BUSINESS COMMITTEE
TUESDAY 8 APRIL 2008
IN ROOM 106, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
MINUTES
The meeting began at 12.35 pm
Present:
The Speaker (Chair)
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
Ms L Gordon 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 K Shiels Business Office
Mr H Widdis Legal Adviser
Observers:
Mr J Dallat Deputy Speaker
Mr F Molloy Deputy Speaker
Rt Hon J Donaldson Junior Minister
Mr G Kelly Junior Minister
Ms R Flanagan OFMDFM
1. Minutes of the meeting held on 1 April 2008
1.1 The minutes of the meeting held on 1 April were agreed and were signed by the Speaker.
2. Matters Arising
There were no matters arising.
3. Finalisation of Order Papers for Plenary meetings in week commencing 14 April 2008
Executive Business – week commencing 14 April
Members were referred to the draft Order Papers for Monday 14 and Tuesday 15 April. In light of the fact that the Consideration Stage of the Commission for Victims and Survivors Bill was not moved earlier in the day, the Further Consideration Stage and Final Stage could not be scheduled for Monday 14 and Tuesday 15 April. Mr K McCarthy asked that his dissatisfaction be recorded regarding the Consideration Stage not being moved. After discussion, Members noted that the Consideration Stage was now planned for the week commencing 21 April, with the following Stages planned for the week commencing 28 April. No additional Executive business was notified for 14 or 15 April.
Committee Business
3.2 Members agreed to schedule a business motion to appoint Mr Sean Neeson as the Assembly’s representative to the Regional Chamber of the Congress of Regional and Local Authorities of Europe (see paragraph 5.1).
Private Members’ Business
3.3 Mr D McNarry sought the agreement of the Committee to replace the motion ‘Review of the Strategic Investment Board’, scheduled for debate on Monday 14 April, with ‘Locally Produced Food’ (T Elliott, J McCallister). Members agreed the proposal and further agreed that up to 1 hour 30 minutes would be allocated for the debate.
4. Provisional arrangements for Plenary meetings in week commencing 21 April 2008
4.1 Members were referred to provisional Order Papers for Monday 21 April and Tuesday 22 April, along with a notice of forthcoming Executive business.
Executive Business – week commencing 21 April
4.2 In addition to Question Time on Monday 21 April, members agreed to schedule the Final Stage of the Public Health (Amendment) Bill. Members further agreed that the Consideration Stage of the Commission for Victims and Survivors Bill would be rescheduled for Tuesday 22 April.
Committee Business
4.3 There was no Committee business.
Private Members’ business
4.4 Members agreed to schedule: two private Members’ motions on Monday 21 April and two private Members’ motions on Tuesday 22 April. Members further agreed to schedule one adjournment topic on Tuesday 22 April. Members proposed a total of four motions:
- ‘Construction Industry Jobs’ (P Maskey, F Brolly, B McElduff, C Boylan)
- ‘Post Office Closures’ (C Hanna, J Dallat)
- ‘Graduated Driving Licensing’ (A Ross, P Weir)
- ‘Schengen Agreement’ (S Farry, D Ford, N Long, S Neeson)
4.5 Members therefore agreed to schedule the motions on: ‘Post Office Closures’ (C Hanna, J Dallat) and ‘Construction Industry Jobs’ (P Maskey, F Brolly, B McElduff, C Boylan) for Monday 21 April; and the motions on ‘Graduated Driving Licensing’ (A Ross, P Weir) and ‘Schengen Agreement’ (S Farry, D Ford, N Long, S Neeson) for Tuesday 15 April. Members agreed that up to 1 hour 30 minutes should be allocated for each debate.
4.6 Members proposed a total of two adjournment topics as follows:
- ‘Interfaces in North Belfast’ (C N í Chuil ín)
- ‘Public car parking spaces in Enniskillen’ (T Gallagher)
4.7 A vote being called, the votes of party delegations were cast as follows:
- Interfaces in North Belfast: 62 votes
- Public car parking spaces in Enniskillen: 43 votes
4.8 Members therefore agreed to schedule the adjournment topic ‘Interfaces in North Belfast’ (C N í Chuil ín) for Tuesday 22 April.
5. Any Other Business
5.1 The Speaker reminded members that, at the Business Committee meeting on 1 April 2008, they had agreed in principle that Mr S Neeson would be renominated as the Assembly representative to the Regional Chamber of the Congress of Regional and Local Authorities in Europe. Ms C N í Chuil ín informed members that her party had no objection to Mr Neeson going forward as the Assembly’s representative, but sought assurance that any important matters discussed by the Congress would be relayed to the Assembly. After further discussion, members agreed to schedule the motion to appoint Mr Neeson as the Assembly’s representative (see paragraph 3.2), under the names of Lord Morrow and Ms C N í Chuil ín. The Clerk was asked to maintain a record of the occasions on which members had signed business motions.
5.2 The Speaker sought agreement from the Committee that there would only be one Plenary sitting in the week commencing 5 May, as Monday 5 May would be a Bank Holiday. Members were content and agreed that the Assembly would only sit in Plenary session on Tuesday 6 May.
6. Date and Time of next meeting
6.1 Members agreed to meet during the lunchtime suspension at approximately 12.30 pm on Tuesday 15 April in Room 106.
The Speaker brought the meeting to a close at 1.05 pm.