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 Philip McGuigan
Mr Jonathan Buckley
Ms Emma Sheerin
Ms Kate Nicholl
Ms Cara Hunter
Mr Peter Martin
Mr Cathal Boylan
Mr David Brooks
Mr Matthew O’Toole
Mr Colm Gildernew
Ms Cheryl Brownlee
Mr Timothy Gaston
Mr Gerry Carroll

3. Ministerial Statement

3.1 North South Ministerial Council Institutional and Plenary Meetings

The First Minister, Ms Michelle O’Neill, made a statement regarding both North South Ministerial Council Institutional and Plenary Meetings, following which she replied to questions.

The Deputy Speaker, Dr Aiken, took the Chair.

4. Committee Business

4.1 Motion: Review of Racist Incidents

Proposed:

That this Assembly condemns ongoing racist incidents in our community; and calls upon the First Minister and deputy First Minister to urgently carry out a comprehensive review into the racist attacks of July and August 2024, to include what happened, why it happened and who was involved, and to bring forward proposals on how to prevent it happening again.

Chairperson, Committee for the Executive Office

Debate ensued.

The Question being put, the motion was carried.

5. Private Members’ Business

5.1 Motion: Holiday Hunger and the High Cost of School Uniforms

Proposed:

That this Assembly notes with grave concern the significant impact of holiday hunger and the high cost of school uniforms and PE kits on families across Northern Ireland; further notes that during the absence of a functioning Executive, funding for the school holiday food grant scheme, which provided payments to prevent holiday hunger for around 100,000 children and young people, was withdrawn; expresses concern over the continued lack of action to address these issues despite the restoration of the Executive; recognises that the ongoing rise in the cost of living, including the high cost of school uniforms, is pushing many families beyond the brink; and calls on the Minister of Education to provide an urgent update on the steps his Department is taking to tackle holiday hunger and reduce the financial burden of school uniforms and PE kits on struggling families.

Mr Robbie Butler
Mr Andy Allen
Mr John Stewart
Mr Colin Crawford


Amendment 1:

Proposed:

Leave out all after ‘withdrawn;’ and insert:

‘welcomes action taken to address these issues following restoration of the Executive, including the recent Department of Education consultation on proposals to introduce a price cap for school uniforms and place current guidance on uniform policy into legislation; recognises that the ongoing rise in the cost of living, including the high cost of school uniforms, is pushing many families beyond the brink; and calls on the Minister of Education to provide an urgent update on the recent consultation on school uniforms, as well as the steps his Department is taking, in the context of the Executive’s forthcoming Anti-Poverty Strategy, to tackle holiday hunger and reduce the financial burden of school uniforms and PE kits on struggling families.’

Mr David Brooks
Mr Peter Martin

Amendment 2:

Proposed:

Leave out all after ‘issues’ and insert:

‘, including completing the review of the eligibility criteria for free school meals and uniform grants, despite the restoration of the Executive; recognises that the ongoing rise in the cost of living, including the high cost of school uniforms, is pushing many families beyond the brink; and calls on the Minister of Education to provide an urgent update on the steps his Department is taking to tackle holiday hunger; and further calls on the Minister to develop a plan to widen access to Free School Meals, to introduce a statutory cap on total school uniform costs, to remove branded items as a compulsory element of school PE kits, and to provide additional support for the extra uniform costs for children with special educational needs or disabilities.’

Mr Nick Mathison
Mrs Michelle Guy
Ms Connie Egan
Ms Sian Mulholland

Debate ensued.

The sitting was suspended at 12.57pm.

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

6. Question Time

6.1 Economy

Questions were put to, and answered by, the Minister for the Economy, Mr Conor Murphy.

The Deputy Speaker, Dr Aiken, took the Chair.

7. Private Members’ Business (cont’d)

7.1 Motion: Holiday Hunger and the High Cost of School Uniforms (cont’d)

Debate resumed.

The Question being put, amendment 1 was negatived (Division).

The Question being put, amendment 2 was made.

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

The Deputy Speaker, Mr Blair, took the Chair.

8. Adjournment

Proposed:

That the Assembly do now adjourn.

The Speaker

Mr Keith Buchanan spoke to his topic regarding Financial Support for Rural Communities in Mid Ulster.

The Assembly adjourned at 5.03pm.

Mr Edwin Poots
The Speaker
12 November 2024
 

Northern Ireland Assembly

12 November 2024 – Division

Amendment 1: Holiday Hunger and the High Cost of School Uniforms

Proposed:

Leave out all after ‘withdrawn;’ and insert:

‘welcomes action taken to address these issues following restoration of the Executive, including the recent Department of Education consultation on proposals to introduce a price cap for school uniforms and place current guidance on uniform policy into legislation; recognises that the ongoing rise in the cost of living, including the high cost of school uniforms, is pushing many families beyond the brink; and calls on the Minister of Education to provide an urgent update on the recent consultation on school uniforms, as well as the steps his Department is taking, in the context of the Executive’s forthcoming Anti-Poverty Strategy, to tackle holiday hunger and reduce the financial burden of school uniforms and PE kits on struggling families.’

Mr David Brooks
Mr Peter Martin

The Question was put and the Assembly divided.

Ayes: 22
Noes: 53

AYES
Mr Bradley, Mr Brett, Mr Brooks, Ms Brownlee, Mr K Buchanan, Mr Buckley, Ms Bunting, Mrs Cameron, Mr Clarke, Mrs Dodds, Mrs Erskine, Ms Forsythe, Mr Frew, Mr Givan, Mr Harvey, Mr Kingston, Mrs Little-Pengelly, Mr Lyons, Miss McIlveen, Mr Martin, Mr Middleton, Mr Robinson.

Tellers for the Ayes: Mr Brooks, Mr Martin.

NOES
Mr Allen, Dr Archibald, Ms D Armstrong, Ms K Armstrong, Mr Baker, Mr Beattie, Mr Blair, Mr Boylan, Ms Bradshaw, Miss Brogan, Mr Butler, Mr Carroll, Mr Chambers, Mr Crawford, Mr Delargy, Mr Dickson, Mrs Dillon, Mr Donnelly, Ms Egan, Mrs Ennis, Mrs Ferguson, Mr Gaston, Mr Gildernew, Mrs Guy, Miss Hargey, Mr Honeyford, Ms Hunter, Mr Kearney, Mr Kelly, Ms Kimmins, Mr McAleer, Miss McAllister, Mr McCrossan, Mr McGlone, Mr McGrath, Mr McGuigan, Mr McMurray, Mr McNulty, Mr McReynolds, Mrs Mason, Mr Mathison, Mr Muir, Miss Á Murphy, Ms Ní Chuilín, Ms Nicholl, Mr O'Dowd, Ms O'Neill, Mr O'Toole, Ms Reilly, Mr Sheehan, Ms Sheerin, Mr Stewart, Mr Tennyson.

Tellers for the Noes: Ms K Armstrong, Mr Mathison.

Amendment 1 was negatived.

Northern Ireland Assembly

Papers Presented to the Assembly on 12 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 2024/193 The Roads (Speed Limit) (No. 5) Order (Northern Ireland) 2024 (Department for Infrastructure)

5. Legislative Consent Memorandums

The Arbitration Bill (Department of Justice) (Revised)

6. Assembly Reports

7. Written Ministerial Statements

8. Publications Laid in the Northern Ireland Assembly

NI Water Annual Integrated Report and Accounts 2023-24 (for the year ended 31 March 2024) (Department for Infrastructure)

9. Publications Presented in the Northern Ireland Assembly

Quarterly Sickness Absence in the Northern Ireland Civil Service April 2024 – June 2024 (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 12 November 2024
2022-2027 Mandate
Executive Bills