Minutes of Proceedings

Session: Session currently unavailable

Date: 11 November 2024

The Assembly met at noon, the Speaker in the Chair.

1. Prayers

Members observed two minutes’ silence.

2. Speakers’ Business

2.1 The late Ms Anna Lo

The Speaker announced the death of Ms Anna Lo, a former Member for the South Belfast constituency

Members paid tribute to Ms Lo.

Members observed one minute's silence.

3. Members’ Statements

Under Standing Order 24A, the following Members made a statement to the Assembly:

Mr Declan Kearney
Ms Diane Forsythe
Mrs Michelle Guy
Dr Steve Aiken
Mr Pat Sheehan
Mr Gary Middleton
Ms Paula Bradshaw
Mr Colm Gildernew
Mr David Brooks
Mr Robbie Butler
Ms Claire Sugden
Mr Keith Buchanan

4. Speakers’ Business (cont’d)

4.1 Resignations and Appointments

The Speaker informed Members that he had been notified by the nominating officer for the Alliance Party that Mr Stewart Dickson had replaced Ms Connie Egan as Deputy Chairperson of the Committee for the Executive Office, and that Ms Connie Egan had replaced Mr Stewart Dickson as Deputy Chairperson of the Committee on Standards and Privileges. The appointments took effect from 5pm on 8 November 2024.

5. Public Petition

Amend one-hour parking restriction in Dungannon

Mr Colm Gildernew was granted leave, in accordance with Standing Order 22, to present a Public Petition to Amend the one-hour parking restriction in Dungannon.

6. Assembly Business

6.1 Motion: Committee Membership

Proposed:

That Ms Connie Egan replace Mr Stewart Dickson as a member of the Committee for Justice; and that Mr Stewart Dickson be appointed as a member of the Committee on Standards and Privileges.

Ms Paula Bradshaw
Miss Nuala McAllister
Ms Kate Nicholl
Mr Eóin Tennyson

The Question being put, the motion was carried.

The Deputy Speaker, Mr Blair, took the Chair.

7. Ministerial Statements

7.1 2024-25 October Monitoring Round

The Minister of Finance, Dr Caoimhe Archibald, made a statement regarding the 2024-25 October Monitoring Round, following which she replied to questions.

7.2 North South Ministerial Council Trade and Business Development Sectoral Meeting

The Minister for the Economy, Mr Conor Murphy, made a statement regarding a North South Ministerial Council Trade and Business Development Sectoral Meeting, following which he replied to questions.

The statement stood suspended for Question Time, the Speaker took the Chair.

8. Question Time

8.1 The Executive Office

Questions were put to, and answered by, the deputy First Minister, Mrs Emma Little-Pengelly. The junior Minister, Mrs Pam Cameron, also answered a number of questions.

8.2 Education

Questions were put to, and answered by, the Minister of Education, Mr Paul Givan.

The Deputy Speaker, Mr Blair, took the Chair.

9. Ministerial Statements (cont’d)

9.1 North South Ministerial Council Trade and Business Development Sectoral Meeting (cont’d)

The Principal Deputy Speaker took the Chair.

9.2 Climate Change

The Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Mr Andrew Muir, made a statement regarding Climate Change, following which he replied to questions.

10. Executive Committee Business

10.1 Motion: The draft Fair Employment (Monitoring) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2024

Proposed:

That the draft Fair Employment (Monitoring) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2024 be approved.

The Executive Office

Debate ensued.

The Question being put, the motion was carried.

11. Private Members’ Business

11.1 Motion: Statutory Duty of Candour

Proposed:

That this Assembly agrees on the need for statutory and legally enforceable organisational and individual duties of candour in Northern Ireland’s Health and Social Care system; believes that, while the overwhelming majority of staff are committed to the highest standards of care, a statutory duty of candour will play a vital role in identifying and addressing cases of abuse, negligence and failings in health and social care settings; expresses concern that limited progress has been made in introducing a statutory duty of candour, since the beginning of the Inquiry into Hyponatraemia-related Deaths, 20 years ago; calls on the Executive to engage with the UK Government around the implications of the proposed Hillsborough Law, and how it could strengthen candour in public services in Northern Ireland; and calls on the Minister of Health to bring forward legislation to implement statutory organisational and individual duties of candour before the end of the current Assembly mandate.

Miss Nuala McAllister
Mr Danny Donnelly
Mr Stewart Dickson
Ms Paula Bradshaw

Amendment:

Proposed:

At end insert:

‘; and further calls for any statutory duty of candour to be co-designed and co-produced in partnership with health and social care workers, alongside families who have endured the distressing experiences of Serious Adverse Incident investigations, as well as cases of abuse, negligence and failings, to ensure compassionate, meaningful, and practical implementation.’

Ms Liz Kimmins
Mr Pat Sheehan
Miss Órlaithí Flynn
Mrs Linda Dillon

Debate ensued.

The Question being put, the amendment was made.

The Question being put, the motion, as amended, was carried.

12. Assembly Business

12.1 Motion: Extension of Sitting on Monday 21 October 2024 under Standing Order 10(3A)

Proposed:

That, in accordance with Standing Order 10(3A), the sitting on Monday 11 November 2024 be extended to no later than 8.30pm.

Business Committee

The Question being put, the motion was carried.

The Deputy Speaker, Dr Aiken, took the Chair.

13. Private Members’ Business (cont’d)

13.1 Motion: Tackling the high number of unadopted housing developments and roads

Proposed:

That this Assembly expresses alarm at the high number of unadopted housing developments across Northern Ireland; regrets that some roads and footpaths have been left for decades without full adoption; highlights the significant challenges faced by affected homeowners when seeking to sell their property; is concerned that unfinished and unadopted sites are contributing to pollution in our waterways; stresses that those who have purchased a home in good faith must not be left to foot the bill of bringing their development up to an adoptable standard; further regrets the significant number of unadopted alleyways locally, which raises health, safety and public hygiene concerns; calls on the Minister for Infrastructure to proactively identify high-priority and legacy sites for adoption and to bring forward plans for more meaningful enforcement against developers who have entered into bonds but fail to bring roads and sewerage systems to a satisfactory standard; and further calls on the Minister to work alongside Northern Ireland Water and Executive colleagues to develop, and publish, a new strategy to address the backlog in unadopted roads.

Mrs Deborah Erskine
Mr Keith Buchanan
Mr Stephen Dunne

Amendment:

Proposed:

Leave out all after ‘Minister to’ and insert:

‘take a joined-up approach, working alongside Northern Ireland Water, Executive colleagues and local councils to develop and publish a new strategy to address the backlog in unadopted roads and alleyways.’

Mr Gerry Carroll

Debate ensued.

The Question being put, the amendment was made.

The Question being put, the motion, as amended, was carried.

14. Adjournment

Proposed:

That the Assembly do now adjourn.

The Speaker

The Assembly adjourned at 7.26pm.

Mr Edwin Poots
The Speaker

11 November 2024

Northern Ireland Assembly

Papers Presented to the Assembly on 6 November 2024 to 11 November 2024.

1. Acts of the Northern Ireland Assembly

2. Bills of the Northern Ireland Assembly

3. Orders in Council

4. Statutory Rules

For Information Only

SR 2024/185 The Period Products (the Executive Office Specified Public Service Bodies) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2024 (The Executive Office)

SR 2024/192 The Pensions (2005 Order) (Code of Practice) (Defined Benefit Funding) (Appointed Day) Order (Northern Ireland) 2024 (Department for Communities)

5. Legislative Consent Memorandums

Arbitration Bill (Department of Justice)

6. Assembly Reports

Report on the Pensions (Extension of Automatic Enrolment) Bill (Committee for Communities) (NIA 50/22-27)