Minutes of Proceedings
Session: 2011/2012
Date: 05 December 2011
Venue: Assembly Chamber
The Assembly met at noon, the Speaker in the Chair.
1. Personal Prayer or Meditation
Members observed two minutes’ silence.
2. Executive Committee Business
2.1 Motion - The Additional Statutory Paternity Pay (General) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2011
Proposed:
That the Additional Statutory Paternity Pay (General) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2011 be approved.
Minister for Employment and Learning
The Question being put, the Motion was carried without division.
2.2 Motion: The Draft Labour Relations Agency (Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures) (Jurisdictions) Order (Northern Ireland) 2011
Proposed:
That the draft Labour Relations Agency (Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures) (Jurisdictions) Order (Northern Ireland) 2011 be approved.
Minister for Employment and Learning
The Question being put, the Motion was carried without division.
3. Private Members’ Business
3.1 Motion - Community Transport Scheme
Proposed:
That this Assembly recognises the dependency that our rural communities have on the Community Transport Scheme for medical visits and hospital appointments; and calls on the Minister for Regional Development to ensure that this service is sustained to facilitate the most vulnerable people in our society.
Mr O McMullan
Mr S Lynch
Mr P Doherty
Mr C Ó hOisín
3.2 Amendment
Proposed:
Leave out all after ‘medical visits’ and insert:
‘and access to other local services; and calls on the Minister for Regional Development to work closely with the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Minister of Finance and Personnel to ensure that this service is sustained to facilitate the most vulnerable people in our society.’
Mr R Beggs
Mr M Copeland
Debate ensued.
The Principal Deputy Speaker (Mr Molloy) took the Chair.
The Question being put, the Amendment was made without division.
The Question being put, the Motion, as amended, was carried without division.
3.3 Motion - Public Sector Pensions
Proposed:
That this Assembly believes that the proposed increases in public sector pension contributions are wrong and unjustified, and that they will have a significant adverse impact on many workers; calls on the British Government to respond positively to the trade unions' proposals on pension reform and funding; and further calls on the Executive to review and reverse its decision, of September 2011, to impose a 3.2 percent increase on contributions by members of the Northern Ireland Local Government Officers' Superannuation Committee scheme.
Mr M Durkan
Mr C Eastwood
Mrs D Kelly
Dr A McDonnell
3.4 Amendment 1
Proposed:
Leave out all after ‘Assembly’ and insert:
‘recognises the fundamental changes to public sector pension provision across the United Kingdom; expresses disappointment that a resolution could not be found and that strike action was deemed necessary by trade unions; and calls on the trade unions and the UK Government to continue negotiations with a view to finding a solution and preventing further strike action in the future on this matter.’
Mr M Nesbitt
Mr L Cree
Mr J McCallister
3.5 Amendment 2
Proposed:
Leave out all after ‘Executive’ and insert:
‘to respond to this imposition in a manner which excludes members of the Northern Ireland Local Government Officers' Superannuation Committee scheme; notes the proposal by the Minister of Education to exclude all other public sector workers who earn less than £32,000 per year; and calls on all Ministers to explore similar options.’
Mr M McLaughlin
Mr P Maskey
Mr C Murphy
Debate ensued.
The Speaker took the Chair.
The debate was suspended for Question Time.
4. Question Time
4.1 Employment and Learning
Questions were put to, and answered by, the Minister for Employment and Learning, Dr Stephen Farry.
4.2 Regional Development
Questions were put to, and answered by, the Minister for Regional Development, Mr Danny Kennedy.
5. Private Members’ Business (Cont’d)
5.1 Motion - Public Sector Pensions (Cont’d)
Debate resumed on the Motion.
The Deputy Speaker (Mr Dallat) took the Chair.
Amendment No. 1 being put, the Amendment was made (Division 1).
Amendment No. 2 was not put.
The Question being put, the Motion, as amended, was carried (Division 2).
6. Adjournment
Proposed:
That the Assembly do now adjourn.
The Speaker
The Assembly adjourned at 4.38pm.
Mr William Hay
The Speaker
5 December 2011
Northern Ireland Assembly
5 December 2011
Division 1
Public Sector Pensions - Amendment 1
Proposed:
Leave out all after ‘Assembly’ and insert:
‘recognises the fundamental changes to public sector pension provision across the United Kingdom; expresses disappointment that a resolution could not be found and that strike action was deemed necessary by trade unions; and calls on the trade unions and the UK Government to continue negotiations with a view to finding a solution and preventing further strike action in the future on this matter.’
Mr M Nesbitt
Mr L Cree
Mr J McCallister
The Question was put and the Assembly divided.
Ayes: 55
Noes: 28
Ayes
Mr Allister, Mr S Anderson, Mr Beggs, Mr Bell, Ms P Bradley, Mr Buchanan, Mr Campbell,
Mr T Clarke, Mrs Cochrane, Mr Copeland, Mr Craig, Mr Cree, Mr Dickson, Mrs Dobson,
Mr Douglas, Mr Dunne, Mr Easton, Mr Elliott, Dr Farry, Mr Ford, Mrs Foster, Mr Frew,
Mr Girvan, Mr Givan, Mrs Hale, Mr Hamilton, Mr Hilditch, Mr Humphrey, Mr Hussey, Mr Irwin,
Mr Kennedy, Ms Lewis, Ms Lo, Mr Lunn, Mr McCallister, Mr McCarthy, Mr McCausland,
Mr B McCrea, Mr I McCrea, Mr D McIlveen, Miss M McIlveen, Mr McNarry, Lord Morrow,
Mr Nesbitt, Mr Newton, Mrs Overend, Mr Poots, Mr G Robinson, Rt Hon P Robinson, Mr Ross,
Mr Spratt, Mr Storey, Mr Swann, Mr Weir, Mr Wilson.
Tellers for the Ayes: Mr Beggs and Mr Cree.
Noes
Mr Agnew, Mr Boylan, Ms Boyle, Mr D Bradley, Mr Brady, Mr Byrne, Mr W Clarke,
Mr Durkan, Mr Flanagan, Mrs D Kelly, Mr Lynch, Mr F McCann, Ms J McCann,
Mr McCartney, Mr McDevitt, Dr McDonnell, Mr McGlone, Mr McKay, Mr McLaughlin,
Mr McMullan, Mr A Maginness, Mr P Maskey, Mr Murphy, Mr Ó hOisín, Mr P Ramsey,
Ms S Ramsey, Ms Ritchie, Mr Sheehan.
Tellers for the Noes: Mr Durkan and Mr McGlone.
The Amendment was made.
Northern Ireland Assembly
5 December 2011
Division 2
Public Sector Pensions - Motion as amended
Proposed:
That this Assembly recognises the fundamental changes to public sector pension provision across the United Kingdom; expresses disappointment that a resolution could not be found and that strike action was deemed necessary by trade unions; and calls on the trade unions and the UK Government to continue negotiations with a view to finding a solution and preventing further strike action in the future on this matter.
The Question, as amended, was put and the Assembly divided.
Ayes: 54
Noes: 28
Ayes
Mr Allister, Mr S Anderson, Mr Beggs, Mr Bell, Ms P Bradley, Mr Buchanan, Mr Campbell,
Mr T Clarke, Mrs Cochrane, Mr Copeland, Mr Craig, Mr Cree, Mr Dickson, Mrs Dobson,
Mr Douglas, Mr Dunne, Mr Easton, Mr Elliott, Dr Farry, Mr Ford, Mrs Foster, Mr Frew,
Mr Girvan, Mr Givan, Mrs Hale, Mr Hamilton, Mr Hilditch, Mr Humphrey, Mr Hussey, Mr Irwin,
Mr Kennedy, Ms Lewis, Ms Lo, Mr Lunn, Mr McCallister, Mr McCausland, Mr B McCrea,
Mr I McCrea, Mr D McIlveen, Miss M McIlveen, Mr McNarry, Lord Morrow, Mr Nesbitt,
Mr Newton, Mrs Overend, Mr Poots, Mr G Robinson, Rt Hon P Robinson, Mr Ross, Mr Spratt,
Mr Storey, Mr Swann, Mr Weir, Mr Wilson.
Tellers for the Ayes: Mr Nesbitt and Mr Spratt.
Noes
Mr Agnew, Mr Boylan, Ms Boyle, Mr D Bradley, Mr Brady, Mr Byrne, Mr W Clarke,
Mr Durkan, Mr Flanagan, Mrs D Kelly, Mr Lynch, Mr F McCann, Ms J McCann,
Mr McCartney, Mr McDevitt, Dr McDonnell, Mr McGlone, Mr McKay, Mr McLaughlin,
Mr McMullan, Mr A Maginness, Mr P Maskey, Mr Murphy, Mr Ó hOisín, Mr P Ramsey,
Ms S Ramsey, Ms Ritchie, Mr Sheehan.
Tellers for the Noes: Mr Byrne and Mr McDevitt.
The Motion, as amended, was carried.
Northern Ireland Assembly
Papers Presented to the Assembly on
30 November - 5 December 2011
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
Strategic Investment Board Limited - Annual Review and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2011 (OFMDFM)
General Report on the Health and Social Care Sector by the Comptroller and Auditor General for Northern Ireland - 2010 and 2011 (NIAO)
Office of the Social Fund Commissioner for Northern Ireland Annual Report 2010-2011 (DSD)
Social Fund Annual Report 2010/2011 (DSD)
5. Assembly Reports
6. Statutory Rules
(The Department identified after each rule is for reference purposes only)
7. Written Ministerial Statements
8. Consultation Documents
Guidance for District Councils on Gating Orders Legislation (DOE)
The Fluorinated Greenhouse Gases (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2012 (DOE)
9. Departmental Publications
Sickness in the Northern Ireland Civil Service 2010/11 (DFP)
House of Commons Members' Contributory Pension (Northern Ireland) Fund Report by the Government Actuary's Department on the Financial Position as at 31 March 2008 (DFP)
Northern Ireland Courts and Tribunals Service Investment Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2011 (DOJ)
Department of Health and Children and Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety North-South Feasibility Study (DHSSPS)
Northern Ireland Better Regulation Strategy – Annual Report 2010-11 (DETI)
Consultation on the Programme for Government 2011-15 (OFMDFM)
Consultation on Taxi Fare and Taximeter Regulations (DOE)
