Minutes of Proceedings

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

1. Prayers

Members observed two minutes’ silence.

2. Speaker’s Business

2.1 Committee Chairpersons’ and Deputy Chairpersons’ Resignations and Appointments

The Speaker informed Members that he had received correspondence from the nominating officer for Sinn Féin informing him that the following Members had resigned their positions with immediate effect: Mr Philip McGuigan, Chairperson of the Windsor Framework Democratic Scrutiny Committee; Ms Carál Ní Chuilín, Chairperson of the Committee on Standards and Privileges; Mrs Sinéad Ennis, Deputy Chairperson of the Committee on Procedures; Mr Declan McAleer, Deputy Chairperson of the Assembly and Executive Review Committee; and Mrs Ciara Ferguson, Deputy Chairperson of the Committee for Communities.

The Speaker also informed Members that the following nominations had been made: Mr Philip McGuigan as Chairperson of the Committee for Health; Mrs Ciara Ferguson as Chairperson of the Windsor Framework Democratic Scrutiny Committee; Mrs Cathy Mason as Chairperson of the Committee on Standards and Privileges; Miss Órlaithí Flynn as Deputy Chairperson of the Committee on Procedures; Mr Pat Sheehan as Deputy Chairperson of the Assembly and Executive Review Committee; and Miss Nicola Brogan as Deputy Chairperson of the Committee for Communities, and that all Members had accepted their nominations.

3. Members’ Statements

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

Mr Colm Gildernew
Mrs Pam Cameron
Mr Stewart Dickson
Dr Steve Aiken
Miss Órlaithí Flynn
Ms Diane Forsythe
Mr Andrew McMurray
Mr Pat Sheehan
Ms Kate Nicholl
Ms Cheryl Brownlee
Ms Sinéad McLaughlin
Mr Phillip Brett

The Principal Deputy Speaker took the Chair.

4. Assembly Business

4.1 Motion: Allowances to Members of the Northern Ireland Assembly

Proposed:

That this Assembly notes the resolution of 30 June 2020 that Members’ salaries and pensions should be determined by an independent body and that Members’ allowances should be determined by the Assembly Commission; and resolves that any allowances payable to former Members of the Assembly, under section 48 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, including resettlement and winding-up allowances, should also be determined by the Assembly Commission; that any change to these allowances may have retrospective or prospective effect; and that the Assembly Commission should publish any such determination.

Assembly Commission

Debate ensued.

The Question being put, the motion was carried.

4.2 First Stage: Assembly Members (Remuneration Board) Bill (NIA Bill 09/22-27)

Mrs Sinéad Ennis, on behalf of the Assembly Commission, introduced a Bill to Amend the Assembly Members (Independent Financial Review and Standards) Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 to make provision about the name, functions and membership of the Independent Financial Review Panel; and for connected purposes.

The Assembly Members (Remuneration Board) Bill (NIA Bill 09/22-27) passed First Stage and was ordered to be printed.

5. Committee Business

5.1 Motion: Prayer of Annulment – The Direct Payments to Farmers (Cross-Compliance) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2024

Proposed:

That the Direct Payments to Farmers (Cross-Compliance) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2024 (SR 2024/211) be annulled.

Chairperson, Committee for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs

Debate ensued.

The Question being put, the motion was carried (Division).

The Deputy Speaker, Mr Blair, took the Chair.

6. Private Members’ Business

6.1 Motion: Supporting Learning Pathways for our Young People

Proposed:

That this Assembly recognises the fundamental importance of education in enabling our children and young people to reach their full potential, develop their skills, and prepare them for life; further recognises that the education system must support and accommodate the diverse needs, interests, and potential of all children and young people; acknowledges the vital role that the Department of Education plays in opening career pathways for young people and the pivotal work done by our school staff to support this; and calls on the Minister of Education to assess the current per-pupil funding model for sixth form colleges to consider whether it adequately supports all learning pathways with the potential to help address identified skills gaps across the economy.

Mr Pádraig Delargy
Mr Pat Sheehan
Mrs Cathy Mason
Mr Danny Baker

Amendment 1:

Proposed:

Leave out all after ‘Department of Education’ and insert:

‘and Department for the Economy play in opening career pathways for young people and the pivotal work done by staff in our schools, colleges and universities to support this; calls on the Minister of Education to assess options to increase per-pupil funding across our education system, as well as review the operation of the Common Funding Scheme, particularly with respect to sixth form colleges; and further calls on the Minister for the Economy to ensure careers advice adequately supports all learning pathways with the potential to help address identified skills gaps across the economy.’

Mr David Brooks
Mr Phillip Brett
Mr Peter Martin

The sitting was suspended at 12.58pm.

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

7. Question Time

7.1 Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs

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

The Deputy Speaker, Mr Blair, took the Chair.

8. Private Members’ Business (cont’d)

8.1 Motion: Supporting Learning Pathways for our Young People (cont’d)

Amendment 2:

Proposed:

Leave out all after ‘support this’ and insert:

‘expresses concern at the lack of progress of actions under the Developing a More Strategic Approach to 14-19 Education and Training framework; calls on the Minister of Education to assess the current per-pupil funding model for sixth form colleges to consider whether it adequately supports all learning pathways with the potential to help address identified skills gaps across the economy; and further calls on the Minister to work with the Minister for the Economy to provide a joint update on how they are collaborating to implement the 14-19 Education and Training framework and to outline what work they are doing to ensure that schools, and further and higher education organisations are collaborating and not competing with each other and that academic and vocational pathways, including apprenticeships, will have parity of esteem.’

Mrs Michelle Guy
Mr Nick Mathison
Ms Kate Nicholl
Ms Sian Mulholland

Debate ensued.

The Question being put, amendment 1 fell.

The Question being put, amendment 2 was made.

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

9. Adjournment

Proposed:

That the Assembly do now adjourn.

The Speaker

Mr Phillip Brett spoke to his topic regarding the Belfast Night Time Economy.

The Assembly adjourned at 4.45pm.

Mr Edwin Poots
The Speaker
4 February 2025

Northern Ireland Assembly

4 February 2025 – Division

Motion: Prayer of Annulment – The Direct Payments to Farmers (Cross-Compliance) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2024

Proposed:

That the Direct Payments to Farmers (Cross-Compliance) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2024 (SR 2024/211) be annulled.

Chairperson, Committee for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs

The Question was put and the Assembly divided.

Ayes: 53
Noes: 18

AYES

Dr Aiken, Dr Archibald, Ms D Armstrong, Mr Baker, Mr Beattie, Mr Bradley, Mr Brett, Miss Brogan, Mr Brooks, Ms Brownlee, Mr K Buchanan, Mr T Buchanan, Mr Buckley, Ms Bunting, Mr Butler, Mrs Cameron, Mr Chambers, Mr Clarke, Mr Crawford, Mrs Dillon, Miss Dolan, Mr Dunne, Mrs Ennis, Mrs Erskine, Mrs Ferguson, Miss Flynn, Ms Forsythe, Mr Frew, Mr Gaston, Mr Gildernew, Mr Givan, Miss Hargey, Mr Harvey, Mr Irwin, Mr Kelly, Ms Kimmins, Mr Kingston, Mrs Little-Pengelly, Mr Lyons, Mr McAleer, Mr McGuigan, Mr McHugh, Miss McIlveen, Mr Martin, Mrs Mason, Miss Á Murphy, Mr O'Dowd, Ms O'Neill, Ms Reilly, Mr Robinson, Mr Sheehan, Ms Sheerin, Ms Sugden.

Tellers for the Ayes: Mr Irwin, Miss McIlveen.

NOES

Ms K Armstrong, Mr Blair, Ms Bradshaw, Mr Carroll, Mr Dickson, Mr Donnelly, Ms Egan, Mrs Guy, Mr Honeyford, Mrs Long, Miss McAllister, Mr McMurray, Mr McReynolds, Mr Mathison, Mr Muir, Ms Mulholland, Ms Nicholl, Mr Tennyson.

Tellers for the Noes: Mr Donnelly, Mr McMurray.

The motion was carried.

Northern Ireland Assembly

Papers Presented to the Assembly on 4 February 2025.

1. Acts of the Northern Ireland Assembly

2. Bills of the Northern Ireland Assembly

Assembly Members (Remuneration Board) Bill (NIA Bill 09/22-27)

3. Orders in Council

4. Statutory Rules

SR 2025/16 The Kinard Park, Garvagh (Abandonment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2025 (Department for Infrastructure)

For Information Only

SR 2025/15 The Parking and Waiting Restrictions (Belfast) (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2025 (Department for Infrastructure)

5. Legislative Consent Memorandums

6. Assembly Reports

7. Written Ministerial Statements

8. Publications Laid in the Northern Ireland Assembly

9. Publications Presented in the Northern Ireland Assembly

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 4 February 2025
2022-2027 Mandate
Executive Bills

2022-2027 Mandate
Non-Executive Bills

/ Bills progressing by accelerated passage