Minutes of Proceedings
Session: Session currently unavailable
Date: 09 March 2021
The Assembly met at 10.30am, the Speaker, in the Chair.
1. Prayers
Members observed two minutes' silence.
2. Speaker's Business
2.1 Resignations/Nominations
The Speaker informed Members that he had received notification from the First Minister and deputy First Minister that Mr Gordon Lyons had resigned the office of Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs effective from 8 March 2021, and that Mr Gary Middleton had resigned the office of junior Minister effective from 8 March 2021. The Speaker also informed Members that he had received notification from the nominating officer for the Democratic Unionist Party that Mr Edwin Poots had been nominated as Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs. Mr Poots accepted the nomination and affirmed the pledge of office in the presence of the Speaker and the Clerk/Chief Executive on Monday 8 March 2021.
2.2 Appointments
The Speaker informed Members that he had received notification from the First Minister and deputy First Minister that Mr Gordon Lyons had been appointed to the office of junior Minister. Mr Lyons accepted the nomination and affirmed the pledge of office in the presence of the Speaker and the Clerk/Chief Executive on Monday 8 March 2021.
3. Public Petition
3.1 Call for a Review of the Burial Grounds Regulations (Northern Ireland)
Mr Alex Easton was granted leave, in accordance with Standing Order 22, to present a Public Petition to Call for a Review of the Burial Grounds Regulations (Northern Ireland).
4. Executive Committee Business
4.1 Statement: British/Irish Council Digital Inclusion Ministerial Meeting
The Minister of Finance, Mr Conor Murphy, made a statement regarding the recent British/Irish Council Digital Inclusion Ministerial meeting, following which he replied to questions.
4.2 Further Consideration Stage: Budget Bill (NIA Bill 17/17-22)
The Minister of Finance, Mr Conor Murphy, moved the Further Consideration Stage of the Budget Bill (NIA Bill 17/17-22).
No amendments were tabled to the Bill.
NIA Bill 17/17-22 stood referred to the Speaker for consideration in accordance with Section 10 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998.
The Deputy Speaker, Mr McGlone, took the chair.
4.3 Second Stage: Damages (Return on Investment) Bill (NIA Bill 16/17-22)
The Minister of Justice, Mrs Naomi Long, moved the Second Stage of the Damages (Return on Investment) (NIA Bill 16/17-22).
Debate ensued.
The sitting was suspended at 12.51pm.
The sitting resumed at 2.00pm, with the Speaker in the Chair.
5. Question Time
5.1 Economy
Questions were put to, and answered by, the Minister for the Economy, Mrs Diane Dodds.
The Deputy Speaker, Mr McGlone, took the Chair.
6. Executive Committee Business (cont'd)
6.1 Second Stage: Damages (Return on Investment) Bill (NIA Bill 16/17-22) (cont'd)
Debate resumed.
The Damages (Return on Investment) (NIA Bill 16/17-22) passed Second Stage.
The Principal Deputy Speaker took the chair.
6.2 Final Stage: Budget Bill (NIA Bill 17/17-22) (cont'd)
The Minister of Finance, Mr Conor Murphy, moved that the Final Stage of the Budget Bill (NIA Bill 17/17-22) do now pass.
Debate ensued.
The Budget Bill (NIA Bill 17/17-22) passed Final Stage with cross-community support.
7. Adjournment
Proposed:
That the Assembly do now adjourn.
The Speaker
The Assembly adjourned at 6.15pm.
Mr Alex Maskey
The Speaker
9 March 2021
Northern Ireland Assembly
Papers Presented to the Assembly on 9 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
5. Assembly Reports
Report of the Examiner of Statutory Rules to the Assembly and the Appropriate Committees Twenty-Ninth Report of Session 2020 – 2021 (NIA 84/17-22) (Examiner of Statutory Rules)
6. Statutory Rules
SR 2021/52 The COVID -19 Study Disruption Payment Scheme Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021 (Department for the Economy)
SR 2021/53 The Employment Rights (Northern Ireland) Order 1996 (Coronavirus, Calculation of a Week's Pay) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021
SR 2021/55 The Pneumoconiosis, etc., (Workers' Compensation) (Payment of Claims) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021 (Department for Communities)
SR 2021/56 The Public Service Pensions Revaluation Order (Northern Ireland) 2021 (Department of Finance)
SR 2021/57 The Planning (Development Management) (Temporary Modifications) (Coronavirus) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021 (Department for Infrastructure)
7. Written Ministerial Statements
Expansion of the Asymptomatic Testing Programme - Workplace Testing (Minister of Health)
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 9 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 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
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) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
/ Bills progressing by accelerated passage
PROXY VOTING NOTICES – TUESDAY 9 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 9 March 2021:
Andy Allen |
Gerry Kelly |
Martina Anderson |
Liz Kimmins |
Caoimhe Archibald |
Naomi Long |
Rosemary Barton |
Gordon Lyons |
Roy Beggs |
Séan Lynch |
John Blair |
Chris Lyttle |
Cathal Boylan |
Nichola Mallon |
Paula Bradley |
Declan McAleer |
Sinead Bradley |
Fra McCann |
Paula Bradshaw |
Daniel McCrossan |
Nicola Brogan |
Patsy McGlone |
Thomas Buchanan |
Colin McGrath |
Jonathan Buckley |
Philip McGuigan |
Pat Catney |
Maolíosa McHugh |
Alan Chambers |
Sinead McLaughlin |
Stewart Dickson |
Justin McNulty |
Linda Dillon |
Gary Middleton |
Diane Dodds |
Andrew Muir |
Jemma Dolan |
Karen Mullan |
Gordon Dunne |
Conor Murphy |
Mark Durkan |
Mike Nesbitt |
Alex Easton |
Robin Newton |
Sinéad Ennis |
Carál Ní Chuilín |
Arlene Foster |
Michelle O’Neill |
Órlaithí Flynn |
Edwin Poots |
Colm Gildernew |
George Robinson |
Paul Givan |
Emma Rogan |
Deirdre Hargey |
Pat Sheehan |
Harry Harvey |
Emma Sheerin |
David Hilditch |
Christopher Stalford |
Cara Hunter |
John Stewart |
William Irwin |
Mervyn Storey |
Declan Kearney |
Robin Swann |
Dolores Kelly |
Peter Weir |