1. Minute of Proceedings
2. Marshalled List of Amendments (Government Resiurces and Accounts Bill)
3. Divisions
4. Papers presented to the Assembly
5. Northern Ireland Legislation (Westminister)
6. Northern Ireland Legislation (Assembly)
7. List of Motions (No Day Named)

1. Personal Prayer or Meditation

1.1 Members observed two minutes’ silence.

2. The Speaker’s Business

2.1 The Speaker gave a ruling on a point of order arising out of the Civic Forum debate held on 6 February 2001.

3. Executive Committee Business

3.1 Budget Bill (NIA Bill 10/00)

The Minister of Finance and Personnel, Mr Mark Durkan, moved that the Second Stage of the Budget Bill be agreed.

Debate ensued.

NIA Bill 10/00 passed Second Stage.

The Sitting was , by leave, suspended at 1.09 pm.

3.2 Government Resources and Accounts Bill (NIA Bill 6/00)

Further Consideration Stage

The Minister of Finance and Personnel, Mr Mark Durkan, moved that the Further Consideration Stage of the Government Resources and Accounts Bill be agreed.

Eighteen amendments were tabled to the Bill.

Question put: That Clause 1 stand part of the Bill was agreed without division.

After debate: Amendment 1 to Clause 2 was made without division..

Question put: That Clause 2 as amended stand part of the Bill was agreed without division.

After debate: Amendment 2 to Clause 3 was made without division.

Question put: That Clause 3 as amended stand part of the Bill was agreed without division.

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

After debate: Amendment 4 to Clause 4 was made without division.

After debate: Amendment 5 to Clause 4 was made without division.

Question put: That Clause 4 as amended stand part of the Bill was agreed without division.

After debate: Amendment 6 to Clause 5 was made without division.

Question put: That Clause 5 as amended stand part of the Bill was agreed without division.

After debate: Amendment 7 (new clause) was made without division.

After debate: Amendment 8 (new clause) was made without division.

After debate: Amendment 9 to Clause 6 was made without division.

After debate: Amendment 10 to Clause 6 was made without division.

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

After debate: Amendment 12 to Clause 6 was made without division.

After debate: Amendment 13 to Clause 6 was made without division.

After debate: Amendment 14 to Clause 6 was made without division.

Question put: That Clause 6 as amended stand part of the Bill was agreed without division.

Question put: That Clauses 7 to 17 stand part of the Bill was agreed without division.

After debate: Amendment 15 to Clause 18 was made without division.

Question put: That Clause 18 as amended stand part of the Bill was agreed without division.

Question put: That Clause 19 stand part of the Bill was agreed without division.

After debate: Amendment 16 to Clause 20 was made without division.

After debate: Amendment 17 to Clause 20 was negatived (Division 1).

Question put: That Clause 20 as amended stand part of the Bill was agreed without division.

Question put: That Clauses 21 to 27 stand part of the Bill was agreed without division.

Schedules

After debate: Amendment 18 to Schedule 1 was made without division.

Question put: That Schedule 1 as amended stand part of the Bill was agreed without division.

Question put: That Schedule 2 stand part of the Bill was agreed without division.

Question put: That the Long Title be agreed. The Long Title was agreed.

(Annotated Marshalled List - Annex)

4. Private Members’ Business

4.1 Proposed: That this Assembly calls on the Chief Electoral Officer for Northern Ireland to report on his plans to counter electoral fraud.

[Mr D Hussey]

Amendment

Proposed: After "report" insert:

‘on the efficiency of the registration process, the balloting process and’.

[Mr P McNamee]

After debate, the Amendment being put, the Amendment fell.

The Question being put, the Motion was carried without division.

5. Adjournment

5.1 Mr Peter Robinson MP spoke on Valuation of Commercial Premises in Redevelopment Areas of East Belfast.

Proposed: That the Assembly do now adjourn.

[The Speaker]

THE LORD ALDERDICE
The Speaker
20 February 2001

Amendments given up to and including Thursday, 15 February 2001

_______________________________________________________________

The Bill will be considered in the following order-

Clauses 1-5, New Clauses, Clauses 6-27, Schedules and Long Title

Amendment 1 [Made]

Clause 2, Page 2, Line 8

leave out subsection (4)

Amendment 2 [Made]

Clause 3, Page 2, Line 28

leave out ‘subsection’ and insert ‘section’

Amendment 3 [Made]

Clause 4, Page 3, Line 4

leave out subsection (4)

Amendment 4 [Made]

Clause 4, Page 3, Line 10

leave out ‘service on account of which’ and insert ‘Northern Ireland department or other body to which or person to whom’

Amendment 5 [Made]

Clause 4, Page 3, Line 12

leave out ‘subsection’ and insert ‘section’

Amendment 6 [Made]

Clause 5, Page 3, Line 22

leave out ‘an Appropriation’ and insert ‘a Budget’

Amendment 7 [Made]

After clause 5 insert¾

.¾ (1) The use of resources by¾

for any purpose in any financial year must be authorised for that year by Budget Act or under section 6 and must not exceed any amount so authorised in relation to that purpose.

(2) Subsection (1) does not apply to the use of resources for services which are under any statutory provision payable out of ¾

(3) Subsection (1) is subject to section (Use of resources without Budget Act)

(4) A body or person is a relevant body or person for the purposes of this section and section 6 if an estimate is approved by the Assembly for that body or person in respect of each financial year.’

Amendment 8 [Made]

After clause 5 insert¾

.¾ (1) If a Budget Act is not passed at least three working days before the end of a financial year ("year 1") authorising the use of resources mentioned in section (Use of resources) (1) for the service of the next financial year ("year 2"), the authorised officer of the Department may, subject to any Budget Act subsequently passed, authorise the use of resources for the service of year 2 for such purposes and up to such amounts as he may direct.

(2) The aggregate of the amounts authorised under subsection (1) for the service of year 2 shall not exceed 75 per cent of the total amount of resources authorised by Budget Act for the service of year 1.

(3) If a Budget Act is not passed before the end of July in any financial year authorising the use of resources mentioned in section (Use of resources) (1) for the service of the year, the authorised officer of the Department may, subject to any Budget Act subsequently passed, authorise the use of resources for the service of the year for such purposes and up to such amounts as he may direct.

(4) The aggregate of the amounts authorised under subsection (3) and (where applicable) the amounts authorised under subsection (1) for the service of any financial year shall not exceed 95 per cent of the total amount of resources authorised by Budget Act for the service of the preceding financial year.

(5) In this section "authorised officer", in relation to the Department, means the Permanent Secretary or such other officer as may be nominated by him for the purpose.’

Amendment 9 [Made]

Clause 6, Page 3, Line 30

leave out from ‘an Appropriation’ to end of line 33 and insert ‘a Budget Act, direct that resources accruing to a department or a relevant body or person ("accruing resources") may be used for any purpose in any financial year in addition to resources authorised by Budget Act to be used for that purpose in that year.’

Amendment 10 [Made]

Clause 6, Page 3, Line 38

leave out ‘appropriation in aid’ and insert ‘a use of accruing resources’

Amendment 11 [Made]

Clause 6, Page 3, Line 41

leave out ‘appropriation in aid’ and insert ‘use of accruing resources’

Amendment 12 [Made]

Clause 6, Page 4, Line 1

leave out paragraphs (a) and (b) and insert¾

Amendment 13 [Made]

Clause 6, Page 4, Line 6

leave out ‘appropriation in aid’ and insert ‘use of accruing resources’

Amendment 14 [Made]

Clause 6, Page 4, Line 7

leave out ‘Appropriation’ and insert ‘Budget’

Amendment 15 [Made]

Clause 18, Page 9, Line 27

leave out ‘take full’ and insert ‘consult with and take’

Amendment 16 [Made]

Clause 20, Page 11, Line 2

leave out ‘at any reasonable time’

Amendment 17 [Negatived on division]

Clause 20, Page 11, Line 25

after ‘nature’ insert ‘, has received significant public funds,’

Amendment 18 [Made]

Schedule 1, Page 15, Line 2

leave out ‘an Appropriation’ and insert ‘a Budget’

Proposed: Clause 20, Page 11, Line 25

after ‘nature’ insert ‘, has received significant public funds,’

[Mr Nigel Dodds]

The Question was put and the Assembly divided.

Ayes : 32
Noes : 52

Eileen Bell, Paul Berry, Gregory Campbell, Mervyn Carrick, Séamus Close, Wilson Clyde, Nigel Dodds, Boyd Douglas, David Ervine, David Ford, Oliver Gibson, William Hay, David Hilditch, Billy Hutchinson, Roger Hutchinson, Gardiner Kane, Kieran McCarthy, William McCrea, Monica McWilliams, Maurice Morrow, Séan Neeson, Ian Paisley Jnr, Ian R K Paisley, Edwin Poots, Iris Robinson, Mark Robinson, Peter Robinson, Jim Shannon, Denis Watson, Peter Weir, Jim Wells, Sammy Wilson.

Ian Adamson, Billy Armstrong, Alex Attwood, Roy Beggs, Billy Bell, Esmond Birnie, P J Bradley, Joan Carson, Fred Cobain, Annie Courtney, John Dallat, Duncan Shipley Dalton, Ivan Davis, Arthur Doherty, Mark Durkan, Séan Farren, John Fee, Sam Foster, Michelle Gildernew, John Gorman, Carmel Hanna, Denis Haughey, Joe Hendron, John Kelly, Danny Kennedy, James Leslie, Patricia Lewsley, Alban Maginness, Séamus Mallon, Alex Maskey, David McClarty, Alasdair McDonnell, Barry McElduff, Alan McFarland, Gerry McHugh, Mitchel McLaughlin, Eugene McMenamin, Pat McNamee, Francie Molloy, Conor Murphy, Mick Murphy, Mary Nelis, Dermot Nesbitt, Danny O'Connor, Dara O'Hagan, Eamonn ONeill, Sue Ramsey, Ken Robinson, George Savage, John Tierney, David Trimble, Jim Wilson.

The Amendment fell.

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

(The department identified after each rule is for reference purposes only.)

SR No 52 The Social Fund (Recovery by Deductions from Benefits) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2001 (DSD)

SR No 56 The Jobseeker’s Allowance (Joint Claims: Consequential Amendments) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2001 (DSD)

7. Consultation Documents

Regional Evidence-Based Strategy for Stroke Services

8. Departmental Publications
9. Agency Publications
10. Westminster Publications
11. Miscellaneous Publications
12. Assembly Research Papers

NORTHERN IRELAND LEGISLATION:
PROCEEDINGS AS AT 19 FEBRUARY 2001

Only legislation laid under Paragraph 2 (1) of the Northern Ireland Act 2000 is included in this Section.

Exclusion of Sinn Féin

This House resolves that Sinn Féin does not enjoy the confidence of the Assembly because it is not committed to non-violence and exclusively peaceful and democratic means and, therefore, consistent with the Northern Ireland Act 1998, determines that Members of Sinn Féin shall be excluded from holding office as Ministers for a period of 12 months from the date of this resolution.

[Mr C Wilson]
[Mr P Roche]

Mobile Phones

That this Assembly calls upon the Minister of the Environment and the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to ensure the complete implementation of the recommendations made by the Independent Expert Group on Mobile Phones as laid out in the Stewart Report, to ensure that no telecommunications masts are constructed within three hundred yards of any dwelling without full public consultation.

[Mr J Shannon]

Local Government Elections

That this Assembly calls on the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to announce that the Local Government elections will take place in May 2001.

[Mr E Poots]

Award to RUC

This Assembly calls for an official Assembly award to be made to the RUC and its reserve in recognition of its officers’ duty, service and bravery in the face of terrorism and crime and for its impartial defence of the entire Northern Ireland community.

[Mr I Paisley Jnr]

Fireworks

That this Assembly calls on the Executive to establish an Inter-Departmental Working Group in conjunction with the Northern Ireland Office to examine ways in which the nuisance caused by fireworks can be abated.

[Mr K McCarthy]
[Mrs E Bell]

Royal Commission Report

That this Assembly calls on the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to implement in full in Northern Ireland the recommendations contained in the Report by the Royal Commission on Long-Term Care published in March 1999.

[Mr K McCarthy]

Councillors

That this Assembly calls upon the Minister of the Environment to bring forward proposals to financially reward the long-term contributions of many Councillors and to assess the work of Councillors to ensure that they are financially rewarded at an appropriate level.

[Mr O Gibson]
[Mrs E Bell]

Irish Justice System

That this Assembly notes with concern the failure of the Irish Justice system to resolve the rape/incest case of the daughter of British citizen Sarah Bland.

[Mr I Paisley Jnr]

Road Spending Plans

That this Assembly calls on the Minister for Regional Development to explain current road spending plans in the context of the recent publication of the consultation paper ‘Developing a Regional Transportation Strategy’.

[Ms M McWilliams]

Minimum Wage

That this Assembly considers the current minimum wage threshold to be too low and supports a minimum wage level of (at least) £5.00 per hour and calls for the youth exemption contained in the current legislation to be abolished so that the £5.00 per hour rate applies to all.

[Mr B Hutchinson]
[Dr D O’Hagan]

District Council Childcare Facilities

That this Assembly calls on local authorities to set themselves a common objective of providing childcare facilities for elected representatives and staff.

[Ms M Gildernew]

Morning After Pill

That this Assembly regrets the decision of the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to sign The Prescription Only Medicines (Human Use) Amendment (No.3) Order 2000.

[Dr E Birnie]
[Mr A Maginness]

United Christian Broadcasters

That this Assembly supports the award of broadcasting radio licences to United Christian Broadcasters Ltd and welcomes the decision of the European Court of Human Rights on 7 November 2000 placing no restriction on religious bodies applying for and being granted licences for local broadcasting, at the same time this Assembly deplores the decision of the Radio Authority on 26 April 2000 to refuse a local digital multiplex licence for the Northern Ireland region to United Christian Broadcasters.

[Mr G Savage]

Domestic Energy Efficiency Scheme

That this Assembly welcomes the achievement of the Department for Social Development in tackling fuel poverty through the existing Domestic Energy Efficiency Scheme (DEES) and calls on the Minister for Social Development to ensure that the DEES II Scheme will be an effective mechanism to finally eradicate this problem.

[Ms M Gildernew]

Bi-Centenary of the Act of Union 1801

That this Assembly deplores the intention of the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure to preside over the commemoration of the Bi-Centenary of the Act of Union 1801.

[Mrs M Nelis]

TG4

That this Assembly calls on the relevant Irish and British Broadcasting Authorities to ensure the complete availability of TG4 throughout Ireland.

[Mr B McElduff]

Alcohol Bye-Laws

That this Assembly believes that current levels of enforcement of alcohol bye-laws are inadequate to address the problem of outdoor drinking; and that increased resources should be made available for the enforcement of the bye-laws and for a province-wide education programme to alert younger people to the dangers of under-age drinking.

[Mrs J Carson]

Morning After Pill

That this Assembly expresses concern at the decision by the Minister for Health, Social Services and Public Safety making the ‘morning after pill’ available to 16 year olds without any debate in the Assembly or the Health Committee, and calls on the Minister to reverse her decision.

[Mrs I Robinson]

Security Policy

That this Assembly calls on Her Majesty’s Government, in the absence of actual decommissioning, to implement an effective security policy to recover all illegal weapons and explosives from the terrorist organisations.

[Mr P Roche]
[Mr N Boyd]

Child Protection

That this Assembly calls on the Ministers responsible for the protection of children, in view of the anomalies in the current vetting system, to take the necessary interim steps to improve the position on vetting those suitable to work with children.

[Ms P Lewsley]

Fluoridation of Drinking Water

That this Assembly calls on the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to discontinue the fluoridation of drinking water.

[Mr J Dallat]

Adolescent Psychiatric Services

That this Assembly notes with concern the shortage of adolescent psychiatric services throughout Northern Ireland and urges the Minister of Health to ensure that the key staff are recruited immediately with a view to meeting the community need for this vital service within 2 years in all parts of Northern Ireland.

[Mr A McDonnell]
[Mr E McMenamin]

Traceability Scheme

That this Assembly calls on the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to take all steps necessary to ensure the integrity of the Traceability Scheme for Northern Ireland Beef and to investigate the labelling and subsequent sell-on of all beef processed in Northern Ireland Meat Plants.

[Mr G Savage]

Inter-Departmental Working Group

That this Assembly calls on the Executive to establish an Inter-Departmental Working Group to make recommendations on the removal of paramilitary flags, emblems and graffiti from public property.

[Mr K McCarthy]

‘Barriers to Growth and Survival’ Report

† That this Assembly notes the Report, ‘Barriers to Growth and Survival’ published by the Federation of Small Businesses in November 2000; and calls on the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment to initiate an investigation into the high level of interest charges imposed by banks in Northern Ireland on small businesses.

[Mr B Armstrong]

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19 February 2001 / Menu / 26 February 2001