BUSINESS COMMITTEE

TUESDAY 8 JANUARY 2008
IN ROOM 106, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS

MINUTES

The meeting began at 12.40 pm

Present:
The Speaker (Chair)
Mr B Armstrong
Mr PJ Bradley
Mr P Maskey
Mr K McCarthy
Mr P McGlone
Mr D McNarry
Lord Morrow
Ms C N í Chuilín
Mr P Weir

Present (secretariat):
Mrs C Devon Interim Clerk/Director General
Mr P Moore Clerk of Business
Mr A Murphy Assistant Clerk of Business

In attendance:
Mr R Good Adviser to the Speaker
Ms F Leneghan Assistant Private Secretary to the Speaker
Mr H Widdis Legal Adviser

Observers:
Mr G Kelly Junior Minister
Mr I Paisley Jnr Junior Minister
Mr N Jackson OFMDFM

1. Introduction

1.1 The Speaker informed members that Ms Car ál N í Chuil ín had appointed Ms Sue Ramsey as her substitute for the Business Committee. The Speaker also welcomed Mr Neil Jackson from OFMDFM to the meeting in place of Ms Rosalie Flanagan.

2. Minutes of the meeting held on 4 December 2007

2.1 The minutes of the meeting held on 4 December were agreed and were signed by the Speaker.

3. Matters Arising

3.1 Referring to paragraph 5.4 of the minutes (Mr Gerry McHugh’s resignation from Sinn F éin), the Speaker advised members that Mr McHugh had confirmed that he would no longer be adhering to the Sinn F éin party whip and therefore that party’s voting strength in the Business Committee was reduced to 27.

3.2. Referring to paragraph 3.1 of the minutes, the Speaker sought the views of members on the discussion paper relating to ‘Two-week scheduling – A Comparison with the Scottish System’. Following discussions, members agreed that the recommendations set out in the paper should be implemented. These are attached as an Appendix.

3.3 Referring to paragraph 5.3 of the minutes (review of representation of parties on Statutory and Standing Committees) the Speaker drew members’ attention to the relevant papers and sought their views. A general discussion ensued. Members noted that calculations, based on party strength, resulted in the allocation to parties of one seat fewer than required, in both Statutory and Standing Committees. Members agreed that in this, and in any future reviews, the party with the highest residual fraction should be allocated the seat.

3.4 When this principle was applied to current circumstances the DUP gained one seat on Statutory Committees (total 41) and Sinn F éin lost two seats (total 30), with one of the seats, under Standing Orders, to be offered to Mr Gerry McHugh as an Independent Member. Further, the DUP gained one Standing Committee seat (total 17) while Sinn F éin lost one (total 12). No other parties being affected, it was agreed that Sinn F éin and the DUP would discuss the way forward and bring their proposals back to the Business Committee at the next scheduled meeting.

3.5 Mr McCarthy raised the issue of his party not being represented on the Assembly and Executive Review Committee, and asked whether this review offered an opportunity to revisit that issue. Other members considered that the issue was not immediately related to the review.

4. Arrangements for plenary meetings in week commencing 14 and 21 January

4.1 Members were referred to draft Order Papers for Monday 14 and Tuesday 15 January and Monday 21 and Tuesday 22 January, along with a notice of forthcoming Executive business.

Executive Business – week commencing 14 January

4.2 In addition to Question Time, members were content that the Ministerial Statement proposed by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development on the outcome of the December Fisheries Council meeting would be delivered on Monday 14 January. Members further agreed to schedule a motion to approve a Statutory Rule on The Working Time (Amendment) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2007. Members allocated no specific time limit to this debate, but anticipated that it would last no longer than 15 Minutes

4.3 Members noted timing issues around a proposed legislative consent motion relating to the Health and Social Care Bill and agreed that the motion would be scheduled for Monday 14 January provided it was tabled prior to the issue of the Order Paper. Members allocated no specific time limit to this debate, but anticipated that the debate would last no longer than 30 minutes.

4.4 Members were content that the following Ministerial Statements would be delivered on Tuesday 15 January:

• NSMC Institutional Format – First Minister and deputy First Minister; and
• NSMC Health Sectoral Format – Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety.

Members were advised that a further statement, on the December Monitoring Outcome (Minister of Finance and Personnel), was likely for that day.

Mr Armstrong joined the meeting at 1 pm.

4.5 Members agreed that the Second Stage of the Charities Bill would be scheduled for Tuesday 15 January. Members further agreed that the Consideration Stage of the Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill would be scheduled for Tuesday 15 January. Members considered that 1 hour and 45 minutes respectively should be sufficient for the purposes of indicative timings.

Mr McNarry joined the meeting at 1.05 pm.

5. Private Members’ business

5.1 Members agreed to schedule: one private Members’ motion on Monday 14, Tuesday 15 and Monday 21 January; and two private Members’ motions on Tuesday 22 January. Members further agreed to schedule one adjournment topic on each of the four days. Members proposed a total of five motions and four adjournment topics as follows: 

• ‘All Party Assembly Group on Children and Young People’ (R Beggs, M Bradley, M McIlveen, S Ramsey, N Long, D Purvis)
• ‘Agency Workers’ (M McLaughlin)
• ‘Compensation for Farmers’ (PJ Bradley)
• ‘Public Transport Funding’ (N Long, S Farry)
• ‘Apprenticeships’ (J Shannon)

5.2 Members proposed a total of four adjournment topics as follows:

• ‘Apprenticeships in Foyle’ (M Anderson)
• ‘Funding crisis for the Enler Project, Ballybeen’ (I Robinson)
• ‘Disabled parking and footpath access for wheelchair users in Dundonald’ (D McNarry)
• ‘The 2005 collapse of Trivirax and the recovery of state funds (A Attwood)

6. Private Members’ business – week commencing 14 January

6.1 Members agreed to schedule the motion on ‘All Party Assembly Group on Children and Young People’ (R Beggs, M Bradley, M McIlveen, S Ramsey, N Long, D Purvis ) for Monday 14 January. Members further agreed that up to 1 hour 30 minutes should be allocated for this debate.

6.2 Members further agreed to schedule the motion on ‘Agency Workers’ (M McLaughlin) for Tuesday 15 January. Members further agreed that up to 1 hour 30 minutes should be allocated for this debate.

6.3 Members agreed to schedule the Adjournment topic on ‘Funding crisis for the Enler Project, Ballybeen’ (I Robinson) for Monday 14 January.

6.4 Members further agreed to schedule the Adjournment topic on ‘Apprenticeships in Foyle’ (M Anderson) for Tuesday 15 January.

7. Executive Business – week commencing 21 January

7.1 In addition to Question Time on Monday 21 January, members were content that the Ministerial Statement proposed by the Minister for Regional Development on the NSMC Transport Sectoral meeting would be delivered on Tuesday 22 January.

8. Committee Business – week commencing 21 January

8.1 Members agreed to schedule the motion from the Chairperson of the Committee for Health, Social Services and Public Safety on ‘Smoke Alarms in Homes’ for Monday 21 January. Members further agreed that up to 1 hour 30 minutes should be allocated for this debate.

9. Private Members’ Business – week commencing 21 January

9.1 Members agreed to schedule the motion on ‘Compensation for Farmers’ (PJ Bradley ) for Monday 21 January. Members further agreed that up to 1 hour 30 minutes should be allocated for this debate.

9.2 Members further agreed to schedule the motions on ‘Public Transport Funding’ (N Long, S Farry) and ‘Apprenticeships’ (J Shannon) for Tuesday 22 January. Members agreed that up to 1 hour 30 minutes should be allocated for these debates.

9.3 Members agreed to schedule the Adjournment topic on ‘Disabled parking and footpath access for wheelchair users in Dundonald’ (D McNarry) for Monday 21 January.

9.4 Members further agreed to schedule the Adjournment topic on ‘The 2005 collapse of Trivirax and the recovery of state funds’ (A Attwood) for Tuesday 22 January.

10. Review of the attendance of Junior Ministers at Business Committee meetings

10.1 The Speaker referred members to the letter from the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister relating to the attendance of the two junior Ministers at the Business Committee. Members were content that the junior Ministers should continue to attend the Business Committee.

11. Any Other Business

11.1 There was no other business.

12. Date and Time of next meeting

12.1 Members agreed to meet during the lunchtime suspension at approximately 12.30 pm on Tuesday 15 January in Room 106.

The Speaker brought the meeting to a close at 1.25 pm.

William Hay
The Speaker

Appendix A

‘Two-week scheduling – A Comparison with the Scottish System’

Recommendations

It is therefore recommended that the Business Committee:

1. Continues to schedule business two weeks ahead, but that the two-week ahead Order Paper be issued (the day after the Business Committee meets) as a ‘Provisional Order Paper’;
2. Reviews, at each meeting, the Order paper for the following week (i.e. one week ahead) and either confirms it, or agrees revisions to it, on the basis of new information received, or in response to motions tabled by the Executive and/or Assembly Committees;
3. Agrees that private Members’ business should not be subject to revision, other than in exceptional circumstances; and
4. Agrees that the reviewed Order Paper, whether confirmed or revised, should be issued (also the following day) as the final Order Paper for the forthcoming week.

04 December 07 / Menu