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. Speaker's Business

2.1 Retirement of the Speaker, Mr Mitchel McLaughlin MLA

The Speaker announced his intention to submit evidence as part of the Assembly and Executive Review Committee's scrutiny of the Assembly and Executive Reform (Assembly Opposition) Bill (NIA Bill 62/11-16) and, to ensure that no conflict of interest existed, confirmed that he will not seek re-election as a Member of the Assembly at the end of the 2011-16 mandate and will cease to hold the office of Speaker following the election of the next Speaker.

3. Executive Committee Business

3.1 Second Stage: Shared Education Bill (NIA Bill 66/11-16)

The Minister of Education, Mr John O'Dowd, moved the Second Stage of the Shared Education Bill (NIA Bill 66/11-16).

Debate ensued.

The sitting was suspended at 12.57pm.

The sitting resumed at 2.00pm, with the Speaker 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, Mr Jonathan Bell.

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

4.2 Environment

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

The Deputy Speaker (Mr Dallat) took the Chair.

5. Executive Committee Business (cont'd)

5.1 Second Stage: Shared Education Bill (NIA Bill 66/11-16) (cont'd)

Debate resumed.

The Shared Education Bill (NIA Bill 66/11-16) passed Second Stage without division.

6. Private Members' Business

6.1 Motion – Regional Economic Imbalance

Proposed:

That this Assembly expresses concern at the high levels of regional economic imbalance, as evidenced by high levels of long term unemployment and economic inactivity in North and West Belfast, west of the Bann and along the border corridor; welcomes the commitment in the Programme for Government 2011-2015 to address regional imbalance, and the establishment of the Ministerial Sub Group on Regional Opportunities; recognises the role that the availability of property, skills, appropriate infrastructure and telecommunications can play in making areas magnets of attraction for investment; acknowledges the desire of local government, political, community and business leaders in areas of high unemployment to work in partnership with government to attract greater investment and prosperity; and calls for the inclusion of sub-regional job creation targets in the next Programme for Government.

Mr P Flanagan
Ms M Fearon
Mr M Ó Muilleoir

Debate ensued.

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

The Speaker took the Chair.

6.2 Motion – Funding for Transport Infrastructure

Proposed:

That this Assembly, mindful of the transport infrastructure in the North West and conscious of the influence good transport infrastructure has in attracting new inward investment, asks that a special case be made to source the capital investment needed to complete the A5 cross-border project, the A6 dual carriageway, including the bypass for Dungiven, the final upgrade of the Belfast-Derry rail line that will ensure an hourly service, and the reopening of the Antrim-Portadown line to allow a direct service to Dublin.

Mr J Dallat
Mr M Durkan
Mr C Eastwood
Mr P Ramsey

Debate ensued.

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

7. Question for Urgent Oral Answer

7.1 Donaldson Report

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

8. Adjournment

The Speaker announced that Mrs Overend was not in a position to move the Adjournment debate on care of older people in Mid Ulster.

Proposed:

That the Assembly do now adjourn.

The Speaker

The Assembly adjourned at 7.22pm.

Mr Mitchel McLaughlin
The Speaker

10 November 2015

Northern Ireland Assembly

10 November 2015
Division

Motion – Regional Economic Imbalance

Proposed:

That this Assembly expresses concern at the high levels of regional economic imbalance, as evidenced by high levels of long term unemployment and economic inactivity in North and West Belfast, west of the Bann and along the border corridor; welcomes the commitment in the Programme for Government 2011-2015 to address regional imbalance, and the establishment of the Ministerial Sub Group on Regional Opportunities; recognises the role that the availability of property, skills, appropriate infrastructure and telecommunications can play in making areas magnets of attraction for investment; acknowledges the desire of local government, political, community and business leaders in areas of high unemployment to work in partnership with government to attract greater investment and prosperity; and calls for the inclusion of sub-regional job creation targets in the next Programme for Government.

Mr P Flanagan
Ms M Fearon
Mr M Ó Muilleoir

Ayes: 38
Noes: 47

AYES

Mr Agnew, Mr Attwood, Mr Boylan, Ms Boyle, Mr Byrne, Mr Dickson, Mr Durkan, Ms Fearon, Mr Flanagan, Ms Hanna, Mrs D Kelly, Mr G Kelly, Mr Lunn, Mr Lynch, Mr Lyttle, Mr McAleer, Mr F McCann, Mr McCartney, Ms McCorley, Mr B McCrea, Mr McElduff, Ms McGahan, Mr McGlone, Mr McKay, Mrs McKevitt, 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, Mr Rogers, Ms Ruane, Ms Sugden.

Tellers for the Ayes: Ms Fearon, Mr Ó Muilleoir.

NOES

Mr Allister, Mr Anderson, Mr Beggs, Mr Bell, Ms P Bradley, Mrs Cameron, Mr Campbell, Mr Clarke, Mr Cochrane-Watson, Mr Craig, Mr Cree, Mrs Dobson, Mr Douglas, Mr Dunne, Mr Easton, Mrs Foster, Mr Frew, Mr Gardiner, Mr Girvan, Mr Givan, Mrs Hale, Mr Hamilton, Mr Hilditch, Mr Humphrey, Mr Irwin, Mr Kennedy, Mr Lyons, Mr McCallister, Mr McCausland, Mr I McCrea, Mr McGimpsey, Mr D McIlveen, Miss M McIlveen, Mr McQuillan, Mr Middleton, Lord Morrow, Mr Moutray, Mr Nesbitt, Mr Newton, Mrs Pengelly, Mr Poots, Mr G Robinson, Mr Ross, Mr Storey, Mr Swann, Mr Weir, Mr Wells.

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

The Question being put the motion was negatived.

Northern Ireland Assembly

Papers Presented to the Assembly on
10 November 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

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 11 November 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.