Minutes of Proceedings

Members observed two minutes’ silence.

2.    Executive Committee Business

2.1       Second Legislative Consent Motion - Finance Bill

Proposed:

That this Assembly agrees that the provisions in clause 49 of, and Schedule 14 to, the Finance Bill as introduced in the House of Commons on 10 May 2012, dealing with gifts to the nation, should be considered by the UK Parliament.

Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure

Debate ensued.

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

3.    Committee Business

3.1       Motion - Use of '0844' Numbers by GP Surgeries

Proposed:

That this Assembly calls on the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to outline the actions that he will take to bring to an end the practice of GP Surgeries using '0844' telephone numbers and the associated high call charges for patients.

Chairperson, Committee for Health, Social Services and Public Safety

Debate ensued.

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

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

3.2       Motion - Clarification of the Intention of a Charge on Single Use Carrier Bags

Proposed:

That this Assembly recognises that the intention of a charge on single use carrier bags is to reduce bag consumption and the impact on the environment; and calls on the Minister of the Environment to confirm that implementation of the levy, including its current and future scope and further increases, will be conducted in a way that focuses solely on these aims.

Chairperson, Committee for the Environment

3.3       Amendment

Proposed:

Leave out all after the first ‘environment;’ and insert:

‘calls on the Minister of the Enviroment to clarify the scope and type of carrier bags that will be subject to charging, and to confirm that the list of exemptions will include environmentally friendly reusable bags; and further calls on the Minister to take into consideration the concerns of the retail trade, so that the method of collecting the charge, the size of the charge and the point at which the charge is collected, are all taken into account.’

Mr T Elliott
Mr D Kinahan

Debate ensued.

The sitting was suspended at 12.21pm.

The sitting resumed at 2.00pm, with the Speaker in the Chair.

4.    Question Time

4.1       Health, Social Services and Public Safety  

Questions were put to, and answered by, the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, Mr Edwin Poots.

4.2       Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister

Questions were put to, and answered by, the deputy First Minister, Mr Martin McGuinness. The junior Minister, Ms Martina Anderson, also answered a number of questions.

5.    Executive Committee Business (Cont’d)

5.1       Statement - Public Expenditure: Provisional Outturn 2011/2012

The Deputy Speaker (Mr Dallat) took the Chair.

The Minister of Finance and Personnel, Mr Sammy Wilson, made a statement regarding Public Expenditure: Provisional Outturn 2011/2012, following which he replied to questions.

6.    Committee Business (Cont’d)

6.1       Motion - Clarification of the Intention of a Charge on Single Use Carrier Bags (Cont’d)

Debate resumed on the Motion.

The Question being put, the Amendment was made without division.

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

The Deputy Speaker (Mr Beggs) took the Chair,

7.    Adjournment

Mr John Dallat spoke to his topic on the Causeway Hospital, Coleraine.  

Proposed:

That the Assembly do now adjourn.

The Speaker

The Assembly adjourned at 5.11pm.

Mr William Hay
The Speaker

29 May 2012

Northern Ireland Assembly

Papers Presented to the Assembly on 29 May 2012

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

5.    Assembly Reports

6.    Statutory Rules

• S.R. 2012/192 The Building Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2012 (DFP)
• S.R. 2012/218 The Quality of Bathing Water (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2012 (DOE)

For Information Only:

• S.R. 2012/186 (C.16) The Building Regulations (2009 Amendment Act) (Commencement No.2) Order (Northern Ireland) 2012 (DFP)
• S.R. 2012/187 (C.17) The Building Regulations (1979 Order) (Commencement No.3) Order (Northern Ireland) 2012 (DFP)

7.    Written Ministerial Statements

8.    Consultation Documents

9.    Departmental Publications

10. Agency Publications

11.  Westminster Publications

12. Miscellaneous Publications

Northern Ireland Assembly Legislation:

Stages in Consideration of Public Bills

First Stage: Introduction of Bill.

Second Stage: General debate of the Bill with an opportunity for Members to vote on its general principles.

Committee Stage (Comm. Stage): Detailed investigation by a Committee which concludes with the publication of a report for consideration by the Assembly.

Consideration Stage (CS): Consideration by the Assembly of, and an opportunity for Members to vote on, the details of the Bill including amendments proposed to the Bill.

Further Consideration Stage (FCS): Consideration by the Assembly of, and an opportunity for Members to vote on, further amendments to the Bill.

Final Stage: Passing or rejecting of Bill by the Assembly, without further amendment.

Royal Assent.

Proceedings as at 29 MAY 2012

2011-2015 Mandate
Executive Bills

2011-2015 Mandate

Non-Executive Bills

/ Bill progressing by accelerated passage