Minutes of Proceedings

Session: 2013/2014

Date: 06 May 2014

Venue: Assembly Chamber

The Assembly met at 10.30am, the Speaker in the Chair.

1. Personal Prayer or Meditation

Members observed two minutes’ silence.

2. Assembly Business

2.1 New Member

The Speaker informed Members that he had been notified by the Chief Electoral Officer that Ms Claire Sugden had been returned as a Member of the Assembly for the East Londonderry constituency to fill the vacancy that resulted from the death of Mr David McClarty.

Ms Claire Sugden signed the Roll of Members on 6 May 2014 in the presence of the Speaker. The Speaker confirmed that the Member had signed the Roll and had entered her designation of identity.

3. Private Members’ Business

3.1 Motion – Funding for Cancer Drugs

Proposed:

That this Assembly notes with concern the difficulties faced by patients obtaining funding for cancer drugs; further notes with concern the varying policy positions throughout the UK and Ireland regarding the accessibility of cancer drugs; and calls on the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to undertake a review into the practices in Northern Ireland to provide greater clarity for patients trying to obtain funding for cancer drugs.

Mr D McIlveen
Mr J Wells
Mrs P Cameron
Mr G Dunne

Debate ensued.

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

3.2 Motion – Underachievement of Protestant Working Class Boys

Proposed:

That this Assembly notes the issues raised in the report produced by the Community Relations Council regarding the underachievement at GCSE of Protestant working class boys in receipt of free school meals; notes with concern that this reinforces the conclusions of other similar reports over a number of years; further notes the positive action which the Minister of Education has taken to support other ethnic and minority groups who are underachieving; and calls on the Minister of Education to outline the specific steps his Department is taking to redress this situation and establish a meaningful sectoral body for the controlled sector to enable it to address this issue in the same manner as the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools which has been able to tackle underachievement in the maintained sector.

Mr M Storey
Mr J Craig
Mr S Moutray
Mr R Newton

3.3 Amendment

Proposed:

Leave out all after ‘Community Relations Council’ and insert:

‘which once again sets out the close correlation between socio-economic background and exam success; further notes that the most significant divisions in education are based on gender and class and that it is the interplay between these which drives inequality; calls on the Minister of Education to work with all concerned to abolish the inequities in the education system designed to produce further inequality and to continue to take measures for all those who are underachieving regardless of class, creed or ethnic background; and further calls on the Minister of Education to set out the further steps his Department can take, including the establishment of a meaningful sectoral support body for the controlled sector as set out in the Education Bill, to support Protestant working class boys who are not achieving their full potential.’

Mr C Hazzard
Mr P Sheehan
Ms M McLaughlin

Debate ensued.

The sitting was suspended at 12.33pm.

The sitting resumed at 2.00pm, with the Deputy Speaker (Mr Dallat) in the Chair.

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 Enterprise, Trade and Investment 

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

The Deputy Speaker (Mr Beggs) took the Chair.

5. Private Members’ Business (Cont’d)

5.1 Motion – Underachievement of Protestant Working Class Boys

Debate resumed.

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

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

6. Adjournment

Mrs Judith Cochrane spoke to her topic regarding pre-school provision in East Belfast.

Proposed:

That the Assembly do now adjourn.

The Speaker

The Assembly adjourned at 5.25pm

Mr William Hay
The Speaker
6 May 2014

Northern Ireland Assembly

6 May 2014
Division

Motion - Underachievement of Protestant Working Class Boys – Amendment

Proposed:

Leave out all after ‘Community Relations Council’ and insert:

‘which once again sets out the close correlation between socio-economic background and exam success; further notes that the most significant divisions in education are based on gender and class and that it is the interplay between these which drives inequality; calls on the Minister of Education to work with all concerned to abolish the inequities in the education system designed to produce further inequality and to continue to take measures for all those who are underachieving regardless of class, creed or ethnic background; and further calls on the Minister of Education to set out the further steps his Department can take, including the establishment of a meaningful sectoral support body for the controlled sector as set out in the Education Bill, to support Protestant working class boys who are not achieving their full potential.’

Mr C Hazzard
Mr P Sheehan
Ms M McLaughlin

The Question was put and the Assembly divided.

Ayes: 40
Noes: 41

AYES

Mr Agnew, Mr Boylan, Ms Boyle, Mr Brady, Mr Byrne, Mrs Cochrane, Mr Dallat, Mr Dickson,
Mr Durkan, Dr Farry, Ms Fearon, Mr Flanagan, Mr Ford, Mr G Kelly, Ms Lo, Mr Lunn, Mr Lyttle,
Mr McAleer, Mr F McCann, Mr McCarthy, Mr McCartney, Ms McCorley, Dr McDonnell,
Mr McElduff, Ms McGahan, Mr McGlone, Mr M McGuinness, Mrs McKevitt, Mr McKinney,
Ms Maeve McLaughlin, Mr McMullan, Mr Maskey, Mr Milne, Ms Ní Chuilín, Mr Ó hOisín,
Mr O'Dowd, Mrs O'Neill, Mr P Ramsey, Mr Rogers, Mr Sheehan.

Tellers for the Ayes: Ms Maeve McLaughlin and Mr Sheehan

NOES

Mr Allister, Mr Anderson, Mr Bell, Ms P Bradley, Mr Buchanan, Mrs Cameron, Mr Campbell,
Mr Clarke, Mrs Dobson, Mr Douglas, Mr Dunne, Mr Easton, Mr Elliott, Mrs Foster, Mr Frew,
Mr Gardiner, Mr Girvan, Mr Givan, Mrs Hale, Mr Hamilton, Mr Hilditch, Mr Humphrey, Mr Irwin,
Mr Kennedy, Mr Kinahan, Mr McCausland, Mr I McCrea, Mr D McIlveen, Miss M McIlveen,
Mr Moutray, Mr Nesbitt, Mr Newton, Mr Poots, Mr G Robinson, Mr P Robinson, Mr Ross,
Mr Spratt, Mr Storey, Ms Claire Sugden, Mr Swann, Mr Weir.

Tellers for the Noes: Mr Douglas and Mr G Robinson

The Amendment fell.

Northern Ireland Assembly

Papers Presented to the Assembly on
30 April – 6 May 2014

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

Northern Ireland Law Commission Joint Report Regulation of Healthcare Professionals (DOJ)

The Pollution Prevention and Control (District Councils) Charging Scheme (Northern Ireland) 2014 (DOE)

Northern Ireland Audit Office Continuous Improvement Arrangements in Policing (NIAO)

5. Assembly Reports

6. Statutory Rules

S. R. 2014/124 The Westlink (Busways) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2014 (DRD)

S. R. 2014/126 The Council of the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland (Indemnity Arrangements) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2014 (DHSSPS)

S. R. 2014/127 The Planning (Fees) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2014 (DOE)

S. R. 2014/   The Draft Sexual Offences Act 2003 (Notification Requirements) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2014 (DOJ)

For Information Only:

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 7 May 2014

2011-2015 Mandate
Executive Bills

Title &
NIA Bill Number

First
Stage

Second Stage

Comm. Stage to Conclude

Report Ordered to be Printed

CS

FCS

Final Stage

Royal Assent

Marine Bill          5/11-15

21.02.12

05.03.12

06.07.12

05.07.12

30.04.13

13.05.13

21.05.13

17.09.13

Welfare Reform Bill 13/11-15

01.10.12

09.10.12

19.02.13

14.02.13

 

 

 

 

Education Bill    14/11-15

02.10.12

15.10.12

08.04.13

08.04.13

 

 

 

 

Planning Bill     17/11-15

14.01.13

22.01.13

07.06.13

06.06.13

24.06.13 & 25.06.13

 

 

 

Tobacco Retailers Bill 19/11-15

15.04.13

23.04.13

18.10.13

09.10.13

3.12.13

10.02.14

18.02.14

25.03.14

Carrier Bags Bill 20/11-15

03.06.13

11.06.13

30.11.13

26.11.13

28.01.14

25.02.14

10.03.14

28.04.14

Financial Provisions Bill 22/11-15

17.06.13

01.07.13

13.12.13

11.12.13

11.02.14

24.02.14

04.03.14

28.04.14

Public Service Pensions Bill     23/11-15

17.06.13

25.06.13

29.11.13

27.11.13

14.01.14

27.01.14

04.02.14

11.03.14

Licensing of Pavement Cafés Bill 24/11-15

17.06.13

25.06.13

13.12.13

05.12.13

04.03.14

25.03.14

07.04.14

 

Health and Social Care (Amendment) Bill 27/11-15

16.09.13

24.09.13

11.12.13

04.12.13

20.01.14

28.01.14

11.02.14

11.04.14

Local Government Bill 28/11-15

23.09.13

01.10.13

20.02.14

20.02.14

18&19.03.14

01.04.14

08.04.14

 

Road Races (Amendment) Bill 29/11-15

18.11.13

26.11.13

/

/

2.12.13

9.12.13

10.12.13

17.01.14

Reservoirs Bill 31/11-15

 

20.01.14

04.02.14

04.07.14

 

 

 

 

 

Budget Bill

32/11-15

10.02.14

11.02.14

/

/

17.02.14

18.02.14

24.02.14

19.03.14

Legal Aid and Coroners’ Courts Bill

33/11-15

31.03.14

08.04.14

05.06.14

 

 

 

 

 

Work and Families Bill

34/11-15

28.04.14

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2011-2015 Mandate
Non-Executive Bills

 

Title &
Bill Number

First
Stage

Second Stage

Comm. Stage to Conclude

Report Ordered to be Printed

CS

FCS

Final Stage

Royal Assent

 

Road Traffic (Speed Limits) Bill 25/11-15

17.06.13

Bill fell.

Re-introduced as Bill 30/11-15 (see below)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Human Trafficking and Exploitation (Further Provisions and Support for Victims) Bill 26/11-15

24.06.13

23.09.13 & 24.09.13

11.04.14

11.04.14

 

 

 

 

Road Traffic (Speed Limits) Bill 30/11-15

 

09.12.13

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                   

/ Bill progressing by accelerated passage

** Please note that any bills that received Royal Assent in the previous session have been removed from the table. 

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