BUSINESS COMMITTEE
TUESDAY 13 JANUARY 2009
IN ROOM 106, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
MINUTES
The meeting began at 1.00 pm
Present:
The Speaker (Chairperson)
Mr T Burns
Mr F Cobain
Mr P Maskey
Mr K McCarthy
Mr P McGlone
Ms C Ní Chuilín
Mr P Weir
Present (secretariat):
Mr T Reaney Clerk/Director General
Mr J Stewart Director of Clerking and Reporting
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
Mrs M Mageean Business Office
Observers:
Mr J Dallat Deputy Speaker
Mr F Molloy Deputy Speaker
Rt Hon J Donaldson Junior Minister
Ms R Flanagan OFMDFM
1. Introduction
1.1 The Speaker noted apologies from Lord Morrow and Mr B Armstrong.
2. Minutes of the meeting held on 6 January 2009
2.1 The minutes of the meeting held on 6 January 2009 were agreed and were signed by the Speaker.
3. Matters Arising
3.1 The Speaker referred members to paragraph 5.4 of the minutes (time allocation for the Assembly and Executive Review Committee report) and informed members that the Assembly and Executive Review Committee had not reached a consensus on how long should be allocated for the debate. After general discussion, members agreed to allocate up to 2 hours for the debate.
4. Finalisation of Order Papers for Plenary meetings in week commencing 19 January
Executive Committee Business
4.1 Members noted that the Minister of Education planned to make a statement to the Assembly, on Monday 19 January, on the North-South Ministerial Council Education sectoral format meeting.
Private Members’ Business
4.2 Sinn Féin requested that the motion on ‘Women’s Organisations’, scheduled for Tuesday 20 January, be replaced with the motion on ‘Gaza Crisis’. Members agreed to the request.
5. Provisional arrangements for Plenary meetings in week commencing 26 January
Executive Committee Business
5.1 In addition to Question Time on Monday 26 January, members agreed to schedule the Further Consideration Stage of the Financial Assistance Bill.
5.2 Members further agreed to schedule the Final Stage of the Financial Assistance Bill, the Further Consideration Stage of the Building Regulations (Amendment) Bill and a motion, tabled by the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment, to approve the draft Energy (Amendment) Order (NI) 2009 for Tuesday 27 January.
Committee Business
5.3 Members were informed of the possibility of a motion from the Committee for Education for Monday 26 January and a motion from the Committee for Finance and Personnel, on the Strategic Stocktake, for Tuesday 27 January.
Private Members’ Business
5.4 Members agreed to schedule one private Members’ motion on Monday 26 January and one private Members’ motion on Tuesday 27 January. Under the system of allocating private Members’ business, the UUP and Alliance proposed the following motions to fill the two available slots:
- ‘Welfare of Animals Act’ (T Elliott, J McCallister, G Savage)
- ‘Shared Future’ (D Ford, N Long, S Farry)
5.5 Members therefore agreed to schedule the motion on ‘Welfare of Animals Act’ (T Elliott, J McCallister, G Savage) for Monday 26 January; and the motion on ‘Shared Future’ (D Ford, N Long, S Farry) for Tuesday 27 January. Members agreed that up to 1 hour 30 minutes should be allocated for each debate, with the usual speaking times.
5.6 Members further agreed to schedule one adjournment topic on Tuesday 27 January. Members proposed a total of three adjournment topics as follows:
- ‘The retention of Jobs and Benefits Office posts and services in Omagh’ (B McElduff)
- ‘Social Security Agency Offices and Jobs in the Foyle constituency’ (M Durkan)
- ‘Proposed John Lewis Development near Sprucefield’ (T Lunn)
5.7 A vote being called, the votes of party delegations were cast as follows:
- The retention of Jobs and Benefits Office posts and services
in Omagh: 62 votes
- Social Security Agency Offices and Jobs in the Foyle
constituency: 25 votes
- Proposed John Lewis Development near Sprucefield: 9 votes
5.8 Members therefore agreed to schedule the adjournment topic ‘The retention of Jobs and Benefits Office posts and services in Omagh’ (B McElduff) for Tuesday 27 January.
6. Response from OFMDFM
6.1 The Speaker referred Members to the response from the First Minister and deputy First Minister in relation to concerns raised on 25 November 2008 about the distribution of Ministerial statements. Members noted the response.
7. Any Other Business
7.1 The Speaker referred members to a letter from the Minister for Employment and Learning seeking to exchange slots with the Minister of the Environment on the Question Time rota on Monday 16 and Monday 23 February. Members agreed to the request.
7.2 The Speaker informed members that he would not be present to Chair the next meeting of the Business Committee and that Lord Morrow would therefore Chair the meeting in his absence.
8. Date and Time of next meeting
8.1 Members agreed to meet at approximately 12.30 pm on Tuesday 20 January 2009 in Room 106.
The Speaker brought the meeting to a close at 1.25 pm.