Minutes of Proceedings

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

1. Personal Prayer or Meditation

Members observed two minutes' silence.

2. Speaker's Business

2.1 Ministerial Resignations

The Speaker informed Members that, on Thursday 10 September 2015, Mr Jonathan Bell resigned as Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment, Mr Simon Hamilton resigned as Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, Miss Michelle McIlveen resigned as junior Minister, and Mr Mervyn Storey resigned as Minister for Social Development.

2.2 Committee Chairperson Nomination

The Speaker informed Members that, with effect from 08 September 2015, Mr Fra McCann had been appointed as Deputy Chairperson of the Committee for Social Development and that, with effect from 10 September 2015, Mr Conor Murphy replaced Mr Phil Flanagan as Deputy Chairperson of the Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment, and confirmed the appointments.

3. Matter of the Day

3.1 Future of the Northern Ireland Political Institutions

Ms Claire Sugden, made a statement, under Standing Order 24, in relation to the future of the Northern Ireland political institutions. Other Members were also called to speak on the matter.

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

4. Assembly Business

4.1 Motion – Committee Membership

Proposed:

That Mr Danny Kennedy replace Mr Ross Hussey as a member of the Committee for Education; and that Mr Danny Kennedy replace Mr Robin Swann as a member of the Assembly and Executive Review Committee.

Mr R Swann
Mrs S Overend

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

4.2 Motion – Committee Membership

Proposed:

That Mr Phil Flanagan be appointed a member of the Committee for Social Development; that Mr Conor Murphy replace Mr Daithí McKay as a member of the Public Accounts Committee; that Mr Daithí McKay be appointed a member of the Committee for Health, Social Services and Public Safety; that Ms Bronwyn McGahan replace Mr Chris Hazzard as a member of the Committee for Justice; and that Mr Chris Hazzard replace Ms Bronwyn McGahan as a member of the Committee for the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister.

Ms C Ruane
Mr R McCartney

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

5. Executive Committee Business

5.1 Statement – Action to Address the Current Crisis in the Dairy Sector

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mrs Michelle O'Neill, made a statement regarding action to address the current crisis in the dairy sector, following which she replied to questions.

6. Private Members' Business

6.1 First Stage – Civil Service (Special Advisers) (Amendment) Bill (NIA Bill 61/11-16)

Mr Jim Allister introduced a Bill to amend sections 7 and 8 of the Civil Service (Special Advisers) Act (Northern Ireland) 2013 and Article 3 of the Civil Service Commissioners (Northern Ireland) Order 1999 in relation to special advisers in the Northern Ireland Civil Service.

The Civil Service (Special Advisers) (Amendment) Bill (NIA Bill 61/11-16) passed First Stage and ordered to be printed.

6.2 Motion – Multiple Deprivation Indicators

Proposed:

That this Assembly recognises that the current multiple deprivation indicators do not accurately identify the extent of poverty and deprivation in rural areas; and calls on the Minister of Finance and Personnel to review this urgently.

Mr D McAleer
Mr O McMullan
Mr I Milne

Debate ensued.

The debate was suspended for Question Time.

The Speaker took the Chair.

7. Question Time

7.1 Agriculture and Rural Development

Questions were put to, and answered by, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mrs Michelle O'Neil.

7.2 Culture, Arts and Lesiure

Questions were put to, and answered by, the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure, Ms Carál Ní Chuilín.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr Dallat) took the Chair.

8. Private Members' Business (cont'd)

8.1 Motion – Multiple Deprivation Indicators (cont'd)

Debate resumed.

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

The Deputy Speaker (Mr Beggs) took the Chair.

8.2 Motion – Increasing Free Childcare

Proposed:

That this Assembly notes the 2014 Employers for Childcare survey which indicated that 46 per cent of parents in Northern Ireland reduced their working hours or left work due to a lack of affordable childcare; recognises that greater childcare provision would be a key catalyst in bolstering the economy, retaining a skilled workforce and improving the lives of working families; further notes that the Childcare Bill announced in the Chancellor of the Exchequer's July Budget will increase free preschool childcare entitlement for three and four-year-olds to 30 hours a week in England; and calls for the establishment of an equal 30 hours of free childcare
locally as part of a move towards the establishment of an universal childcare model.

Mr P McGlone
Mr S Rogers
Ms C Hanna

Debate ensued.

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

9. Adjournment

Proposed:

That the Assembly do now adjourn.

The Speaker

The Assembly adjourned at 4:50pm.

Mr Mitchel McLaughlin
The Speaker

14 September 2015

Division

Motion – Multiple Deprivation Indicators

Proposed:

That this Assembly recognises that the current multiple deprivation indicators do not accurately identify the extent of poverty and deprivation in rural areas; and calls on the Minister of Finance and Personnel to review this urgently.

Mr D McAleer
Mr O McMullan
Mr I Milne

The Question was put and the Assembly divided.

Ayes: 50
Noes: 36

AYES

Mr Agnew, Mr Attwood, Mr Beggs, Mr D Bradley, Mrs Cochrane, Mr Cree, Mr Dickson, Mrs Dobson, Mr Durkan, Mr Eastwood, Ms Fearon, Mr Flanagan, Mr Gardiner, Ms Hanna, Mrs D Kelly, Mr G Kelly, Ms Lo, Mr Lunn, Mr Lynch, Mr Lyttle, Mr McAleer, Ms J McCann, Mr McCarthy, Mr McCartney, Ms McCorley, Mr B McCrea, Mr McElduff, Ms McGahan, Mr McGlone, Mr M McGuinness, Mr McKay, Mrs McKevitt, Mr McKinney, Ms Maeve McLaughlin, Mr McMullan, Mr A Maginness, Mr Maskey, Mr Milne, Mr Murphy, Ms Ní Chuilín, Mr Ó hOisín, Mr Ó Muilleoir, Mr O'Dowd, Mrs O'Neill, Mrs Overend, Mr Ramsey, Mr Rogers, Ms Ruane, Mr Sheehan, Mr Swann.

Tellers for the Ayes: Mr McAleer, Mr McMullan.

NOES

Mr Allister, Mr Anderson, Mr Bell, Ms P Bradley, Mr Buchanan, Mrs Cameron, Mr Campbell, Mr Clarke, Mr Craig, Mr Douglas, Mr Dunne, Mrs Foster, Mr Frew, Mr Girvan, Mr Givan, Mrs Hale, Mr Hamilton, Mr Hilditch, Mr Humphrey, Mr Irwin, Mr Lyons, Mr McCallister, 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 Ross, Mr Spratt, Mr Weir, Mr Wells.

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

The Motion was carried.

Papers Presented to the Assembly on
09 September – 14 September 2015

1. Acts of the Northern Ireland Assembly

2. Bills of the Northern Ireland Assembly

Civil Service (Special Advisers) (Amendment) Bill (NIA Bill 61/11-16).

3. Orders in Council

4. Publications Laid in the Northern Ireland Assembly

Social Security Agency: Annual Report and Accounts 2014-2015 (DSD).

Victim Charter - A Charter for victims of crime (DOJ).

5. Assembly Reports

6. Statutory Rules

S.R. 2015/326 The Rural Development Programme Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015 (DARD).

S.R. 2015/328 The Unfunded Public Service Defined Benefits Schemes (Transfers) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015 (DFP).

Draft S.R. 2015/XXX The Victim Charter (Justice Act (Northern Ireland) 2015) Order (Northern Ireland) 2015 (DOJ).

7. Written Ministerial Statements

8. Consultation Documents

Leaving Prostitution: a Strategy for Help and Support (DHSSPS).

Draft Human Trafficking and Exploitation (Criminal Justice and Support for Victims) (Independent Guardian) Regulations (Northern Ireland) (DHSSPS).

9. Departmental Publications

NI Statistics and Research Agency – Sickness Absence in the Northern Ireland Civil Service 2014/2015 (DFP).

10. Agency Publications

11. Westminster Publications

12. Miscellaneous Publications