BUSINESS COMMITTEE
TUESDAY 5 FEBRUARY 2008
IN ROOM 106, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
MINUTES
The meeting began at 12.45 pm
Present:
The Speaker (Chair)
Mr B Armstrong
Mr PJ Bradley
Mr P Maskey
Mr K McCarthy
Mr P McGlone
Lord Morrow
Ms C Ní 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:
Ms F Leneghan Assistant Private Secretary to the Speaker
Mr H Widdis Legal Adviser
Mrs S Young Business Office
Observers:
Mr J Dallat Deputy Speaker
Mr D McClarty Deputy Speaker
Mr F Molloy Deputy Speaker
Mr G Kelly Junior Minister
Mr I Paisley Jnr Junior Minister
Mr N Jackson OFMDFM
1. Introduction
1.1 The Speaker welcomed members to the meeting and noted an apology from Mr David McNarry.
2. Minutes of the meeting held on 29 January 2008
2.1 The minutes of the meeting held on 29 January 2008 were agreed and were signed by the Speaker.
3. Matters Arising
3.1 There were no matters arising.
4. Finalisation of Order Papers for Plenary meetings in week commencing 11 February 2008
4.1 Members were referred to the draft Order Papers for Monday 11 and Tuesday 12 February. In addition to the business scheduled the previous week, members agreed to schedule a Committee motion relating to the extension of the Committee Stage of the Charities Bill. Members allocated no specific time limit to this debate, but anticipated that it would last no longer than 5 minutes.
4.2 The Speaker sought information from the junior Ministers in relation to Ministerial speaking times for the Executive motions scheduled for Monday 11 February. In light of the advice received, members agreed that the Minister of Finance and Personnel would be allocated up to 1 hour to propose and wind the debate on the two motions (the 2007-2008 Spring Supplementary Estimates and the 2008-2009 Vote on Account). Members also agreed that the Minister of the Environment would be allocated up to 30 minutes to propose and wind the take-note debate on the Review of draft PPS 14.
4.3 Members further agreed to allocate up to 20 minutes to the First Minister and deputy First Minister to propose and wind the motion on The Draft Disability Discrimination (Private Clubs, etc.) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2008, scheduled for Tuesday 12 February.
5. Provisional arrangements for Plenary meetings in week commencing 18 February 2008
5.1 Members were referred to provisional Order Papers for Monday 18 and Tuesday 19 February, along with a notice of forthcoming Executive business.
Executive Business – week commencing 18 February
5.2 In addition to Question Time on Monday 18 February, members agreed to schedule a Legislative Consent motion on the UK Energy Bill subject to the motion being 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.
5.3 Members were content that the Ministerial Statement proposed by the First Minister and deputy First Minister on the North-South Ministerial Council Plenary meeting would be scheduled for Tuesday 19 February. Members agreed to schedule the Consideration Stage of the Budget Bill for Tuesday 19 February. Members were reminded that no time limits were applied to debates on Bill Stages, and it was anticipated that 5 minutes should be sufficient for the purposes of indicative timings.
6. Private Members’ business
6.1 Members agreed to schedule two private Members’ motions on Monday 18 February and three private Members’ motions on Tuesday 19 February. Members further agreed to schedule one adjournment topic on Tuesday 19 February. Members proposed a total of five motions as follows:
6.2 Members proposed a total of five motions as follows:
- ‘Tourism’ (P Maskey)
- ‘The Re-Classification of the Terrorist Campaign’ (M Storey, Lord Morrow, W McCrea)
- ‘Roads Maintenance Funding’ (J McCallister)
- ‘Murder of Mr Paul Quinn’ (D Bradley)
- ‘Conductive Education’ (D Bradley, B McCrea, T Lunn, G Savage, F Molloy)
6.3 Members agreed to schedule the motion on ‘Roads Maintenance Funding’ (J McCallister) and the motion on ‘The Re-Classification of the Terrorist Campaign’ (M Storey, Lord Morrow, W McCrea) for Monday 18 February. Members agreed that up to 1 hour 30 minutes should be allocated for each debate.
6.4 Members agreed to schedule: the motion on ‘Tourism’ (P Maskey); the motion on the ‘Murder of Mr Paul Quinn’ (D Bradley); and the motion on ‘Conductive Education’ (D Bradley, B McCrea, T Lunn, G Savage, F Molloy) for Tuesday 19 February. Members further agreed that up to 1 hour 30 minutes should be allocated for each debate
6.5 The Speaker noted that three of the motions proposed had a single name attached. The Speaker urged Members to ensure that at least one other Member’s name was attached to each motion, prior to the Order Paper being issued, to help avoid the loss of business because of a Member’s absence.
6.6 Members proposed a total of two adjournment topics as follows:
- ‘Health Provision in Larne’ (A Ross)
- ‘Accident blackspots on the Culmore and Ardan roads’ (M Bradley)
6.7 A vote being called, the votes of party delegations were cast as follows:
- Health Provision in Larne: 62 votes
- Accident blackspots on the Culmore and Ardan roads: 16 votes
6.8 Members therefore agreed to schedule the Adjournment topic on ‘Health Provision in Larne’ (A Ross) for Tuesday 19 February.
7. Recess dates and Question Time Rota
7.1 The Speaker referred members to the papers relating to the proposed recess dates for 2008-2009 and the Question Time Rota for 31 March through to 30 June 2008. Members were content with the proposals set out in both papers.
8. Any Other Business
8.1 Ms C Ní Chuilín raised the issue regarding the events earlier in the day when Mr S Wilson was not in the Chamber to move his motion, resulting in the motion falling. After a general discussion, the Speaker informed members that he had sought leave to suspend the sitting in order to assist the House and to ensure that business ran as smoothly as possible. The Speaker reiterated the importance of Members ensuring that more than one name appears alongside each motion tabled. Members voiced no objection to the Speaker’s view that the issue might also be considered by the Committee on Procedures.
9. Date and Time of next meeting
9.1 Members agreed to meet during the lunchtime suspension at approximately 12.30 pm on Tuesday 12 February in Room 106.
The Speaker brought the meeting to a close at 1.15 pm.