Minutes of Proceedings

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

1. Prayers

Members observed two minutes' silence.

2. Assembly Business

2.1 Motion: Committee Membership

Proposed:

That Mr Jonathan Buckley replace Mr Alex Easton as a member of the Committee for Health; and that Mr Alex Easton replace Mr Jonathan Buckley as a member of the Committee for Communities.

Mr Keith Buchanan
Mr Gary Middleton

The Question being put, the motion was carried.

3. Executive Committee Business

3.1 Statement: North/South Ministerial Council - Transport Sectoral Meeting

The Minister for Infrastructure, Ms Nichola Mallon, made a statement regarding the recent North/South Ministerial Council Transport Sectoral Meeting, following which she replied to questions.

The Principal Deputy Speaker took the Chair.

3.2 Consideration Stage: Budget (No. 3) Bill (NIA Bill 09/17-22)

The Minister of Finance, Mr Conor Murphy, moved the Consideration Stage of the Budget (No. 3) Bill (NIA Bill 09/17-22).

No amendments were tabled to the Bill.

Clauses

The question being put, it was agreed without division that Clauses 1 to 9 stand part of the Bill.

Schedules

The question being put, it was agreed without division that Schedules 1 to 5 stand part of the Bill.

Long Title

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

The Budget (No. 3) Bill (NIA Bill 09/17-22) stood referred to the Speaker.

3.3 Legislative Consent Motion: Pension Schemes Bill

Proposed:

That this Assembly agrees, in line with section 87 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, the principle of the extension to Northern Ireland of the provisions of the Pension Schemes Bill dealing with collective money purchase benefits, the Pensions Regulator, pensions dashboards and further provision relating to pension schemes as contained in Part 2 and clauses 117, 120 and 129 of, and Schedules 4 to 6, 8, 9 and 11 to, the Bill which was introduced in the House of Commons on 16 July 2020.

Minister for Communities

Debate ensued.

The Question being put, the motion was carried.

4. Committee Business

4.1 Motion: Post-Primary Transfer Testing

Proposed:

That this Assembly takes note of the feedback to the Committee for Education's online survey into post-primary transfer testing; and calls on the Minister of Education to outline contingency plans for post-primary arrangements.

Chairperson, Committee for Education

Debate ensued.

The debate stood suspended for Question Time.

The Speaker took the Chair.

5. Question Time

5.1 The Executive Office

Questions were put to, and answered by, the deputy First Minister, Mrs Michelle O'Neill. The junior Minister, Mr Declan Kearney, also answered a number of questions.

5.2 Justice

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

6. Questions for Urgent Oral Answer

6.1 Small Business Support Grant Scheme

The Minister for the Economy, Mrs Diane Dodds, responded to a Question for Urgent Oral Answer tabled by Mr Andrew Muir.

6.2 Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme

The Minister of Finance, Mr Conor Murphy, responded to a Question for Urgent Oral Answer tabled by Mr Robbie Butler.

The Deputy Speaker, Mr McGlone, took the Chair.

7. Committee Business (cont'd)

7.1 Motion: Post-Primary Transfer Testing (cont'd)

Debate resumed.

The Question being put, the Motion was carried.

8. Adjournment

Proposed:

That the Assembly do now adjourn.

The Speaker

The Assembly adjourned at 5.40pm.

Mr Alex Maskey
The Speaker
2 November 2020

Northern Ireland Assembly

Papers Presented to the Assembly on 21 October 2020 to 2 November 2020

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

Northern Ireland Audit Office Annual Report and Accounts 2019-2020 Correction Slip (Northern Ireland Audit Office)

Northern Ireland Assembly Commission Annual Report and Accounts 2019-20 (Department of Finance)

Public Prosecution Service Northern Ireland - Annual Report and Accounts 2019-20 (Office of the Attorney General for Northern Ireland)

Department for Infrastructure Annual Report and Accounts 2019-20 (Department of Finance)

Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland Annual Report and Accounts 2019-20 (Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland)

The Executive Office Annual Report and Accounts 2019-20 (Department of Finance)

Legislative Consent Memorandum on The Counter Terrorism and Sentencing Bill (Department of Justice)

Health and Safety Executive Northern Ireland Annual Report and Accounts 2019-20 (Health and Safety Executive Northern Ireland)

Northern Ireland Housing Executive Annual Report & Accounts 2019-20 (Department of Communities)

Forensic Science Northern Ireland Annual Report and Accounts 2019-20 (Forensic Science Northern Ireland)

Revised Code of Practice for Access NI (Access NI)

5. Assembly Reports

Report on a further Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Westminster Pension Schemes Bill (NIA 50/17-22) (Committee for Communities)

6. Statutory Rules

SR 2020/226 The Universal Credit (Earned Income) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020 (Department for Communities)

SR 2020/227 The Social Security (Coronavirus) (Prisoners) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020 (Department for Communities)

SR 2020/228 The Health Protection (Coronavirus, International Travel) (Amendment No. 16) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020 (Department of Health)

SR 2020/230 The Financial Assistance (Coronavirus) (No. 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020 (Department of Finance)

SR 2020/231 The Licensing (Designation of Outdoor Stadia) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020 (Department for Communities)

SR 2020/232 The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (No. 2) (Amendment No. 11) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020 (Department of Health)

SR 2020/233 The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Wearing of Face Coverings) (Amendment No. 3) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020 (Department of Health)

SR 2020/234 The Health Protection (Coronavirus, International Travel) (Amendment No. 17) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020 (Department of Health)

SR 2020/235 The Children's Social Care (Coronavirus) (Temporary Modification of Children's Social Care) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020 (Department of Health)

7. Written Ministerial Statements

COVID-19 Update (Minister of Health)

COVID-19 Culture, Languages, Arts and Heritage Support Programme 2020/21 (Minister for Communities)

Clinical Concerns within Urology at Southern Health and Social Care Trust (Minister of Health)

October Monitoring and COVID-19 Funding (Minister of Finance)

COVID-19 Update (Minister of Health)

8. Consultation Documents

Consultation on Proposals to Establish a Regional Care and Justice Campus (Department of Health)

9. Departmental Publications

10. Agency Publications

11. Westminster Publications

12. Miscellaneous Publications

PROXY VOTING NOTICES – MONDAY 2 NOVEMBER 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 2 November 2020: