Minutes of Proceedings
Session: Session currently unavailable
Date: 16 March 2021
The Assembly met at 10.30am, the Speaker, in the Chair.
1. Prayers
Members observed two minutes' silence.
2. Executive Committee Business
2.1 Second Stage: Health and Social Care Bill (NIA Bill 18/17-22)
The Minister of Health, Mr Robin Swann, moved the Second Stage of the Health and Social Care Bill (NIA Bill 18/17-22).
Debate ensued.
The Health and Social Care Bill (NIA Bill 18/17-22) passed Second Stage.
The Principal Deputy Speaker took the Chair.
3. Private Members' Business
3.1 Motion: Welfare Support
Proposed:
That this Assembly highlights the need for a fair and sustainable welfare system in Northern Ireland; notes with concern the deep economic impact of the pandemic and resulting restrictions; stresses the need to meet any related increase in eligibility for, or uptake of, benefits and other forms of financial support for those made redundant or suffering ill-health, as part of the recovery from Covid-19; expresses grave concern that the review of welfare mitigations measures provided for in New Decade, New Approach has not been taken forward as a priority by the Department for Communities; and calls on the Minister for Communities to accelerate that review and to ensure that appropriate and ongoing welfare support is made available to households hardest hit by the effects of the pandemic as the Executive charts a course toward recovery.
Ms Paula Bradley
Mr Alex Easton
Mr Robin Newton
Amendment
Proposed:
At end insert:
', to overturn the recent withdrawal of funding for advice centres and to reallocate the money to allow for the continuation of vital advice services.'
Mr Gerry Carroll
Debate ensued.
The sitting was suspended at 1.01pm.
The sitting resumed at 2.00pm, with the Speaker in the Chair.
4. Question Time
4.1 Health
Questions were put to, and answered by, the Minister of Health, Mr Robin Swann.
The Deputy Speaker, Mr McGlone, took the Chair.
5. Private Members' Business (cont'd)
5.1 Motion: Welfare Support (cont'd)
Debate resumed.
The Question being put, the Amendment was made.
The Question being put, the motion as amended was carried.
5.2 Motion: Supporting Students
Proposed:
That this Assembly welcomes the recent announcement of a £500 Covid Disruption Payment for students studying full-time higher education courses; believes that the exclusion of full-time students studying further education courses and students studying higher education courses in the Republic of Ireland or in Britain is unfair; acknowledges the difficulty of part-time students facing financial hardship also needs to be addressed; and calls on the Minister for the Economy to address these inequalities and ensure that all students who are currently excluded from the Covid Disruption Payment receive the £500 payment.
Mr John O'Dowd
Dr Caoimhe Archibald
Ms Nicola Brogan
Ms Emma Sheerin
Amendment
Proposed:
Leave out all after the first 'courses;' and insert:
'notes with regret the absence of legal powers in the Department for the Economy to extend this support to all full-time students studying further education courses and students studying higher education courses in the Republic of Ireland or in Great Britain; acknowledges the difficulty of part-time students facing financial hardship also needs to be addressed; and calls on the Minister for the Economy to raise with her counterparts in Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland the desire to ensure that all students who are currently excluded from the Covid Disruption Payment receive comparable and much-deserved support.'
Mr Christopher Stalford
Mr Gary Middleton
Debate ensued.
The Question being put, the Amendment was negatived.
The Question being put, the motion was carried.
The sitting was suspended at 4.23pm.
The sitting resumed at 4.51pm, the Speaker in the Chair.
6. Executive Committee Business (cont'd)
6.1 Statement: Executive's Pathway out of the COVID-19 restrictions
The First Minister, the Rt Hon Arlene Foster, made a statement regarding the Executive's Pathway out of the COVID-19 restrictions, following which she replied to questions.
7. Adjournment
Proposed:
That the Assembly do now adjourn.
The Speaker
Ms Paula Bradshaw spoke to her topic regarding Post-Primary Education Provision in South Belfast.
The Assembly adjourned at 6.34pm.
Mr Alex Maskey
The Speaker
16 March 2021
Northern Ireland Assembly
Papers Presented to the Assembly on 16 March 2021
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
Livestock and Meat Commission Annual Report and Accounts 2019-2020 (Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs)
5. Assembly Reports
Report of the Examiner of Statutory Rules to the Assembly and the Appropriate Committees Thirtieth Report of Session 2020 – 2021 (NIA 86/17-22) (Examiner of Statutory Rules)
6. Statutory Rules
SR 2021/66 The Automatic Enrolment (Earnings Trigger and Qualifying Earnings Band) Order (Northern Ireland) 2021 (Department for Communities)
SR 2021/67 The Universal Credit (Extension of Coronavirus Measures) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021 (Department for Communities)
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 16 March 2021
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 Civil Proceedings Bill (NIA Bill 03/17-22) |
31/03/20 |
28/04/20 |
15/10/20 |
15/10/20 |
17/11/20 |
15/12/20 |
18/01/21 |
01/03/21 |
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 |
15/05/21 |
|
|
|
|
|
The Criminal Justice (Committal Reform) Bill (NIA Bill 11/17-22) |
03/11/20 |
16/11/20 |
11/06/21 |
|
|
|
|
|
The Harbours (Grants and Loans Limit) Bill (NIA Bill 12/17-22) |
23/11/20 |
01/12/20 |
/ |
/ |
14/12/20 |
19/01/21 |
25/01/21 |
01/03/21 |
Protection from Stalking Bill (NIA Bill 14/17-22) |
18/01/20 |
08/02/21 |
10/12/21 |
|
|
|
|
|
The Damages (Return on Investment) Bill (NIA Bill 16/17-22) |
01/03/21 |
09/03/21 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Budget Bill (NIA Bill 17/17-22) |
01/03/21 |
02/03/21 |
/ |
/ |
08/03/21 |
09/03/21 |
09/03/21 |
|
Health and Social Care Bill (NIA Bill 18/17/22) |
|
16/03/21 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
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 |
19/01/21 |
02/02/20 |
|
Assembly Members (Remuneration Board) Bill (NIA Bill 13/17-22) |
14/12/20 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Severe Fetal Impairment Abortion (Amendment) Bill (NIA Bill 15/17-22) |
16/02/21 |
15/03/21 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
/ Bills progressing by accelerated passage
PROXY VOTING NOTICES – TUESDAY 16 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 Tuesday 16 March 2021:
Andy Allen |
Liz Kimmins |
Martina Anderson |
Naomi Long |
Caoimhe Archibald |
Gordon Lyons |
Rosemary Barton |
Séan Lynch |
Roy Beggs |
Chris Lyttle |
John Blair |
Nichola Mallon |
Cathal Boylan |
Declan McAleer |
Paula Bradley |
Fra McCann |
Sinead Bradley |
Daniel McCrossan |
Paula Bradshaw |
Patsy McGlone |
Nicola Brogan |
Colin McGrath |
Thomas Buchanan |
Philip McGuigan |
Jonathan Buckley |
Maolíosa McHugh |
Pat Catney |
Sinead McLaughlin |
Alan Chambers |
Justin McNulty |
Stewart Dickson |
Gary Middleton |
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 |
Arlene Foster |
John O’Dowd |
Órlaithí Flynn |
Michelle O’Neill |
Colm Gildernew |
Edwin Poots |
Paul Givan |
George Robinson |
Deirdre Hargey |
Emma Rogan |
Harry Harvey |
Pat Sheehan |
David Hilditch |
Emma Sheerin |
Cara Hunter |
Christopher Stalford |
William Irwin |
John Stewart |
Declan Kearney |
Mervyn Storey |
Dolores Kelly |
Robin Swann |
Gerry Kelly |
Peter Weir |