Minutes of Proceedings

The Assembly met at noon, the Principal Deputy Speaker in the Chair.

1. Prayers

Members observed two minutes' silence.

2. Assembly Business

2.1 Motion: Suspension of Standing Order 20(1)

Proposed:

That Standing Order 20(1) be suspended for 6 July 2020.

Mr Keith Buchanan
Mr John O'Dowd
Mrs Dolores Kelly
Mr Robbie Butler
Ms Kellie Armstrong
Ms Clare Bailey

The Question being put, the motion was carried with cross-community support.

2.2 Motion: Suspension of Standing Order 15(1)

Proposed:

That Standing Order 15(1) be suspended on Tuesday 7 July, for the purposes of the motion on Ministerial Breaches of COVID-19 Regulations and Guidelines, and that amendments to the motion shall be given in writing to the Speaker not later than 9.30am on Tuesday 7 July 2020.

Mr Keith Buchanan
Mr John O'Dowd
Mrs Dolores Kelly
Mr Robbie Butler
Ms Kellie Armstrong
Ms Clare Bailey

The Question being put, the motion was carried with cross-community support.

2.3 Motion: Committee Membership

Proposed:

That Mr John Stewart replace Mr Doug Beattie as a member of the Committee on Standards and Privileges.

Mr Robbie Butler
Dr Steve Aiken

The Question being put, the motion was carried.

2.4 Motion: Nomination of a Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman

Proposed:

That this Assembly, in accordance with section 3(1) of the Public Services Ombudsman Act (Northern Ireland) 2016, nominates Margaret Kelly for appointment as the Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman.

Mr John Blair
Mr Keith Buchanan
Mr Robbie Butler
Mrs Dolores Kelly
Mr John O'Dowd

Debate ensued.

The Question being put, the motion was carried.

Deputy Speaker Beggs took the Chair.

3. Executive Committee Business

3.1 First Stage: The Executive Committee (Functions) Bill

The Junior Minister, Mr Declan Kearney, introduced a Bill to make provision concerning the decisions which may be made by Ministers without recourse to the Executive Committee.

The Executive Committee (Functions) Bill (NIA Bill 8/17-22) passed First Stage and was ordered to be published.

3.2 Motion: The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (Amendment No. 7) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020

Proposed:

That the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (Amendment No. 7) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020 be approved.

The Executive Office

Motion: The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (Amendment No. 8) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020

Proposed:

That the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (Amendment No. 8) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020 be approved.

The Executive Office

A single debate on both motions ensued.

The Question being put, the motion on the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (Amendment No. 7) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020 was carried.

The Question being put, the motion on the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (Amendment No. 8) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020 was carried.

3.3 Motion: Accelerated Passage – The Executive Committee (Functions) Bill (NIA Bill 8/17-22)

Proposed:

That the Executive Committee (Functions) Bill (NIA Bill 8/17-22) proceed under the accelerated passage procedure.

The Executive Office

Debate ensued.

The Question being put, the motion was carried with cross-community support (Division).

3.4 Motion: Suspension of Standing Order 42(1)

Proposed:

That Standing Order 42(1) be suspended for 6 July in respect of the passage of the Executive Committee (Functions) Bill (NIA Bill 8/17-22).

The Executive Office

Debate ensued.

The Question being put, the motion was carried with cross-community support.

3.5 Second Stage: The Executive Committee (Functions) Bill (NIA Bill 8/17-22)

The Junior Minister, Mr Declan Kearney, moved the Second Stage of the Executive Committee (Functions) Bill.

Debate ensued.

The Executive Committee (Functions) Bill (NIA Bill 8-17-22) passed Second Stage

4. Question for Urgent Oral Answer

4.1 Funeral of Bobby Storey

The deputy First Minister, Mrs Michelle O'Neill, responded to a Question for Urgent Oral Answer tabled by Mr Jim Allister.

5. Adjournment

Proposed:

That the Assembly do now adjourn.

The Speaker

The Assembly adjourned at 4.32pm.

Mr Alex Maskey
The Speaker

6 July 2020

Northern Ireland Assembly

6 July 2020 Division

Motion: Accelerated Passage – The Executive Committee (Functions) Bill (NIA Bill 8/17-22)

Proposed:

That the Executive Committee (Functions) Bill proceed under the accelerated passage procedure.

The Executive Office

The Question was put and the Assembly divided.

Ayes: 80
Noes: 4

AYES

NATIONALIST:

Ms Anderson, Dr Archibald, Mr Boylan, Ms S Bradley, Mr Catney, Ms Dillon, Ms Dolan, Mr Durkan, Ms Ennis, Ms Flynn, Mr Gildernew, Ms Hargey, Ms Hunter, Mr Kearney, Ms C Kelly, Mrs D Kelly, Mr G Kelly, Ms Kimmins, Mr Lynch, Mr McAleer, Mr McCann, Mr McCrossan, Mr McGlone, Mr McGrath, Mr McGuigan, Mr McHugh, Ms McLaughlin, Mr McNulty, Ms Mallon, Ms Mullan, Mr Murphy, Ms Ní Chuilín, Mr O'Dowd, Mrs O'Neill, Mr O'Toole, Ms Rogan, Mr Sheehan, Ms Sheerin

UNIONIST:

Mr Allen, Mrs Barton, Mr Beattie, Mr M Bradley, Ms P Bradley, Mr K Buchanan, Mr T Buchanan, Mr Buckley, Ms Bunting, Mr Butler, Mrs Cameron, Mr Chambers, Mr Clarke, Mrs Dodds, Mr Dunne, Mr Easton, Mrs Foster, Mr Frew, Mr Givan, Mr Harvey, Mr Hilditch, Mr Humphrey, Mr Irwin, Mr Lyons, Miss McIlveen, Mr Middleton, Mr Nesbitt, Mr Newton, Mr Poots, Mr Robinson, Mr Stalford, Mr Stewart, Mr Storey, Mr Swann, Mr Weir

OTHER:

Ms Armstrong, Mr Blair, Ms Bradshaw, Mr Dickson, Mrs Long, Mr Lyttle, Mr Muir

Tellers for the Ayes: Ms Ennis, Mr Stalford

NOES

UNIONIST:

Mr Allister

OTHER:

Ms Bailey, Mr Carroll, Miss Woods

Tellers for the Noes: Ms Bailey, Mr Carroll

Total Votes 84                   Total Ayes 80            [95.2%]

Nationalist Votes 38         Nationalist Ayes 38    [100.0%]

Unionist Votes 36             Unionist Ayes 35        [97.2%]

Other Votes 10                  Other Ayes 7              [70.0%]

The motion was carried with cross-community support.

The following Members' votes were cast by their notified proxy in this division:

Ms Armstrong voted for Mr Blair, Mr Dickson, Mrs Long, Mr Lyttle and Mr Muir.

Mr K Buchanan voted for Mr M Bradley, Ms P Bradley, Mr T Buchanan, Mr Buckley, Ms Bunting, Mr Clarke, Mrs Dodds, Mr Dunne, Mr Easton, Mrs Foster, Mr Frew, Mr Givan, Mr Harvey, Mr Hilditch, Mr Humphrey, Mr Irwin, Mr Lyons, Miss McIlveen, Mr Newton, Mr Poots, Mr Robinson, Mr Stalford [Teller, Ayes], Mr Storey and Mr Weir.

Mr Butler voted for Mr Swann and Mr Stewart.

Mr McGrath voted for Ms S Bradley, Mr Catney, Mr Durkan, Ms Hunter, Mrs D Kelly, Ms Mallon, Mr McCrossan, Mr McGlone, Ms McLaughlin, Mr McNulty and Mr O'Toole.

Mr O'Dowd voted for Ms Anderson, Dr Archibald, Mr Boylan, Ms Dillon, Ms Dolan, Ms Ennis [Teller, Ayes], Ms Flynn, Mr Gildernew, Ms Hargey, Mr Kearney, Ms C Kelly, Mr G Kelly, Ms Kimmins, Mr Lynch, Mr McAleer, Mr McCann, Mr McGuigan, Mr McHugh, Ms Mullan, Mr Murphy, Ms Ní Chuilín, Mrs O'Neill, Ms Rogan, Mr Sheehan and Ms Sheerin.

Miss Woods voted for Ms Bailey [Teller, Noes].

Northern Ireland Assembly

Papers Presented to the Assembly on 1 July 2020 – 6 July 2020

1. Acts of the Northern Ireland Assembly

2. Bills of the Northern Ireland Assembly

Executive Committee (Functions) Bill (NIA Bill 8-17-22)

3. Orders in Council

4. Publications Laid in the Northern Ireland Assembly

PC21 Social and Environmental Guidance for Water and Sewerage Services (2021-27) (Department for Infrastructure)

Annual Report and Accounts for the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools 2019-20 (Department of Education)

The Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education Directors' report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31.3.2020 (Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education)

Coronavirus Act 2020 Temporary Modification of Education Duties Notice (No.9) 2020 (Department of Education)

Special Advisers Annual Report 1 April 2019 to 31 March 2020 (Department of Finance)

Northern Ireland Authority for Utility Regulation Annual Report 2019-20 (Department for the Economy)

5. Assembly Reports

Report of the Examiner of Statutory Rules to the Assembly and the Appropriate Committees Fifteenth Report of Session 2019 – 2020 (NIA 34/17-22) (Examiner of Statutory Rules)

Committee for Infrastructure Report on Legislative Consent Motion on the UK Government Business and Planning Bill 2019-2020 (NIA 33/17-22) (Committee for Infrastructure)

6. Statutory Rules

SR 2020/118 The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (Amendment No. 8) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020 (Explanatory Memorandum only) (Department of Health)

SR 2020/121 The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (Amendment No. 9) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020 (Explanatory Memorandum only) (Department of Health)

SR 2020/128 The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (Amendment No. 10) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020 (Department of Health)

SR 2020/129 The Universal Credit (Great Britain Reciprocal Arrangements) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020 (Department for Communities)

For Information Only

SR 2020 88 The Motor Vehicles (Wearing of Seat Belts) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020 (Department for Infrastructure

SR 2020/122 The Drought (Altnahinch Impounding Reservoir) Order (Northern Ireland) 2020 (Department for Infrastructure) (withdrawn by Department)

SR 2020/123 The Drought (Blacksprings Emergency Abstraction) Order (Northern Ireland) 2020 (Department for Infrastructure) (withdrawn by Department)

SR 2020/124 The Drought (Spelga Impounding Reservoir) Order (Northern Ireland) 2020 (Department for Infrastructure) (withdrawn by Department)

SR 2020/131 The Drought (Altnahinch Impounding Reservoir) Order (Northern Ireland) 2020 (Department for Infrastructure)

SR 2020/132 The Drought (Blacksprings Emergency Abstraction) Order (Northern Ireland) 2020 (Department for Infrastructure)

SR 2020/133 The Drought (Spelga Impounding Reservoir) Order (Northern Ireland) 2020 (Department for Infrastructure)

7. Written Ministerial Statements

8. Consultation Documents

Consultation on Proposals to Amend the Legislation Governing the Retention of DNA and Fingerprints in Northern Ireland (Department of Justice)

9. Departmental Publications

10. Agency Publications

11. Westminster Publications

12. Miscellaneous Publications

PROXY VOTING NOTICES – MONDAY 6 JULY 2020

The following Members notified the Speaker, under Standing Order 112, that they wished to avail of proxy voting arrangements for the sitting on Monday 6 July 2020: