BUSINESS COMMITTEE
TUESDAY 15 APRIL 2008
IN ROOM 106, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
MINUTES
The meeting began at 12.35 pm
Present:
The Speaker (Chair)
Mr B Armstrong
Mr T Burns
Mr P Maskey
Mr K McCarthy
Mr P McGlone
Mr D McNarry
Lord Morrow
Ms C Ní Chuilín
Mr P Weir
Present (secretariat):
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
Mrs M Mageean Business Office
Mr H Widdis Legal Adviser
Observers:
Mr F Molloy Deputy Speaker
Rt Hon J Donaldson Junior Minister
Mr G Kelly Junior Minister
Ms R Flanagan OFMDFM
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Minutes of the meeting held on 8 April 2008
1.1 The minutes of the meeting held on 8 April were agreed and were signed by the Speaker.
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Matters Arising
2.1 There were no matters arising.
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Finalisation of Order Papers for Plenary meetings in week commencing 21 April 2008
Executive Business – week commencing 21 April
3.1 Members were referred to the draft Order Papers for Monday 21 and Tuesday 22 April, and to additional Executive business now being sought. Members agreed that the First Stage of the Local Government (Boundaries) Bill, along with the motion to allow this Bill to proceed under accelerated passage, would be scheduled for Monday 21 April. Members further agreed that the Second Stage of the Local Government (Boundaries) Bill would be scheduled for Tuesday 22 April. The Speaker reminded members that the Bill Office would write to Whips on Monday 21 April advising them about the amendments for the Consideration Stage of the Commission for Victims and Survivors Bill.Private Members’ Business – week commencing 21 April
3.2 The Speaker informed members that the motion on Construction Industry Jobs, scheduled for debate on Monday 21 April, had been amended to reflect agreement by Ministers that the responsibility for this area lay with DFP, rather than DETI. However, members noted that Mr Nigel Dodds would respond to this motion on behalf of Rt Hon Peter Robinson due to Ministerial availability issue.
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Provisional arrangements for Plenary meetings in week commencing 28 April 2008
4.1 Members were referred to provisional Order Papers for Monday 28 April and Tuesday 29 April, along with a notice of forthcoming Executive business.
Executive Business – week commencing 28 April
4.2 In addition to Question Time on Monday 28 April, members agreed to schedule the Further Consideration Stage of the Commission for Victims and Survivors Bill. Members further agreed to schedule the Consideration Stage of the Local Government (Boundaries) Bill and the Final Stage of the Commission for Victims and Survivors Bill for Tuesday 29 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 28 April and two private Members’ motions on Tuesday 29 April. Members further agreed to schedule one adjournment topic on Tuesday 29 April. Members proposed a total of five motions:
- ‘Access to Health Service Dental Treatment’ (C Ní Chuilín, M O’Neill, S Ramsey)
- ‘Review of Business Bureaucracy’ (S Hamilton, R Newton, D Simpson)
- ‘Aggregates Mapping Programme’ (F Cobain, J McCallister)
- ‘Death of Raymond McCord Jnr’ (A Attwood, A Maginness, D Kelly)
- ‘St. Patrick’s Day Public Holiday’ (K McCarthy)
4.5 A vote being called, the votes of party delegations were cast as follows:
- Access to Health Service Dental Treatment: 105 votes
- Review of Business Bureaucracy: 80 votes
- Aggregates Mapping Programme: 80 votes
- Death of Raymond McCord Jnr: 16 votes
- St. Patrick’s Day Public Holiday: 9 votes
4.6 Members therefore agreed to schedule the motions on: ‘Review of Business Bureaucracy’ (S Hamilton, R Newton, D Simpson) and ‘Death of Raymond McCord Jnr’ (A Attwood, A Maginness, D Kelly) for Monday 28 April; and the motions on ‘Access to Health Service Dental Treatment’ (C Ní Chuilín, M O’Neill, S Ramsey) and ‘Aggregates Mapping Programme’ (F Cobain, J McCallister) for Tuesday 29 April. Members agreed that up to 1 hour 30 minutes should be allocated for each debate.
4.7 Members proposed a total of four adjournment topics as follows:
- ‘Ambulance cover in South Armagh’ (M Brady)
- ‘Regeneration of the Sandy Row area in South Belfast’ (J Spratt)
- ‘Neighbourhood renewal in Foyle’ (M Durkan)
- ‘John Lewis proposed development at Sprucefield’ (T Lunn)
4.8 A vote being called, the votes of party delegations were cast as follows:
- Ambulance cover in South Armagh: 27 votes
- Regeneration of the Sandy Row area in South Belfast: 53 votes
- Neighbourhood renewal in Foyle: 43 votes
- John Lewis proposed development at Sprucefield: 9 votes
4.9 Members therefore agreed to schedule the adjournment topic ‘Regeneration of the Sandy Row area in South Belfast’ (J Spratt) for Tuesday 29 April.
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Any Other Business
5.1 Ms C Ní Chuilín raised concerns about the nature of Adjournment topics, including whether topics could be spread more evenly across Ministerial responsibility. After discussion, members agreed that this was an issue that party groups might consider when putting forward Adjournment topics for debate.
5.2 Mr K McCarthy raised the issue of all Members, and Ministers, receiving extra time when they allow interventions, regardless of the length of speaking time allocated. The Speaker reminded members that interventions should be short and focussed and should not develop into lengthy statements. There followed a short discussion about the potential cumulative impact that this might have over the course of a debate on the number of Members who could be called to speak. Members agreed that this matter should be kept under review.
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Date and Time of next meeting
6.1 Members agreed to meet during the lunchtime suspension at approximately 12.30 pm on Tuesday 22 April in Room 106.
The Speaker brought the meeting to a close at 1.05 pm.
William Hay
The Speaker