Minutes of Proceedings

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

1. Personal Prayer or Meditation

Members observed two minutes’ silence.

2. Executive Committee Business

2.1 Statement – Fraud Awareness

The Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, Mr Edwin Poots, made a statement regarding Fraud Awareness, following which he replied to questions.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr Dallat) took the Chair.

3. Private Members’ Business

3.1 Motion – Prison Review Reports

Proposed:

That this Assembly notes with concern the findings contained in the Criminal Justice Inspection's Reports on Hydebank Wood Prison and Young Offenders Centre; notes that the Owers review highlighted most of the issues raised in these Reports; and calls on the Minister of Justice to take the necessary steps to ensure that the Prison Reform Programme is progressed in the manner envisaged by the Prison Review Team's report.

Mr R McCartney
Ms R McCorley
Mr S Lynch

3.2 Amendment 1

Proposed:

Leave out all after ‘Minister of Justice’ and insert:

‘to review the implementation of the Northern Ireland Prison Service Strategic Efficiency and Effectiveness Programme to ensure support from all relevant stakeholders taking forward the reform programme.’

Mr P Givan
Mr J Wells
Mr W Humphrey
Mr S Anderson

3.3 Amendment 2

Proposed:

Insert after ‘steps to ensure that’:

‘the performance of the senior administration of the Northern Ireland Prison Service is sufficient and that’

Mr T Elliott
Mr R Hussey

Debate ensued.

The Question being put, Amendment No. 1 was made without division.

Amendment No. 2 was not put.

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

The sitting was suspended at 12.32pm.

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

4. Question Time

4.1 Finance and Personnel

Questions were put to, and answered by, the Minister of Finance and Personnel, Mr Simon Hamilton.

4.2 Enterprise, Trade and Investment

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

The Speaker took the Chair.

5. Private Members’ Business (Cont’d)

5.1 Motion – National Crime Agency

Proposed:

That this Assembly recognises the concerns raised by the Chief Constable, that failure to establish the National Crime Agency (NCA) in Northern Ireland will impact on the PSNI's ability to protect life under Article 2 of the Human Rights Act 1998 and to tackle serious crime, such as drug trafficking and human trafficking; and will work to ensure that no further delays are allowed to impact on the work of the NCA being extended to Northern Ireland.

Mr D McIlveen
Mr W Humphrey
Mr A Ross
Ms J Wells

5.2 Amendment 1

Proposed:

Leave out all after ‘Assembly’ and insert:

‘notes the concerns raised by the Chief Constable, that failure to establish the National Crime Agency (NCA) in Northern Ireland will impact on the PSNI’s relationship with some other serious and organised crime agencies; further notes the statement made on behalf of the PSNI at the launch of the Policing Board Annual Report in January 2013 that the NCA must operate in an accountable manner through the Policing Board; regrets that the Home Secretary has failed to bring forward proposals that would allow the NCA to operate as such and calls on the Minister of Justice and Home Secretary to urgently introduce statutory amendments which would guarantee that the NCA and its operations in Northern Ireland are fully accountable to the Northern Ireland Policing Board.’

Mrs D Kelly
Mr A Maginness
Mr A Attwood
Mr P McGlone

5.3 Amendment 2

Proposed:

Leave out all after the second ‘trafficking;’ and insert:

‘and calls on Her Majesty’s Government to implement the legislative requirements to enable the NCA to operate fully in Northern Ireland.’

Mr T Elliott
Mr R Hussey

Debate ensued.

The Question being put, Amendment No. 1 fell (Division 1).

The Question being put, Amendment No. 2 fell (Division 2).

The Question being put, the Motion, was carried (Division 3).

6. Adjournment

Mr Roy Beggs spoke to his topic regarding response policing in Larne.

Proposed:

That the Assembly do now adjourn.

The Speaker

The Assembly adjourned at 6.31pm.

Mr William Hay
The Speaker
15 October 2013

15 October 2013
Division 1

Motion: National Crime Agency – Amendment 1

Proposed:

Leave out all after ‘Assembly’ and insert:

‘notes the concerns raised by the Chief Constable, that failure to establish the National Crime Agency (NCA) in Northern Ireland will impact on the PSNI’s relationship with some other serious and organised crime agencies; further notes the statement made on behalf of the PSNI at the launch of the Policing Board Annual Report in January 2013 that the NCA must operate in an accountable manner through the Policing Board; regrets that the Home Secretary has failed to bring forward proposals that would allow the NCA to operate as such and calls on the Minister of Justice and Home Secretary to urgently introduce statutory amendments which would guarantee that the NCA and its operations in Northern Ireland are fully accountable to the Northern Ireland Policing Board.’

Mrs D Kelly
Mr A Maginness
Mr A Attwood
Mr P McGlone

The Question was put and the Assembly divided.

Ayes: 38
Noes: 49

AYES

Mr Attwood, Mr Boylan, Ms Boyle, Mr D Bradley, Mr Brady, Mr Byrne, Mr Dallat, Mr Durkan, Mr Eastwood, Ms Fearon, Mr Hazzard, Mrs D Kelly, Mr G Kelly, Mr Lynch, Mr McAleer, Mr F McCann, Ms J McCann, Mr McCartney, Ms McCorley, Mr McElduff, Ms McGahan, Mr McGlone, Mr McKay, Mrs McKevitt, Mr McKinney, Ms Maeve McLaughlin, Mr Mitchel McLaughlin, Mr McMullan, Mr Maskey, Mr Milne, Ms Ní Chuilín, Mr Ó hOisín, Mr O'Dowd, Mrs O'Neill, Mr P Ramsey, Mr Rogers, Ms Ruane, Mr Sheehan.

Tellers for the Ayes: Mr G Kelly and Mr McKinney

NOES

Mr Allister, Mr Anderson, Mr Beggs, Mr Bell, Ms P Bradley, Ms Brown, Mr Buchanan, Mr Clarke, Mr Copeland, Mr Craig, Mr Cree, Mr Dickson, Mrs Dobson, Mr Douglas, Mr Dunne, Mr Easton, Mr Elliott, Dr Farry, Mr Ford, Mrs Foster, Mr Frew, Mr Girvan, Mr Givan, Mrs Hale, Mr Hilditch, Mr Humphrey, Mr Hussey, Mr Irwin, Mr Kinahan, Ms Lo, Mr Lunn, Mr McCallister, Mr McCarthy, Mr McCausland, Mr D McIlveen, Miss M McIlveen, Mr McQuillan, Lord Morrow, Mr Moutray, Mr Nesbitt, Mr Newton, Mrs Overend, Mr Poots, Mr G Robinson, Mr Ross, Mr Spratt, Mr Storey, Mr Weir, Mr Wells.

Tellers for the Noes: Mr McQuillan and Mr G Robinson

The Amendment fell.

15 October 2013
Division 2

Motion: National Crime Agency – Amendment 2

Proposed:

Leave out all after the second ‘trafficking;’ and insert:

‘and calls on Her Majesty’s Government to implement the legislative requirements to enable the NCA to operate fully in Northern Ireland.’

Mr T Elliott
Mr R Hussey

The Question was put and the Assembly divided.

Ayes: 42
Noes: 45

AYES

Mr Allister, Mr Anderson, Mr Beggs, Mr Bell, Ms P Bradley, Ms Brown, Mr Buchanan, Mr Clarke, Mr Copeland, Mr Craig, Mr Cree, Mrs Dobson, Mr Douglas, Mr Dunne, Mr Easton, Mr Elliott, Mrs Foster, Mr Frew, Mr Girvan, Mr Givan, Mrs Hale, Mr Hilditch, Mr Humphrey, Mr Hussey, Mr Irwin, Mr Kinahan, Mr McCausland, Mr D McIlveen, Miss M McIlveen, Mr McQuillan, Lord Morrow, Mr Moutray, Mr Nesbitt, Mr Newton, Mrs Overend, Mr Poots, Mr G Robinson, Mr Ross, Mr Spratt, Mr Storey, Mr Weir, Mr Wells.

Tellers for the Ayes: Mrs Dobson and Mr Nesbitt

NOES

Mr Attwood, Mr Boylan, Ms Boyle, Mr D Bradley, Mr Brady, Mr Byrne, Mr Dallat, Mr Dickson, Mr Durkan, Mr Eastwood, Dr Farry, Ms Fearon, Mr Ford, Mr Hazzard, Mrs D Kelly, Mr G Kelly, Ms Lo, Mr Lunn, Mr Lynch, Mr McAleer, Mr McCallister, Mr F McCann, Ms J McCann, Mr McCarthy, Mr McCartney, Ms McCorley, Mr McElduff, Ms McGahan, Mr McGlone, Mr McKay, Mrs McKevitt, Mr McKinney, Ms Maeve McLaughlin, Mr Mitchel McLaughlin, Mr McMullan, Mr Maskey, Mr Milne, Ms Ní Chuilín, Mr Ó hOisín, Mr O'Dowd, Mrs O'Neill, Mr P Ramsey, Mr Rogers, Ms Ruane, Mr Sheehan.

Tellers for the Noes: Mr Dickson and Mr McCarthy

The Amendment fell

15 October 2013
Division 3

Motion: National Crime Agency

Proposed:

That this Assembly recognises the concerns raised by the Chief Constable, that failure to establish the National Crime Agency (NCA) in Northern Ireland will impact on the PSNI's ability to protect life under Article 2 of the Human Rights Act 1998 and to tackle serious crime, such as drug trafficking and human trafficking; and will work to ensure that no further delays are allowed to impact on the work of the NCA being extended to Northern Ireland.

Mr D McIlveen
Mr W Humphrey
Mr A Ross
Ms J Wells

The Question was put and the Assembly divided.

Ayes: 49
Noes: 38

AYES

Mr Allister, Mr Anderson, Mr Beggs, Mr Bell, Ms P Bradley, Ms Brown, Mr Buchanan, Mr Clarke, Mr Copeland, Mr Craig, Mr Cree, Mr Dickson, Mrs Dobson, Mr Douglas, Mr Dunne, Mr Easton, Mr Elliott, Dr Farry, Mr Ford, Mrs Foster, Mr Frew, Mr Girvan, Mr Givan, Mrs Hale, Mr Hilditch, Mr Humphrey, Mr Hussey, Mr Irwin, Mr Kinahan, Ms Lo, Mr Lunn, Mr McCallister, Mr McCarthy, Mr McCausland, Mr D McIlveen, Miss M McIlveen, Mr McQuillan, Lord Morrow, Mr Moutray, Mr Nesbitt, Mr Newton, Mrs Overend, Mr Poots, Mr G Robinson, Mr Ross, Mr Spratt, Mr Storey, Mr Weir, Mr Wells.

Tellers for the Ayes: Mr McQuillan and Mr G Robinson

NOES

Mr Attwood, Mr Boylan, Ms Boyle, Mr D Bradley, Mr Brady, Mr Byrne, Mr Dallat, Mr Durkan, Mr Eastwood, Ms Fearon, Mr Hazzard, Mrs D Kelly, Mr G Kelly, Mr Lynch, Mr McAleer, Mr F McCann, Ms J McCann, Mr McCartney, Ms McCorley, Mr McElduff, Ms McGahan, Mr McGlone, Mr McKay, Mrs McKevitt, Mr McKinney, Ms Maeve McLaughlin, Mr Mitchel McLaughlin, Mr McMullan, Mr Maskey, Mr Milne, Ms Ní Chuilín, Mr Ó hOisín, Mr O'Dowd, Mrs O'Neill, Mr P Ramsey, Mr Rogers, Ms Ruane, Mr Sheehan.

Tellers for the Noes: Mr G Kelly and Mr McKinney

The Motion was agreed.

Northern Ireland Assembly

Papers Presented to the Assembly on
15 October 2013

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

For Information Only:

S. R. 2013/238 The Local Government (Boundaries) (2008 Act) (Commencement, Transitional Provision and Savings) Order (Northern Ireland) 2013 (DOE)

S. R. 2013/242 The Parking and Waiting Restrictions (Magherafelt) Order (Northern Ireland) 2013 (DRD)

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 16 October 2013

2011-2015 Mandate
Executive Bills

2011-2015 Mandate
Non-Executive Bills

/ Bill progressing by accelerated passage

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