Dillon, Mr Durkan, Mr Eastwood, Dr Farry, Ms Fearon, Mr Ford, Ms Gildernew, Ms Hanna, Mr Kearney, Mr Kelly, Mrs Long, Mr Lunn, Mr Lynch, Mr Lyttle, Mr McAleer, Mr F McCann, Ms J McCann, Mr McCartney, Mr McCrossan, Mr McElduff, Mr McGlone, Mr McGrath, Mr McGuigan, Mr McGuinness, Mr McMullan, Mr McNulty, Mr McPhillips, Ms Mallon, Mr Milne, Mr Mullan, Mr Murphy, Ms Ní Chuilín, Mr Ó Muilleoir, Mr O'Dowd, Mrs O'Neill, Ms Seeley, Mr Sheehan.

Tellers for the Ayes: Mr McNulty, Mr Mullan.

NOES

Mr Aiken, Mr Allen, Mr Allister, Mr Anderson, Mrs Barton, Mr Beattie, Mr Beggs, Mr Bell, Mr M Bradley, Ms P Bradley, Mr T Buchanan, Ms Bunting, Mrs Cameron, Mr Chambers, Mr Clarke, Mrs Dobson, Mr Douglas, Mr Dunne, Mr Easton, Mrs Foster, Mr Frew, Mr Girvan, Mr Givan, Mrs Hale, Mr Hilditch, Mr Humphrey, Mr Irwin, Mrs Little Pengelly, Ms Lockhart, Mr Logan, Mr Lyons, Mr McCausland, Mr McKee, Mr Middleton, Lord Morrow, Mr Nesbitt, Mrs Overend, Mrs Palmer, Mr Poots, Mr Robinson, Mr Ross, Mr Smith, Mr Stalford, Mr Storey, Ms Sugden, Mr Weir, Mr Wells.

Tellers for the Noes: Mrs Cameron, Mr Robinson.

The following Members voted in both Lobbies and are therefore not counted in the result: Mr Carroll and Mr E McCann

The motion fell.

Northern Ireland Assembly

Papers Presented to the Assembly on
12 October 2016 – 17 October 2016

1. Acts of the Northern Ireland Assembly

2. Bills of the Northern Ireland Assembly

3. Orders in Council

4. Publications Laid in the Northern Ireland Assembly

Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner: Annual Report 2015-16 (DoJ).

Ilex Urban Regeneration Company Limited Annual Report and Accounts 2015-16 (TEO).

Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland: Annual Report and Accounts 2015-16 (DfE).

The Annual Report and Accounts of the Northern Ireland Social Care Council 2015-16 (DoH).

The Annual Report and Accounts of the Northern Ireland Practice and Education Council (NIPEC) 2015-16 (DoH).

5. Assembly Reports

6. Statutory Rules

SR 2016/373 The Sexual Offences Act 2003 (Prescribed Police Stations) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2016 (DoJ).

SR 2016/377 The County Court (Amendment No. 2) Rules (Northern Ireland) 2016 (DoJ).

7. Written Ministerial Statements

8. Consultation Documents

9. Departmental Publications

Department for Infrastructure Driver, Vehicle, Operator Enforcement Statistics Quarter One – 1 April 2016 to 30 June 2016 (DfI).

10. Agency Publications

11. Westminster Publications

12. Miscellaneous Publications