BUSINESS COMMITTEE
TUESDAY 2 DECEMBER 2008
IN ROOM 106, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
MINUTES
The meeting began at 12.50 pm
Present:
The Speaker (Chairperson)
Mr B Armstrong
Mr PJ Bradley
Mr T Burns
Mr F Cobain
Mr P Maskey
Mr K McCarthy
Lord Morrow
Ms C Ní Chuilín
Mr P Weir
Present (secretariat):
Mr T Reaney 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 H Widdis Legal Services
Mr K Shiels Business Office
Observers:
r D McClarty Deputy Speaker
Rt Hon J Donaldson Junior Minister
Mr G Kelly Junior Minister
Ms R Flanagan OFMDFM
1. Introduction
1.1 The Speaker noted an apology from Mr F Cobain.
2. Minutes of the meeting held on 25 November 2008
2.1 The minutes of the meeting held on 25 November 2008 were agreed and were signed by the Speaker.
3. Matters Arising
3.1 The Speaker referred members to paragraph 5.1 of the minutes (Executive request for additional plenary sitting) and relayed his concerns that aspects of the meeting on 25 November were made public. The Speaker reminded members of the long-standing convention of confidentiality within the Business Committee.
3.2 The Speaker referred members to paragraph 5.2 of the minutes (availability of Ministerial statements) and advised members that he had written to the First Minister and deputy First Minister on the issue, and that a copy of the letter was available for information in their packs.
4. Finalisation of Order Papers for Plenary meetings in week commencing 8 December
Executive Committee Business
4.1 Members agreed to schedule a motion to suspend Standing Orders, tabled by the Minister of Education, for Monday 8 December. Members further agreed to schedule the Second Stage of the Education Bill for Monday 8 December. Members agreed to schedule a motion to approve a statutory rule, tabled by the Minister of Finance and Personnel, on the Draft Institutions of Further Education (Public Sector Audit) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2008, for Monday 8 December. Members allocated no specific time limit to this debate.
Private Members’ Business
4.2 The DUP requested that the motion on ‘Shell Fish Regulations’, scheduled for Tuesday 9 December, be replaced with the motion on ‘Carbon Neutrality within the Northern Ireland Assembly’. Members agreed to the request.
5. Any Other Business
5.1 The Speaker referred members to the letter from the First Minister and deputy First Minister requesting an additional plenary sitting on Monday 15 December. Members agreed to the additional plenary sitting and agreed to defer the start of recess until Tuesday 16 December. Members further agreed to schedule a Ministerial statement, from the Minister of Finance and Personnel, on the December Monitoring Round. In addition to the Ministerial statement, members agreed to schedule a Take Note debate, tabled by the First Minister and deputy First Minister, on the ‘Impact of the Global Economic Downturn’. Members agreed that up to 3 hours would be allocated for this debate, with 20 minutes allowed for the moving and winding of the motion, up to 8 minutes for Statutory Committee Chairpersons and 5 minutes for all other speakers. Members agreed that no further business would be scheduled for Monday 15 December. The junior Minister, Rt Hon J Donaldson, informed members that the Executive will undertake to provide details of the decisions taken at its meeting on Thursday 11 December and that these will be sent to the Speaker and then circulated to Members as soon as possible thereafter.
5.2 Members further agreed to schedule a business motion to suspend Standing Orders for Monday 15 December in relation to the requirement to hold Question Time. Members agreed that the names of Lord Morrow and Ms C Ní Chuilín would appear alongside the motion.
6. Date and Time of next meeting
6.1 Members agreed to meet at approximately 12.30 pm on Tuesday 6 January 2009 in Room 106.
The Speaker brought the meeting to a close at 1.10 pm