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. Public Petition

2.1 Public Petition – Cairn Wood Forest Park

Mr Chris Lyttle was granted leave, in accordance with Standing Order 22, to present a Public Petition regarding Cairn Wood Forest Park.

3. Executive Committee Business

3.1 Statement – British Irish Council Housing Workstream

The Minister for Social Development, Lord Morrow, made a statement regarding the fourth meeting of the British Irish Council Housing Workstream which was held in Edinburgh on 04 November 2015, following which he replied to questions.

3.2 Motion – Draft Police Pensions (Consequential Provisions) (Amendment) Regulations 2016

Proposed:

That the draft Police Pensions (Consequential Provisions) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2016 be approved.

Minister of Justice

Debate ensued.

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

3.3 Motion – Accelerated Passage: Rates (Amendment) Bill (NIA Bill 75/11-16)

Proposed:

That the Rates (Amendment) Bill (NIA Bill 75/11-16) proceed under the accelerated passage procedure.

Minister of Finance and Personnel

Debate ensued.

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

3.4 Second Stage – Rates (Amendment) Bill (NIA Bill 75/11-16)

The Minister of Finance and Personnel, Mr Mervyn Storey, moved the Second Stage of the Rates (Amendment) Bill (NIA Bill 75/11-16).

Debate ensued.

The Rates (Amendment) Bill (NIA Bill 75/11-16) passed Second Stage without division.

3.5 Consideration Stage: Departments Bill (NIA Bill 70/11-16)

The junior Minister, Ms Jennifer McCann, moved the Consideration Stage of the Departments Bill (NIA Bill 70/11-16).

No amendments were tabled to this Bill.

Clauses

The question being put, it was agreed without division that Clause 1 stand part of the Bill.

The question being put, it was agreed without division that Clause 2 stand part of the Bill.

The question being put, it was agreed without division that Clause 3 stand part of the Bill.

Schedules

The question being put, it was agreed without division that Schedules 1 to 3 stand part of the Bill.

Long Title

The question being put, it was agreed without division that the Long Title stand part of the Bill.

The Departments Bill (NIA Bill 70/11-16) stood referred to the Speaker.

3.6 Motion – 2016/17 Budget

Proposed:

That this Assembly approves the programme of expenditure proposals for 2016-17 as announced by the Minister of Finance and Personnel on 17 December 2015 and set out in the Budget document laid before the Assembly on 13 January 2016.

Minister of Finance and Personnel

Debate ensued.

The sitting was suspended at 1:00pm.

The sitting resumed at 2:00pm with the Deputy Speaker (Mr Beggs) in the Chair.

4. Question Time

4.1 Employment and Learning

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

4.2 Education

Questions were put to, and answered by, the Minister of Education, Mr John O'Dowd.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr Dallat) in the Chair.

5. Executive Committee Business (cont'd)

5.1 Motion – 2016/17 Budget (cont'd)

Debate resumed.

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

The Speaker in the Chair.

The Question being put, the Motion was carried with cross-community support (Division 1).

6. Adjournment

Mr Robin Newton spoke to his topic regarding the use of the Stormont Estate.

Proposed:

That the Assembly do now adjourn.

The Speaker

The Assembly adjourned at 8.04pm.

Mr Mitchel McLaughlin
The Speaker

19 January 2016

19 January 2016
Division 1

Motion – 2016/17 Budget

Proposed:

That this Assembly approves the programme of expenditure proposals for 2016-17 as announced by the Minister of Finance and Personnel on 17 December 2015 and set out in the Budget document laid before the Assembly on 13 January 2016.

Minister of Finance and Personnel

The Question was put and the Assembly divided.

Ayes: 62
Noes: 30

AYES

NATIONALIST:
Mr Boylan, Ms Boyle, Ms Fearon, Mr Flanagan, Mr Hazzard, Mr G Kelly, Mr Lynch, Mr McAleer, Mr F McCann, Ms J McCann, Mr McCartney, Ms McCorley, Mr McElduff, Ms McGahan, Mr M McGuinness, Mr McKay, Ms Maeve McLaughlin, Mr McMullan, Mr Maskey, Mr Milne, Mr Murphy, 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 Clarke, Mr Craig, Mr Douglas, Mr Dunne, Mr Easton, Mr Frew, Mr Girvan, Mr Givan, Mrs Hale, Mr Hamilton, Mr Hilditch, Mr Humphrey, Mr Irwin, Mr Lyons, Mr McCausland, Mr I McCrea, Mr D McIlveen, Miss M McIlveen, Mr McQuillan, Mr Middleton, Lord Morrow, Mr Moutray, Mrs Pengelly, Mr Poots, Mr G Robinson, Mr P Robinson, Mr Ross, Mr Storey, Mr Weir

Tellers for the Ayes: Mr McQuillan, Mr G Robinson

NOES

NATIONALIST:
Mr Attwood, Mr Diver, Mr Eastwood, Ms Hanna, Mrs D Kelly, Mr McCrossan, Mr McGlone, Mrs McKevitt, Mr McKinney, Mr A Maginness, Mr Rogers

UNIONIST:
Mr Allen, Mr Allister, Mr Beggs, Mr Cochrane-Watson, Mrs Dobson, Mr Hussey, Mr Kennedy, Mr McCallister, Mr B McCrea, Mr McGimpsey, Mr Nesbitt, Mrs Overend, Ms Sugden, Mr Swann

OTHER:
Mr Agnew, Mr Dickson, Mr Lunn, Mr Lyttle, Mr McCarthy

Tellers for the Noes: Mr Lunn, Mr McCrossan

Total Votes 92 Total Ayes 62 [67.4%]

Nationalist Votes 39 Nationalist Ayes 28 [71.8%]

Unionist Votes 48 Unionist Ayes 34 [70.8%]

Other Votes 5 Other Ayes 0 [0.0%]

The Motion was carried on a cross-community vote.

Papers Presented to the Assembly on
19 January 2016

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 20 January 2016

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.