Minutes of Proceedings

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

1. Prayers

Members observed two minutes' silence.

2. Public Petition

2.1 Public Petition – Campaign against the harsh introduction of equal state pension requirements

Mr Colin McGrath was granted leave, in accordance with Standing Order 22, to present a Public Petition regarding the Campaign against the harsh introduction of equal state pension requirements.

3. Opposition Business

3.1 Motion: Public Confidence after NAMA Revelations

Proposed:

That this Assembly notes with deep concern the allegations made during the recent BBC Northern Ireland Spotlight broadcast on events surrounding the sale of National Asset Management Agency properties; supports the investigations and inquiries being undertaken by the National Crime Agency, the Republic of Ireland and other international bodies; further notes the ongoing damage being done to Northern Ireland's international reputation, not least by the continuing failure of institutions here to examine the issue effectively; and calls on the First Minister and deputy First Minister to make a statement before the Assembly to restore the public confidence in these institutions and the inquiry that should be undertaken by the Committee for Finance.

Mr M Nesbitt
Mr R Swann
Mr P Smith

3.2 Motion: Amendment 1

Proposed:

Leave out all after 'properties;' and insert:

"supports the criminal investigations being undertaken by law enforcement agencies; and calls on the First Minister and deputy First Minister to make a statement emphasising their support, and that of the Executive, for all efforts to uncover the truth around the sale of the Project Eagle portfolio and committing to full co-operation with all ongoing investigations."

Mr J O'Dowd
Ms C Ruane
Mr C Murphy

3.3 Motion: Amendment 2

Proposed:

Leave out all after 'effectively;' and insert:

"recommends consideration of the creation of a joint investigation team of the National Crime Agency and An Garda Síochána into allegations of criminal conduct in relation to the National Assets Management Agency; calls for full co-operation in the production of papers and attendance of persons at parliamentary inquiries or commissions of investigation in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland around the work of the National Assets Management Agency; and further calls on the First Minister and deputy First Minister to make a statement before the Assembly to restore the public confidence in these institutions and the inquiry that should be undertaken by the Committee for Finance."

Ms C Hanna
Mr C Eastwood
Mr G Mullan
Mr A Attwood

Debate ensued.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr McGlone) took the Chair.

The debate was suspended for Question Time.

The Speaker took the Chair.

4. Question Time

4.1 Communities

Questions were put to, and answered by, the Minister for Communities, Mr Paul Givan.

4.2 Economy

Questions were put to, and answered by, the Minister for the Economy, Mr Simon Hamilton.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr Kennedy) took the Chair.

5. Opposition Business (cont'd)

5.1 Motion: Public Confidence after NAMA Revelations (cont'd)

The Question being put, Amendment 1 was made (Division 1).

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

5.2 Motion: Rural Bank Closures

Proposed:

That this Assembly is extremely concerned at the number of bank branches that are being closed in rural areas; is alarmed that large rural areas are without access to a local bank branch; recognises the limitations of many of the alternatives, such as mobile and internet banking, and the Post Office; believes that the provision of accessible banking is an integral part of social inclusion, with a particular impact on the elderly; notes the negative economic impact bank closures have on small businesses and on future investment opportunities; and calls on the Minister for the Economy to intervene meaningfully and encourage the banking sector to maintain a strong network of rural bank branches and to safeguard the existing bank branches within these communities from closure.

Mr R McPhillips
Mr P McGlone
Mr D McCrossan
Mr C McGrath

5.3 Motion: Amendment

Proposed:

Leave out all after 'Office' and insert:

", particularly given the limitations of broadband and mobile internet provision in rural areas; believes that the provision of accessible banking is an integral part of social inclusion, with a particular impact on the elderly; notes the negative economic impact bank closures have on small businesses and on future investment opportunities; calls on the Minister for the Economy to intervene meaningfully and encourage the banking sector to maintain a strong network of rural bank branches and to safeguard the existing bank branches within these communities from closure; and further calls on the Minister to commit to investing in identifying and addressing the problem of rural areas where no, or no worthwhile, broadband and mobile provision can be received."

Ms C Archibald
Ms L Dillon
Mr D McAleer

Debate ensued.

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

The Question being put, the Amendment was made (Division 2).

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

5.4 Motion – Impact on Women of Changes to the State Pension

Proposed:

That this Assembly acknowledges the Women Against State Pension Inequality campaign; recognises its call for fair transitional state pension arrangements for women born in the 1950s who have been negatively impacted by changes made to the state pension age under the Pensions (Northern Ireland) Order 1995 and the Pensions Act 2011; accepts that the changes were poorly communicated; appreciates the impact of the changes on post-retirement planning; and calls on the United Kingdom Government to re-examine its position and bring forward fair transitional arrangements for the women affected.

Mr A Allen
Mrs R Barton
Mrs J Dobson
Mrs J Palmer

Debate ensued.

The Question being put, the Motion was carried without division.

6. Adjournment

Proposed:

That the Assembly do now adjourn.

The Speaker

The Assembly adjourned at 6.21pm.

Mr Robin Newton
The Speaker

26 September 2016

Northern Ireland Assembly

26 September 2016
Division 1

Motion – Public Confidence after NAMA Revelations (Amendment 1)

Proposed:

Leave out all after 'properties;' and insert:

"supports the criminal investigations being undertaken by law enforcement agencies; and calls on the First Minister and deputy First Minister to make a statement emphasising their support, and that of the Executive, for all efforts to uncover the truth around the sale of the Project Eagle portfolio and committing to full co-operation with all ongoing investigations."

Mr J O'Dowd
Ms C Ruane
Mr C Murphy

The Question was put and the Assembly divided.

Ayes: 59
Noes: 35

AYES

Mr Anderson, Ms Archibald, Mr Boylan, Ms Boyle, Mr M Bradley, Ms P Bradley, Mr K Buchanan, Mr T Buchanan, Ms Bunting, Mrs Cameron, Mr Clarke, Ms Dillon, Mr Douglas, Mr Dunne, Mr Easton, Ms Fearon, Mrs Foster, Mr Frew, Mr Givan, Mrs Hale, Mr Hamilton, Mr Hazzard, Mr Hilditch, Mr Humphrey, Mr Irwin, Mr Kearney, Mrs Little Pengelly, Ms Lockhart, Mr Logan, Mr Lynch, Mr Lyons, Mr McAleer, Mr F McCann, Ms J McCann, Mr McCartney, Mr McCausland, Mr McElduff, Mr McGuinness, Miss McIlveen, Mr McMullan, Mr McQuillan, Mr Maskey, Mr Middleton, Mr Milne, Lord Morrow, Mr Murphy, Ms Ní Chuilín, Mr Ó Muilleoir, Mr O'Dowd, Mrs O'Neill, Mr Poots, Mr Robinson, Ms Ruane, Ms Seeley, Mr Sheehan, Mr Stalford, Mr Storey, Mr Weir, Mr Wells.

Tellers for the Ayes: Mr Maskey, Mr O'Dowd.

NOES

Mr Agnew, Mr Aiken, Mr Allen, Mr Allister, Ms Armstrong, Mr Attwood, Ms Bailey, Mrs Barton, Mr Beattie, Mr Beggs, Ms S Bradley, Mr Butler, Mr Carroll, Mr Chambers, Mrs Dobson, Mr Durkan, Dr Farry, Mr Ford, Ms Hanna, Mrs Long, Mr Lunn, Mr Lyttle, Mr E McCann, Mr McCrossan, Mr McGlone, Mr McGrath, Mr McKee, Mr McPhillips, Ms Mallon, Mr Mullan, Mr Nesbitt, Mrs Overend, Mrs Palmer, Mr Smith, Mr Swann.

Tellers for the Noes: Mr Aiken, Mr Chambers.

The Amendment was made.

Northern Ireland Assembly

26 September 2016
Division 2

Motion – Rural Bank Closures (Amendment)

Proposed:

Leave out all after 'Office' and insert:

", particularly given the limitations of broadband and mobile internet provision in rural areas; believes that the provision of accessible banking is an integral part of social inclusion, with a particular impact on the elderly; notes the negative economic impact bank closures have on small businesses and on future investment opportunities; calls on the Minister for the Economy to intervene meaningfully and encourage the banking sector to maintain a strong network of rural bank branches and to safeguard the existing bank branches within these communities from closure; and further calls on the Minister to commit to investing in identifying and addressing the problem of rural areas where no, or no worthwhile, broadband and mobile provision can be received."

Ms C Archibald
Ms L Dillon
Mr D McAleer

The Question was put and the Assembly divided.

Ayes: 48
Noes: 22

AYES

Mr Agnew, Ms Archibald, Ms Armstrong, Ms Bailey, Ms Boyle, Mr M Bradley, Mr T Buchanan, Ms Bunting, Mr Carroll, Mr Clarke, Ms Dillon, Mr Douglas, Mr Dunne, Dr Farry, Mrs Foster, Mr Frew, Mr Givan, Mr Hamilton, Mr Hazzard, Mr Humphrey, Mr Kearney, Mrs Little Pengelly, Ms Lockhart, Mrs Long, Mr Lynch, Mr Lyons, Mr Lyttle, Mr McAleer, Mr F McCann, Ms J McCann, Mr McCartney, Mr McCausland, Mr McElduff, Mr McGuigan, Miss McIlveen, Mr McMullan, Mr Maskey, Mr Milne, Ms Ní Chuilín, Mr Ó Muilleoir, Mr O'Dowd, Mrs O'Neill, Mr Robinson, Ms Seeley, Mr Sheehan, Mr Stalford, Mr Storey, Mr Weir.

Tellers for the Ayes: Ms Archibald, Mr McAleer.

NOES

Mr Aiken, Mr Allen, Mr Attwood, Mrs Barton, Mr Beggs, Ms S Bradley, Mr Chambers, Mrs Dobson, Mr Durkan, Ms Hanna, Mr McCrossan, Mr McGlone, Mr McGrath, Mr McKee, Mr McPhillips, Ms Mallon, Mr Mullan, Mr Nesbitt, Mrs Overend, Mrs Palmer, Mr Smith, Mr Swann.

Tellers for the Noes: Mr McGrath, Mr Mullan.

The Amendment was made.

Northern Ireland Assembly

Papers Presented to the Assembly on
21 September 2016 - 26 September 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

Resolve Restorative Justice Scheme – A pre-accreditation inspection report (DoJ).

Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service Annual Report and Statement of Accounts 2015/16 (DoH).

5. Assembly Reports

Fourth Report of the Examiner of Statutory Rules (NIA 8/16-21) (ESR).

Report on the Cultural Property (Armed Conflict) Bill: Legislative Consent Memorandum (NIA 6/16-21) (Committee for Communities).

6. Statutory Rules

SR 2016/345 The Food Hygiene (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2016 (DoH).

SR 2016/329 The Local Government Pension Scheme (Nursery Assistants) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2016 (DfC).

For Information Only

SR 2016/330 The Pensions (2005 Order) (Code of Practice) (Governance and Administration of Occupational Trust-based Schemes Providing Money Purchase Benefits) (Appointed Day) Order (Northern Ireland) 2016 (DfC).

7. Written Ministerial Statements

8. Consultation Documents

Consultation on the Designation of Lagan Meadows as a Quiet Area (DAERA).

9. Departmental Publications

Sickness Absence in the Northern Ireland Civil Service 2015/2016 (DoF).

10. Agency Publications

11. Westminster Publications

12. Miscellaneous Publications