Minutes of Proceedings

The Assembly met at 10.30am, the Speaker in the Chair.

1. Prayers

Members observed two minutes' silence.

2. Assembly Business

2.1 Consideration of business not concluded on Monday 24 January 2022

The Speaker informed the Assembly that all the business on the Order Paper for Monday 24 January 2022 had been considered. The Speaker moved on to the business scheduled on the Order Paper for Tuesday 25 January 2022.

3. Public Petition

3.1 Addressing flooding in Boho

Ms Jemma Dolan was granted leave, in accordance with Standing Order 22, to present a Public Petition on Addressing flooding in Boho.

The Principal Deputy Speaker took the Chair.

4. Executive Committee Business

4.1 Motion: The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021 (Amendment No. 20) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021

Proposed:

That the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021 (Amendment No. 20) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021 be approved.

Minister of Health

Motion: The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021 (Amendment No. 21) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021

Proposed:

That the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021 (Amendment No. 21) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021 be approved.

Minister of Health

Motion: The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Wearing of Face Coverings) (Amendment) (No. 8) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021

Proposed:

That the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Wearing of Face Coverings) (Amendment) (No. 8) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021 be approved.

Minister of Health

A single debate ensued on all three motions.

The Question being put, the motion on the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021 (Amendment No. 20) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021 was carried.

The Question being put, the motion on the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021 (Amendment No. 21) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021 was carried.

The Question being put, the motion on the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Wearing of Face Coverings) (Amendment) (No. 8) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021 was carried (Division).

The Deputy Speaker, Mr Beggs, took the Chair.

4.2 Consideration Stage: Protection from Stalking Bill (NIA Bill 14/17-22)

The Minister of Justice, Mrs Naomi Long, moved the Consideration Stage of the Protection from Stalking Bill (NIA Bill 14/17-22).

Eight amendments were tabled to the Bill and selected for debate.

Clauses

The question being put, it was agreed without division that Clauses 1 to 16 stand part of the Bill.

The sitting was suspended at 12.58 pm.

The sitting resumed at 2.00pm. The Deputy Speaker, Mr McGlone, took the chair.

5. Question Time

5.1 Education

Questions were put to, and answered by, the Minister of Education, Miss Michelle McIlveen.

6. Executive Committee Business (cont'd)

6.1 Consideration Stage: Protection from Stalking Bill (NIA Bill 14/17-22) (cont'd)

Debate resumed.

The Deputy Speaker, Mr Beggs, took the Chair.

Clauses

After debate, Amendment 1 to Clause 17 was made without division.

After debate, Amendment 2 to Clause 17 was made without division.

After debate, Amendment 3 to Clause 17 was made without division.

The question being put, it was agreed without division that Clause 17, as amended, stand part of the Bill.

After debate, Amendment 4 inserting new clause 'Guidance on data collection' was made and it was agreed that the new clause stand part of the Bill.

After debate, Amendment 5 inserting new clause 'Training' was made and it was agreed that the new clause stand part of the Bill.

After debate, Amendment 7, as an amendment to amendment 6, was negatived without division.

After debate, Amendment 6 inserting new clause 'Report on the operation of this Act' was made and it was agreed that the new clause stand part of the Bill.

The question being put, it was agreed without division that Clause 18 stand part of the Bill.

After debate, Amendment 8 to Clause 19 was made without division.

The question being put, it was agreed without division that Clause 19, as amended, stand part of the Bill.

The question being put, it was agreed without division that Clause 20 stand part of the Bill.

Long Title

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

The Protection from Stalking Bill (NIA Bill 14/17-22) stood referred to the Speaker.

6.2 Final Stage: Financial Reporting (Departments and Public Bodies) Bill (NIA Bill 21/17-22)

The Minister of Finance, Mr Conor Murphy, moved that the Final Stage of the Financial Reporting (Departments and Public Bodies) Bill (NIA Bill 21/17-22) do now pass.

Debate ensued.

The Financial Reporting (Departments and Public Bodies) Bill (NIA Bill 21/17-22) passed Final Stage.

7. Adjournment

Proposed:

That the Assembly do now adjourn.

The Speaker

The Assembly adjourned at 4.46pm.

Mrs Deborah Erskine spoke to her topic regarding Crisis in Cover for GP Out-of-Hours Service in Fermanagh and South Tyrone.

Mr Alex Maskey
The Speaker
25 January 2022

Northern Ireland Assembly

25 January 2022 - Division

Motion: The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Wearing of Face Coverings) (Amendment) (No. 8) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021

Proposed:

That the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Wearing of Face Coverings) (Amendment) (No. 8) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021 be approved.

Minister of Health

The Question was put and the Assembly divided.

Ayes: 57
Noes: 24

AYES

Dr Aiken, Mr Allen, Dr Archibald, Ms Armstrong, Ms Bailey, Mrs Barton, Mr Beattie, Mr Beggs, Mr Blair, Mr Boylan, Ms S Bradley, Ms Bradshaw, Ms Brogan, Mr Butler, Mr Catney, Mr Chambers, Mr Delargy, Mr Dickson, Ms Dillon, Ms Dolan, Mr Durkan, Ms Ennis, Ms Ferguson, Ms Flynn, Mr Gildernew, Ms Hargey, Ms Hunter, Mr Kearney, Mrs D Kelly, Mr G Kelly, Ms Kimmins, Mrs Long, Mr Lyttle, Mr McAleer, Mr McCrossan, Mr McGlone, Mr McGrath, Mr McGuigan, Mr McHugh, Ms McLaughlin, Mr McNulty, Ms Mallon, Mr Muir, Ms Á Murphy, Mr C Murphy, Mr Nesbitt, Ms Ní Chuilín, Mr O'Dowd, Mrs O'Neill, Mr O'Toole, Miss Reilly, Ms Rogan, Mr Sheehan, Ms Sheerin, Mr Stewart, Mr Swann, Miss Woods.

Tellers for the Ayes: Ms Bradshaw, Mr McGrath.

NOES

Mr Allister, Mr M Bradley, Ms P Bradley, Mr K Buchanan, Mr T Buchanan, Mr Buckley, Ms Bunting, Mrs Cameron, Mr Carroll, Mr Clarke, Mrs Dodds, Mr Dunne, Mr Easton, Mrs Erskine, Mr Frew, Mr Harvey, Mr Hilditch, Mr Humphrey, Mr Irwin, Mr Newton, Mr Robinson, Mr Storey, Mr Weir, Mr Wells.

Tellers for the Noes: Mr Allister, Mrs Cameron.

The motion was carried.

The following Members' votes were cast by their notified proxy in this division:

Mr Blair voted for Ms Armstrong, Ms Bradshaw [Teller, Ayes], Mr Dickson, Mrs Long, Mr Lyttle and Mr Muir.

Ms Bunting voted for Ms P Bradley, Mr M Bradley, Mr K Buchanan, Mr T Buchanan, Mr Buckley, Mrs Cameron [Teller, Noes], Mr Clarke, Mrs Dodds, Mr Dunne, Mr Easton, Mrs Erskine, Mr Frew, Mr Harvey, Mr Hilditch, Mr Humphrey, Mr Irwin, Mr Newton, Mr Robinson, Mr Storey, Mr Weir and Mr Wells.

Mr Butler voted for Dr Aiken, Mr Allen, Mrs Barton, Mr Beattie, Mr Beggs, Mr Chambers, Mr Nesbitt, Mr Stewart and Mr Swann.

Ms Hunter voted for Mrs S Bradley, Mr Catney, Mr Durkan, Mrs Kelly, Ms Mallon, Mr McCrossan, Mr McGrath [Teller, Ayes], Ms McLaughlin, Mr McNulty, and Mr O'Toole.

Mr O'Dowd voted for Dr Archibald, Mr Boylan, Ms Brogan, Mr Delargy, Ms Dillon, Ms Dolan, Ms Ennis, Ms Ferguson, Ms Flynn, Mr Gildernew, Ms Hargey, Mr Kearney, Mr Kelly, Ms Kimmins, Mr McAleer, Mr McGuigan, Mr McHugh, Ms A Murphy, Mr C Murphy, Ms Ní Chuilín, Mrs O'Neill, Ms Reilly, Ms Rogan, Mr Sheehan and Ms Sheerin.

Miss Woods voted for Ms Bailey.

Protection from Stalking Bill Annotated Marshalled List of Amendments Consideration Stage

Northern Ireland Assembly

Papers Presented to the Assembly on 25 January 2022

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 Tenth Report of Session 2021 – 2022 (NIA 164/17-22) (Examiner of Statutory Rules)

6. Statutory Rules

SR 2022/000 - Draft SR - The Environment (2021 Act) (Commencement and Saving Provision) Order (Northern Ireland) 2022 (Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs)

SR 2022/14 The Universal Credit and Employment and Support Allowance (Claimant Commitment Exceptions) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2022 (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 25 January 2022

2017-2022 Mandate
Executive Bills        

2017-2022 Mandate
Non-Executive Bills                

/ Bills progressing by accelerated passage

PROXY VOTING NOTICES – TUESDAY 25 JANUARY 2022

The following Members notified the Speaker, under Standing Order 112, that they wished to avail of proxy voting arrangements for the sitting on Tuesday 25 January 2022: