Minutes of Proceedings

Session: Session currently unavailable

Date: 28 June 2016

The Assembly met at 10.30am, the Speaker in the Chair.

1. Prayers

Members observed two minutes' silence.

2. Public Petition

2.1 Public Petition – Killard House School

Ms Kellie Armstrong was granted leave, in accordance with Standing Order 22, to present a Public Petition regarding Killard House School.

3. Executive Committee Business

3.1 Statement – Rural Roads Initiative

The Minister for Infrastructure, Mr Chris Hazzard, made a statement regarding the Rural Roads Initiative, following which he replied to questions.

3.2 Statement – GCSE Qualification Market and Grading

The Minister of Education, Mr Peter Weir, made a statement regarding GCSE Qualification Market and Grading, following which he replied to questions.

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

3.3 Motion – The Pensions (2015 Act) (Consequential and Supplementary Amendments) Order (Northern Ireland) 2016

Proposed:

That the Pensions (2015 Act) (Consequential and Supplementary Amendments) Order (Northern Ireland) 2016 be approved.

Minister for Communities

3.4 Motion – The State Pension (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2016

Proposed:

That the State Pension (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2016 be approved.

Minister for Communities

3.5 Motion – The State Pension (Amendment No.2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2016

Proposed:

That the State Pension (Amendment No.2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2016 be approved.

Minister for Communities

3.6 Motion – The Occupational Pension Schemes (Scheme Administration) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2016

Proposed:

That the Occupational Pension Schemes (Scheme Administration) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2016 be approved.

Minister for Communities

A single debate ensued on all four motions.

The Question being put, the Motion on the Pensions (2015 Act) (Consequential and Supplementary Amendments) Order (Northern Ireland) 2016, was carried without division.

The Question being put, the Motion on the State Pension (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2016, was carried without division.

The Question being put, the Motion on the State Pension (Amendment No.2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2016, was carried without division.

The Question being put, the Motion on the Occupational Pension Schemes (Scheme Administration) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2016, was carried without division.

4. Committee Business

4.1 Motion – Code of Conduct and the Guide to the Rules Relating to the Conduct of Members

Proposed:

That this Assembly (a) affirms its commitment to high ethical standards and to the Code of Conduct and the Guide to the Rules Relating to the Conduct of Members agreed by the Assembly on Tuesday 23nd June 2015; (b) agrees that, pursuant to Standing Order 69, amended by the Assembly on 14 March 2016, Rules 4 and 5 of the Code of Conduct are amended to read as follows:

'4. You shall register in the Assembly's Register of Members' Interests details of all registrable interests. A registrable interest means any interest specified in Chapter 1 of the Guide to the Rules. [The categories of registrable interest are set out in Schedule 1.]'

'5. You shall declare, whether in Assembly proceedings or in any approach to a Minister, public representative, public body or public official, any relevant interest which might reasonably be thought to influence your approach to the matter under consideration. A relevant interest means an interest to which Chapter 2 of the Guide to the Rules applies, and may include a registrable interest.'

and; (c) notes that it will be necessary for the Committee on Standards and Privileges to update the Guide to the Rules to take account of these and other minor or consequential amendments.

Chairperson, Committee on Standards and Privileges

Debate ensued.

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

5. Opposition Business

5.1 Motion – Mental Health Champion

Proposed:

That this Assembly notes that more than one in four of the population are affected by poor mental health and wellbeing; further notes the significant social and economic implications that this is having on society; expresses deep concern that per capita we have one of the worst records of poor mental health and wellbeing in the world; accepts that our shocking rates have been impacted directly by 30 years of violence and that the issue is now inter-generational; and calls on the Minister of Health to appoint a Mental Health Champion, to be funded from charitable and philanthropic contributions, to protect and promote the interests of those suffering poor mental health and wellbeing.

Mr R Butler
Mrs J Dobson

5.2 Motion – Mental Health Champion

Amendment:

Leave out all after "directly" and insert:

" by decades of conflict, and more recently by austerity and the resulting increased levels of unemployment and homelessness and that the issue is now inter-generational; and calls on the Minister of Health to explore the role and remit of a Mental Health Champion to protect and promote the interests of those suffering poor mental health and wellbeing."

Ms C Seeley
Mr D McKay
Mr P Sheehan

Debate ensued.

The Speaker took the Chair.

The Question being put, the Amendment was made.

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

The sitting was suspended at 1.35pm.

The sitting resumed at 2.00pm, with the Deputy Speaker (Mr Kennedy) in the Chair.

6. Question Time

6.1 Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs

Questions were put to, and answered by, the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Miss Michelle McIlveen.

6.2 Communities

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

7. Adjournment

Mr Ross Hussey spoke to his topic regarding the £8m Underspend in Learning Disability Services in the Western Health and Social Care Trust.

Proposed:

That the Assembly do now adjourn.

The Speaker.

The Assembly adjourned at 4.29pm.

Mr Robin Newton
The Speaker

28 June 2016

 

Northern Ireland Assembly

Papers Presented to the Assembly on
28 June 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

Department for the Economy Response to Supplementary Consultation on Closure of the Northern Ireland Renewables Obligation (NIRO) to new Small Onshore Wind. (DfE).

Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company Annual Report and Accounts for the Year Ended 27 March 2016 (DfI).

Northern Ireland Authority for Utility Regulation (NIAUR): Annual Report for 2015/16 (DfE).

5. Assembly Reports

6. Statutory Rules

7. Written Ministerial Statements

8. Consultation Documents

9. Departmental Publications

10. Agency Publications

11. Westminster Publications

12. Miscellaneous Publications

 

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