BUSINESS COMMITTEE
TUESDAY 15 JANUARY 2008
IN ROOM 106, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
MINUTES
The meeting began at 12.35 pm
Present:
The Speaker (Chair)
Mr B Armstrong
Mr PJ Bradley
Mr P Maskey
Mr K McCarthy
Mr D McNarry
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 J Dallat Deputy Speaker
Mr D McClarty Deputy Speaker
Mr G Kelly Junior Minister
Mr I Paisley Jnr Junior Minister
Ms R Flanagan OFMDFM
1. Minutes of the meeting held on 8 January 2008
1.1 The minutes of the meeting held on 8 January 2008 were agreed and were signed by the Speaker.
2. Matters Arising
2.1 Referring to paragraph 3.4 of the minutes (reallocation of Committee seats – resignation of Mr McHugh), the Speaker sought comment from Sinn F éin and the DUP on their discussions. Ms N í Chuil ín informed members that it was proposed that Mr Pat Doherty would replace Mr Gerry McHugh on the Committee for Agriculture and Rural Development; and that Sinn F éin would vacate one Statutory Committee seat to be offered to Mr McHugh and two seats to be taken by the DUP - one on the Environment Committee and one on the Public Accounts Committee (Standing Committee). Ms N í Chuil ín and Mr Weir agreed that the outstanding names and relevant Committee would be forwarded to the Business Office for inclusion in the appropriate motions. Members were advised that the outworking of the proposal would, for both Statutory and Standing Committees, comply with Standing Orders and the decisions taken by the Business Committee at its previous meeting. Members agreed that the two motions would appear on the Order Paper for Monday 21 January. Members further agreed that the names of Mr PJ Bradley and Mr K McCarthy would appear alongside the two motions.
2.2 Referring to paragraph 6.1 of the minutes (Private Members’ motion - All Party Assembly Group on Children and Young People), the Speaker informed members that he had allowed 6 names to appear alongside the motion on the Order Paper as this reflected the cross-party nature of the motion. The Speaker also informed members that in future he wouldallow more than 4 names for cross-party motions (but only 1 name per party) and that he would retain the maximum of 4 names where these were Members from one party.
3. Finalisation of Order Papers for Plenary meetings in week commencing 21 January 2008
3.1 Members were referred to the Provisional Order Papers for Monday 21 and Tuesday 22 January. Apart from the two additional motions referred to at paragraph 2.1, members agreed that no other changes were required to the Order Papers for Monday 21 and Tuesday 22 January, and that these should issue in final form on 16 January.
4. Provisional arrangements for Plenary meetings in week commencing 28 January 2008
4.1 Members were referred to draft Order Papers for Monday 28 and Tuesday 29 January, along with a notice of forthcoming Executive business.
Executive Business – week commencing 28 January
4.2 In addition to Question Time, members agreed that the Further Consideration Stage of the Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill would be scheduled for Monday 28 January. Members considered that up to 5 minutes should be sufficient for the purposes of indicative timings.
4.3 The Speaker asked the junior Ministers if they could provide any information in relation to the likelihood of a Programme for Government motion and a Budget motion being tabled for debate during this week. Junior Minister Paisley advised members that the Executive was likely to make a decision on these two motions at the Executive meeting on 17 January. Members agreed that up to 6 hours each should be allocated for debates on the Programme for Government and the Budget when these were tabled and selected for debate. Members anticipated that a motion to suspend the Standing Orders relating to a time restriction on the Monday sitting would be tabled by the Executive.
5. Committee Business
5.1 Members agreed to schedule the motion to approve the report of the Ad- Hoc Committee on the Draft Criminal Justice ( Northern Ireland) Order 2007 for Monday 28 January. Members further agreed that up to 2 hours should be allocated for this debate.
6. Private Members’ business
6.1 After discussions, and in light of the potential Executive business for Monday 28 and Tuesday 29 January, members agreed to provisionally select private Members’ business for the two days, but with the understanding that this would give way to the Executive business, should that emerge. Members agreed to schedule one private Members’ motion on Monday 28 January and two private Members’ motions on Tuesday 29 January. Members further agreed to schedule one Adjournment topic on Tuesday 29 January. Members proposed a total of five motions as follows:
- ‘Private Armies’ (D McNarry);
- ‘North-South Electricity Interconnector’ (C Boylan);
- ‘Exploitation of Migrant Labour and Human Trafficking’ (D Kelly);
- ‘Schengen Agreement’ (S Farry, D Ford, N Long, S Neeson); and
- ‘Youth Services Budget’ ( S Wilson).
6.2 Members proposed a total of three adjournment topics as follows:
‘The need for a review of health provision and investment in health services in the Larne area’ (R Beggs);
- ‘Accident blackspots on the Culmore and Ardan roads’ (M Bradley); and
- ‘Broadband access in rural parts of West Tyrone’ (B McElduff).
6.3 A vote being called, the votes of party delegations were cast as follows:
- Private Armies: 53 votes
- North-South Electricity Interconnector: 52 votes
- Exploitation of Migrant Labour and Human Trafficking: 52 votes
- Schengen Agreement: 52 votes
- Youth Services Budget: 78 votes
6.4 The motions on ‘Private Armies’ and ‘Youth Services Budget’ were therefore scheduled for debate. As three of the motions were tied on 52 votes, members agreed to vote again. The votes of party delegations were cast as follows:
- North-South Electricity Interconnector: 27 votes
- Exploitation of Migrant Labour and Human Trafficking: 51 votes
- Schengen Agreement: 27 votes
The motion ‘Exploitation of Migrant Labour and Human Trafficking’ was therefore scheduled for debate.
6.5 Members agreed to provisionally schedule the motion on ‘Private Armies’ (D McNarry) for Monday 28 January. Members further agreed that up to 1 hour 30 minutes should be allocated for this debate.
6.6 Members agreed to provisionally schedule the motion on ‘Youth Services Budget’ (S Wilson) and the motion on ‘Exploitation of Migrant Labour and Human Trafficking’ (D Kelly), in that order, for Tuesday 29 January. Members further agreed that up to 1 hour 30 minutes should be allocated for each of these debates.
6.7 Mr PJ Bradley and Mr D McNarry agreed to withdraw their Adjournment topic proposals. Members therefore agreed to provisionally schedule the Adjournment topic ‘Broadband access in rural parts of West Tyrone’ (B McElduff) for Tuesday 29 January.
7. Any Other Business
7.1 The Speaker reminded party whips of the points of order raised by some Members at the conclusion of Question Time on Monday 14 January. Whips agreed to bring any comments to the next Business Committee meeting on the paper provided to them during their recent meetings with the Speaker.
7.2 The Speaker informed members that a discussion paper will be provided in the near future setting out alternative arrangements for selecting private Members’ business.
7.3 Mr McNarry raised a concern that the procedures for Adjournment debates may be too restrictive if Members from outside the relevant constituency did not have the opportunity to speak. Mr Weir also felt that it may be useful to consider the procedures around Adjournment debates. The Speaker advised members that he and the deputy Speakers would continue to afford some flexibility in relation to Adjournment debates.
8. Date and Time of next meeting
8.1 Members agreed to meet during the lunchtime suspension at approximately 12.30 pm on Tuesday 22 January in Room 106.
The Speaker brought the meeting to a close at 1.20 pm.