Minutes of Proceedings

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

1. Prayers

Members observed two minutes’ silence.

2. Members’ Statements

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

Mr Brian Kingston
Mr Declan Kearney
Mr Andrew McMurray
Mr Matthew O’Toole
Miss Michelle McIlveen
Mrs Cathy Mason
Mr Peter McReynolds
Ms Diane Forsythe
Ms Kate Nicholl
Mr David Brooks
Mr Mark Durkan
Mrs Deborah Erskine

3. Ministerial Statement

3.1 Winter Fuel Payment

The Minister for Communities, Mr Gordon Lyons, made a statement regarding the Winter Fuel Payment, following which he replied to questions.

The Principal Deputy Speaker took the Chair.

4. Committee Business

4.1 Motion: Extension of Committee Stage – Child Support Enforcement Bill (NIA Bill 05/22-27)

Proposed:

That, in accordance with Standing Order 33(4), the period referred to in Standing Order 33(2) be extended to 13 December 2024, in relation to the Committee Stage of the Child Support Enforcement Bill.

Chairperson, Committee for Communities

Debate ensued.

The Question being put, the motion was carried.

5. Private Members’ Business

5.1 Motion: Budgetary Pressures

Proposed:

That this Assembly expresses its grave concern at the significant budgetary pressures facing the Executive; recognises the severe impact of these pressures on the delivery of, and investment in, public services, including policing and justice, health and social care, education, housing, infrastructure and our environment; notes that these pressures have arisen as a result of a failed policy of austerity at Westminster, financial mismanagement by the previous UK Government and underfunding of Northern Ireland below its level of relative need; agrees that, while the interim Fiscal Framework agreed with the UK Government was an important first step, the proposed 124 per cent relative need factor does not adequately reflect policing and justice need in Northern Ireland and the disproportionate squeeze on the justice budget; believes that a baselined fiscal floor set at a level greater than 124 per cent should be delivered without further delay; calls on the Minister of Finance to publish the Executive Sustainability Plan, including steps to tackle the cost of division in society, which leaves the Executive with hundreds of millions of pounds less to invest in public services each year; and further calls on the UK Government to depart from its austerity policy by reviewing the fiscal rules and pursuing a progressive taxation system.

Mr Eóin Tennyson
Mr Stewart Dickson
Miss Nuala McAllister
Mr Nick Mathison

Amendment 1:

Proposed:

Insert after the first ‘relative need;’:

‘accepts that the budget agreed by the majority in the Executive is below need and unworkable;’

Dr Steve Aiken
Mr Colin Crawford
Mr Doug Beattie
Mr Robbie Butler

Amendment 2:

Proposed:

Leave out all after the first ‘relative need;’ and insert:

‘agrees that, while the interim Fiscal Framework agreed with the UK Government was an important first step, the proposed 124 per cent relative need factor will, as things stand, only apply to future Barnett consequentials and cannot remedy the damage caused by core funding for Northern Ireland dropping below need, prior to the restoration of devolution in February 2024; stresses that this will have a significant, adverse and recurrent impact on the scale of the Northern Ireland block grant and therefore the delivery of vital frontline services; further notes that the proposed 124 per cent relative need factor does not adequately reflect policing and justice need in Northern Ireland and the disproportionate squeeze on the justice budget; believes that a baselined fiscal floor, set at a level greater than 124 per cent, should be delivered without further delay; calls on the Minister of Finance to publish the Executive Sustainability Plan, including steps to tackle inefficiencies and duplication, which leaves the Executive with less to invest in public services each year; and further calls on the UK Government to depart from its austerity policy by agreeing a new, long-term financial settlement with the Executive, reviewing the fiscal rules and pursuing a progressive taxation system.’

Mr Paul Frew
Ms Diane Forsythe

As Amendment 1 was not moved, debate ensued on the motion and Amendment 2.

The sitting was suspended at 12.53 pm.

The sitting resumed at 2.00pm, the Principal Deputy Speaker in the Chair.

6. Question Time

6.1 Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs

Questions were put to, and answered by, the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Mr Andrew Muir.

7. Private Members’ Business (cont’d)

7.1 Motion: Budgetary Pressures (cont’d)

Debate resumed.

The Question being put, amendment 2 was made (Division).

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

The Deputy Speaker, Dr Aiken, took the Chair.

7.2 Motion: Late Payments in the Public Sector

Proposed:

That this Assembly believes businesses and traders who supply goods and services to the public sector should be paid on time and in full; recognises that late payments can negatively impact cash flow and cause undue stress for business owners and their employees; notes with concern the findings of research published by the Federation of Small Businesses in 2023, which found that 56 per cent of small business owners and the self-employed in Northern Ireland had experienced late payment in the last three months; further notes that Northern Ireland was jointly the worst affected region; is concerned that the reasons for late public sector payments generally remain unreported; highlights the need for enhanced reporting by all public bodies in order to improve accountability in this area; calls on the Minister of Finance to introduce a new Executive target for payment of at least 90 per cent of invoices within 5 days for work completed; and further calls on the Minister to work with Executive colleagues to agree fresh measures to ensure 100 per cent of valid invoices are paid within the 30 calendar day statutory limit.

Ms Diane Forsythe
Mr Paul Frew

Amendment:

Proposed:

Leave out all after ‘Executive target’ and insert:

‘, covering departments, their agencies and arm’s-length bodies, and local government, for payment of at least 90 per cent of invoices within five days for work completed; and further calls on the Minister to work with Executive colleagues to agree fresh measures to ensure 100 per cent of valid invoices are paid within the 30 calendar day statutory limit, with the same prompt payment requirements for sub-contractors and suppliers enshrined in the terms of all public sector procurement.’

Mr David Honeyford
Ms Kate Nicholl
Mr Eóin Tennyson
Mrs Michelle Guy

Debate ensued.

The Question being put, the amendment was made.

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

8. Adjournment

Proposed:

That the Assembly do now adjourn.

The Speaker

Miss Áine Murphy spoke to her topic regarding Access to Rural GP Services in Fermanagh.

The Assembly adjourned at 4.34pm.

Mr Edwin Poots
The Speaker
10 September 2024

 
Northern Ireland Assembly

10 September 2024 – Division

Amendment 2: Budgetary Pressures

Proposed:

Leave out all after the first ‘relative need;’ and insert:
‘agrees that, while the interim Fiscal Framework agreed with the UK Government was an important first step, the proposed 124 per cent relative need factor will, as things stand, only apply to future Barnett consequentials and cannot remedy the damage caused by core funding for Northern Ireland dropping below need, prior to the restoration of devolution in February 2024; stresses that this will have a significant, adverse and recurrent impact on the scale of the Northern Ireland block grant and therefore the delivery of vital frontline services; further notes that the proposed 124 per cent relative need factor does not adequately reflect policing and justice need in Northern Ireland and the disproportionate squeeze on the justice budget; believes that a baselined fiscal floor, set at a level greater than 124 per cent, should be delivered without further delay; calls on the Minister of Finance to publish the Executive Sustainability Plan, including steps to tackle inefficiencies and duplication, which leaves the Executive with less to invest in public services each year; and further calls on the UK Government to depart from its austerity policy by agreeing a new, long-term financial settlement with the Executive, reviewing the fiscal rules and pursuing a progressive taxation system.’

Mr Paul Frew
Ms Diane Forsythe

The Question was put and the Assembly divided.

Ayes: 50

Noes: 24

AYES
Dr Aiken, Mr Allen, Dr Archibald, Mr Baker, Mr Beattie, Mr Boylan, Mr Bradley, Mr Brett, Mr Brooks, Ms Brownlee, Mr K Buchanan, Mr T Buchanan, Mr Buckley, Ms Bunting, Mr Butler, Mr Chambers, Mr Clarke, Mr Crawford, Mrs Dillon, Mrs Dodds, Miss Dolan, Mr Dunne, Lord Elliott, Mrs Ennis, Mrs Erskine, Mrs Ferguson, Miss Flynn, Ms Forsythe, Mr Frew, Mr Gaston, Mr Gildernew, Miss Hargey, Mr Harvey, Mr Irwin, Mr Kearney, Mr Kelly, Ms Kimmins, Mr Kingston, Mr McAleer, Mr McGuigan, Mr McHugh, Miss McIlveen, Mr Martin, Mrs Mason, Miss Á Murphy, Mr O'Dowd, Mr Robinson, Mr Sheehan, Ms Sheerin, Mr Stewart.

Tellers for the Ayes: Ms Forsythe, Mr Frew.

NOES
Ms Armstrong, Mr Blair, Ms Bradshaw, Mr Carroll, Mr Dickson, Mr Donnelly, Mr Durkan, Mrs Guy, Mr Honeyford, Ms Hunter, Mrs Long, Miss McAllister, Mr McGlone, Mr McGrath, Ms McLaughlin, Mr McMurray, Mr McNulty, Mr McReynolds, Mr Mathison, Mr Muir, Ms Mulholland, Ms Nicholl, Mr O'Toole, Mr Tennyson.

Tellers for the Noes: Mrs Guy, Mr McMurray.

The amendment was made.

Northern Ireland Assembly

Papers Presented to the Assembly on 10 September 2024.

1. Acts of the Northern Ireland Assembly

2. Bills of the Northern Ireland Assembly

3. Orders in Council

4. Statutory Rules

5. Legislative Consent Memorandums

6. Assembly Reports

7. Written Ministerial Statements

8. Publications Laid in the Northern Ireland Assembly

Press Recognition Panel's Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2024 (Press Recognition Panel)

9. Publications Presented in the Northern Ireland Assembly

Sickness Absence in the Northern Ireland Civil Service 2023/24 (NISRA, Department of Finance)

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 10 September 2024

2022-2027 Mandate
Executive Bills