Minutes of Proceedings

Session: Session currently unavailable

Date: 16 March 2021

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

1. Prayers

Members observed two minutes' silence.

2. Executive Committee Business

2.1 Second Stage: Health and Social Care Bill (NIA Bill 18/17-22)

The Minister of Health, Mr Robin Swann, moved the Second Stage of the Health and Social Care Bill (NIA Bill 18/17-22).

Debate ensued.

The Health and Social Care Bill (NIA Bill 18/17-22) passed Second Stage.

The Principal Deputy Speaker took the Chair.

3. Private Members' Business

3.1 Motion: Welfare Support

Proposed:

That this Assembly highlights the need for a fair and sustainable welfare system in Northern Ireland; notes with concern the deep economic impact of the pandemic and resulting restrictions; stresses the need to meet any related increase in eligibility for, or uptake of, benefits and other forms of financial support for those made redundant or suffering ill-health, as part of the recovery from Covid-19; expresses grave concern that the review of welfare mitigations measures provided for in New Decade, New Approach has not been taken forward as a priority by the Department for Communities; and calls on the Minister for Communities to accelerate that review and to ensure that appropriate and ongoing welfare support is made available to households hardest hit by the effects of the pandemic as the Executive charts a course toward recovery.

Ms Paula Bradley
Mr Alex Easton
Mr Robin Newton

Amendment

Proposed:

At end insert:

', to overturn the recent withdrawal of funding for advice centres and to reallocate the money to allow for the continuation of vital advice services.'

Mr Gerry Carroll

Debate ensued.

The sitting was suspended at 1.01pm.

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

4. Question Time

4.1 Health

Questions were put to, and answered by, the Minister of Health, Mr Robin Swann.

The Deputy Speaker, Mr McGlone, took the Chair.

5. Private Members' Business (cont'd)

5.1 Motion: Welfare Support (cont'd)

Debate resumed.

The Question being put, the Amendment was made.

The Question being put, the motion as amended was carried.

5.2 Motion: Supporting Students

Proposed:

That this Assembly welcomes the recent announcement of a £500 Covid Disruption Payment for students studying full-time higher education courses; believes that the exclusion of full-time students studying further education courses and students studying higher education courses in the Republic of Ireland or in Britain is unfair; acknowledges the difficulty of part-time students facing financial hardship also needs to be addressed; and calls on the Minister for the Economy to address these inequalities and ensure that all students who are currently excluded from the Covid Disruption Payment receive the £500 payment.

Mr John O'Dowd
Dr Caoimhe Archibald
Ms Nicola Brogan
Ms Emma Sheerin

Amendment

Proposed:

Leave out all after the first 'courses;' and insert:

'notes with regret the absence of legal powers in the Department for the Economy to extend this support to all full-time students studying further education courses and students studying higher education courses in the Republic of Ireland or in Great Britain; acknowledges the difficulty of part-time students facing financial hardship also needs to be addressed; and calls on the Minister for the Economy to raise with her counterparts in Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland the desire to ensure that all students who are currently excluded from the Covid Disruption Payment receive comparable and much-deserved support.'

Mr Christopher Stalford
Mr Gary Middleton

Debate ensued.

The Question being put, the Amendment was negatived.

The Question being put, the motion was carried.

The sitting was suspended at 4.23pm.

The sitting resumed at 4.51pm, the Speaker in the Chair.

6. Executive Committee Business (cont'd)

6.1 Statement: Executive's Pathway out of the COVID-19 restrictions

The First Minister, the Rt Hon Arlene Foster, made a statement regarding the Executive's Pathway out of the COVID-19 restrictions, following which she replied to questions.

7. Adjournment

Proposed:

That the Assembly do now adjourn.

The Speaker

Ms Paula Bradshaw spoke to her topic regarding Post-Primary Education Provision in South Belfast.

The Assembly adjourned at 6.34pm.

Mr Alex Maskey
The Speaker
16 March 2021

Northern Ireland Assembly

Papers Presented to the Assembly on 16 March 2021

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

Livestock and Meat Commission Annual Report and Accounts 2019-2020 (Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs)

5. Assembly Reports

Report of the Examiner of Statutory Rules to the Assembly and the Appropriate Committees Thirtieth Report of Session 2020 – 2021 (NIA 86/17-22) (Examiner of Statutory Rules)

6. Statutory Rules

SR 2021/66 The Automatic Enrolment (Earnings Trigger and Qualifying Earnings Band) Order (Northern Ireland) 2021 (Department for Communities)

SR 2021/67 The Universal Credit (Extension of Coronavirus Measures) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021 (Department for Communities)

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 16 March 2021

2017-2022 Mandate
Executive Bills
               

  

Title &
   NIA Bill Number

  
  

First
   Stage

  
  

Second Stage

  
  

Comm. Stage to Conclude

  
  

Report Ordered to be Printed

  
  

CS

  
  

FCS

  
  

Final Stage

  
  

Royal Assent

  

Budget   Bill (NIA Bill 02/17-22)

24/02/20

25/02/20

/

/

02/03/20

03/03/20

09/03/20

26/03/20

Domestic   Abuse and Civil Proceedings Bill (NIA Bill 03/17-22)

31/03/20

28/04/20

15/10/20

15/10/20

17/11/20

15/12/20

18/01/21

01/03/21

Private   Tenancies (Coronavirus Modifications) Bill (NIA Bill 04/17-22)

21/04/20

21/04/20

/

/

28/04/20

/

28/04/20

04/05/20

Budget   (No. 2) Bill (NIA Bill 05/17-22)

26/05/20

26/05/20

/

/

01/06/20

02/06/20

02/06/20

17/06/20

Housing   Amendment Bill (NIA Bill 06/17-22)

26/05/20

01/06/20

/

/

16/06/20

23/06/20

30/06/20

28/08/20

Pension   Schemes Bill (NIA Bill 07/17-22)

23/06/20

07/07/20

29/01/21

19/11/20

 

 

 

 

Executive   Committee (Functions) Bill (NIA Bill 08/17-22)

06/07/20

06/07/20

/

/

21/07/20

27/07/20

28/07/20

25/08/20

Budget   (No. 3) Bill

(NIA   Bill 09/17-22)

19/10/20

20/10/20

/

/

02/11/20

09/11/20

10/11/20

25/11/20

The   Licensing and Registration of Clubs (Amendment) Bill

(NIA   Bill 10/17-22)

19/10/20

03/11/20

15/05/21

 

 

 

 

 

The   Criminal Justice (Committal Reform) Bill (NIA Bill 11/17-22)

03/11/20

16/11/20

11/06/21

 

 

 

 

 

The   Harbours (Grants and Loans Limit) Bill (NIA Bill 12/17-22)

23/11/20

01/12/20

/

/

14/12/20

19/01/21

25/01/21

01/03/21

Protection from Stalking Bill (NIA Bill   14/17-22)

18/01/20

08/02/21

10/12/21

 

 

 

 

 

The Damages (Return on Investment) Bill (NIA   Bill 16/17-22)

01/03/21

09/03/21

 

 

 

 

 

 

Budget Bill (NIA Bill 17/17-22)

01/03/21

02/03/21

/

/

08/03/21

09/03/21

09/03/21

 

Health and Social Care Bill (NIA Bill   18/17/22)


  08/03/21

 

16/03/21

 

 

 

 

 

 

2017-2022 Mandate
Non-Executive Bills      

  

Title &
   NIA Bill Number

  
  

First
   Stage

  
  

Second Stage

  
  

Comm. Stage to Conclude

  
  

Report Ordered to be Printed

  
  

CS

  
  

FCS

  
  

Final Stage

  
  

Royal Assent

  

Functioning   of Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill (NIA Bill 01/17-22)

03/02/20

16/03/20

02/12/20

11/11/20

24/11/20

19/01/21

02/02/20

 

Assembly   Members (Remuneration Board) Bill

(NIA   Bill 13/17-22)

14/12/20

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The   Severe Fetal Impairment Abortion (Amendment) Bill

(NIA   Bill 15/17-22)

16/02/21

15/03/21

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/ Bills progressing by accelerated passage

PROXY VOTING NOTICES – TUESDAY 16 MARCH 2021

The following Members notified the Speaker, under Standing Order 112, that they wished to avail of proxy voting arrangements for the sitting on Tuesday 16 March 2021:

Andy Allen

Liz Kimmins

Martina Anderson

Naomi Long

Caoimhe Archibald

Gordon Lyons

Rosemary Barton

Séan Lynch

Roy Beggs

Chris Lyttle

John Blair

Nichola Mallon

Cathal Boylan

Declan McAleer

Paula Bradley

Fra McCann

Sinead Bradley

Daniel McCrossan

Paula Bradshaw

Patsy McGlone

Nicola Brogan

Colin McGrath

Thomas Buchanan

Philip McGuigan

Jonathan Buckley

Maolíosa McHugh

Pat Catney

Sinead McLaughlin

Alan Chambers

Justin McNulty

Stewart Dickson

Gary Middleton

Linda Dillon

Andrew Muir

Diane Dodds

Karen Mullan

Jemma Dolan

Conor Murphy

Gordon Dunne

Mike Nesbitt

Mark Durkan

Robin Newton

Alex Easton

Carál Ní Chuilín

Arlene Foster

John O’Dowd

Órlaithí Flynn

Michelle O’Neill

Colm Gildernew

Edwin Poots

Paul Givan

George Robinson

Deirdre Hargey

Emma Rogan

Harry Harvey

Pat Sheehan

David Hilditch

Emma Sheerin

Cara Hunter

Christopher Stalford

William Irwin

John Stewart

Declan Kearney

Mervyn Storey

Dolores Kelly

Robin Swann

Gerry Kelly

Peter Weir

 

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