Minutes of Proceedings

Members observed two minutes’ silence.

2. Speaker’s Business

2.1 Committee Chairperson Appointment

The Deputy Speaker informed Members that the Speaker had received correspondence from the nominating officer of the Ulster Unionist Party, Mr Mike Nesbitt, nominating Mr Robin Swann as Chairperson of the Committee for Employment and Learning with immediate effect. The Deputy Speaker confirmed the appointment.

2.2 Further Consideration Stage – Criminal Justice Bill (NIA 10/11-15)

The Deputy Speaker informed the House that the Speaker had received written notification from the Minister of Justice, Mr David Ford, that he would not be in a position to move the Further Consideration Stage of the Criminal Justice Bill on Tuesday 5 March 2013. The Deputy Speaker advised the House that the Bill stage would be rescheduled by the Business Committee.

3. Matter of the Day

3.1 Mortar bombs found in Londonderry

Mr Gregory Campbell made a statement, under Standing Order 24, in relation to the mortar bombs found in Londonderry. Other Members were also called to speak on the matter.

4. Assembly Business

4.1 Motion – Committee Membership

Proposed:

That Mr Basil McCrea replace Mr Robin Swann as a member of the Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure; and that Mr Sean Rogers replace Mr John McCallister as a member of the Assembly and Executive Review Committee.

Mr P Ramsey
Mrs K McKevitt

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

5. Executive Committee Business

5.1 Assembly Consent Motion - The Public Bodies (The Office of Fair Trading Transfer of Consumer Advice Scheme Function and Modification of Enforcement Functions) Order 2013                                                                                             

Proposed:

That this Assembly consents to the Public Bodies (The Office of Fair Trading Transfer of Consumer Advice Scheme Function and Modification of Enforcement Functions) Order 2013 in the form of the draft laid before the UK Parliament on 12 December 2012.

Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment

Debate ensued.

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

6. Private Members’ Business

6.1 Motion: Benefit Advice and Awareness

Proposed:

That this Assembly recognises the challenges facing the advice sector and the need for individuals to have access to advice and assistance in relation to their welfare rights; and calls on the Minister for Social Development to devise an advice services strategy, to develop an awareness campaign for individuals and to provide adequate funding for independent advice providers.

Mr M Durkan
Mrs K McKevitt
Mr C Eastwood
Mr D Bradley

Debate ensued.

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

6.2 Motion: Draft Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill

Proposed:

That this Assembly notes the publication of the draft Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland; supports the commitment to bring to an end the practice of dual mandates; welcomes the recognition within the Bill that political donations in Northern Ireland require sensitivity; acknowledges that further work is needed on measures that are still under consideration for potential inclusion in the Bill, including the creation of a formal opposition in the Assembly, the size of the Assembly and the length of the Assembly term; and calls on all political parties which support inclusive and consensual politics to play a full role at Westminster, or to forfeit the expenses that they claim from Parliament.

Mr M Nesbitt
Mr T Elliott
Mrs S Overend

6.3 Amendment

Proposed:

 Leave out from ‘welcomes’ to ‘sensitivity’ and substitute:

‘believes that the declaration and publication of donations to political parties in Northern Ireland should be handled in the same manner as donations to political parties in Great Britain’

Mr C Lyttle
Mr S Dickson
Ms A Lo

Debate ensued.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr Dallat) took the Chair.

The debate was suspended for Question Time.

7. Question Time

7.1 Justice

Questions were put to, and answered by, the Minister of Justice, Mr David Ford.

7.2 Environment

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

8. Private Members’ Business (Cont’d)

8.1 Motion: Draft Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill (cont’d)

Debate resumed on the motion.

The Question being put, the Amendment fell (Division 1).

The Question being put, the Motion was carried (Division 2).

The Deputy Speaker (Mr Beggs) took the Chair.

8.2 Motion: Local Meat Products

Proposed:

That this Assembly notes Northern Ireland’s excellent reputation for producing high quality food; expresses concern at the on-going incidents surrounding meat products; encourages retailers to source more food products from Northern Ireland; and calls on the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment to work with retailers to ensure that processors and farmers get a better return for their products.

Mr P Frew
Mr G Dunne
Mr W Irwin

Debate ensued.

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

9. Adjournment

Proposed:

That the Assembly do now adjourn.

The Speaker

The Assembly adjourned at 5.40pm.

Mr William Hay
The Speaker
4 March 2013

Northern Ireland Assembly

4 March 2013
Divisions

Division No. 1

Draft Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill – Amendment

Proposed:

 Leave out from ‘welcomes’ to ‘sensitivity’ and substitute:

‘believes that the declaration and publication of donations to political parties in Northern Ireland should be handled in the same manner as donations to political parties in Great Britain’

Mr C Lyttle
Mr S Dickson
Ms A Lo  

The Question was put and the Assembly divided.

Ayes: 12
Noes: 69

AYES

Mr Agnew, Mr Allister, Mrs Cochrane, Mr Dickson, Dr Farry, Mr Ford, Ms Lo, Mr Lunn, Mr Lyttle, Mr McCallister, Mr McCarthy, Mr B McCrea.

Tellers for the Ayes: Mr Lunn and Mr McCarthy

NOES

Mr Anderson, Mr Attwood, Mr Boylan, Ms Boyle, Mr D Bradley, Ms P Bradley, Mr Brady, Ms Brown, Mr Byrne, Mr Clarke, Mr Copeland, Mr Craig, Mr Cree, Mr Dunne, Mr Durkan, Mr Easton, Mr Eastwood, Mr Elliott, Ms Fearon, Mr Flanagan, Mrs Foster, Mr Frew, Mr Gardiner, Mr Girvan, Mr Givan, Mrs Hale, Mr Hamilton, Mr Hazzard, Mr Humphrey, Mr Irwin, Mrs D Kelly,   Mr G Kelly, Mr Kennedy, Mr Kinahan, Mr Lynch, Mr McCartney, Mr McCausland, Ms McCorley,   Mr I McCrea, Mr McDevitt, Dr McDonnell, Ms McGahan, Mr McGimpsey, Mr M McGuinness, Mr D McIlveen, Miss M McIlveen, Mr McKay, Mrs McKevitt, Ms Maeve McLaughlin, Mr Mitchel McLaughlin, Mr A Maginness, Mr Maskey, Lord Morrow, Mr Moutray, Mr Nesbitt, Mr Newton, Ms Ní Chuilín, Mr Ó hOisín, Mr O'Dowd, Mrs Overend, Mr G Robinson, Mr P Robinson, Ms Ruane, Mr Sheehan, Mr Spratt, Mr Storey, Mr Swann, Mr Weir, Mr Wilson.

Tellers for the Noes: Mrs Overend and Mr Spratt

The Amendment fell. 

Northern Ireland Assembly

4 March 2013
Divisions

Division No. 2

Draft Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill – Motion

Proposed:

That this Assembly notes the publication of the draft Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland; supports the commitment to bring to an end the practice of dual mandates; welcomes the recognition within the Bill that political donations in Northern Ireland require sensitivity; acknowledges that further work is needed on measures that are still under consideration for potential inclusion in the Bill, including the creation of a formal opposition in the Assembly, the size of the Assembly and the length of the Assembly term; and calls on all political parties which support inclusive and consensual politics to play a full role at Westminster, or to forfeit the expenses that they claim from Parliament.

Mr M Nesbitt
Mr T Elliott
Mrs S Overend

Question was put and the Assembly divided.

Ayes: 47
Noes: 32

AYES

Mr Allister, Mr Anderson, Ms P Bradley, Ms Brown, Mr Clarke, Mrs Cochrane, Mr Copeland, Mr Craig, Mr Cree, Mr Dickson, Mr Dunne, Mr Easton, Mr Elliott, Dr Farry, Mr Ford, Mrs Foster, Mr Frew, Mr Gardiner, Mr Girvan, Mr Givan, Mrs Hale, Mr Hamilton, Mr Humphrey, Mr Irwin, Mr Kennedy, Mr Kinahan, Ms Lo, Mr Lunn, Mr Lyttle, Mr McCarthy, Mr McCausland, Mr I McCrea, Mr McGimpsey, Mr D McIlveen, Miss M McIlveen, Lord Morrow, Mr Moutray, Mr Nesbitt, Mr Newton, Mrs Overend, Mr G Robinson, Mr P Robinson, Mr Spratt, Mr Storey, Mr Swann, Mr Weir, Mr Wilson.

Tellers for the Ayes: Mr Elliott and Mr Nesbitt

NOES

Mr Agnew, Mr Attwood, Mr Boylan, Ms Boyle, Mr D Bradley, Mr Brady, Mr Byrne, Mr Durkan, Mr Eastwood, Ms Fearon, Mr Flanagan, Mr Hazzard, Mrs D Kelly, Mr G Kelly, Mr Lynch,Mr McCartney, Ms McCorley, Mr McDevitt, Dr McDonnell, Ms McGahan, Mr M McGuinness, Mr McKay, Mrs McKevitt, Ms Maeve McLaughlin, Mr Mitchel McLaughlin, Mr A Maginness, Mr Maskey, Ms Ní Chuilín, Mr Ó hOisín, Mr O'Dowd, Ms Ruane, Mr Sheehan.

Tellers for the Noes: Mr McCartney and Mr Sheehan

The Motion was carried.

Northern Ireland Assembly

Papers Presented to the Assembly on
27 February – 4 March 2013

1. Acts of the Northern Ireland Assembly

2. Bills of the Northern Ireland Assembly

Criminal Justice Bill (as amended at consideration stage) (NIA Bill 10/11-15)

3. Orders in Council

4. Publications Laid in the Northern Ireland Assembly

The Sports Council for Northern Ireland Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2012 (DCAL)

Northern Ireland Courts and Tribunals Service Investment Account (DOJ)

National Museums Northern Ireland Annual Report and Accounts 2011-12 (DCAL)

5. Assembly Reports

Report on the Civil Service (Special Advisers) Bill (NIA 97/11-15) (Committee for Finance and Personnel)

Report on the Inquiry into Maximising the Creative Industries in Northern Ireland (NIA 98/11-15) (Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure)

Report on the Safety of Services Provided by Health and Social Care Trusts (NIA 102/11-15) (Public Accounts Committee)

6. Statutory Rules

S. R. 2013/35 Police Service of Northern Ireland and Police Service of Northern Ireland Reserve Pensions (Amendment) Regulations 2013 (DOJ)

For Information Only:

S. I. 2013/0000 Draft Statutory Instrument The CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme Order 2013 (DOE)

7. Written Ministerial Statements

Transport Northern Ireland (DRD)

8. Consultation Documents           

9. Departmental Publications

Safeguards to Protect the Individual Decisions on the Granting of Civil Legal Aid: A Department of Justice Consultation Document (DOJ)

10. Agency Publications

11. Westminster Publications

12. Miscellaneous Publications

Belfast Healthy City Annual Review 2011-12 (Belfast Healthy Cities)