Order Paper
Date: 14 March 2022
Indicative Timings for the Order of Business
The Assembly to sit at noon.
1. Prayers
2. Assembly Business
Motion: Suspension of Standing Orders 10(2) to 10(4)
Proposed:
That Standing Orders 10(2) to 10(4) be suspended for 14 March 2022.
Mr John O’Dowd
Ms Joanne Bunting
Mrs Dolores Kelly
Mr Robbie Butler
Mr Andrew Muir
Ms Clare Bailey
3. Executive Committee Business
Motion: The Pensions Regulator (Employer Resources Test) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021
Proposed:
That the Pensions Regulator (Employer Resources Test) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021 be approved.
Minister for Communities
Further Consideration Stage: Support for Mortgage Interest etc (Security for Loans) Bill (NIA Bill 42/17-22)
Minister for Communities
Motion: The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions, Wearing of Face Coverings) (Revocation) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2022
Proposed:
That the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions, Wearing of Face Coverings) (Revocation) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2022 be approved.
Minister of Health
4. Question Time
5. Committee Business
Motion: Amend Standing Order 3
Proposed:
In Standing Order 3—
Leave out paragraphs (11) - (13);
Renumber paragraph (14) as paragraph (11); and
Renumber paragraph (15) as paragraph (12)
After Standing Order 3, insert—
‘3A. Political Designation
(1) After signing the Roll of Membership, a member may enter in the Roll his or her political designation.
(2) A member’s political designation may be "Nationalist", "Unionist" or "Other".
(3) A member may change his or her political designation only if—
(a) (being a member of a political party) he or she becomes a member of a different political party or he or she ceases to be a member of any political party;
(b) (not being a member of any political party) he or she becomes a member of a political party.
(4) Any change in political designation takes effect immediately after notification in writing is submitted to the Speaker.
(5) Where the Speaker has received a Notice of Political Designation from any member before the first meeting of an Assembly after dissolution, the Speaker shall report the contents of that Notice to the Assembly.
(6) A Notice of Political Designation shall —
(a) be submitted by a member only where exceptional circumstances prevent that member attending in person the first meeting of an Assembly after dissolution;
(b) be in writing;
(c) detail the exceptional circumstances which make it necessary for the member to submit the Notice; and
(d) detail that member’s political designation (see paragraph (2)).
(7) A Notice of Political Designation shall have effect only if received by the Speaker before the first meeting of an Assembly after dissolution.
(8) Except where paragraph (3) applies, when a Member who has submitted a Notice of Political Designation takes his or her seat, he or she shall enter the designation set out in that Notice in the Roll of Membership.
(9) A member who does not specify a political designation (whether by entering it in the Roll or by submitting a Notice of Political Designation) may be designated "Other" for the purposes of these Standing Orders and the Northern Ireland Act 1998.
(10) In this Standing Order the term “the Speaker” includes where relevant an outgoing Speaker or Acting Speaker (see Standing Order 3).’.
Chairperson, Committee on Procedures
Motion: Amend Standing Order 4
Proposed:
In Standing Order 4,
Leave out Standing Order 4 (1) and insert—
‘(1) When all members have had the opportunity to take their seats and specify a political designation, the Assembly shall proceed to elect a Speaker in the following manner.’
Chairperson, Committee on Procedures
Motion: Amend Standing Order 110
Proposed:
Leave out Standing Order 110(1) and insert:-
‘(1) Unless the Assembly previously resolves, Standing Orders 110-116 (‘the temporary provisions’) apply in the period from 31st March 2020 to the end of July 2022.‘
Chairperson, Committee on Procedures
Motion: Report on the Inquiry into Private Members' Bills
Proposed:
That this Assembly notes the report of the Committee on Procedures on its Inquiry into Private Members’ Bills (NIA 178/17-22); and approves the Committee's recommendations contained in the report.
Chairperson, Committee on Procedures
Motion: Report on the Inquiry into Legislative Consent Motions
Proposed:
That this Assembly notes the report of the Committee on Procedures on its Inquiry into Legislative Consent Motions (NIA 179/17-22); and approves the Committee's recommendations contained in the report.
Chairperson, Committee on Procedures
6. Private Members’ Business
Further Consideration Stage: Defamation Bill (NIA Bill 25/17-22)
Mr Mike Nesbitt
Further Consideration Stage: Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (NIA Bill 35/17-22)
Ms Clare Bailey
Motion: Accelerated Passage - Preservation of Documents (Historical Institutions) Bill (NIA Bill 56/17-22)
Proposed:
That the Preservation of Documents (Historical Institutions) Bill proceed under the accelerated passage procedure.
Mr Alan Chambers
Mr Robbie Butler
Second Stage: Preservation of Documents (Historical Institutions) Bill (NIA Bill 56/17-22)
Mr Alan Chambers
