Minutes of Proceedings

Members observed two minutes’ silence.

2.    Assembly Business

2.1  Motion – Suspension of Standing Order 20(1)

Proposed:

That Standing Order 20(1) be suspended for 20 January 2015.

Mr P Weir
Ms C Ruane

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

2.2   Election to fill the vacant position of Deputy Speaker

The Speaker outlined the procedure for the election of a Deputy Speaker under Standing Order 4.

The Rt. Hon Peter Robinson nominated Mr Robin Newton as a candidate for the vacant position of Deputy Speaker of the Assembly and Mr Peter Weir seconded the nomination. Mr Newton indicated his agreement to accept the nomination.

Debate ensued.

The Question being put, that Mr Robin Newton be Deputy Speaker of the Assembly, the Motion was carried with cross-community support nemine contradicente.

2.3  Election of Principal Deputy Speaker

The Speaker outlined the procedure for the election of a Principal Deputy Speaker under Standing Order 5(A).

Mrs Arlene Foster nominated Mr Robin Newton as a candidate for the position of Principal Deputy Speaker of the Assembly. Mr Newton indicated his agreement to accept the nomination.

Debate ensued.

The Question being put, that Mr Robin Newton be Principal Deputy Speaker of the Assembly, the Motion was carried on a cross-community vote (Division 1).

3.   Executive Committee Business

3.1   Statement – Outcome of the independent Review of the Northern Ireland Tourist Board and wider tourism structures.

The Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment, Mrs Arlene Foster, made a statement regarding the Outcome of the independent review of the Northern Ireland Tourist Board and wider tourism structures, following which she replied to questions.

3.2   Statement – Outcome of the December Fisheries Council 2014

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mrs Michelle O’Neill, made a statement regarding the Outcome of the December Fisheries Council 2014, following which she replied to questions.

3.3   Second Stage – Regeneration Bill (NIA Bill 43/11-16)

The Minister for Social Development, Mr Mervyn Storey, moved the Second Stage of the Regeneration Bill (NIA Bill 43/11-16). 

Debate ensued.

The sitting was suspended at 12.31pm.

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

4.    Question Time

4.1   Enterprise, Trade and Investment

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

4.2   Environment

Questions were put to, and answered by, the Minister of the Environment, Mr Mark H Durkan.

5.    Question for Urgent Oral Answer

5.1   Water Supply Crisis

The Minister for Regional Development, Mr Danny Kennedy, responded to a Question for Urgent Oral Answer tabled by Mr Joe Byrne.

6.   Executive Committee Business (cont’d)

6.1   Second Stage – Regeneration Bill (NIA Bill 43/11-16)

Debate resumed on the Bill.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr Beggs) took the Chair.

The Regeneration Bill (NIA Bill 43/11-16) passed Second Stage without division.  

6.2   Legislative Consent Motion – Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Bill

Proposed:

That this Assembly endorses the principle of the extension to Northern Ireland of the provisions of the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Bill, as amended in Committee in the House of Commons, dealing with assignment of receivables contained in clauses 1 and 2; business payment practices in clause 3; liability of bodies concerned with accounting standards in clause 37; and companies transparency, company filing requirements, and directors’ disqualification in Parts 7 to 9 and Schedules 3 to 6 and 8.

Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment

Debate ensued.

The Speaker took the Chair.

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

7.   Private Members’ Business

7.1   Motion – Legislation to Ban the Burning of Certain Types of Coal

Proposed:

That this Assembly notes that on the basis of a flawed all-Ireland air quality report, the Minister of the Environment proposes to introduce legislation to ban the burning of certain types of coal in Northern Ireland in order to match similar legislation in the Republic of Ireland; expresses its concern that tens of thousands of households who rely on this cheap coal will be affected by the proposal through increasing levels of fuel poverty, especially in rural areas; believes that this measure would reduce competition in the market for domestic fuel to the detriment of consumers; and calls on the Minister of the Environment to reconsider his position on this issue.

Mr S Wilson
Lord Morrow
Mr T Clarke
Mr G Dunne

Debate ensued.

The Question being put, the Motion was negatived (Division 2).

8.    Adjournment

Mrs Karen McKevitt spoke to her topic on The Future of Services at Downe Hospital and Daisy Hill Hospital.

Proposed:

That the Assembly do now adjourn.

The Speaker

The Assembly adjourned at 8.31 pm.              .

Mr Mitchel McLaughlin MLA

The Speaker

20 January 2014

Northern Ireland Assembly

20 January 2015
Division 1

Election of Principal Deputy Speaker

Proposed:

That Mr Robin Newton be Principal Deputy Speaker of this Assembly.

Mrs A Foster

The Question was put and the Assembly divided.

Ayes: 63
Noes: 32

AYES

NATIONALIST:

Mr Boylan, Ms Boyle, Mr Brady, Ms Fearon, Mr Hazzard, Mr G Kelly, Mr Lynch, Mr McAleer, Mr F McCann, Ms J McCann, Mr McCartney, Ms McCorley, Mr McElduff, Ms McGahan, Ms Maeve McLaughlin, Mr McMullan, Mr Maskey, Mr Milne, Ms Ní Chuilín, Mr Ó hOisín, Mr Ó Muilleoir, Mr O'Dowd, Mrs O'Neill, Ms Ruane, Mr Sheehan.

UNIONIST:

Mr Anderson, Mr Bell, Ms P Bradley, Mr Buchanan, Mrs Cameron, Mr Campbell, Mr Clarke, Mr Craig, Mr Devenney, Mr Douglas, Mr Dunne, Mr Easton, Mrs Foster, Mr Frew, Mr Girvan, Mr Givan, Mrs Hale, Mr Hamilton, Mr Hilditch, Mr Humphrey, Mr Irwin, Mr McCausland, Mr I McCrea, Mr D McIlveen, Miss M McIlveen, Mr McQuillan, Lord Morrow, Mr Moutray, Mr Newton, Mr Poots, Mr G Robinson, Mr P Robinson, Mr Ross, Mr Spratt, Mr Storey, Mr Weir, Mr Wells, Mr Wilson.

Tellers for the Ayes: Mr McQuillan, Mr G Robinson.

NOES

NATIONALIST:

Mr D Bradley, Mr Byrne, Mr Dallat, Mr Durkan, Mr Eastwood, Mrs D Kelly, Mr McGlone, Mrs McKevitt, Mr McKinney, Mr A Maginness, Mr Ramsey, Mr Rogers.

UNIONIST:

Mr Allister, Mr Beggs, Mr Cree, Mrs Dobson, Mr Elliott, Mr Gardiner, Mr Kennedy, Mr McCallister, Mr Nesbitt, Mrs Overend, Ms Sugden, Mr Swann.

OTHER:

Mr Agnew, Mrs Cochrane, Mr Dickson, Dr Farry, Mr Ford, Ms Lo, Mr Lunn, Mr Lyttle.

Tellers for the Noes: Mr Dickson, Mrs McKevitt.

Total votes                               95                                           Total Ayes                            63           [66.3%]

Nationalist Vote                      37                                           Nationalist Ayes                  25           [67.6%]

Unionist Votes                         50                                           Unionist Ayes                       38           [76.0%]

Other Votes                               8                                            Other Ayes                          0              [0.0%]

The Motion was carried on a cross-community vote.

Northern Ireland Assembly

20 January 2015
Division  2

Motion – Legislation to Ban the Burning of Certain Types of Coal

Proposed:

That this Assembly notes that on the basis of a flawed all-Ireland air quality report, the Minister for the Environment proposes to introduce legislation to ban the burning of certain types of coal in Northern Ireland in order to match similar legislation in the Republic of Ireland; expresses its concern that tens of thousands of households who rely on this cheap coal will be affected by the proposal through increasing levels of fuel poverty, especially in rural areas; believes that this measure would reduce competition in the market for domestic fuel to the detriment of consumers; and calls on the Minister of the Environment to reconsider his position on this issue.

Mr S Wilson
Lord Morrow
Mr T Clarke
Mr G Dunne

The Question was put and the Assembly divided.

Ayes: 40
Noes: 43

AYES

Mr Allister, Mr Anderson, Mr Beggs, Mr Bell, Ms P Bradley, Mr Buchanan, Mrs Cameron, Mr Clarke, Mr Craig, Mr Devenney, Mrs Dobson, Mr Dunne, Mr Easton, Mr Elliott, Mrs Foster, Mr Frew, Mr Girvan, Mr Givan, Mrs Hale, Mr Hilditch, Mr Humphrey, Mr Irwin, Mr Kennedy, Mr McCausland, Mr I McCrea, Mr D McIlveen, Miss M McIlveen, Mr McQuillan, Mr Moutray, Mr Newton, Mrs Overend, Mr Poots, Mr G Robinson, Mr Ross, Mr Spratt, Mr Storey, Mr Swann, Mr Weir, Mr Wells, Mr Wilson.

Tellers for the Ayes: Mr McQuillan, Mr G Robinson.

NOES

Mr Agnew, 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, Mr G Kelly, Ms Lo, Mr Lynch, Mr McAleer, Mr McCallister, Mr F McCann, Mr McCartney, Ms McCorley, Mr B McCrea, Mr McElduff, Ms McGahan, Mr McGlone, Mrs McKevitt, Mr McKinney, Ms Maeve McLaughlin, Mr McMullan, Mr A Maginness, Mr Maskey, Mr Milne, Ms Ní Chuilín, Mr Ó hOisín, Mr Ó Muilleoir, Mr O'Dowd, Mrs O'Neill, Mr Ramsey, Mr Rogers, Ms Ruane, Mr Sheehan.

Tellers for the Noes: Mrs McKevitt, Mr Milne.

Question being put, the motion was negatived.

Northern Ireland Assembly

Papers Presented to the Assembly on 20 January 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

Westminster Pension Schemes Bill Legislative Consent Motion (NIA 221/11-16) (Committee for Social Development).

6.    Statutory Rules

S.R. 2015/7 The Firefighters' Compensation Scheme (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2015 (DHSSPS).

S.R. 2015/8 The Firefighters' Pension Scheme (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2015 (DHSSPS).

S.R. 2015/9 The New Firefighters' Pension Scheme (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2015 (DHSSPS).

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 21 January 2015

2011-2016 Mandate
Executive Bills

2011-2016 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.