Minutes of Proceedings
Session: Session currently unavailable
Date: 20 May 2024
The Assembly met at noon, the Principal Deputy Speaker in the Chair.
1. Prayers
Members observed two minutes’ silence.
2. Speaker’s Business
2.1 Speaker
The Principal Deputy Speaker informed Members that the Speaker would not be in the Chamber for the next two days due to a health matter.
2.2 Deputy Chairperson Appointment
The Principal Deputy Speaker informed Members that the Speaker had received notification from the nominating officer for Sinn Féin that Mrs Sinéad Ennis had been appointed as Deputy Chair of the Committee for Justice, with effect from Wednesday 15 May 2024.
2.3 Royal Assent
The Principal Deputy Speaker informed Members that Royal Assent was signified to the Hospital Parking Charges Act (Northern Ireland) 2024 on 16 May 2024.
3. Members’ Statements
Under Standing Order 24A, the following Members made a statement to the Assembly:
Mr Pat Sheehan
Mr Keith Buchanan
Mr Peter McReynolds
Mr Alan Chambers
Ms Cara Hunter
Mr Colm Gildernew
Mrs Diane Dodds
Mr John Blair
Mr Tom Elliott
Ms Sinéad McLaughlin
Mr Jim Allister
Mr Gerry Carroll
The Deputy Speaker, Mr Blair, took the Chair.
4. Assembly Business
4.1 Motion: Committee Membership
Proposed:
That Mr Andrew McMurray be appointed as a member of the Committee for Infrastructure; and that Ms Connie Egan be appointed as a member of the Windsor Framework Democratic Scrutiny Committee.
Ms Paula Bradshaw
Miss Nuala McAllister
Ms Kate Nicholl
Mr David Honeyford
The Question being put, the motion was carried.
5. Ministerial Statements
5.1 Statement: North South Ministerial Council Trade and Business Development meeting
The Minister for the Economy, Miss Deirdre Hargey, made a statement regarding a North South Ministerial Council Trade and Business Development meeting, following which she replied to questions.
6. Executive Committee Business
6.1 First Stage: Defective Premises Bill (NIA Bill 03/22-27)
A Bill to amend the law as to liability for defects in the state of dwellings; and for connected purposes.
The Defective Premises Bill (NIA Bill 03/22-27) passed First Stage and was ordered to be printed.
6.2 First Stage: Pension (Extension of Automatic Enrolment) Bill (NIA Bill 04/22-27)
A Bill to make provision about the extension of pensions automatic enrolment to jobholders under the age of 22; to make provision about the lower qualifying earnings threshold for automatic enrolment; and for connected purposes.
The Pension (Extension of Automatic Enrolment) Bill (NIA Bill 04/22-27) passed First Stage and was ordered to be printed.
The Principal Deputy Speaker took the Chair.
6.3 Legislative Consent Motion: Pet Abduction Bill
Proposed:
That this Assembly endorses the principle of the extension to Northern Ireland of the provisions within the Pet Abduction Bill, as introduced in the House of Commons on 6 December 2023, dealing with pet abduction.
Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs
Debate ensued.
The Question being put, the motion was carried.
The Deputy Speaker, Mr Blair, took the Chair.
7. Private Members’ Business
7.1 Motion: Strengthening Northern Ireland’s Defence Industries
Proposed:
That this Assembly is committed to realising the untapped potential of the aerospace, defence, security, and space sectors in Northern Ireland; notes that these growing industries employed 9,000 people across Northern Ireland in 2022 and provided over 500 apprenticeships; further notes that technology produced in Northern Ireland has been a significant pillar of the UK’s support for the defence of Ukraine; regrets the current low levels of Ministry of Defence spending in Northern Ireland, including in respect of small and medium sized enterprises; believes a concerted effort to incorporate Northern Ireland into the UK defence network will generate significant and lasting economic opportunities, as well as promote Northern Ireland as a global leader in innovative aerospace and security technology; welcomes commitments to strengthening Northern Ireland’s defence industries in the UK Government’s Safeguarding the Union Command Paper; calls on the Minister for the Economy to develop an ambitious programme to showcase opportunities for investment in local defence industries and shipbuilding; and further calls on the Minister to work with industry, the Ministry of Defence and Executive colleagues to ensure our workforce has the skills required to scale up the defence and security industries in Northern Ireland.
Mr Phillip Brett
Mr Gary Middleton
Mr Jonathan Buckley
Amendment:
Proposed:
Leave out from ‘welcomes’ to ‘Paper’ and insert:
‘promotes defence and security levelling up in line with the UK Government’s announcement of an extra £75 billion increase in defence spending over five years with the aim of increasing Northern Ireland’s economic input from defence rising from £1 billion to £3 billion per year;’
Mr Doug Beattie
Mr John Stewart
Mr Robbie Butler
Mr Tom Elliott
Debate ensued.
The debate stood suspended for Question Time, the Principal Deputy Speaker took the chair.
8. Question Time
8.1 Justice
Questions were put to, and answered by, the Minister of Justice, Mrs Naomi Long.
8.2 Communities
Questions were put to, and answered by, the Minister for Communities, Mr Gordon Lyons.
The Deputy Speaker, Mr Blair, took the Chair.
9. Private Members’ Business (cont’d)
9.1 Motion: Strengthening Northern Ireland’s Defence Industries (cont’d)
Debate resumed.
The Question being put, the amendment was made (Division 1).
The Question being put, the motion, as amended, was carried (Division 2).
The Principal Deputy Speaker took the Chair.
9.2 Motion: No-Fault Divorce
Proposed:
That this Assembly acknowledges that divorce can be a difficult process for any individual or family to go through; recognises that the current fault-based divorce process can often exacerbate conflict and have a hugely negative impact on the wellbeing of children; notes that the no-fault divorce law, Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act (2020), came into effect in England and Wales in 2022; understands that children who grow up with parents who have low parental conflict, whether together or separated, enjoy better health and education outcomes; and calls on the Minister of Finance to bring forward legislation to amend the Matrimonial Causes (Northern Ireland) Order 1978 to allow applications for a divorce without apportioning blame on either party.
Miss Nicola Brogan
Mrs Linda Dillon
Mr Danny Baker
Debate ensued.
The Question being put, the motion was carried.
10. Adjournment
Proposed:
That the Assembly do now adjourn.
The Speaker
The Assembly adjourned at 5.22pm.
Mr Edwin Poots
The Speaker
20 May 2024
Northern Ireland Assembly
20 May 2024 – Division 1
Motion: Strengthening Northern Ireland’s Defence Industries - Amendment
Proposed:
Leave out from ‘welcomes’ to ‘Paper’ and insert:
‘promotes defence and security levelling up in line with the UK Government’s announcement of an extra £75 billion increase in defence spending over five years with the aim of increasing Northern Ireland’s economic input from defence rising from £1 billion to £3 billion per year;’
Mr Doug Beattie
Mr John Stewart
Mr Robbie Butler
Mr Tom Elliott
The Question was put and the Assembly divided.
Ayes: 40
Noes: 27
AYES
Mr Allister, Mr Beattie, Ms Bradshaw, Mr Brooks, Ms Brownlee, Mr K Buchanan, Mr T Buchanan, Mr Buckley, Ms Bunting, Mr Butler, Mr Chambers, Mr Clarke, Mr Dickson, Mrs Dodds, Mr Donnelly, Mr Dunne, Mr Easton, Ms Eastwood, Ms Egan, Mr Elliott, Mrs Erskine, Ms Forsythe, Mr Harvey, Mr Honeyford, Mr Kingston, Mrs Little-Pengelly, Mr Lyons, Miss McAllister, Mr McMurray, Mr McReynolds, Mr Mathison, Mr Middleton, Mr Muir, Ms Mulholland, Mr Nesbitt, Ms Nicholl, Mr Robinson, Mr Stewart, Ms Sugden, Mr Tennyson.
Tellers for the Ayes: Mr Butler, Mr Nesbitt.
NOES
Dr Archibald, Miss Brogan, Mr Carroll, Mr Delargy, Mr Durkan, Mrs Ennis, Miss Flynn, Mr Gildernew, Miss Hargey, Ms Hunter, Mr Kearney, Ms Kimmins, Mr McCrossan, Mr McGlone, Mr McGrath, Mr McGuigan, Mr McHugh, Ms McLaughlin, Mrs Mason, Miss Á Murphy, Ms Ní Chuilín, Mr O'Dowd, Ms O'Neill, Mr O'Toole, Ms Reilly, Mr Sheehan, Ms Sheerin.
Tellers for the Noes: Mr McGuigan, Ms McLaughlin.
The amendment was made.
Northern Ireland Assembly
20 May 2024 – Division 2
Motion: Strengthening Northern Ireland’s Defence Industries
Proposed:
That this Assembly is committed to realising the untapped potential of the aerospace, defence, security, and space sectors in Northern Ireland; notes that these growing industries employed 9,000 people across Northern Ireland in 2022 and provided over 500 apprenticeships; further notes that technology produced in Northern Ireland has been a significant pillar of the UK’s support for the defence of Ukraine; regrets the current low levels of Ministry of Defence spending in Northern Ireland, including in respect of small and medium sized enterprises; believes a concerted effort to incorporate Northern Ireland into the UK defence network will generate significant and lasting economic opportunities, as well as promote Northern Ireland as a global leader in innovative aerospace and security technology; promotes defence and security levelling up in line with the UK Government’s announcement of an extra £75 billion increase in defence spending over five years with the aim of increasing Northern Ireland’s economic input from defence rising from £1 billion to £3 billion per year; calls on the Minister for the Economy to develop an ambitious programme to showcase opportunities for investment in local defence industries and shipbuilding; and further calls on the Minister to work with industry, the Ministry of Defence and Executive colleagues to ensure our workforce has the skills required to scale up the defence and security industries in Northern Ireland.
Mr Doug Beattie
Mr John Stewart
Mr Robbie Butler
Mr Tom Elliott
The Question was put and the Assembly divided.
Ayes: 41
Noes: 26
AYES
Mr Allister, Mr Beattie, Ms Bradshaw, Mr Brooks, Ms Brownlee, Mr K Buchanan, Mr T Buchanan, Mr Buckley, Ms Bunting, Mr Butler, Mr Chambers, Mr Clarke, Mr Dickson, Mrs Dodds, Mr Donnelly, Mr Dunne, Mr Easton, Ms Eastwood, Ms Egan, Mr Elliott, Mrs Erskine, Ms Forsythe, Mr Harvey, Mr Honeyford, Mr Kingston, Mrs Little-Pengelly, Mrs Long, Mr Lyons, Miss McAllister, Mr McMurray, Mr McReynolds, Mr Mathison, Mr Middleton, Mr Muir, Ms Mulholland, Mr Nesbitt, Ms Nicholl, Mr Robinson, Mr Stewart, Ms Sugden, Mr Tennyson.
Tellers for the Ayes: Mr Brooks, Mr Buckley.
NOES
Dr Archibald, Miss Brogan, Mr Carroll, Mr Delargy, Mr Durkan, Mrs Ennis, Miss Flynn, Mr Gildernew, Miss Hargey, Ms Hunter, Mr Kearney, Ms Kimmins, Mr McCrossan, Mr McGlone, Mr McGrath, Mr McGuigan, Mr McHugh, Ms McLaughlin, Mrs Mason, Miss Á Murphy, Ms Ní Chuilín, Mr O'Dowd, Mr O'Toole, Ms Reilly, Mr Sheehan, Ms Sheerin.
Tellers for the Noes: Mr McGuigan, Ms McLaughlin.
The motion, as amended, was carried.
Northern Ireland Assembly
Papers Presented to the Assembly on 15 May 2024 to 20 May 2024.
1. Acts of the Northern Ireland Assembly
Hospital Parking Charges Act (Northern Ireland) 2024
2. Bills of the Northern Ireland Assembly
Defective Premises Bill (NIA Bill 03/22-27)
Pensions (Extension of Automatic Enrolment) Bill (NIA Bill 04/22-27)
3. Orders in Council
4. Statutory Rules
SR 2024/111 The Parkgate Avenue, Belfast (Abandonment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2024 (Department for Infrastructure)
SR 2024/114 The Government Resources and Accounts (Northern Ireland) Act 2001 (Estimates and Accounts) (Designation of Bodies) Order 2024 (Department of Finance)
SR 2024/115 The Agriculture (Student Fees) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2024 (Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs)
Draft SR/0000 The Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (Search, Recovery of Cryptoassets and Investigations: Codes of Practice) Order (Northern Ireland) 2024 (Department of Justice)
For Information Only
SR 2024/109 The Parking Places and Waiting Restrictions (Moy) (Amendment No. 2) Order (Northern Ireland) 2024 (Department for Infrastructure)
SR 2024/110 The Prohibition of Waiting (Schools) (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2024 (Department for Infrastructure)
SR 2024/112 The Waiting Restrictions (Eglinton) Order (Northern Ireland) 2024 (Department for Infrastructure)
SR 2024/113 The Road Races (Drumhorc Hill Climb) Order (Northern Ireland) 2024 (Department for Infrastructure)
5. Legislative Consent Memorandums
6. Assembly Reports
Financial Assistance for Political Parties Scheme 2024 (NIA 32/22-27) (Northern Ireland Assembly)
7. Written Ministerial Statements
Industrial action taken by support staff of the Education Authority (Minister of Education)
Infected Blood Inquiry Report (Minister of Health)
8. Publications Laid in the Northern Ireland Assembly
Budget 2024-25 (Department of Finance)
