Minutes of Proceedings

The Assembly met at 10.30am, the Principal Deputy Speaker in the Chair.

1. Prayers

Members observed two minutes' silence.

2. Speaker's Business

Assembly Business

The Principal Deputy Speaker offered condolences to former Members of the Assembly who had recently suffered bereavement, and paid his own tribute to the recently deceased father of the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Mr Edwin Poots. Mr Poots made a brief response to the tribute.

3. Executive Committee Business

3.1 Consideration Stage: Private Tenancies (Coronavirus Modifications) Bill (NIA 4/17-22)

The Minister for Communities, Ms Deirdre Hargey, moved the Consideration Stage of the Private Tenancies (Coronavirus Modifications) Bill.

Fourteen amendments were tabled to the Bill.

The sitting was suspended at 10.46am to enable Members to observe a minute's silence in honour of frontline healthcare workers who have lost their lives to coronavirus.

The sitting resumed at 11.01am, with the Principal Deputy Speaker in the Chair.

Clauses

After debate, Amendment 1 to Clause 1 was negatived without division.

After debate, Amendment 2 to Clause 1 was negatived without division.

After debate, Amendment 3 to Clause 1 was negatived without division.

As Amendment 3 was not made, Amendment 4 was not called.

As Amendment 3 was not made, Amendment 5 was not called.

As Amendment 3 was not made, Amendment 6 was not called.

After debate, Amendment 7 to Clause 1 was negatived without division.

As Amendment 1 was not made, Amendment 8 was not called.

After debate, Amendment 9 to Clause 2 was negatived without division.

As Amendment 9 was not made, Amendment 10 was not called.

As Amendment 9 was not made, Amendment 11 was not called.

As Amendment 1 was not made, Amendment 12 was not called.

After debate, Amendment 13 to Clause 2 was negatived on division.

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.

After debate, Amendment 14 inserting a new Clause 2A was not moved.

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

The question being put, it was agreed without division that Clauses 4 to 6 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.

Bill NIA 04/17-22 stood referred to the Speaker.

3.2 Second Stage – The Domestic Abuse and Family Proceedings) Bill (NIA 3/17-22)

Minister of Justice

The Minister of Justice, Mrs Naomi Long, moved the Second Stage of the Domestic Abuse and Family Proceedings Bill (NIA 3/17-22).

Debate ensued.

The sitting was suspended at 1.00pm.

The sitting resumed at 2.00pm, with Deputy Speaker Beggs in the Chair.

4. Executive Committee Business (cont'd)

4.1 Second Stage – The Domestic Abuse and Family Proceedings Bill (NIA 3/17-22) (cont'd)

Debate resumed.

The Domestic Abuse and Family Proceedings Bill (NIA 3/17-22) passed Second Stage.

The Principal Deputy Speaker took the Chair.

4.2 Final Stage – The Private Tenancies (Coronavirus Modifications) Bill (NIA 4/17-22)

Minister for Communities

The Minister for Communities, Ms Deirdre Hargey, moved that the Final Stage of the Private Tenancies (Coronavirus Modifications) Bill (NIA 4/17-22) do now pass.

Debate ensued.

The Private Tenancies (Coronavirus Modifications) Bill (NIA 4/17-22) passed Final Stage.

5. Adjournment

Proposed:

That the Assembly do now adjourn.

The Speaker

The Assembly adjourned at 5.47pm.

Mr Alex Maskey
The Speaker
28 April 2020

Northern Ireland Assembly

28 April 2020
Division

The Private Tenancies (Coronavirus Modifications) Bill (Amendment 13)

Proposed:

In clause 2, page 2, line 22, leave out "are subject to negative resolution" and insert:

'may not be made unless a draft of the regulations has been laid before, and approved by a resolution of, the Assembly'.

Mr Gerry Carroll

The Question was put and the Assembly divided.

Ayes: 30
Noes: 53

AYES

Dr Aiken, Mr Allen, Mr Allister, Ms Armstrong, Mrs Barton, Mr Beattie, Mr Beggs, Mr Blair, Ms S Bradley, Ms Bradshaw, Mr Butler, Mr Carroll, Mr Catney, Mr Chambers, Mr Dallat, Mr Dickson, Mr Durkan, Mrs D Kelly, Mr Lyttle, Mr McCrossan, Mr McGlone, Mr McGrath, Ms McLaughlin, Mr McNulty, Mr Muir, Mr Nesbitt, Mr O'Toole, Mr Stewart, Ms Sugden, Mr Swann

Tellers for the Ayes: Mr Butler, Mr Carroll.

NOES

Ms Anderson, Dr Archibald, Mr Boylan, Mr M Bradley, Ms P Bradley, Mr K Buchanan, Mr T Buchanan, Mr Buckley, Ms Bunting, Mrs Cameron, Mr Clarke, Ms Dillon, Mrs Dodds, Ms Dolan, Mr Dunne, Mr Easton, Ms Ennis, Ms Flynn, Mrs Foster, Mr Frew, Mr Gildernew, Mr Givan, Ms Hargey, Mr Harvey, Mr Hilditch, Mr Humphrey, Mr Irwin, Mr Kearney, Ms C Kelly, Mr G Kelly, Ms Kimmins, Mr Lynch, Mr Lyons, Mr McAleer, Mr McCann, Mr McGuigan, Mr McHugh, Miss McIlveen, Mr Middleton, Ms Mullan, Mr Murphy, Mr Newton, Ms Ní Chuilín, Mr O'Dowd, Mrs O'Neill, Mr Poots, Mr Robinson, Ms Rogan, Mr Sheehan, Ms Sheerin, Mr Storey, Mr Weir, Mr Wells.

Tellers for the Noes: Mr Buckley, Ms Ennis

The Amendment was negatived.

The following Members' votes were cast by their notified proxy in this division:

Ms Armstrong voted for Mr Blair, Ms Bradshaw, Mr Dickson, Mr Lyttle and Mr Muir.

Mr K Buchanan voted for Mr M Bradley, Ms P Bradley, Mr T Buchanan, Mr Buckley [Teller, Noes], Ms Bunting, Mr Clarke, Mrs Dodds, Mr Dunne, Mr Easton, Mrs Foster, Mr Frew, Mr Givan, Mr Harvey, Mr Hilditch, Mr Humphrey, Mr Irwin, Mr Lyons, Miss McIlveen, Mr Newton, Mr Poots, Mr Robinson, Mr Storey and Mr Weir.

Mr Butler [Teller, Ayes] voted for Mr Stewart and Mr Swann.

Mr Durkan voted for Ms S Bradley, Mr Catney, Mr Dallat, Mrs D Kelly, Mr McCrossan, Mr McGlone, Mr McGrath, Ms McLaughlin, Mr McNulty and Mr O'Toole.

Mr O'Dowd voted for Ms Anderson, Dr Archibald, Mr Boylan, Ms Dillon, Ms Dolan, Ms Ennis [Teller, Noes], Ms Flynn, Mr Gildernew, Ms Hargey, Mr Kearney, Ms C Kelly, Mr G Kelly, Ms Kimmins, Mr Lynch, Mr McAleer, Mr McCann, Mr McGuigan, Mr McHugh, Ms Mullan, Mr Murphy, Ms Ní Chuilín, Mrs O'Neill, Ms Rogan, Mr Sheehan and Ms Sheerin.

Northern Ireland Assembly

Papers Presented to the Assembly on 22 April 2020 – 28 April 2020

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

North South Language Body 2017 Annual Report and Accounts (Department for Communities)

Legislative Consent Memorandum - Sentencing (Pre-Consolidation Amendments) Bill (Department of Justice)

Reducing Costs in the PSNI (Northern Ireland Audit Office)

5. Assembly Reports

6. Statutory Rules

SR 2020/67 The Discretionary Support (Amendment No. 2) (COVID-19) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020 (Department of Communities)

SR 2020/68 Working Time (Coronavirus) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020 (Department for the Economy)

SR 2020/69 The Maternity Allowance and Statutory Maternity Pay (Normal Weekly Earnings etc.) (Coronavirus) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020 (Department for Communities)

SR 2020/70 The Statutory Paternity Pay, Statutory Adoption Pay and Statutory Shared Parental Pay (Normal Weekly Earnings etc.) (Coronavirus) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020 (Department for the Economy)

SR 2020/71 The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020 (Department of Health)

SR 2020/72 The Planning (Development Management) (Temporary Modifications) (Coronavirus) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020 (Department for Infrastructure)

7. Written Ministerial Statements

Minister for Infrastructure - DVA Lifts Audit

8. Consultation Documents

Consultation for Non-Domestic RHI Tariff Review 2020 (Department for the Economy)

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 28 April 2020

2017-2022 Mandate
Executive Bills

2017-2022 Mandate
Non-Executive Bills

/ Bills progressing by accelerated passage

Proxy Voting Notices

The following Members notified the Speaker, under Standing Order 112, that they wished to avail of proxy voting arrangements for the sitting on Tuesday 28 April 2020: