Minutes of Proceedings
Session: Session currently unavailable
Date: 07 December 2022
The Assembly met at noon, the Acting Speaker, Mr Chambers, in the Chair.
1. Speaker's Business
Assembly proceedings
The Acting Speaker confirmed that the sitting had been convened following receipt of a valid notice (Appendix 1). The notice was signed by not less than 30 Members, in accordance with Standing Order 11.
2. Election of Speaker and Deputy Speakers
The Acting Speaker outlined the procedure for the election of a Speaker under Standing Order 4.
Mr Doug Beattie nominated Mr Mike Nesbitt as a candidate for the Office of Speaker and Mr John Stewart seconded the nomination.
Mr Mike Nesbitt indicated his agreement to accept the nomination.
Mr Matthew O'Toole nominated Mr Patsy McGlone as a candidate for the Office of Speaker and Ms Sinead McLaughlin seconded the nomination.
The Acting Speaker informed the Assembly that the Speaker had received written confirmation from Mr Patsy McGlone indicating his agreement to accept the nomination.
Debate ensued.
The Question being put that Mr Mike Nesbitt be Speaker of the Assembly, the Motion was negatived by cross-community vote (Division 1).
The Question being put that Mr Patsy McGlone be Speaker of the Assembly, the Motion was negatived by cross-community vote (Division 2).
There being no successful election of a Speaker, the Acting Speaker informed the Assembly that the next item of business would be the adjournment.
3. Adjournment
Proposed:
That the Assembly do now adjourn.
The Speaker
The Assembly adjourned at 2.09pm.
Mr Alex Maskey
The Speaker
7 December 2022
Northern Ireland Assembly
7 December 2022 - Division 1
Question put, That Mr Mike Nesbitt be appointed as Speaker of this Assembly.
The Question was put and the Assembly divided.
Ayes: 24
Noes: 24
AYES
UNIONIST:
Dr Aiken, Mr Beattie, Mr Butler, Mr Elliott, Mr Nesbitt, Mr Stewart, Ms Sugden.
OTHER:
Ms Armstrong, Mr Blair, Ms Bradshaw, Mr Brown, Mr Carroll, Mr Dickson, Mr Donnelly, Ms Eastwood, Ms Egan, Mr Honeyford, Miss McAllister, Mr McReynolds, Mr Mathison, Mr Muir, Ms Nicholl, Dr O'Lynn, Mr Tennyson.
Tellers for the Ayes: Dr Aiken, Mr Butler.
NOES
NATIONALIST:
Mr McCrossan.
UNIONIST:
Mr Allister, Mr Bradley, Mr Brett, Mr Brooks, Mr K Buchanan, Mr Buckley, Mrs Cameron, Mr Clarke, Mrs Dodds, Mr Dunne, Mr Easton, Ms Forsythe, Mr Frew, Mr Givan, Mr Harvey, Mr Irwin, Mr Kingston, Mrs Little-Pengelly, Mr Lyons, Miss McIlveen, Mr Middleton, Mr Poots, Mr Robinson.
Tellers for the Noes: Ms Forsythe, Mr Robinson.
The following Members voted in both Lobbies and are therefore not counted in the result: Mr Durkan, Ms Hunter, Mr McGrath, Ms McLaughlin, Mr McNulty, Mr O'Toole.
Total Votes 48 Total Ayes 24 [50.0%]
Nationalist Votes 1 Nationalist Ayes 0 [0.0%]
Unionist Votes 30 Unionist Ayes 7 [23.3%]
Other Votes 17 Other Ayes 17 [100.0%]
The Motion was negatived by cross-community vote.
Northern Ireland Assembly
7 December 2022 - Division 2
Question put, That Mr Patsy McGlone be appointed as Speaker of this Assembly.
The Question was put and the Assembly divided.
Ayes: 50
Noes: 24
AYES
NATIONALIST:
Dr Archibald, Mr Baker, Mr Boylan, Miss Brogan, Mr Delargy, Miss Dolan, Mr Durkan, Mrs Ennis, Mrs Ferguson, Mr Gildernew, Miss Hargey, Ms Hunter, Mr Kearney, Mr Kelly, Ms Kimmins, Mr McAleer, Mr McCrossan, Mr McGrath, Mr McGuigan, Mr McHugh, Ms McLaughlin, Mr McNulty, Mrs Mason, Miss Á Murphy, Mr C Murphy, Ms Ní Chuilín, Mr O'Dowd, Ms O'Neill, Mr O'Toole, Ms Reilly, Mr Sheehan, Ms Sheerin.
UNIONIST:
Ms Sugden.
OTHER:
Ms Armstrong, Mr Blair, Ms Bradshaw, Mr Brown, Mr Carroll, Mr Dickson, Mr Donnelly, Ms Eastwood, Ms Egan, Mr Honeyford, Miss McAllister, Mr McReynolds, Mr Mathison, Mr Muir, Ms Nicholl, Dr O'Lynn, Mr Tennyson.
Tellers for the Ayes: Ms Hunter, Mr McGrath.
NOES
UNIONIST:
Mr Allister, Mr Bradley, Mr Brett, Mr Brooks, Mr K Buchanan, Mr Buckley, Mrs Cameron, Mr Clarke, Mrs Dodds, Mr Dunne, Mr Easton, Mr Elliott, Ms Forsythe, Mr Frew, Mr Givan, Mr Harvey, Mr Irwin, Mr Kingston, Mrs Little-Pengelly, Mr Lyons, Miss McIlveen, Mr Middleton, Mr Poots, Mr Robinson.
Tellers for the Noes: Ms Forsythe, Mr Robinson.
The following Members voted in both Lobbies and are therefore not counted in the result:
Mr Aiken, Mr Beattie, Mr Butler, Mr Nesbitt, Mr Stewart.
Total Votes 74 Total Ayes 50 [67.6%]
Nationalist Votes 32 Nationalist Ayes 32 [100.0%]
Unionist Votes 25 Unionist Ayes 1 [4.0%]
Other Votes 17 Other Ayes 17 [100.0%]
The Motion was negatived by cross-community vote.
Appendix 1
Northern Ireland Assembly
Notice of an Earlier Meeting Under Standing Order 11
The undersigned Members of the Northern Ireland Assembly give notice to the Speaker, under Standing Order 11, that the Assembly should meet urgently to elect a Speaker and Deputy Speakers and to debate the following motion:
£600 Energy Payment
That this Assembly expresses deep concern that struggling families and households have not received the £600 payment that many are desperately relying on; calls on the DUP to end its boycott of this Assembly; and supports the immediate appointment of an Executive to provide urgent help for those struggling with the cost-of-living crisis through the winter months.
Dr Caoimhe Archibald Mrs Cathy Mason
Ms Kellie Armstrong Mr Nick Mathison
Mr Danny Baker Mr Declan McAleer
Mr John Blair Miss Nuala McAllister
Mr Cathal Boylan Mr Daniel McCrossan
Ms Paula Bradshaw Mr Patsy McGlone
Miss Nicola Brogan Mr Colin McGrath
Mr Patrick Brown Mr Philip McGuigan
Mr Pádraig Delargy Mr Maolíosa McHugh
Mr Stewart Dickson Ms Sinead McLaughlin
Mrs Linda Dillon Mr Justin McNulty
Miss Jemma Dolan Mr Peter McReynolds
Mr Danny Donnelly Mr Andrew Muir
Mr Mark Durkan Miss Áine Murphy
Ms Sorcha Eastwood Mr Conor Murphy
Ms Connie Egan Ms Carál Ní Chuilín
Mrs Sinéad Ennis Ms Kate Nicholl
Mrs Ciara Ferguson Mr John O'Dowd
Mr Colm Gildernew Dr Patricia O'Lynn
Miss Deirdre Hargey Ms Michelle O'Neill
Mr David Honeyford Mr Matthew O'Toole
Ms Cara Hunter Ms Aisling Reilly
Mr Declan Kearney Mr Pat Sheehan
Mr Gerry Kelly Ms Emma Sheerin
Ms Liz Kimmins Mr Eoin Tennyson
Mrs Naomi Long
Northern Ireland Assembly
Papers Presented to the Assembly on 28 October 2022 – 7 December 2022
1. Acts of the Northern Ireland Assembly
2. Bills of the Northern Ireland Assembly
3. Orders in Council
4. Statutory Rules
SR 2022/288 The Waste Management Licensing (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2022 (Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs)
SR 2022/290 The Public Interest Disclosure (Prescribed Persons) (Amendment No.2) Order (Northern Ireland) 2022 (Department for the Economy)
SR 2022/292 The Marine Protected Areas (Prohibited Methods of Fishing) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2022 (Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs)
SR 2022/293 The Motor Vehicles (Access to Driver Licensing Records) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2022 (Department for Infrastructure)
SR 2022/294 The Charities (Edgehill Theological College Scheme) Order (Northern Ireland) 2022 (Department for Communities)
SR 2022/295 The Rates (Small Business Hereditament Relief) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2022 (Department of Finance)
SR 2022/296 The Pensions Dashboards Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2022 (Department for Communities)
SR 2022/297 The State Pension Debits and Credits (Revaluation) Order (Northern Ireland) 2022 (Department for Communities)
SR 2022/298 The State Pension Revaluation for Transitional Pensions Order (Northern Ireland) 2022 (Department for Communities)
SR 2022/299 The Mental Capacity (Research) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2022 (Department of Health)
SR 2022/300 The Occupational Pensions (Revaluation) Order (Northern Ireland) 2022 (Department for Communities)
SR 2022/301 The Pensions (2005 Order) (Disclosure of Restricted Information by the Pensions Regulator) (Amendment of Specified Persons) Order (Northern Ireland) 2022 (Department for Communities)
For Information Only
SR 2022/291 The Pension Schemes Act 2021 (Commencement No. 6) Order (Northern Ireland) 2022 (Department for Communities)
5. Legislative Consent Memorandums
6. Assembly Reports
7. Written Ministerial Statements
8. Publications Laid in the Northern Ireland Assembly
Independent Research Report: Rent regulation in the private rented sector in Northern Ireland (Department for Communities)
Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman Annual Report and Accounts 2021-22 (Department of Finance)
Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service Annual Report and Accounts 2021-22 (Department of Health)
The Sports Council for Northern Ireland (Sport NI) Annual Report and Accounts 2021-22 (Department for Communities)
National Museums Northern Ireland Annual Report and Accounts 2021-22 (Department for Communities)
Department of Health Annual Report and Accounts 2021-22 (Department of Health)
Inland Fisheries Annual Report 2021 - Final Amended November 2022 (Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs)
Northern Ireland Social Care Council Annual Report and Accounts 2021-22 (Department of Health)
NI Central Investment Fund for Charities Annual Report & Accounts September 2021 (Department for Communities)
DFI Roads - Eastern Division - Report to Belfast City Council - Autumn 2022 (Department for Infrastructure)
SI 2022-1173 The Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Scheme (Amendment) (No. 2) Order 2022 (Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy)
Libraries NI Annual Report and Accounts 2021/22 (Department for Communities)
Quarterly Sickness Absence in the Northern Ireland Civil Service July 2022 - September 2022 (Department of Finance)
Local Government Staff Commission NI (NDPB) Annual Report and Accounts 2021-22 (Department of Finance)
Commissioner for Children and Young People for Northern Ireland Annual Report and Accounts 2021/22 (Department for Communities)
Annual Report of the NIHRC and the ECNI on the implementation of Protocol Article 2 2021 – 2022 (The Executive Office)
Environmental Improvement Plan - Data Collection Statement (Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs)
Charitable Donations and Bequests Annual Report for the year ending 31 March 2021 (Department for Communities)
Department for Infrastructure – Council Roads Report - Lisburn & Castlereagh Council Area 2022 (Department for Infrastructure)
Northern Ireland Child Maintenance Service Annual Report on Decision Making 1 April 2021 to 31 March 2022 (Department for Communities)
9. Publications Presented in the Northern Ireland Assembly
Independent Reporting Commission Fifth Report December 2022 (Depar
