Minutes of Proceedings

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

1. Personal Prayer or Meditation

Members observed two minutes' silence.

2. Executive Committee Business

2.1 Statement – North South Ministerial Council meeting held in Education Sectoral format

The Minister of Education, Mr John O'Dowd, made a statement regarding the North South Ministerial Council meeting held in Education Sectoral format, following which he replied to questions.

3. Private Members' Business

3.1 Motion – UDR Four

Proposed:

That this Assembly notes the miscarriage of justice in the case of the UDR Four; recognises the particular circumstances of Mr Colin Worton in relation to the case and that he served over two and a half years in custody on remand before the case against him was dropped and he was released; further notes the Minister of Justice's comments on the miscarriage of justice, the innocence of Mr Worton and the significant detrimental impact on Mr Worton; and calls on the Minister of Justice to seek urgently to address this miscarriage of justice by exercising his discretion to provide redress for Mr Worton.

Mr W Irwin
Mrs A Foster

3.2 Amendment

Proposed:

Leave out all after 'further notes' and insert:

'the previous comments of the Minister of Justice that Colin Worton was found by the proper authorities of the law to be not guilty of any crime associated with the death of Adrian Carroll; and concludes that the inability of the Minister of Justice to provide compensation in no way undermines Mr Worton's innocence.'

Mr S Dickson
Mr T Lunn

Debate ensued.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr Dallat) took the Chair.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr Beggs) took the Chair.

The Question being put, the Amendment fell.

The Question being put, the Motion was carried (Division).

The sitting was suspended at 12.21pm.

The sitting resumed at 2.00pm, with the Deputy Speaker (Mr Dallat) in the Chair.

4. Question Time

4.1 Enterprise, Trade and Investment

Questions were put to, and answered by, the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment, Mrs Arlene Foster.

4.2 Environment

Questions were put to, and answered by, the Minister of the Environment, Mr Mark H. Durkan.

The Principal Deputy Speaker (Mr Newton) took the Chair.

5. Private Members' Business (cont'd)

5.1 Motion – Block Grant

Proposed:

That this Assembly notes the estimated reduction of £1.5 billion from the block grant; further notes the declared intention by the current Tory led government to make further swingeing cuts of many millions over the next mandate; notes the devastating effect this has had on the funding of public services; declares its opposition to the austerity policies at the root of all of this; calls on the British government to pursue, in the immediate term, a policy of economic stimulus; and further calls on the Executive to continue to defend the core public services of health and education and appeal to civic society, employers, trade unions, and the voluntary and community sector to unite in lobbying the British government on this basis.

Mr D McKay
Mr A Maskey
Ms M McLaughlin

Debate ensued.

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

6. Adjournment

Proposed:

That the Assembly do now adjourn.

The Speaker

The Assembly adjourned at 4.49pm.

Mr Mitchel McLaughlin
The Speaker

14 April 2015

Division

Motion – UDR Four

Proposed:

That this Assembly notes the miscarriage of justice in the case of the UDR Four; recognises the particular circumstances of Mr Colin Worton in relation to the case and that he served over two and a half years in custody on remand before the case against him was dropped and he was released; further notes the Minister of Justice's comments on the miscarriage of justice, the innocence of Mr Worton and the significant detrimental impact on Mr Worton; and calls on the Minister of Justice to seek urgently to address this miscarriage of justice by exercising his discretion to provide redress for Mr Worton.

Mr W Irwin
Mrs A Foster

The Question was put and the Assembly divided.

Ayes: 54
Noes: 27

AYES

Mr Agnew, Mr Anderson, Mr Bell, Mr D Bradley, Ms P Bradley, Mr Buchanan, Mr Byrne, Mrs Cameron, Mr Campbell, Mr Clarke, Mr Craig, Mr Cree, Mrs Dobson, Mr Dunne, Mr Durkan, Mr Easton, Mr Eastwood, Mr Elliott, Mrs Foster, Mr Frew, Mr Gardiner, Mr Girvan, Mr Givan, Mr Hamilton, Mr Hilditch, Mr Humphrey, Mr Irwin, Mrs D Kelly, Mr Kennedy, Mr Kinahan, Mr McCallister, Mr I McCrea, Dr McDonnell, Mr McGimpsey, Mr McGlone, Mr D McIlveen, Miss M McIlveen, Mr McKinney, Mr McNarry, Mr A Maginness, Mr Middleton, Lord Morrow, Mr Moutray, Mr Nesbitt, Mr Newton, Mrs Overend, Mr Poots, Mr Ramsey, Mr G Robinson, Mr P Robinson, Mr Rogers, Mr Storey, Mr Swann, Mr Weir.

Tellers for the Ayes: Mr Clarke, Mr G Robinson.

NOES

Mr Boylan, Ms Boyle, Mr Brady, Ms Fearon, Mr Flanagan, Mr Hazzard, Mr G Kelly, Mr Lynch, Mr McAleer, Mr F McCann, Ms J McCann, Mr McCartney, Ms McCorley, Mr McElduff, Ms McGahan, Mr M McGuinness, Ms Maeve McLaughlin, Mr McMullan, Mr Maskey, Mr Milne, Ms Ní Chuilín, Mr Ó hOisín, Mr Ó Muilleoir, Mr O'Dowd, Mrs O'Neill, Ms Ruane, Mr Sheehan.

Tellers for the Noes: Mr Hazzard, Mr Lynch.

The following Members voted in both Lobbies and are therefore not counted in the result: Mrs Cochrane, Mr Dickson, Dr Farry, Mr Ford, Ms Lo, Mr Lyttle.

The Motion was carried.

Papers Presented to the Assembly on
14 April 2015

Acts of the Northern Ireland AssemblyBills of the Northern Ireland Assembly

3. Orders in Council

4. Publications Laid in the Northern Ireland Assembly

5. Assembly Reports

Addendum to the Report on the Reservoirs Bill (NIA 234/11-16) (DARD).

6. Statutory Rules

S.R. 2015/215 The Legal Aid for Crown Court Proceedings (Costs) (Amendment) Rules (NorthernIreland) 2015 (DOJ).

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 at 15 April 2015

2011-2016 Mandate
Executive Bills

2011-2016 Mandate
Non-Executive Bills

/ Bill progressing by accelerated passage

** Please note that any bills that received Royal Assent in the previous session have been removed from the table.