NORTHERN IRELAND ASSEMBLY
BUSINESS COMMITTEE
TUESDAY 4 SEPTEMBER 2007
IN ROOM 106, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
MINUTES
The meeting began at 12.35 pm
Present: The Speaker (Chair)
Mr B Armstrong
Mr P J Bradley
Mr P Maskey
Mr K McCarthy
Mr P McGlone
Mr D McNarry
Lord Morrow
Ms C Ní Chuilín
Mr P Weir
Present (secretariat): Mr A Moir The Clerk
Mr J Reynolds Deputy Clerk
In attendance: Ms F Leneghan Assistant Private Secretary to
the Speaker
Ms C McGivern Director of Legal Services
Mr P Moore Clerk of Business
Observers: Mr J Dallat Deputy Speaker
Mr D McClarty Deputy Speaker
Mr F Molloy Deputy Speaker
Mr I Paisley Jnr. Junior Minister
Ms R Flanagan OFMDFM
1. Introduction
1.1 The Speaker welcomed members to the meeting and noted an apology from junior minister Mr Gerry Kelly.
2. Minutes of the meeting held on 3 July 2007
2.1 The minutes of the meeting held on 3 July were agreed and signed by the Speaker.
3. Matter Arising
3.1 Referring to paragraph 2.1 of the minutes (nominations to the British-Irish Inter-Parliamentary Body (BIIPB)) the Speaker sought further nominations from parties. Ms Ní Chuilín nominated Mr Barry McElduff as a Sinn Féin representative. Other parties’ representatives agreed to provide a response to the Speaker by the next meeting of the Business Committee.
4. Arrangements for plenary meetings in week commencing 10 September
4.1 Members were referred to draft Order Papers for Monday 10 September and Tuesday 11 September, along with a notice of forthcoming Executive business.
Executive Business
4.2 Members noted that there was no Executive business scheduled for either day, other than Question Time. Members expressed concern about the lack of Executive business and the Speaker undertook to seek an Executive work plan in time for the next meeting. Lord Morrow noted that Committees had brought forward little substantive business either.
4.3 Members were reminded that questions for answer on 10 and 17 September should be tabled in the Business Office by 3pm on 4 September.
Committee Business
4.4 Members agreed to schedule the motion on a change in committee membership as a business motion on Monday 10 September.
Private Members’ business
4.5 Members agreed that two Private Members’ motions should be scheduled for debate on Monday 10 September, and three on Tuesday 11 September.
Members proposed a total of 5 motions for consideration.
4.6 By consensus, the motions on:
- Economic Development Task Force ((T Gallagher); and
- Tax Varying Powers (J McCann and M McLaughlin)
were selected for debate (in that order) on Monday 10 September.
4.7 By consensus, the motions on:
- The Football Offences Act (K McCarthy, K Deeny and B Wilson);
- Attacks on Orange Halls (A Easton, Lord Morrow and N McCausland); and
- National Minimum Wage (B McCrea and D McClarty)
were selected for debate (in that order) on Tuesday 11 September. It was also agreed that each motion would be allocated up to 1 hour and 30 minutes.
4.8 Members agreed an Adjournment debate for Tuesday 11 September – ‘The new visitors’ centre at the Giant’s Causeway’ (D O’Loan)
4.9 The Speaker asked members to remind colleagues that they needed to be in the Chamber in good time to move motions and amendments, and that he would not suspend the sitting in the event that a Member was not present when his or her item of business was reached.
5. Committee on Procedures Inquiry into Committee systems and Structures
5.1 Members agreed to consider the terms of reference for the Inquiry only as they impacted directly on the work of the Business Committee. A number of points were agreed (unanimously) for inclusion in the Speaker’s response to the Chair of the Procedures Committee. These are attached as Appendix 1 to these minutes.
6. Any Other Business
6.1 Members’ attention was drawn to a request from the Minister for Employment and Learning to exchange his ‘slot’ in Question Time with that of the Minister of the Environment. After discussion, members agreed to the request and further agreed that a revised rota should be issued.
6.2 Members noted a copy of a letter received in the Business Office which related to the issue, by OFMDFM, of an unpublished research paper (‘the financial cost of the Northern Ireland divide’) to an MLA under Freedom of Information, and which provided background information on the paper.
6.3 The Speaker informed members that he and the deputy Speakers would seek to maintain a more orderly approach to the conduct of proceedings in the new session, and sought members’ co-operation in this regard. The Speaker advised that an updated ‘Notes for Whips’ paper had been provided in members’ folders, and drew particular attention to the references to changes in audio equipment in the Chamber which would be in place by the next Assembly sitting.
6.4 Members were advised of plans for a major refurbishment of the Assembly Chamber which was due to take place during the summer 2008 recess. The Speaker further advised that a project group was to be set up to advise on the refurbishment and that 2 members of the Business Committee would be invited to participate. He asked that members consider appropriate nominations for the group and added that Executive input would also be sought.
6.5 The Speaker informed members that Parliament Buildings was due to close at lunchtime on Thursday 15 November to facilitate a ‘World Rally Ireland’ event. Members agreed that the deadline for written questions on that day should be 11 am.
6.6 The Speaker reminded members that the Deputy Clerk would recommence his informal briefings for party whips on Monday 10 September at 10am in Room 106.
7. Date and Time of next meeting
7.1 Members, having considered the proposed arrangements for televising Assembly business, agreed to meet during a lunchtime suspension of the Assembly sitting (at around 12.30 pm) on Tuesday 11 September in Room 106, with the sitting to resume at 2pm.
The Speaker brought the meeting to a close at 1.45 pm.
William Hay
The Speaker
Appendix 1
Business Committee response to the Committee on Procedures Inquiry into Committee Systems and Structures
First term of Reference: “To examine the membership of committees with particular reference to the number of members sitting on committees and the number of members serving on multiple committees.”
Standing Orders expressly make the Business Committee an exception to the rules relating to the appointment of Chairs and Deputy Chairs, and members of the Business Committee are content with the current chairing arrangements. They are also content that Standing Order 50 (5) provides sufficient flexibility to provide for fair representation of political parties on the Business Committee in the current and future Assemblies.
Members wished to remind the Committee on Procedures that, if changes were being considered to the numbers of members on each Committee, this may affect the Business Committee’s current obligations regarding the allocation of seats on Committees and the number of Statutory Committees to be established (see Standing Orders 45 and 47(5)).
Second term of reference: “To assess the use of substitutes in committees”.
The current Standing Order 50(5) allows each member of the Business Committee to appoint a substitute who has voting rights, and this is unique among Assembly committees. Members are content that the current Standing Order ensures that each party’s views may be taken into account at meetings of the Business Committee, and that no drawbacks have emerged from the operation of the system from May to July 2007.
Members are also content that the substitute should be ‘attached’ to the Committee member rather than his or her party, and that appointments should be made prior to a substitute attending a meeting.
Third term of reference: “To examine the arrangements for quorums in committees”.
Members are content that the Business Committee quorum should remain the same as for other Committees, and have no specific concerns about quorum becoming an issue for the Business Committee.
Fourth term of reference: “To consider the possibility of the use of rapporteurs in committees.”
Members are content with current arrangements for reporting the Business Committee’s decisions in the minutes, and agree that the Business Committee does not require the use of a rapporteur.
Fifth term of reference: “To give consideration to the days and times on which committees should meet, the frequency of meetings and facilities for meetings.”
Members are content with the current weekly meeting arrangements for the Business Committee, and that additional meetings may be called at short notice in exceptional circumstances.
Some concerns were expressed about other Committees’ meetings being scheduled during plenary sessions, with one member describing this as “unsuitable practice”. Other members, however, noted that the practice was common in other legislatures.
The Business Committee accepts that it cannot direct other Committees as to when they should meet. However, if a Committee meets during a sitting of the Assembly, the Committee’s members cannot then make demands on the Assembly in terms of their ability to attend the Chamber.
Sixth term of reference: “To consider the procedures for voting in committees”.
Voting in the Business Committee, governed by Standing Order 50(6), is unique among Committees, with a party delegation entitled to cast the number of votes equivalent to the numbers of members who adhere to the whip of the party. Members are content with these arrangements.
The Speaker does not have a vote in the Business Committee. Members were content with this, and also agreed that a member acting as Chair of the Business Committee (in the Speaker’s absence) should not be constrained from casting the votes of his or her party delegation. It was agreed that no change to Standing Orders was necessary.
Seventh term of reference: “To assess the possibility of introducing Standing Orders to allow for joint committees”.
Members are content that the existing provisions of Standing Order 59, which allow for joint working between Committees, are adequate, and that the responsibility for ruling on Committee ‘primacy’, where matters appear to fall within the remit of more than one Committee, should remain with the Business Committee.
Eighth term of reference: “To report to the Assembly making recommendations on the findings of the Committee on Procedures into committee systems and structures”.
The Business Committee looks forward to receiving the report from the Committee on Procedures, and to considering motions relating to the report, or which seek to amend Standing Orders, that may emerge.
ENDS