Minutes of Proceedings

Session: Session currently unavailable

Date: 21 June 2021

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

1. Prayers

Members observed two minutes' silence.

2. Speaker's Business

Ministerial Resignations and Appointments

The Speaker informed Members that he had received notification from the First Minister and deputy First Minister that Mr Gordon Lyons had resigned the office of junior Minister on Thursday 17 June 2021. The Speaker also informed Members that he had received notification from the nominating officer for the Democratic Unionist Party that Mr Gary Middleton had been appointed to the office of junior Minister. Mr Middleton affirmed the terms of the Pledge of Office as set out in schedule 4 to the Northern Ireland Act 1998 in the presence of the Principal Deputy Speaker and that of the Clerk/Chief Executive on Thursday 17 June 2021.

Committee Chairperson Appointments

The Speaker informed Members that he had received notification from the nominating officer of the Democratic Unionist Party that Gordon Lyons had been nominated to fill the vacancy of Deputy Chairperson of the Committee for Health, effective from Friday 18 June.

The late Mr Gordon Dunne

The Speaker announced the death of Mr Gordon Dunne, a Member for the North Down constituency.

Members paid tribute to Mr Dunne on behalf of their parties.

The sitting was, by leave, suspended at 12.43pm as a mark of respect to the late Mr Dunne.

The sitting resumed at 1.15pm, with the Principal Deputy Speaker in the Chair.

3. Assembly Business

3.1 Motion: Committee Membership

Proposed:

That Mr Peter Weir replace Mr Paul Frew as a member of the Committee for Justice; that Mr Robin Newton be appointed as a member of the Committee for Justice; that Mrs Diane Dodds replace Mr Trevor Clarke as a member of the Committee for the Executive Office; that Mr George Robinson replace Mr Keith Buchanan as a member of the Committee for Infrastructure; that Mrs Diane Dodds and Mr Harry Harvey replace Mr William Humphrey and Mr Maurice Bradley as members of the Committee for Education; that Mrs Pam Cameron replace Mr Robin Newton as a member of the Committee for Communities; that Mr Peter Weir and Mr Keith Buchanan replace Mr Christopher Stalford and Mr Mervyn Storey as members of the Committee for the Economy; that Mr William Irwin replace Mr Harry Harvey as a member of the Public Accounts Committee; and that Ms Joanne Bunting and Mr William Humphrey replace Mr Maurice Bradley and Mr Gary Middleton as members of the Committee on Procedures.

Ms Joanne Bunting
Mr Trevor Clarke

The Question being put, the motion was carried.

3.2 Motion: Appointment to the Assembly Commission

Proposed:

That, in accordance with Standing Order 79(4), Mr Trevor Clarke be appointed to fill a vacancy on the Assembly Commission.

Ms Joanne Bunting
Mr William Humphrey

The Question being put, the motion was carried with cross-community support.

4. Executive Committee Business

4.1 Motion: The Social Security Benefits Up-rating Order (Northern Ireland) 2021

Proposed:

That the Social Security Benefits Up-rating Order (Northern Ireland) 2021 be approved.

Minister for Communities

Motion: The Social Security Benefits Up-rating Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021

Proposed:

That the Social Security Benefits Up-rating Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021 be approved.

Minister for Communities

A single debate ensued on both motions.

The Question being put, the motion on the Social Security Benefits Up-rating Order (Northern Ireland) 2021 was carried.

The Question being put, the motion on the Social Security Benefits Up-rating Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021 was carried.

4.2 Motion: The Mesothelioma Lump Sum Payments (Conditions and Amounts) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021

Proposed:

That the Mesothelioma Lump Sum Payments (Conditions and Amounts) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021 be approved.

Minister for Communities

Debate ensued.

The Question being put, the motion was carried.

4.3 Further Consideration Stage: Licensing and Registration of Clubs (Amendment) Bill (NIA Bill 10/17-22)

The Minister for Communities, Ms Deirdre Hargey, moved the Further Consideration Stage of the Licensing and Registration of Clubs (Amendment) Bill.

Twenty four amendments were tabled to the Bill and selected for debate.

Debate ensued.

The debate was suspended for Question Time.

The Deputy Speaker, Mr Beggs, took the Chair.

5. Question Time

5.1 Justice

Questions were put to, and answered by, the Minister of Justice, Mrs Naomi Long.

5.2 Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs

Questions were put to, and answered by, the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Mr Edwin Poots.

The Deputy Speaker, Mr McGlone, took the chair.

6. Executive Committee Business (cont'd)

6.1 Further Consideration Stage: Licensing and Registration of Clubs (Amendment) Bill (NIA Bill 10/17-22) (cont'd)

Debate resumed.

After debate, Amendment 1 to Clause 9 was made without division.

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

After debate, Amendment 3 to Clause 9 was made without division.

After debate, Amendment 4 to Clause 10 was made without division.

After debate, Amendment 5 to Clause 11 was made without division.

After debate, Amendment 6 to Clause 11 was made without division.

After debate, Amendment 7 to Clause 11 was made without division.

After debate, Amendment 8 to Clause 11 was made without division.

After debate, Amendment 9 to leave out Clause 12 was made without division.

After debate, Amendment 10 to Clause 15 was made without division.

After debate, Amendment 11 to Clause 20 was made without division.

After debate, Amendment 12 to Clause 22 was made without division.

After debate, Amendment 13 to Clause 23 was made without division.

After debate, Amendment 14 to Clause 24 was made without division.

As amendment 14 was made, Amendment 15 was not called.

After debate, Amendment 16 to Clause 25 was made without division.

After debate, Amendment 17 to Clause 26 was made without division.

After debate, Amendment 18 to Clause 34 was made without division.

After debate, Amendment 19 to Clause 37 was made without division.

After debate, Amendment 20 to Clause 43 was made without division.

After debate, Amendment 21 to Clause 44 was made without division.

After debate, Amendment 22 to Clause 44 was made without division.

After debate, Amendment 23 to Clause 48 was made without division.

After debate, Amendment 24 to Schedule 1 was made without division.

NIA Bill 10/17-22 stood referred to the Speaker in accordance with Section 10 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998.

6.2 First Stage: Charities Bill (NIA Bill 27/17-22)

The Minister for Communities, Ms Deirdre Hargey, introduced a Bill to make provision about the lawfulness of decisions taken or other things done by staff of the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland, and about exempting charities, by reference to conditions related to thresholds, from the duty to be registered in the register of charities.

The Charities Bill (NIA Bill 27/17-22) passed First Stage and was ordered to be printed.

6.3 Further Consideration Stage: Budget (No. 2) Bill (NIA Bill 24/17-22)

The Minister of Finance, Mr Conor Murphy, moved the Further Consideration Stage of the Budget (No. 2) Bill.

No amendments were tabled to the Bill.

NIA Bill 24/17-22 stood referred to the Speaker for consideration in accordance with Section 10 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998.

6.4 Motion: The draft Administration (Restrictions on Disposal etc. to Connected Persons) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021

Proposed:

That the draft Administration (Restrictions on Disposal etc. to Connected Persons) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021 be approved.

Minister for the Economy

Debate ensued.

The Question being put, the motion was carried.

6.5 Motion: The Employment Rights (Northern Ireland) Order 1996 (Protection from Detriment in Health and Safety Cases) (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2021

Proposed:

That the Employment Rights (Northern Ireland) Order 1996 (Protection from Detriment in Health and Safety Cases) (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2021 be approved.

Minister for the Economy

Debate ensued.

The Question being put, the motion was carried.

7. Adjournment

Proposed:

That the Assembly do now adjourn.

The Speaker

The Assembly adjourned at 5.09pm.

Mr Alex Maskey
The Speaker
21 June 2021

Northern Ireland Assembly

Papers Presented to the Assembly on 18 June 2021 to 21 June 2021.

1. Acts of the Northern Ireland Assembly

2. Bills of the Northern Ireland Assembly

Charities Bill (NIA Bill 27/17-22)

3. Orders in Council

4. Publications Laid in the Northern Ireland Assembly

Department of Health's Retention and Disposal Schedule – Good Management, Good Records (Public Record Office of Northern Ireland)

Department of Finance Retention and Disposal Schedule (Public Record Office of Northern Ireland)

Livestock and Meat Commission (LMC) Retention and Disposal Schedule (Public Record Office of Northern Ireland)

Libraries NI Retention and Disposal Schedule (Public Record Office of Northern Ireland)

5. Assembly Reports

6. Statutory Rules

SR 2021/166 The Registered Rents (Increase) Order (Northern Ireland) 2021 (Department for Communities)

For information only

SR 2021/114 The Departments (Transfer of Functions) Order (Northern Ireland) 2021 (The Executive Office)

SR 2021/167 The Criminal Finances (2017 Act) (Commencement) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021 (Department of Justice)

7. Written Ministerial Statements

8. Consultation Documents

9. Departmental Publications

Department of Finance Memorandum on the Second Report from the Public Accounts Committee Mandate 2017-2022 – Major Capital Projects (Department of Finance)

10. Agency Publications

11. Westminster Publications

12. Miscellaneous Publications

PROXY VOTING NOTICES – MONDAY 21 JUNE 2021

The following Members notified the Speaker, under Standing Order 112, that they wished to avail of proxy voting arrangements for the sitting on Monday 21 June 2021:

Steve Aiken

Gerry Kelly

Andy Allen

Liz Kimmins

Martina Anderson

Naomi Long

Caoimhe Archibald

Gordon Lyons

Kellie Armstrong

Séan Lynch

Rosemary Barton

Chris Lyttle

Roy Beggs

Nichola Mallon

John Blair

Declan McAleer

Cathal Boylan

Fra McCann

Maurice Bradley

Daniel McCrossan

Paula Bradley

Patsy McGlone

Sinead Bradley

Colin McGrath

Nicola Brogan

Philip McGuigan

Keith Buchanan

Maolíosa McHugh

Tom Buchanan

Michelle McIlveen

Jonathan Buckley

Sinead McLaughlin

Pam Cameron

Justin McNulty

Pat Catney

Gary Middleton

Alan Chambers

Andrew Muir

Stewart Dickson

Karen Mullan

Linda Dillon

Conor Murphy

Diane Dodds

Mike Nesbitt

Jemma Dolan

Robin Newton

Mark Durkan

Carál Ní Chuilín

Alex Easton

Michelle O’Neill

Sinead Ennis

Edwin Poots

Órlaithí Flynn

George Robinson

Paul Frew

Emma Rogan

Colm Gildernew

Pat Sheehan

Paul Givan

Emma Sheerin

Deirdre Hargey

Christopher Stalford

Harry Harvey

John Stewart

David Hilditch

Mervyn Storey

Cara Hunter

Claire Sugden

William Irwin

Robin Swann

Declan Kearney

Peter Weir

Dolores Kelly

 

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