Minutes of Proceedings

Members observed two minutes’ silence.

2. Public Petition

2.1 Public Petition – Elective Home Education

Mr Mervyn Storey was granted leave, in accordance with Standing Order 22, to present a Public Petition regarding elective home education.

3. Assembly Business

3.1 Motion – Membership for the Committee of the Regions

Proposed:

That this Assembly nominates Ms Megan Fearon as a full member, and Mr Fearghal McKinney as an alternative member on the UK delegation to the Committee of the Regions; and notes that the Northern Ireland Local Government Association has nominated Councillor Trevor Cummings as a full member, and Alderman Arnold Hatch as an alternative member.

Mr P Weir
Ms C Ruane

The Question being put, the Motion was carried with cross-community support nemine contradicente.

4. Executive Committee Business

4.1 Statement – Inter-Governmental Agreement on Cooperation on Criminal Justice Matters

The Minister of Justice, Mr David Ford, made a statement regarding the Inter-Governmental Agreement on Cooperation on Criminal Justice Matters, following which he replied to questions.

4.2 Consideration Stage – Legal Aid and Coroners' Courts Bill (NIA 33/11-15)

The Minister of Justice, Mr David Ford, moved the Consideration Stage of the Legal Aid and Coroners’ Courts Bill.

Twenty two amendments were tabled to the Bill, eight by the Minister of Justice and fourteen by Mr Tom Elliott MLA.

Debate ensued.

Clauses

After debate, Amendment 1 to Clause 1 was negatived (Division 1).

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

Amendment 2 was not moved.

The question being put, it was agreed without division that Clause 2 stand part of the Bill.

After debate, Amendment 3 to Clause 3 was negatived without division.

As Amendment 3 was not made, Amendments 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 were not called.

The question being put, it was agreed without division that Clause 3 stand part of the Bill.

Amendment 9 was not moved.

As Amendment 9 was not moved, Amendments 10, 11, and 12 were not called.

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

The question being put, it was agreed without division that Clauses 5 to 13 stand part of the Bill.

The question being put, it was agreed without division that Schedule 1 stand part of the Bill.

As Amendment 2 was not moved, Amendment 13 was not called.

The debate was suspended at 12.34pm.

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

5. Question Time

5.1 Employment and Learning

Questions were put to, and answered by, the Minister for Employment and Learning, Dr Stephen Farry.

5.2 Enterprise Trade and Investment

Questions were put to, and answered by, the Minister of Finance and Personnel, Mr Simon Hamilton on behalf of the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr Dallat) took the Chair.

5.3 Culture, Arts and Leisure

Questions were put to, and answered by, the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure, Ms Carál Ní Chuilín.

5.4 Education

Questions were put to, and answered by, the Minister of Education, Mr John O’Dowd. 

6. Executive Committee Business (cont’d)

6.1 Consideration Stage – Legal Aid and Coroners' Courts Bill (NIA 33/11-15) (cont’d)

The Deputy Speaker (Mr Beggs) took the Chair.

Debate resumed on the Bill.

After debate, Amendments 14 to 18 to Schedule 2 were made without division.

As Amendment 2 was not moved, Amendment 19 was not called.

After debate, Amendments 20 and 21 to Schedule 2 were made without division.

The question being put, it was agreed without division that Schedule 2 as amended stand part of the Bill.

After debate, Amendment 22 to Schedule 3 was made without division.

The question being put, it was agreed without division that Schedule 3 as amended stand part of the Bill.

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

NIA Bill 33/11-15 stood referred to the Speaker.

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

7. Private Members’ Business

7.1 Motion – Altnagelvin Hospital

Proposed:

That this Assembly recognises the importance of Altnagelvin Hospital in delivering excellent healthcare in the North West of Ireland; praises the professionalism and commitment of staff working throughout the Western Health and Social Care Trust; and calls on the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to ensure that the radiotherapy unit and cardiac centre at Altnagelvin Hospital are progressed without delay resulting in the delivery of critical services to the population of the North West.

Mr F McKinney
Mr C Eastwood
Mr P Ramsey
Mr J Dallat

Debate ensued.

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

The Deputy Speaker (Mr Beggs) took the Chair.

8. Adjournment

Ms Maeve McLaughlin spoke to her topic regarding University of Ulster Expansion at Magee Campus.

Proposed:

That the Assembly do now adjourn.

The Speaker

The Assembly adjourned at 7.29pm

Mr Mitchel McLaughlin MLA
Principal Deputy Speaker

16 September 2014

Northern Ireland Assembly

16 September 2014

Division

Consideration Stage – Legal Aid and Coroners' Courts Bill (NIA 33/11-15) – Amendment 1

The Question was put and the Assembly divided.

Ayes: 10
Noes: 77

AYES

Mr Allister, Mr Cree, Mrs Dobson, Mr Elliott, Mr Gardiner, Mr Hussey, Mr Kinahan, Mr Nesbitt, Mrs Overend, Mr Swann.

Tellers for the Ayes: Mr Elliott and Mr Swann

NOES

Mr Agnew, Mr Anderson, Mr Bell, Mr Boylan, Mr D Bradley, Ms P Bradley, Mr Brady, Mr Buchanan, Mrs Cameron, Mr Campbell, Mr Clarke, Mrs Cochrane, Mr Craig, Mr Dallat, Mr Dickson, Mr Douglas, Mr Durkan, Mr Easton, Mr Eastwood, Ms Fearon, Mr Flanagan, Mr Ford, Mr Frew, Mr Girvan, Mr Givan, Mrs Hale, Mr Hamilton, Mr Hazzard, Mr Hilditch, Mr Humphrey, Mr Irwin, Mrs D Kelly, Mr G Kelly, Ms Lo, Mr Lunn, Mr Lynch, Mr Lyttle, Mr McAleer, Mr F McCann, Ms J McCann, Mr McCarthy, Mr McCartney, Mr McCausland, Ms McCorley, Mr I McCrea, Mr McElduff, Ms McGahan, Mr McGlone, Mr D McIlveen, Miss M McIlveen, Mr McKay, Mrs McKevitt, Mr McKinney, Ms Maeve McLaughlin, Mr McMullan, Mr McQuillan, Mr A Maginness, Mr Maskey, Mr Milne, Lord Morrow, Mr Moutray, Mr Newton, Ms Ní Chuilín, Mr Ó hOisín, Mr O'Dowd, Mrs O'Neill, Mr P Ramsey, Mr G Robinson, Mr P Robinson, Mr Rogers, Mr Ross, Ms Ruane, Mr Sheehan, Mr Spratt, Mr Storey, Mr Weir, Mr Wells.

Tellers for the Noes: Mr Dickson and Mr McCarthy

The Question was negatived.

Northern Ireland Assembly

Papers Presented to the Assembly on
16 September 2014

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

S.R. 2014/226 The Jobseeker’s Allowance (Maternity Allowance) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2014 (DSD).

Draft S.R. The Local Government (Indemnities for Members and Officers) (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2014 (DOE).

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 17 September 2014

2011-2015 Mandate
Executive Bills

2011-2015 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.