Minutes of Proceedings

No. 27-11/15

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

1. Personal Prayer or Meditation

Members observed two minutes’ silence.

2. Speaker’s Business

2.1 The Speaker informed Members that he had received a letter from the deputy First Minister, dated 31 October 2011, revoking with effect from that date his earlier letter, in which he had designated the Minister of Education to exercise the functions of the Office of deputy First Minister.

3. Executive Committee Business

3.1 Statement - North South Ministerial Council meeting in Transport Sectoral Format: Roads and Transport

The Minister for Regional Development, Mr Danny Kennedy, made a statement regarding the North South Ministerial Council meeting in Transport sectoral format: Roads and Transport, held on 21 October 2011, following which he replied to questions.

3.2 Statement - North South Ministerial Council meeting in Transport Sectoral Format: Road Safety

The Minister of the Environment, Mr Alex Attwood, made a statement regarding the North South Ministerial Council meeting in Transport sectoral format: Road Safety, held on 21 October 2011, following which he replied to questions.

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

3.3 Statement - Lissue House and Forster Green Hospital

The Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, Mr Edwin Poots, made a statement regarding Lissue House and Forster Green Hospital, following which he replied to questions.

4. Private Members’ Business

4.1 Motion - Murder of Pat Finucane

Following receipt of a valid Petition of Concern (See Appendix 1), under Standing Order 28, Members were informed that the vote on the motion and the amendment would be taken as the first item of business on Tuesday 8 November.

Proposed:

That this Assembly notes the British Government’s acceptance that there was collusion by the Army, the RUC and the Security Service in the murder of Pat Finucane; recognises that accepting collusion is not sufficient in itself and that the public now needs to know the extent and nature of that collusion; and calls on the British Government to honour the binding commitment, made by the then British and Irish Governments in the Weston Park Agreement, by establishing a judicial inquiry, as recommended by Judge Cory in 2004, with the power to compel witnesses to give evidence under oath.

Ms M Ritchie
Mr A Maginness
Mr C Eastwood

4.2 Amendment

Proposed:

At end insert:

‘; and further calls on the British Government to establish this judicial inquiry within the next three months.’

Mr M McLaughlin
Mr G Kelly
Mr R McCartney

Debate ensued.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr Beggs) took the Chair.

The debate was suspended for Question Time.

5. Question Time

5.1 Environment

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

5.2 Enterprise, Trade and Investment

Questions were put to, and answered by, the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment, Mrs Arlene Foster.

6. Private Members’ Business (Cont’d)

6.1 Motion - Murder of Pat Finucane (Cont’d)

Debate resumed on the Motion and the Amendment.

Members were reminded that the Question would be put on the Motion and the Amendment as the first item of business on Tuesday 8 November.

6.2 Motion - Aggregates Levy Rebate

Proposed:

That this Assembly recognises the imminent danger to the quarrying industry if the EU Commission decides to require a recovery of the Aggregates Levy rebate from 2004; and calls on the First Minister and deputy First Minister to make urgent representations to the EU President and the Chancellor of the Exchequer requesting that no recovery order is made.

Mr P Frew
Mr T Lunn
Mr P McGlone
Mr D Kinahan
Mr B McElduff

Debate ensued.

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

The Speaker took the Chair.

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

7. Adjournment

Proposed:

That the Assembly do now adjourn.

The Speaker

The Assembly adjourned at 5.26pm.

Mr William Hay
The Speaker
7 November 2011

Appendix 1

NORTHERN IRELAND ASSEMBLY PETITION OF CONCERN

MOTION AND AMENDMENT: MURDER OF PAT FINUCANE

Date to be debated: 7 NOVEMBER 2011

The undersigned Members of the Northern Ireland Assembly present this Petition of Concern in accordance with Standing Order 28.

MR SYDNEY ANDERSON

MR JONATHAN BELL

MS PAULA BRADLEY

MR THOMAS BUCHANAN

MR GREGORY CAMPBELL

MR TREVOR CLARKE

MR JONATHAN CRAIG

MR SAMMY DOUGLAS

MR GORDON DUNNE

MR ALEX EASTON

MRS ARLENE FOSTER

MR PAUL FREW

MR PAUL GIRVAN

MR PAUL GIVAN

MRS BRENDA HALE

MR SIMON HAMILTON

MR DAVID HILDITCH

MR WILLIAM HUMPHREY

MR WILLIAM IRWIN

MS PAM LEWIS

MR NELSON MCCAUSLAND

MR IAN MCCREA

MR DAVID MCILVEEN

MISS MICHELLE MCILVEEN

MR ADRIAN MCQUILLAN

THE LORD MORROW

Mr STEPHEN MOUTRAY

MR ROBIN NEWTON

MR EDWIN POOTS

MR GEORGE ROBINSON

RT HON PETER ROBINSON

MR ALASTAIR ROSS

MR JIMMY SPRATT

MR MERVYN STOREY

MR PETER WEIR

MR JIM WELLS

MR SAMMY WILSON

MR DANNY KENNEDY

MR MICHAEL COPELAND

Northern Ireland Assembly

Papers Presented to the Assembly on
25 October - 7 November 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

Armagh Observatory and Planetarium 2010-2011 Annual Report and Accounts (DCAL)

Big Lottery Fund Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2011 (HOC)

UK Sport Annual Report and Accounts 2010-2011 (HOC)

National Heritage Memorial Fund and Heritage Lottery Fund Annual Report and Accounts 2010-2011 (HOC)

Heritage Lottery Fund Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2011 (HOC)

National Lottery Commission Annual Report and Accounts 2010-2011 (HOC)

Western Education and Library Board Annual Report and Accounts 2009-2010 (DE)

The Charity Commission for Northern Ireland Annual Report 2010-2011 (DSD)

An Inspection of Prisoner Resettlement by the Northern Ireland Prison Service (DOJ)

Northern Ireland Blood Transfusion Service Trust Fund Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2011 (DHSSPS)

An Announced Inspection of Woodlands Juvenile Justice Centre (DOJ)

Arts Council for Northern Ireland Retention and Disposal Schedule (DCAL)

Belfast Metropolitan College Annual Report and Financial Statements 2009/10 (DEL)

5. Assembly Reports

Seventh Report of the Examiner of Statutory Rules (NIA 19/11-15)

Managing Criminal Legal Aid (NIA 20/11-15) (Public Accounts Committee)

6. Statutory Rules

(The Department identified after each rule is for reference purposes only)

• S.R. 2011/363 The Foyle Area and Carlingford Area (Tagging and Logbook) (Amendment) Regulations 2011 (DARD)
• S.R. 2011/367 The Debt Relief Orders (Designation of Competent Authorities) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2011 (DETI)
• S.R. 2011/369 The Student Fees (Amounts) (Amendment) (No.2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2011 (DEL)
• S.R. 2011/372 The Further Education Teachers' (Eligibility) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2011 (DEL)
• S.R. 2011/373 The Landfill Allowances Scheme (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2011 (DOE)
• S.R. 2011/374 The Smoke Control Areas (Authorised Fuels) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2011 (DOE)
• S.R. 2011/376 The Student Fees (Qualifying Courses and Persons) (Amendment) (No.2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2011 (DEL)
• S.R. 2011/378 The Rates (Appeals) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2011 (DFP)
• S.R 2011/379 The Road Traffic (Fixed Penalty) (Offences) (Amendment No.2) Order (Northern Ireland) 2011 (DOE)
• S.R. 2011/380 The Crossbill Place, Lisburn (Footpaths) (Abandonment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2011 (DRD)
• S.R. 2011/381 The Lagmore Road, Lisburn (Abandonment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2011 (DRD)
• S.R. 2011/383 The Social Fund (Cold Weather Payments) (General) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2011 (DSD)
• S.R. 2011/387 The Planning (2011 Act) (Transitional Provisions) Order (Northern Ireland) 2011 (DOE)
• S.R 2011/388 The Nitrates Action Programme (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2011 (DOE)

For Information Only:

• S.R. 2011/375 The Local Government (Rates Support Grant) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2011 (DOE)
• S.R. 2011/382 The Parking Places on Roads (Whiteabbey) Order (Northern Ireland) 2011 (DRD)
• S.R. 2011/386 (C.28) The Planning (2011 Act) (Commencement No.1) Order (Northern Ireland) 2011 (DOE)

7. Written Ministerial Statements

Extreme Rainfall: Help for Households (DOE)

8. Consultation Documents

The Draft Guidance on Councillors' Allowances (DOE)

Proposed Changes to the Northern Ireland Renewables Obligation (DETI)

Draft Onshore Renewable Electricity Action Plan and Strategic Environmental Assessment (DETI)

Consultation on Proposed Increases to Contributions for Members of the NI Teachers' Pension Scheme (NITPS) (DE)

Consultation on Fire Extinguishers on Motor Vehicles (DOE)

9. Departmental Publications

Northern Ireland Prison Service Corporate Plan 2011-2015 and Business Plan 2011-2012 (DOJ)

10. Agency Publications

11. Westminster Publications

Sovereign Grant Act 2011 Chapter 15

12. Miscellaneous Publications