Minutes of Proceedings
Session: Session currently unavailable
Date: 01 December 2020
The Assembly met at 10.30am, the Speaker in the Chair.
1. Prayers
Members observed two minutes' silence.
2. Matter of the Day
Public Inquiry into the Murder of Human Rights Solicitor, Pat Finucane
Mr John O'Dowd, under Standing Order 24, made a statement on the Public Inquiry into the Murder of Human Rights Solicitor, Pat Finucane.
3. Executive Committee Business
3.1 Statement: The Procurement Board
The Minister of Finance, Mr Conor Murphy, made a statement regarding the Procurement Board, following which he replied to questions.
The Principal Deputy Speaker took the Chair.
3.2 Motion: Accelerated Passage – The Harbours (Grants and Loans Limit) Bill (NIA Bill 12/17-22)
Proposed:
That the Harbours (Grants and Loans Limit) Bill (NIA Bill 12/17-22) proceed under the accelerated passage procedure.
Minister for Infrastructure
Debate ensued.
The Question being put, the motion was carried with cross-community support.
3.3 Second Stage: The Harbours (Grants and Loans Limit) Bill (NIA Bill 12/17-22)
Minister for Infrastructure, Mrs Nichola Mallon, moved the Second Stage of the Harbours (Grants and Loans Limit) Bill (NIA Bill 12/17-22).
The Harbours (Grants and Loans Limit) Bill (NIA Bill 12/17-22) passed Second Stage.
The sitting was suspended at 12.44pm.
The sitting resumed at 2.00pm, with the Speaker in the Chair.
4. Question Time
4.1 Infrastructure
Questions were put to, and answered by, the Minister for Infrastructure, Ms Nichola Mallon.
The Deputy Speaker, Mr Beggs, took the Chair.
4.2 Justice
Questions were put to, and answered by, the Minister of Justice, Mrs Naomi Long.
5. Question for Urgent Oral Answer
5.1 Collapse of the Retailers Debenhams and Arcadia
The Minister for the Economy, Mrs Diane Dodds, responded to a Question for Urgent Oral Answer tabled by Mr Gary Middleton.
The Deputy Speaker, Mr McGlone, took the Chair.
6. Private Members' Business
Proposed: Preparations for a COVID-19 Vaccine
That this Assembly welcomes the recent breakthrough in efforts to establish a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine; highlights the importance of Northern Ireland retaining full access to the UK Government's supply network, including national distribution plans; stresses that this approach provides the best means of protecting the wider public as soon as possible; believes a professional expert should be appointed to lead on the vaccination programme in order to ensure it is available to frontline staff and those most vulnerable in Northern Ireland at the same time as the rest of the UK; and calls on the Minister of Health to outline a clear action plan for the roll-out, starting before the end of December 2020, of a COVID-19 vaccine in Northern Ireland.
Mrs Pam Cameron
Mr Jonathan Buckley
Ms Paula Bradley
Debate ensued.
The Question being put, the motion was carried.
7. Adjournment
Proposed:
That the Assembly do now adjourn.
The Speaker
The Assembly adjourned at 5.26pm.
Mr Alex Maskey
The Speaker
1 December 2020
Northern Ireland Assembly
Papers Presented to the Assembly on 1 December 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
Managing Children who Offend Report (Northern Ireland Audit Office)
5. Assembly Reports
Report of the Examiner of Statutory Rules to the Assembly and the Appropriate Committees Fifteenth Report of Session 2020 - 2021 (NIA 65/17-22) (Examiner of Statutory Rules)
6. Statutory Rules
SR 2020/293 The Plant Health (Official Controls and Miscellaneous Provisions) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020 (Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs)
SR 2020/294 The Marketing of Fruit Plant and Propagating Material (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020 (Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs)
SR 2020/295 The Education (Student Fees and Support) (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020 (Department for the Economy)
7. Written Ministerial Statements
Budget 2021-22: Funding Available (Minister of Finance)
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 1 December 2020
2017-2022 Mandate
Executive Bills
Title & |
First |
Second Stage |
Comm. Stage to Conclude |
Report Ordered to be Printed |
CS |
FCS |
Final Stage |
Royal Assent |
Budget Bill (NIA Bill 02/17-22) |
24/02/20 |
25/02/20 |
/ |
/ |
02/03/20 |
03/03/20 |
09/03/20 |
26/03/20 |
Domestic Abuse and Family Proceedings Bill (NIA Bill 03/17-22) |
31/03/20 |
28/04/20 |
15/10/20 |
|
17/11/20 |
|
|
|
Private Tenancies (Coronavirus Modifications) Bill (NIA Bill 04/17-22) |
21/04/20 |
21/04/20 |
/ |
/ |
28/04/20 |
/ |
28/04/20 |
04/05/20 |
Budget (No. 2) Bill (NIA Bill 05/17-22) |
26/05/20 |
26/05/20 |
/ |
/ |
01/06/20 |
02/06/20 |
02/06/20 |
17/06/20 |
Housing Amendment Bill (NIA Bill 06/17-22) |
26/05/20 |
01/06/20 |
/ |
/ |
16/06/20 |
23/06/20 |
30/06/20 |
28/08/20 |
Pension Schemes Bill (NIA Bill 07/17-22) |
23/06/20 |
07/07/20 |
29/01/21 |
19/11/20 |
|
|
|
|
Executive Committee (Functions) Bill (NIA Bill 08/17-22) |
06/07/20 |
06/07/20 |
/ |
/ |
21/07/20 |
27/07/20 |
28/07/20 |
25/08/20 |
Budget (No. 3) Bill (NIA Bill 09/17-22) |
19/10/20 |
20/10/20 |
/ |
/ |
02/11/20 |
09/11/20 |
10/11/20 |
25/11/20 |
The Licensing and Registration of Clubs (Amendment) Bill (NIA Bill 10/17-22) |
19/10/20 |
03/11/20 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Criminal Justice (Committal Reform) Bill (NIA Bill 11/17-22) |
03/11/20 |
16/11/20 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Harbours (Grants and Loans Limit) Bill (NIA Bill 12/17-22) |
23/11/20 |
01/12/20 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
2017-2022 Mandate
Non-Executive Bills
Title & |
First |
Second Stage |
Comm. Stage to Conclude |
Report Ordered to be Printed |
CS |
FCS |
Final Stage |
Royal Assent |
Functioning of Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill (NIA Bill 01/17-22) |
03/02/20 |
16/03/20 |
02/12/20 |
11/11/20 |
24/11/20 |
|
|
|
/ Bills progressing by accelerated passage
PROXY VOTING NOTICES – TUESDAY 1 DECEMBER 2020
The following Members notified the Speaker, under Standing Order 112, that they wished to avail of proxy voting arrangements for the sitting on Tuesday 1 December 2020:
Andy Allen |
Dolores Kelly |
Martina Anderson |
Gerry Kelly |
Caoimhe Archibald |
Liz Kimmins |
Kellie Armstrong |
Naomi Long |
Rosemary Barton |
Gordon Lyons |
Roy Beggs |
Séan Lynch |
John Blair |
Nichola Mallon |
Cathal Boylan |
Declan McAleer |
Paula Bradley |
Fra McCann |
Sinead Bradley |
Daniel McCrossan |
Paula Bradshaw |
Patsy McGlone |
Nicola Brogan |
Colin McGrath |
Jonathan Buckley |
Philip McGuigan |
Pat Catney |
Maolíosa McHugh |
Alan Chambers |
Sinead McLaughlin |
Stewart Dickson |
Justin McNulty |
Linda Dillon |
Andrew Muir |
Diane Dodds |
Karen Mullan |
Jemma Dolan |
Conor Murphy |
Gordon Dunne |
Mike Nesbitt |
Mark Durkan |
Robin Newton |
Alex Easton |
Carál Ní Chuilín |
Sinéad Ennis |
Michelle O’Neill |
Arlene Foster |
Edwin Poots |
Órlaithí Flynn |
George Robinson |
Colm Gildernew |
Emma Rogan |
Paul Givan |
Pat Sheehan |
Deirdre Hargey |
Emma Sheerin |
Harry Harvey |
Christopher Stalford |
David Hilditch |
John Stewart |
Cara Hunter |
Mervyn Storey |
William Irwin |
Robin Swann |
Declan Kearney |
Peter Weir |