Minutes of Proceedings

Session: 2011/2012

Date: 18 June 2012

Venue: Assembly Chamber

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

1. Personal Prayer or Meditation

Members observed two minutes’ silence.

2. Speaker’s Business

The Speaker informed Members that he had been notified by the Chief Electoral Officer that Ms Maeve McLaughlin had been returned as a Member of the Assembly for the Foyle constituency to fill the vacancy that resulted from the resignation of Ms Martina Anderson.

Ms McLaughlin had signed the Roll of Members on 18 June 2012 in the presence of the Speaker. The Speaker confirmed that the Member had signed the Roll and had entered her designation of identity.

2.1 Public Petition - 'Help Us Help Ourselves' Suicide Awareness and Prevention Project, Poleglass

Ms Jennifer McCann was granted leave, in accordance with Standing Order 22, to present a Public Petition relating to the 'Help Us Help Ourselves' Suicide Awareness and Prevention Project, Poleglass.

2.2 Public Petition - WAVE Trauma Centre Research

Mr Mike Nesbitt was granted leave, in accordance with Standing Order 22, to present a Public Petition relating to WAVE Trauma Centre Research.

3. Assembly Business

3.1 Motion - Committee Membership

Proposed:

That Mr Colum Eastwood replace Mr John Dallat as a member of the Committee for the Environment.

Mrs K McKevitt
Mr P Ramsey

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

3.2 Motion - Committee Membership

Proposed:

That Ms Caitríona Ruane replace Ms Jennifer McCann as a member of the Business Committee.

Mr P Maskey

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

4. Executive Committee Business

4.1 Motion - Supply Resolution for the Northern Ireland Main Estimates 2012-13

Proposed:

That this Assembly approves that a sum, not exceeding £8,203,787,000, be granted out of the Consolidated Fund, for or towards defraying the charges for Northern Ireland Departments, the Northern Ireland Assembly Commission, the Assembly Ombudsman for Northern Ireland and the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Complaints, the Food Standards Agency, the Northern Ireland Audit Office, the Northern Ireland Authority for Utility Regulation and the Public Prosecution Service for Northern Ireland, for the year ending 31 March 2013 and that resources, not exceeding £8,424,156,000, be authorised for use by Northern Ireland Departments, the Northern Ireland Assembly Commission, the Assembly Ombudsman for Northern Ireland and the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Complaints, the Food Standards Agency, the Northern Ireland Audit Office, the Northern Ireland Authority for Utility Regulation and the Public Prosecution Service for Northern Ireland, for the year ending 31 March 2013, as summarised for each Department or other public body in Columns 3(b) and 3(a) of Table 1.3 in the volume of the Northern Ireland Estimates 2012-13 that was laid before the Assembly on 11 June 2012.

Minister of Finance and Personnel

Debate ensued on this Motion and the Motion on the ‘Supply Resolution for the 2010-2011 Excess Votes’.

The debate was suspended for Question Time.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr Beggs) took the Chair.

5. Question Time

5.1 Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister

Questions were put to, and answered by, the First Minister, Rt Hon Peter Robinson. The junior Minister, Mr Jonathan Bell, also answered a number of questions.

5.2 Environment

Questions were put to, and answered by, the Minister of the Environment, Mr Alex Attwood.  

The Principal Deputy Speaker (Mr Molloy) took the Chair.

6. Executive Committee Business (Cont’d)

6.1 Motion - Supply Resolution for the Northern Ireland Main Estimates 2012-13 (Cont’d)

Debate resumed on both motions.

The Question being put, the Motion was carried with cross-community support nemine contradicente.

6.2 Motion - Supply Resolution for the 2010-2011 Excess Votes

Proposed:

That this Assembly approves that resources, not exceeding £13,004,918.26 be authorised for use by the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure and the Department for Social Development, for the year ending 31 March 2011, as summarised for each Department in Part II of the 2010-2011 Statement of Excesses that was laid before the Assembly on 11 June 2012.

Minister of Finance and Personnel

The Question being put, the Motion was carried with cross-community support nemine contradicente.

6.3 First Stage - Budget (No.2) Bill (NIA 8/11-15)

The Minister of Finance and Personnel, Mr Sammy Wilson, introduced a Bill to authorise the issue out of the Consolidated Fund of certain sums for the service of the year ending 31st March 2013; to appropriate those sums for specified purposes; to authorise the Department of Finance and Personnel to borrow on the credit of the appropriated sums; to authorise the use for the public service of certain resources (including accruing resources) for the year ending 31st March 2013; to authorise the use for the public service of excess resources for the year ending 31st March 2011; and to repeal certain spent provisions.

Bill passed First Stage and ordered to be printed.

7. Committee Business

7.1 Motion - Appointment of the Northern Ireland Assembly Commissioner for Standards

Proposed:

That this Assembly, in accordance with section 19(1) of the Assembly Members (Independent Financial Review and Standards) Act (Northern Ireland) 2011, appoints Mr Douglas Bain as the Northern Ireland Assembly Commissioner for Standards, for a term of five years from 17 September 2012.

Chairperson, Committee on Standards and Privileges
Mr B McElduff, Assembly Commission

Debate ensued.

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

8. Adjournment

Proposed:

That the Assembly do now adjourn.

The Speaker

The Assembly adjourned at 4.14pm.

Mr William Hay
The Speaker
18 June 2012

Northern Ireland Assembly

Papers Presented to the Assembly on
13 - 18 June 2012

1. Acts of the Northern Ireland Assembly

2. Bills of the Northern Ireland Assembly

Inquiry into Historical Institutional Abuse Bill (NIA Bill 7/11-15)

Budget (No.2) Bill (NIA Bill 8/11-15)

3. Orders in Council

4. Publications Laid in the Northern Ireland Assembly

NIAO Retention and Disposal Schedule (DCAL)

5. Assembly Reports

Review of the Number of Members of the Northern Ireland Legislative Assembly and on the reduction in the Number of Northern Ireland Departments - Part 1 - Number of Members of the Northern Ireland Legislative Assembly (NIA 52/11-15) (Assembly and Executive Review Committee)

6. Statutory Rules

  • S.R. 2012/239 Pre-School Education in Schools (Admissions Criteria) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2012 (DE)
  • S.R. 2012/240 The Automatic Enrolment (Earnings Trigger and Qualifying Earnings Band) Order (Northern Ireland) 2012 (DSD)
  • Draft SR 2012 The Tobacco Advertising and Promotion (Display of Prices) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2012 (DHSSPS)

For Information Only:

  • S.R. 2012/236 (C.21) The Pensions (2008 No.2 Act) (Commencement No.8) Order (Northern Ireland) 2012 (DSD)

7. Written Ministerial Statements

8. Consultation Documents

Reducing Offending: Towards a Safer Society (DOJ)

Consultation on the Designation of Provisions of EU Regulations No.714/2009 and No.715/2009 as Relevant Requirements (DETI)

Noise Mapping and Action Planning Technical Guidance for Competent Authorities drafted pursuant to the Environmental Noise Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006 (DOE)

9. Departmental Publications

10. Agency Publications

11. Westminster Publications

12. Miscellaneous Publications

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