Minutes of Proceedings

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 Statement – Consultation on Zero Hours Contracts

The Minister for Employment and Learning, Dr Stephen Farry, made a statement regarding the consultation on Zero Hours Contracts, following which he replied to questions.

2.2 Motion – The draft Sexual Offences Act 2003 (Notification Requirements) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2014

Proposed:

That the draft Sexual Offences Act 2003 (Notification Requirements) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2014 be approved.

Minister of Justice

Debate ensued.

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

3. Committee Business

3.1 Motion – Prayer of Annulment - The Jobseeker's Allowance (Schemes for Assisting Persons to Obtain Employment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2014 (SR 2014/150)

The following motion stood on the Order Paper in the name of the Chairperson of the Committee for Social Development.

Proposed:

That the Jobseeker's Allowance (Schemes for Assisting Persons to Obtain Employment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2014 (SR 2014/150) be annulled.

Chairperson, Committee for Social Development

The Motion was not moved.

4. Private Members’ Business

4.1 Motion – Bon Secours Sisters' Institution in Tuam

Proposed:

That this Assembly acknowledges the scandal that occurred at the Bon Secours Sisters' institution in Tuam, Co Galway, where almost 800 children died whilst in the care of a religious order and were placed in a mass unmarked grave over a period of five decades; notes the intention of the Dublin government to take steps to establish the best course of action to investigate the deaths of these children and the appalling manner of their interment; recognises that the abusive practices which occurred at the Bon Secours Sisters' mother and baby care home were not unique and were replicated in similar institutions across the island of Ireland; and calls for all government departments and their agencies, as well as religious orders, to proactively co-operate with any investigation that takes place to establish the truth behind this scandal.

Mr B McElduff
Ms M Fearon
Ms B McGahan

Debate ensued.

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

The sitting suspended at 1.50pm.

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

5. Question Time

5.1 Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister

Questions were put to, and answered by, the First Minister, Rt Hon Peter Robinson. The junior Minister, Mr Jonathan Bell, also answered a number of questions.

5.2 Education

Questions were put to, and answered by, the Minister of Education, Mr John O’Dowd.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr Beggs) took the Chair.

6. Private Members’ Business (Cont’d)

6.1 Motion – End of Key Stage Assessments

Proposed:

That this Assembly expresses concern that principals and teachers in schools no longer have any confidence in end of Key Stage Assessments; notes with concern that the Department of Education’s and the Council for Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment's approach to end of Key Stage Assessments is not fit for purpose; and calls on the Minister of Education to halt the present process, review other Assessment For Learning tools that schools currently use and introduce a system of assessment that helps inform teaching and learning.

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

6.2 Amendment – End of Key Stage Assessments

Proposed:

Proposed: Leave out all after ‘expresses’ and insert:

‘support for end of Key Stage Assessment; notes the endorsement of the principles of the current Assessment system as outlined in the recent Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development report; recognises the concern of principals and teachers about some elements of Key Stage Assessments; notes the progress made in recent discussions between the Department of Education and teachers’ representatives in dealing with those concerns; and calls on both parties to redouble their efforts and finalise a system of assessment that helps inform teaching and learning for the benefit of pupils.’

Mr C Hazzard
Ms M McLaughlin
Mr P Sheehan

Debate ensued.

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

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 5.15pm.

Mr William Hay
The Speaker

23 June 2014

Northern Ireland Assembly

23 June 2014

Division 1

Motion – End of Key Stage Assessments – Amendment

Proposed:

Proposed: Leave out all after ‘expresses’ and insert:

‘support for end of Key Stage Assessment; notes the endorsement of the principles of the current Assessment system as outlined in the recent Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development report; recognises the concern of principals and teachers about some elements of Key Stage Assessments; notes the progress made in recent discussions between the Department of Education and teachers’ representatives in dealing with those concerns; and calls on both parties to redouble their efforts and finalise a system of assessment that helps inform teaching and learning for the benefit of pupils.’

Mr C Hazzard
Ms M McLaughlin
Mr P Sheehen

The Question was put and the Assembly divided.

Ayes: 25
Noes: 60

AYES

Mr Boylan, Ms Boyle, Mr Brady, Mr Flanagan, Mr Hazzard, Mr G Kelly, Mr Lynch, Mr McAleer, Mr F McCann, Ms J McCann, Ms McCorley, Mr McElduff, Ms McGahan, Mr M McGuinness, Mr McKay, Mr Mitchel McLaughlin, Mr McMullan, Mr Maskey, Mr Milne, Ms Ní Chuilín, Mr Ó hOisín, Mr O'Dowd, Mrs O'Neill, Ms S Ramsey, Mr Sheehan.

Tellers for the Ayes: Mr Hazzard and Mr Sheehan.

NOES

Mr Agnew, Mr Allister, Mr Anderson, Mr Attwood, Mr Bell, Mr D Bradley, Ms P Bradley, Mr Buchanan, Mrs Cameron, Mr Clarke, Mrs Cochrane, Mr Craig, Mr Dallat, Mr Dickson, Mrs Dobson, Mr Douglas, Mr Easton, Mr Eastwood, Mr Elliott, Mr Ford, Mr Frew, Mr Gardiner, Mr Girvan, Mr Givan, Mrs Hale, Mr Hilditch, Mr Humphrey, Mr Irwin, Mrs D Kelly, Mr Kinahan, Ms Lo, Mr Lunn, Mr Lyttle, Mr McCallister, Mr McCausland, Mr I McCrea, Dr McDonnell, Mr McGlone, Mr D McIlveen, Miss M McIlveen, Mrs McKevitt, Mr McQuillan, Mr A Maginness, Lord Morrow, Mr Moutray, Mr Nesbitt, Mr Newton, Mr Poots, Mr P Ramsey, Mr G Robinson, Mr P Robinson, Mr Rogers, Mr Ross, Mr Spratt, Mr Storey, Ms Sugden, Mr Swann, Mr Weir, Mr Wells, Mr Wilson.

Tellers for the Noes: Mr Moutray and Mr G Robinson.

The Amendment fell.

Northern Ireland Assembly

Papers Presented to the Assembly on
18 – 23 June 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 Audit Office Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2014 (NIO)

Legislative Consent Memorandum – Childcare Payments Bill (OFMDFM)

5. Assembly Reports

NIA 174/11-15 – Report on the Legal Aid and Coroners’ Courts Bill (DOJ)

NIA 184/11-15 – Report of the Examiner of Statutory Rules to the Assembly and the Appropriate Committees

6. Statutory Rules

S. R. 2014/173 The Industrial Training Levy (Construction Industry) Order (Northern Ireland) 2014 (DEL)

S. R. 2014/174 The Rehabilitation of Offenders (Exceptions) (Amendment) (No. 2) Order (Northern Ireland) 2014 (DOJ)

S. R. 2014/178 The Magistrates’ Courts and County Court Appeals (Criminal Legal Aid) (Costs) (Amendment) Rules (Northern Ireland) 2014 (DOJ)

For Information Only:

7. Written Ministerial Statements

Implementation of the Taxis Act (Northern Ireland) 2008 (DOE)

8. Consultation Documents

Consultation on the Draft Home Accident Prevention Strategy for Northern Ireland (DHSSPS)

A Sense of Belonging: Delivering Social Change through a Racial Equality Strategy for Northern Ireland 2014-2024 (OFMDFM)

Public Consultation on Zero Hours Contracts (DEL)

9. Departmental Publications

Annual Report and Accounts of the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland (DSD)

Food Standards Agency in Northern Ireland Resource Accounts 2013/14 (DHSSPS)

10. Agency Publications

Youth Justice Agency Business Plan 2014-15 (Youth Justice Agency)

11. Westminster Publications

12. Miscellaneous Publications