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. Executive Committee Business

2.1 Statement – 2015-16 November Monitoring

The Minister of Finance and Personnel, Mrs Arlene Foster, made a statement on 2015-16 November Monitoring, following which she replied to questions.

3. Assembly Business

3.1 Motion – Suspension of Standing Order 42A

Proposed:

That Standing Order 42A be suspended in respect of the proposed introduction at Westminster of the Northern Ireland (Welfare Reform) Bill.

Minister for Social Development

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

4. Executive Committee Business (cont'd)

4.1 Legislative Consent Motion – Welfare Reform

Proposed:

That this Assembly consents to the Northern Ireland (Welfare Reform) Bill 2015 being taken forward by the Westminster Parliament; approves the welfare clauses of the Welfare Reform and Work Bill as initially introduced at Westminster; the draft Welfare Reform (Northern Ireland) Order 2015; and the Executive's proposals to enhance payments flowing from the agreement announced on 17 November 2015.

Minister for Social Development

Debate ensued.

The debate stood suspended.

The sitting was suspended at 11.50am.

The sitting resumed at 12.02pm, with the Speaker in the Chair.

5. Private Members' Business

5.1 Motion for the Adjournment of a Debate

Proposed:

That this Assembly, in accordance with Standing Order 16, adjourns the debate on the Legislative Consent Motion: Welfare Reform, until the 24 November 2015.

Mr J Allister

Debate ensued.

The Question being put, the Motion was negatived (Division 1).

6. Executive Committee Business (cont'd)

6.1 Legislative Consent Motion – Welfare Reform (cont'd)

Debate resumed.

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

The debate stood suspended at 1.56pm.

The sitting resumed at 2.25pm with the Principal Deputy Speaker (Mr Newton) in the Chair.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr Dallat) took the chair.

The Speaker took the chair.

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

7. Adjournment

Proposed:

That the Assembly do now adjourn.

The Speaker

The Assembly adjourned at 6.28pm.

Mr Mitchel McLaughlin
The Speaker

18 November 2015

Division 1

Motion for the Adjournment of a Debate

Proposed:

That this Assembly, in accordance with Standing Order 16, adjourns the debate on the Legislative Consent Motion: Welfare Reform, until the 24 November 2015.

Mr J Allister

Ayes: 33
Noes: 58

AYES

Mr Agnew, Mr Allen, Mr Allister, Mr Attwood, Mr Beggs, Mr D Bradley, Mr Byrne, Mrs Cochrane, Mr Cochrane-Watson, Mr Cree, Mr Dickson, Mrs Dobson, Mr Durkan, Mr Eastwood, Dr Farry, Mr Gardiner, Ms Hanna, Mr Hussey, Mr Kennedy, Ms Lo, Mr Lunn, Mr Lyttle, Mr McCallister, Mr McCarthy, Mr B McCrea, Mr McGlone, Mrs McKevitt, Mr McKinney, Mr McNarry, Mr A Maginness, Mr Nesbitt, Mrs Overend, Ms Sugden.

Tellers for the Ayes: Mr Allister, Mr B McCrea.

NOES

Mr Anderson, Mr Bell, Mr Boylan, Ms Boyle, Ms P Bradley, Mr Buchanan, Mrs Cameron, Mr Clarke, Mr Craig, Mr Douglas, Mr Dunne, Mr Easton, Ms Fearon, Mrs Foster, Mr Frew, Mr Girvan, Mr Givan, Mrs Hale, Mr Hamilton, Mr Hazzard, Mr Hilditch, Mr Humphrey, Mr G Kelly, Mr Lynch, Mr Lyons, Mr McAleer, Mr F McCann, Mr McCartney, Mr McCausland, Ms McCorley, Mr I McCrea, Ms McGahan, Mr M McGuinness, Mr D McIlveen, Miss M McIlveen, Mr McKay, Ms Maeve McLaughlin, Mr McMullan, Mr McQuillan, Mr Maskey, Mr Middleton, Mr Milne, Lord Morrow, Mr Moutray, Mr Murphy, Mr Newton, Ms Ní Chuilín, Mr Ó hOisín, Mr Ó Muilleoir, Mr O'Dowd, Mrs O'Neill, Mr P Robinson, Mr Ross, Ms Ruane, Mr Sheehan, Mr Storey, Mr Weir, Mr Wells.

Tellers for the Noes: Mr McQuillan, Ms Ruane.

The motion was negatived.

18 November 2015
Division 2

Legislative Consent Motion – Welfare Reform

Proposed:

That this Assembly consents to the Northern Ireland (Welfare Reform) Bill 2015 being taken forward by the Westminster Parliament; approves the welfare clauses of the Welfare Reform and Work Bill as initially introduced at Westminster; the draft Welfare Reform (Northern Ireland) Order 2015; and the Executive's proposals to enhance payments flowing from the agreement announced on 17 November 2015.

Minister for Social Development

Ayes: 70
Noes: 22

AYES

Mr Anderson, Mr Bell, Mr Boylan, Ms Boyle, Ms P Bradley, Mr Buchanan, Mrs Cameron, Mr Campbell, Mr Clarke, Mr Craig, Mr Dickson, Mr Douglas, Mr Dunne, Mr Easton, Dr Farry, Ms Fearon, Mr Flanagan, Mr Ford, Mrs Foster, Mr Frew, Mr Girvan, Mr Givan, Mrs Hale, Mr Hamilton, Mr Hazzard, Mr Hilditch, Mr Humphrey, Mr G Kelly, Ms Lo, Mr Lunn, Mr Lynch, Mr Lyons, Mr Lyttle, Mr McAleer, Mr F McCann, Ms J McCann, Mr McCarthy, Mr McCartney, Mr McCausland, Ms McCorley, Mr B McCrea, Mr I McCrea, Mr McElduff, Ms McGahan, Mr M McGuinness, Mr D McIlveen, Miss M McIlveen, Mr McKay, Ms Maeve McLaughlin, Mr McMullan, Mr McQuillan, Mr Maskey, Mr Middleton, Mr Milne, Lord Morrow, Mr Moutray, Mr Murphy, Ms Ní Chuilín, Mr Ó hOisín, Mr Ó Muilleoir, Mr O'Dowd, Mrs O'Neill, Mrs Pengelly, Mr P Robinson, Mr Ross, Ms Ruane, Mr Sheehan, Mr Storey, Mr Weir, Mr Wells.

Tellers for the Ayes: Mr McQuillan, Ms Ruane.

NOES

Mr Agnew, Mr Allen, Mr Allister, Mr Attwood, Mr Beggs, Mr D Bradley, Mr Cochrane-Watson, Mr Cree, Mrs Dobson, Mr Eastwood, Mr Gardiner, Ms Hanna, Mr Kennedy, Mr McCallister, Mrs McKevitt, Mr McKinney, Mr A Maginness, Mr Nesbitt, Mrs Overend, Mr Rogers, Ms Sugden, Mr Swann.

Tellers for the Noes: Mr McCallister, Mrs McKevitt.

The motion was carried.

Papers Presented to the Assembly on
18 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

Legislative Consent Memorandum Northern Ireland (Welfare Reform) Bill (DSD).

5. Assembly Reports

Report on the Legislative Consent Motion: Enterprise Bill (Public sector employment: restrictions on exit payments) (Committee for Finance and Personnel) (NIA 278/11-16).

Report on the Water and Sewerage Services Bill (Committee for Regional Development) (NIA 275/11-16).

6. Statutory Rules

7. Written Ministerial Statements

8. Consultation Documents

9. Departmental Publications

10. Agency Publications

Financial Auditing and Reporting: General Report by the Comptroller and Auditor General for Northern Ireland – 2015 (NIAO).

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 19 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.