Minutes of Proceedings

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

1. Prayers

Members observed two minutes' silence.

2 Executive Committee Business

2.1 Motion: Accelerated Passage – Non-domestic Rates Valuations (Coronavirus) Bill (NIA Bill 44/17-22)

Proposed:

That the Non-domestic Rates Valuations (Coronavirus) Bill proceed under the accelerated passage procedure.

Minister of Finance

Debate ensued.

The Question being put, the motion was negatived.

2.2 Second Stage: Non-domestic Rates Valuations (Coronavirus) Bill (NIA Bill 44/17-22)

The Minister of Finance, Mr Conor Murphy, moved Second Stage of the Non-domestic Rates Valuations (Coronavirus) Bill (NIA Bill 44/17-22).

Debate ensued.

The Deputy Speaker, Mr Beggs, took the Chair.

The Non-domestic Rates Valuations (Coronavirus) Bill (NIA Bill 44/17-22) passed Second Stage.

2.3 Consideration Stage: Criminal Justice (Committal Reform) Bill (NIA Bill 11/17-22)

The Minister of Justice, Mrs Naomi Long, moved the Consideration Stage of the Criminal Justice (Committal Reform) Bill (NIA Bill 11/17-22).

There were 4 amendments tabled to the Bill and selected for debate.

Debate ensued.

The sitting was suspended at 12.59pm.

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

3. Question Time

3.1 Justice

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

The Deputy Speaker, Mr McGlone, took the Chair.

4. Executive Committee Business (cont'd)

4.1 Consideration Stage: Criminal Justice (Committal Reform) Bill (NIA Bill 11/17-22) (cont'd)

Debate resumed.

Clauses

After debate, Amendment 1 to Clause 1 was negatived on division.

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

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

After debate, 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.

After debate, Amendment 3 to Clause 4 was made without division.

The question being put, it was agreed without division that Clause 4, as amended, stand part of the Bill.

The question being put, it was agreed without division that Clauses 5 and 6 stand part of the Bill.

Schedule

After debate, Amendment 4 to Schedule 1 was negatived without division.

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

Long Title

The question being put, the Long Title was agreed without division.

The Criminal Justice (Committal Reform) Bill (NIA Bill 11/17-22) stood referred to the Speaker.

4.2 Legislative Consent Motion: Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill

Proposed:

That this Assembly agrees to the extension to Northern Ireland of a number of provisions within the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill relating to the Crime (Overseas Production Orders) Act, the management of sex offenders, the National Driver Offender Retraining Scheme (NDORS), application of section 29 of the Petty Sessions (Ireland) Act 1851 to the provisions in the Bill enabling a judge in England and Wales to make an order authorising the police to obtain information about the location of human remains outside of a criminal investigation, and the application of an amendment to the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 to Northern Ireland to bring electronic money and payment institutions within the scope of account freezing and forfeiture powers in Northern Ireland.

Minister of Justice

Debate ensued.

The Question being put, the motion was carried.

5. Adjournment

Proposed:

That the Assembly do now adjourn.

The Speaker

Mr Christopher Stalford was unable to introduce his adjournment topic on Belfast Rapid Transit in South Belfast.

The Assembly adjourned at 6.20pm.

Mr Alex Maskey
The Speaker
23 November 2021

Northern Ireland Assembly

23 November 2021 – Division

Amendment 1: Consideration Stage – Criminal Justice (Committal Reform) Bill (NIA Bill 11/17-22)

Proposed:

Clause 1, Page 1, Line 5:

After 'repealed' insert 'save in respect of preliminary investigation proceedings resulting from a

direction under Article 29A'

Mr Jim Allister

The Question was put and the Assembly divided.

Ayes: 30
Noes: 54

AYES

Mr Allister, Mr M Bradley, Ms P Bradley, Mr K Buchanan, Mr T Buchanan, Mr Buckley, Ms Bunting, Mrs Cameron, Mr Carroll, Mr Clarke, Mrs Dodds, Mr Dunne, Mr Easton, Mrs Erskine, Mr Frew, Mr Givan, Mr Harvey, Mr Hilditch, Mr Humphrey, Mr Irwin, Mr Lyons, Miss McIlveen, Mr Middleton, Mr Newton, Mr Poots, Mr Robinson, Mr Stalford, Mr Storey, Mr Weir, Mr Wells.

Tellers for the Ayes: Mr Allister, Mr Weir.

NOES

Dr Aiken, Mr Allen, Dr Archibald, Ms Armstrong, Ms Bailey, Mrs Barton, Mr Beattie, Mr Blair, Mr Boylan, Ms S Bradley, Ms Bradshaw, Ms Brogan, Mr Butler, Mr Catney, Mr Chambers, Mr Delargy, Mr Dickson, Ms Dillon, Ms Dolan, Mr Durkan, Ms Ennis, Ms Ferguson, Ms Flynn, Mr Gildernew, Ms Hargey, Ms Hunter, Mr Kearney, Mrs D Kelly, Mr G Kelly, Ms Kimmins, Mrs Long, Mr Lyttle, Mr McAleer, Mr McCrossan, Mr McGrath, Mr McGuigan, Mr McHugh, Mr McNulty, Ms Mallon, Mr Muir, Ms Á Murphy, Mr C Murphy, Mr Nesbitt, Ms Ní Chuilín, Mr O'Dowd, Mrs O'Neill, Mr O'Toole, Miss Reilly, Ms Rogan, Mr Sheehan, Ms Sheerin, Mr Stewart, Mr Swann, Miss Woods.

Tellers for the Noes: Ms Bradshaw, Ms Dolan.

The amendment was negatived.

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

Mr Muir voted for Ms Armstrong, Ms Bradshaw [Teller Noes], Mr Blair, Mr Dickson, Mr Lyttle and Mrs Long.

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

Mr Butler voted for Dr Aiken, Mr Allen, Mrs Barton, Mr Beattie, Mr Chambers, Mr Nesbitt, Mr Stewart and Mr Swann.

Mr O'Dowd voted for Dr Archibald, Mr Boylan, Ms Brogan, Mr Delargy, Ms Dillon, Ms Dolan [Teller, Noes], Ms Ennis, Ms Ferguson, Ms Flynn, Mr Gildernew, Ms Hargey, Mr Kearney, Mr G Kelly, Ms Kimmins, Mr McAleer, Mr McGuigan, Mr McHugh, Ms A Murphy, Mr C Murphy, Ms Ní Chuilín, Mrs O'Neill, Miss Reilly, Ms Rogan, Mr Sheehan and Ms Sheerin.

Mr O'Toole voted for Ms Mallon and Mr McCrossan.

Northern Ireland Assembly

Papers Presented to the Assembly on 23 November 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

5. Assembly Reports

6. Statutory Rules

SR 2021/303 The Universal Credit (Exception to the Requirement not to be receiving Education) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021 (Department for Communities)

SR 2021/305 The Taxis (Taximeters, Devices and Maximum Fares) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021 (Department for Infrastructure)

7. Written Ministerial Statements

8. Consultation Documents

Consultation to Consider Making Careless Driving a Fixed Penalty Notice Offence (Department of Infrastructure)

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 23 November 2021

2017-2022 Mandate
Executive Bills
             

2017-2022 Mandate
Non-Executive Bills           

/ Bills progressing by accelerated passage

PROXY VOTING NOTICES – TUESDAY 23 NOVEMBER 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 9 November 2021: