Minutes of Proceedings

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

1. Prayers

Members observed two minutes' silence.

2. Executive Committee Business

2.1 Statement: British/Irish Council Joint Housing and Collaborative Spatial Planning Ministerial Meeting

The Minister for Infrastructure, Ms Nichola Mallon, made a statement regarding the recent British/Irish Council Joint Housing and Collaborative Spatial Planning Ministerial meeting, following which she replied to questions.

The Principal Deputy Speaker took the Chair.

2.2 Statement: British/Irish Council Joint Housing and Collaborative Spatial Planning Ministerial Meeting

The Minister for Communities, Ms Deirdre Hargey, made a statement regarding the recent British/Irish Council Joint Housing and Collaborative Spatial Planning Ministerial meeting, following which she replied to questions.

2.3 First Stage: The Damages (Return on Investment) Bill (NIA Bill 16/17-22)

The Minister of Justice, Mrs Naomi Long, introduced a Bill to make provision in relation to the assumed rate of return on investment of particular damages awarded in personal injury cases.

The Damages (Return on Investment) Bill (NIA Bill 16/17-22) passed First Stage and was ordered to be printed.

2.4 Motion: Suspension of Standing Orders 10(2) to 10(4)

Proposed:

That Standing Orders 10(2) to 10(4) be suspended for 1 March 2021.

Minister of Finance

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

2.5 Motion: Supply Resolution for the Northern Ireland Spring Supplementary Estimates 2020-2021

Proposed:

That this Assembly approves that a sum, not exceeding £22,220,328,000, be granted out of the Consolidated Fund, for or towards defraying the charges for the Northern Ireland Departments, the Food Standards Agency, the Northern Ireland Assembly Commission, the Northern Ireland Audit Office, the Northern Ireland Authority for Utility Regulation, the Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman, and the Public Prosecution Service for Northern Ireland for the year ending 31 March 2021 and that resources, not exceeding £25,124,542,000, be authorised for use by the Northern Ireland Departments, the Food Standards Agency, the Northern Ireland Assembly Commission, the Northern Ireland Audit Office, the Northern Ireland Authority for Utility Regulation, the Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman, and the Public Prosecution Service for Northern Ireland for the year ending 31 March 2021 as summarised for each Department or other public body in Columns 2 (c) and 3 (c) of Table 1 in the volume of the Northern Ireland Spring Supplementary Estimates 2020-2021 that was laid before the Assembly on 23 February 2021.

Minister of Finance

Motion: Supply Resolution for the Northern Ireland Estimates Vote on Account 2021-2022

Proposed:

That this Assembly approves that a sum, not exceeding £10,081,611,000, be granted out of the Consolidated Fund, for or towards defraying the charges for the Northern Ireland Departments, the Food Standards Agency, the Northern Ireland Assembly Commission, the Northern Ireland Audit Office, the Northern Ireland Authority for Utility Regulation, the Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman, and the Public Prosecution Service for Northern Ireland for the year ending 31 March 2022 and that resources, not exceeding £11,194,733,000, be authorised for use by the Northern Ireland Departments, the Food Standards Agency, the Northern Ireland Assembly Commission, the Northern Ireland Audit Office, the Northern Ireland Authority for Utility Regulation, the Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman, and the Public Prosecution Service for Northern Ireland for the year ending 31 March 2022 as summarised for each Department or other public body in Columns 4 and 6 of Table 1 in the Northern Ireland Estimates Vote on Account 2021-2022 that was laid before the Assembly on 23 February 2021.

Minister of Finance

A single debate ensued on both motions.

The debate stood suspended for Question Time.

The Deputy Speaker, Mr McGlone, took the Chair

3. Question Time

3.1 Infrastructure

Questions were put to, and answered by, the Minister for Infrastructure, Ms Nichola Mallon.

3.2 Justice

Questions were put to, and answered by, the Minister of Justice, Mrs Naomi Long.

The Speaker took the Chair.

4. Question for Urgent Oral Answer

4.1 Port Inspection Facilities

The Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Mr Gordon Lyons, responded to a Question for Urgent Oral Answer tabled by Mr Declan McAleer.

The Deputy Speaker, Mr Beggs, took the Chair.

5. Executive Committee Business (cont'd)

5.1 Motion: Supply Resolution for the Northern Ireland Spring Supplementary Estimates 2020-2021 (cont'd)

Motion: Supply Resolution for the Northern Ireland Estimates Vote on Account 2021-2022 (cont'd)

Debate resumed on both motions.

The Speaker took the Chair.

The Question being put, the Motion on the Supply Resolution for the Northern Ireland Spring Supplementary Estimates 2020-2021 was carried with cross-community support.

The Question being put, the Motion on the Supply Resolution for the Northern Ireland Estimates Vote on Account 2021-2022 was carried with cross-community support.

5.2 First Stage: Budget Bill (NIA Bill 17/17-22)

A Bill to authorise the issue out of the Consolidated Fund of certain sums for the service of the years ending 31 March 2021 and 2022; to appropriate those sums for specified purposes; to authorise the use for the public service of certain resources for those years; to revise the limits on the use of certain accruing resources in the year ending 31 March 2021; and to authorise the Department of Finance to borrow on the credit of the sum appropriated for the year ending 31 March 2022.

The Budget Bill (NIA 17/17-22) passed First Stage and was ordered to be printed.

The Speaker informed the Assembly that he had received a letter from the Committee for Finance informing him that the Committee was satisfied that the consultation with it on the public expenditure proposals contained in the Bill had been appropriate, as required under Standing Order 42(2).

6. Adjournment

Proposed:

That the Assembly do now adjourn.

The Speaker

The Assembly adjourned at 6.29pm.

Mr Alex Maskey
The Speaker
1 March 2021

Northern Ireland Assembly

Papers Presented to the Assembly on 24 February 2021 to 1 March 2021

1. Acts of the Northern Ireland Assembly

2. Bills of the Northern Ireland Assembly

The Damages (Return on Investment) Bill (NIA Bill 16/17-22)

Budget Bill (NIA Bill 17/17-22)

3. Orders in Council

4. Publications Laid in the Northern Ireland Assembly

Southern Regional College: Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 July 2020 (Department for the Economy)

The North/South Language Body Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 December 2018 (Department for Communities)

Supplementary Page of the Spring Estimates 2020-2021 (Department of Finance)

5. Assembly Reports

Report of the Examiner of Statutory Rules to the Assembly and the Appropriate Committees Twenty-seventh Report of Session 2020 – 2021 (NIA 81/17-22) (Examiner of Statutory Rules)

Report on the Review of the Assembly's Code of Conduct and Guide to the Rules relating to the Conduct of Members: Stage 1 (NIA 82/17-22) (Committee on Standards and Privileges)

6. Statutory Rules

SR 2021/43 The Police Service of Northern Ireland and Police Service of Northern Ireland Reserve (Injury Benefit) (Amendment) Regulations 2021 (Department of Justice)

SR 2021/44 The Zoonoses (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2021 (Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs)

SR 2021/45 The Covid-19 Heating Payment Scheme (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021 (Department for Communities)

SR 2021/46 The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (No. 2) (Amendment No. 5) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021 (Department of Health)

For information only

SR 2021/42 The Direct Payments to Farmers (Simplifications) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021 (Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs)

Explanatory Memorandum for SR 2021 39 The Health Protection (Coronavirus, International Travel) (Amendment No. 7) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021 (Department of Health)

Affirmed version of SR 2020/334 The Road Traffic Offenders (Northern Ireland) (Amendment) Order 2020 (Department for Infrastructure)

Explanatory Memorandum for SR 2021/41 The Private Tenancies (Coronavirus Modifications) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021 (Department for Communities)

7. Written Ministerial Statements

8. Consultation Documents

Consultation Response on Options to Address Age Discrimination in Transitional Arrangements to the 2015 Public Service Pension Schemes (Department of Finance)

9. Departmental Publications

10. Agency Publications

11. Westminster Publications

12. Miscellaneous Publications

PROXY VOTING NOTICES – MONDAY 1 MARCH 2021

The following Members notified the Speaker, under Standing Order 112, that they wished to avail of proxy voting arrangements for the sitting on Monday 1 March 2021: