Minutes of Proceedings

The Assembly met at noon, the Speaker in the Chair.

1. Personal Prayer or Meditation

Members observed two minutes’ silence.

2. Assembly Business

2.1 Motion – Committee Membership

Proposed:

That Mr Jim Wells replace Mr Peter Weir as a member of the Committee for Finance and Personnel; that Mr Gary Middleton replace Mr Peter Weir as a member of the Committee for the Environment; that Mr Sammy Douglas replace Mr Gary Middleton as a member of the Committee for Social Development; that Mr Jim Wells replace Mr Alex Easton as a member of the Public Accounts Committee; that Mr Paul Givan replace Mr Sammy Douglas as a member of the Committee on Procedures; and that Mr Tom Buchanan replace Mr Sammy Douglas as a member of the Committee on Standards and Privileges.

Mr P Weir
Lord Morrow

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

2.2 Motion – Assembly Commission Membership

Proposed:

That, in accordance with Standing Order 79(4), Ms Paula Bradley be appointed to fill the vacancy on the Assembly Commission.

Mr P Weir
Lord Morrow

The Question being put, the Motion was carried with cross-community support nemine contradicente.

3. Executive Committee Business

3.1 Motion – The Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007 (Disclosure of Patient Registration Information) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015

Proposed:

That the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007 (Disclosure of Patient Registration Information) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015 be affirmed.

Minister of Finance and Personnel

Debate ensued.

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

4. Private Members’ Business

4.1 Motion – Funding Cuts to the Community and Voluntary Sector

Proposed:

That this Assembly notes the important role of the community and voluntary sector across Northern Ireland in providing effective, efficient and value for money frontline services; accepts that, as a consequence of the 2015-16 Budget, decisions are being made by individual Executive Departments with no consideration of the impact on these services or the effect that they will have on the vulnerable in society; further notes that the ambiguity surrounding the European Social Fund has also forced many organisations to reduce their staff and their operations; and calls on the Executive to act in a coordinated manner to ensure that the sector and its organisations receive the required level of support and funding allocations.

Mr R Swann
Mr R Beggs
Mrs S Overend

Debate ensued.

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

4.2 Motion – Psychoactive Substances

Proposed:

That this Assembly expresses its concern at the impact of legal highs and in particular at the number of resulting deaths; and calls on the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to continue his work with the Home Office to ensure the introduction of new legislation across the United Kingdom to ban new psychoactive substances.

Mr A Easton
Mrs P Cameron
Mr G Robinson
Mr P Givan

4.3 Amendment

Proposed:

Leave out all after ‘Office;’ and insert:

‘and to work with his counterpart in the Republic of Ireland in order to consider the benefits of banning the supply of psychoactive substances regardless of chemical composition.’

Mr F McKinney
Mr C Eastwood
Mr J Byrne

Debate ensued.

The debate was suspended for Question Time.

The Principal Deputy Speaker (Mr Newton) took the Chair.

5. Question Time

5.1 Health, Social Services and Public Safety

Questions were put to, and answered by, the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, Mr Simon Hamilton.

5.2 Justice

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

6. Question for Urgent Oral Answer

6.1 Pneumococcal disease at Harland and Wolff, Belfast

The Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, Mr Simon Hamilton, responded to a Question for Urgent Oral Answer tabled by Mr Phil Flanagan.

7. Private Members’ Business (cont’d)

7.1 Motion – Psychoactive Substances (cont’d)

Debate resumed.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr Beggs) took the Chair.

The Question being put, the Amendment was madewithout division.

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

8. Adjournment

Proposed:

That the Assembly do now adjourn.

The Speaker

The Assembly adjourned at 4.50pm.

Mr Mitchel McLaughlin
The Speaker

18 May 2015

Northern Ireland Assembly

Papers Presented to the Assembly on
13 May - 18 May 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

5. Assembly Reports

6. Statutory Rules

S.R. 2015/231 The Environmental Liability (Prevention and Remediation) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015 (DOE).

S.R. 2015/238 The Hazardous Waste (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015 (DOE).

S.R. 2015/243 The Student Fees (Amounts) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015 (DEL).

S.R. 2015/248 The Less Favoured Area Compensatory Allowances (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015 (DARD).

S.R. 2015/249 The Electricity and Gas (Ownership Unbundling) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015 (DETI).

For Information Only

S.R. 2015/245 The Parking and Waiting Restrictions (Fivemiletown) (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2015 (DRD).

S.R. 2015/246 The Road Races (Cairncastle Hill Climb) Order (Northern Ireland) 2015 (DRD).

7. Written Ministerial Statements

8. Consultation Documents

Consultation on a Draft Telecommunications Strategy 2015-2017 – Continuing to connect (DETI).

Consultation on proposed amendment to the Electricity (Single Wholesale Market) (Northern Ireland) Order 2007 (DETI).

9. Departmental Publications

Revised Fees and Charges to Recover the Cost of Processing Discharge Consent Applications and the Regulation of Discharges under the Water (Northern Ireland) Order 1999 (DOE).

10. Agency Publications

11. Westminster Publications

12. Miscellaneous Publications