Minutes of Proceedings

Members observed two minutes’ silence.

2.    Speaker’s Business

2.1  Member Resignation

The Speaker informed Members that the Speaker’s Office had received a letter from Mr Maurice Devenney giving notice that he intends to resign as a Member of the Assembly with effect from 5.00pm on Wednesday 25 March 2015. The Speaker advised that the Speaker’s Office had notified the Chief Electoral Officer, in accordance with Section 35 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998.

2.2   New Member

The Speaker informed Members that he had been notified by the Chief Electoral Officer that Mr Gary Middleton had been returned as a Member of the Assembly for the Foyle constituency to fill the vacancy that resulted from the resignation of Mr Maurice Devenney.

Mr Middleton signed the Roll of Members on 13 April 2015 in the presence of the Speaker, Mr McLaughlin. The Speaker confirmed that the Member had signed the Roll and had entered his designation of identity.

3.    Assembly Business

3.1  Motion – Financial Assistance for Political Parties Scheme 2015

Proposed:

That, as set out in section 2(4) of the Financial Assistance for Political Parties Act (Northern Ireland) 2000, this Assembly approves the revised scheme NIA 241/11-15 laid before the Assembly on 20 March 2015 for payments to political parties for the purpose of assisting Members of the Northern Ireland Assembly who are connected with such parties to perform their Assembly duties.

Mrs J Cochrane
Mr S Gardiner
Mr P Ramsey
Mr P Weir

Debate ensued.

Deputy Speaker (Mr Dallat) took the Chair.

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

4.    Committee Business

4.1   Motion – Report on Assembly Committees' Priorities for European Scrutiny in 2015 (NIA 225/11-16)

Proposed:

That this Assembly notes the Report of the Committee for the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister on Assembly Committees' Priorities for European Scrutiny in 2015 (NIA 225/11-16).

Chairperson, Committee for the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister

Debate ensued.

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

5.    Private Members’ Business

5.1   Motion – Inequality in Teacher Employment

Proposed:

That this Assembly notes the failure of the First Minister and deputy First Minister to repeal the exemption in fair employment law allowing discrimination on the grounds of religious belief in teacher appointments, as mandated by the motion Teachers: Employment Law which was approved by the Assembly on 22 April 2013; recognises that the teacher exemption, as well as the continuing requirement for a Certificate in Religious Education at nursery and primary level in the Catholic maintained sector, are unnecessary barriers to truly shared education; and calls on the First Minister and deputy First Minister to take action to remove these overt examples of inequality and discrimination.

Mr D Kinahan
Mrs S Overend
Mr R Swann

5.2   Amendment

Proposed:

Insert at end:

‘; and further calls, as an interim measure until this action is implemented, on St Mary’s University College to provide access to the teaching of the Certificate in Religious Education to students from other teacher training institutions, including Stranmillis University College.’

Mr T Lunn
Ms A Lo
Mr C Lyttle

Debate ensued.

The debate was suspended for Question Time.

The Speaker took the Chair.

6.   Question Time

6.1  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 Jennifer McCann, also answered a number of questions.

6.2  Employment and Learning   

Questions were put to, and answered by, the Minister for Employment and Learning, Dr Stephen Farry.

7.    Private Members’ Business (cont’d)

7.1   Motion – Inequality in Teacher Employment (cont’d)

Debate resumed.

Deputy Speaker (Mr Beggs) took the Chair.

The Question being put, the Amendment was negatived.

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

8.   Adjournment

Proposed:

That the Assembly do now adjourn.

The Speaker

The Assembly adjourned at 4.55pm.

Mr Mitchel McLaughlin
The Speaker
13 April 2015

Northern Ireland Assembly

13 April  2015      
Division

Motion – Inequality in Teacher Employment

Proposed:

That this Assembly notes the failure of the First Minister and deputy First Minister to repeal the exemption in fair employment law allowing discrimination on the grounds of religious belief in teacher appointments, as mandated by the motion Teachers: Employment Law which was approved by the Assembly on 22 April 2013; recognises that the teacher exemption, as well as the continuing requirement for a Certificate in Religious Education at nursery and primary level in the Catholic maintained sector, are unnecessary barriers to truly shared education; and calls on the First Minister and deputy First Minister to take action to remove these overt examples of inequality and discrimination.

Mr D Kinahan
Mrs S Overend
Mr R Swann

The Question was put and the Assembly divided.

Ayes: 51
Noes: 38

AYES

Mr Allister, Mr Anderson, Mr Bell, Ms P Bradley, Mr Buchanan, Mrs Cameron, Mr Clarke, Mrs Cochrane, Mr Craig, Mr Cree, Mr Dickson, Mrs Dobson, Mr Douglas, Mr Dunne, Mr Easton, Dr Farry, Mr Ford, Mrs Foster, Mr Frew, Mr Gardiner, Mr Girvan, Mr Givan, Mrs Hale, Mr Hamilton, Mr Hilditch, Mr Humphrey, Mr Irwin, Mr Kennedy, Mr Kinahan, Ms Lo, Mr Lunn, Mr Lyttle, Mr McCallister, Mr McCarthy, Mr McCausland, Mr I McCrea, Mr D McIlveen, Miss M McIlveen, Mr McQuillan, Mr Middleton, Lord Morrow, Mr Nesbitt, Mr Newton, Mrs Overend, Mr Poots, Mr G Robinson, Mr P Robinson, Mr Storey, Ms Sugden, Mr Swann, Mr Weir.

Tellers for the Ayes: Mr Kinahan and Mrs Overend.

NOES

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 McAleer, Mr F McCann, Ms J McCann, Mr McCartney, Ms McCorley, Dr McDonnell, Mr McElduff, Ms McGahan, Mr M McGuinness, Mr McKay, Mrs McKevitt, Ms Maeve McLaughlin, Mr McMullan, Mr A Maginness, Mr Maskey, Mr Milne, Mr Ó hOisín, Mr Ó Muilleoir, Mr O'Dowd, Mrs O'Neill, Mr Ramsey, Mr Rogers, Ms Ruane, Mr Sheehan.

Tellers for the Noes: Ms Maeve McLaughlin and Mr Sheehan.

The motion was carried.

Papers Presented to the Assembly on
25 March - 13 April 2015

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

The Effectiveness of Youth Conferencing March 2015 (DOJ).

DFP Minute on the Direction of Accruing Resources (DFP).

Southern Health and Social Care Trust Annual Report and Accounts for Year Ended 31 March 2014 (DHSSPS).

Annual Report and Accounts of the Trust Funds Held by the Southern Health and Social Care Trust for Year Ended 31 March 2014 (DHSSPS).

Loughs Agency Annual Report and Accounts 2012 (DARD).

The Pollution Prevention and Control (District Councils) Charging Scheme (Northern Ireland) 2015 (DOE).

Insolvency Service Annual Report and Account for year ended 31 March 2014 (DETI).

5.    Assembly Reports           

Report on Excess Votes (Northern Ireland) 2013-2014 (NIA 243/11-16) (PAC).

Report on the Justice Bill (NIA Bill 37/11-15) NIA 240/11-16 (Committee for Justice).

6.    Statutory Rules

S.R. 2015/152 The Whole of Government Accounts (Designation of Bodies) Order (Northern Ireland) 2015 (DFP).

S.R. 2015/159 Disqualifications Provisions – for Bankruptcy Restrictions Orders (DETI).

S.R. 2015/160 The Local Government (Transferred Functions Grant) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015 (DOE).

S.R. 2015/181 The Public Service (Civil Servants and Others) Pensions (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015 (DFP).

S.R. 2015/182 The Conservation (Natural Habitats, etc.) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015 (DOE).

S.R. 2015/183 The Local Government (Constituting a Joint Committee a Body Corporate) Order (Northern Ireland) 2015 (DOE).

S.R. 2015/184 The Social Security (Members of the Reserve Forces) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015 (DSD).

S.R. 2015/185 The Employment and Support Allowance (Repeat Assessments and Pending Appeal Awards) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015 (DSD).

S.R. 2015/186 The Recovery of Health Services Charges (Amounts) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015 (DHSSPS).

S.R. 2015/187 The Planning (Modification and Discharge of Planning Agreements) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015 (DOE).

S.R. 2015/188 The Planning (Simplified Planning Zones) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015 (DOE).

S.R. 2015/189 The Planning (Inquiry Procedure) Rules (Northern Ireland) 2015 (DOE).

S.R. 2015/191 The Common Agriculture Policy Basic Payment and Support Schemes Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015 (DARD).

S.R. 2015/192 The Common Agricultural Policy (Control and Enforcement) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015 (DARD).

S.R. 2015/195 The Civil Legal Services (General) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015 (DOJ).

S.R. 2015/196 The Civil Legal Services (Financial) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015 (DOJ).

S.R. 2015/198 The Civil Legal Services (Costs) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015 (DOJ).

S.R. 2015/200 The Civil Legal Services (Statutory Charge) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015 (DOJ).

S.R. 2015/201 The Civil Legal Services (Remuneration) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015 (DOJ).

S.R. 2015/204 Registered Rents (Increase) Order (Northern Ireland) 2015 (DSD).

S.R. 2015/205 The Health and Social Care (Disciplinary Procedures) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015 (DHSSPS).

S.R. 2015/208 The Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007 (Disclosure of Patient Registration Information) Regulations (Northern Ireland) (DFP).

S.R. 2015/211 The Social Security (Maternity Allowance) (Earnings) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015 (DSD).

S.R. 2015/213 The Time Off to Attend Adoption Appointments (Prospective Adopters) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015 (DEL).

S.R. 2015/XXX Energy (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2015 (DETI).

S.R. 2015/XXX (C) The Legal Aid Coroners' Courts (2014 Act) (Commencement no. 1) Order (Northern Ireland) 2015 (DOJ).

For Information Only

S.R. 2015/171 The Road Races (Cookstown 100) Order (Northern Ireland) 2015 (DRD).

S.R. 2015/172 The Road Races (Tandragee 100) Order (Northern Ireland) 2015 (DRD).

S.R. 2015/173 The Road Races (Craigantlet Hill Climb) Order (Northern Ireland) 2015 (DRD).

S.R. 2015/179 The Social Security (Contributions) (Republic of Chile) Order (Northern Ireland) 2015 (DSD).

S.R. 2015/180 The Pensions Increase (Review) Order (Northern Ireland) 2015 (DFP).

S.R. 2015/190 (C.11) The Serious Crime (2015 Act) (Commencement) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015 (DOJ).

S.R. 2015/194 The Access to Justice (2003 Order) (Commencement No. 7, Transitional Provisions and Savings) Order (Northern Ireland) 2015 (DOJ).

S.R. 2015/206 (C.14) The Pensions (2012 Act) (Commencement No.5) Order (Northern Ireland) 2015 (DSD).

S.R. 2015/207 The Social Security (Application of Reciprocal Agreements with Australia, Canada and New Zealand) (EEA States and Switzerland) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2015 (DSD).

S.R. 2015/209 (C.15) The Local Government (2014 Act) (Commencement No. 4) Order (Northern Ireland) 2015 (DOE).

S.R. 2015/210 The Local Government (Boundaries) (2008 Act) (Commencement, Transitional Provision and Savings) (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2015 (DOE).

S.R. 2015/212 The Road Races (Drumhorc Hill Climb) Order (Northern Ireland) 2015 (DRD).

7.    Written Ministerial Statements

8.    Consultation Documents

Consultation on General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) Grading (DE).

CFD Implementation in NI – Strategic Issues Discussion Paper (DETI).

Consultation on Amending the Financial Provision for Waste Management Activities in Northern Ireland (DOE).

Consultation on a Revised Community Festivals Fund Policy and Guidance Framework (DCAL).

Proposal for the Public Passenger Transport (Service Agreements and Service Permits) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015 (DRD).

9.    Departmental Publications

Statistical Review of Northern Ireland Agriculture 2014 (DARD).

District Rate Convergence Scheme for Ratepayers         Departmental (DFP).

Technical Adjustments to Sustainability and Reporting Provisions for Biomass – Government Response (DHSSPS).

The Northern Ireland Police Fund, Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2014 (DOJ).

10.  Agency Publications

11.  Westminster Publications

12. Miscellaneous Publications