Order Paper

1. Prayers

2. Assembly Business

Motion: Suspension of Standing Order 20(1)

Proposed:

That Standing Order 20(1) be suspended for Tuesday 13 October 2020.

Mr Keith Buchanan

Mr John O’Dowd

Mrs Dolores Kelly

Mr Robbie Butler

Ms Kellie Armstrong

Ms Clare Bailey

Motion: Referral to the Assembly and Executive Review Committee

Proposed:

That this Assembly refers to the Assembly and Executive Review Committee under Standing Order 59(3)(b) the matter of the commissioning of an independent review of the adequacy and effectiveness of the Statement of Entitlements for an Official Opposition, as set out in paragraph 3.7 of Annex C of the New Decade, New Approach Deal; agrees that the terms of reference for this review should be agreed jointly by this Committee and the Assembly Commission; and further agrees that the Committee should report on the outcome of this review to the Assembly.

Mr John Blair

Mr Keith Buchanan

Mr Robbie Butler

Mrs Dolores Kelly

Mr John O’Dowd

3. Question Time

3.1 The Executive Office

4. Public Petition

Restoration of Emergency Department at Downe Hospital

Mr Colin McGrath

5. Committee Business

Motion: Amend Standing Order 45A

Proposed:

Leave out Standing Order 45A and insert –

“(1) Subject to paragraph (3), where, at a time when all Northern Ireland Ministers ceased to hold office, a party is entitled to nominate a person to hold Ministerial office under section 18(2) to (6) of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, and declines to do so, that party may choose to be recognised as part of the official opposition.

(2) Subject to paragraph (3), where, during the relevant period, a party is entitled to nominate a person to hold a Ministerial office under section 18(10) of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, and declines to do so, that party may choose to be recognised as part of the official opposition.

(3) A party is not to be recognised as part of the official opposition if any member of that party holds a Ministerial office.

(4) Where only one party chooses to be recognised in accordance with paragraph (1) or paragraph (2) that party is to be regarded as the official opposition.

(5) In this order “relevant period” means the period of two years beginning with the date on which the Ministerial offices are filled under 16A(3)(b) of the Northern Ireland Act 1998.”.

Chairperson, Committee on Procedures

6. Private Members’ Business

Motion: Support for the Modern Slavery (Victim Support) Bill [HL] 2019-21

Proposed:

That this Assembly notes Anti-Slavery Day 2020 which seeks to raise awareness of human trafficking today; condemns the crime of human trafficking which tragically happens in our society; welcomes the progress Northern Ireland has made, with the passage of the Human Trafficking and Exploitation (Criminal Justice and Support for Victims) Act (Northern Ireland) 2015, and the work of the Department of Justice, statutory agencies, the PSNI and civil society organisations; calls for consideration of further support for victims of trafficking beyond the end of the support provided under the National Referral Mechanism; and calls on the UK Parliament to pass the Modern Slavery (Victim Support) Bill [HL] 2019-21 which would give confirmed victims of trafficking who find themselves in Northern Ireland, leave to remain for twelve months following the National Referral Mechanism so that they can receive the support they need to recover from their ordeal, and to make it possible for them to think about giving evidence against their traffickers in court, something that is essential to reverse the low conviction rates for traffickers.

Ms Joanne Bunting

Mr Gordon Dunne

Mr Paul Givan

Motion: Onshore Petroleum Licencing and Drilling

Proposed:

That this Assembly recognises the moratoria, in various forms, on fracking in England, Scotland and Wales and the ban on fracking in the Republic of Ireland; notes that this motion builds on the 2015 Strategic Planning Policy Statement presumption against the exploitation of unconventional hydrocarbon extraction in Northern Ireland; acknowledges its responsibility to protect public health and the environment; and calls on the Executive to instigate an immediate moratorium on petroleum licencing for all exploration for, drilling for and extraction of hydrocarbons until legislation is brought forward that bans all exploration for, drilling for and extraction of hydrocarbons in Northern Ireland.

Ms Rachel Woods

Mr Philip McGuigan

Ms Claire Sugden

Mr Jim Wells

7. Adjournment

• Acute Mental Health facility at Omagh Hospital and Primary Care Complex

Mr Thomas Buchanan