BUSINESS COMMITTEE
WEDNESDAY
6 MAY
2009
IN ROOM 106, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
MINUTES
The meeting began at 10.00 am
Present:
The Speaker (Chairperson)
Mr F Cobain
Mr T Lunn
Mr P Maskey
Ms C Ní Chuilín
Mr P Ramsey
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
Ms K Duddy, Legal Services
Observers:
Ms R Flanagan, OFMDFM
1. Introduction
1.1 The Speaker thanked members for attending the reconvened meeting. Apologies were noted from Mr Armstrong, Mr Burns, Mr McCarthy, Lord Morrow, and both junior Ministers.
2. Update on Speaker’s meeting with the First Minister and deputy First Minister
2.1 The Speaker reminded members that the purpose of today’s meeting was to consider the position on health related items proposed as plenary business for the weeks beginning 11 and 18 May, following his meeting with the First Minister and deputy First Minister on 5 May. That meeting had been arranged to discuss issues surrounding Mr McGimpsey’s availability for plenary meetings, as referred to in his letter of 30 April 2009, as well as more general issues of Ministerial availability.
2.2 The Speaker advised members that the First Minister and deputy First Minister had given him an assurance that they would raise the general issue of Ministerial availability at the Executive meeting on 7 May 2009. The Speaker also reported, however, that unless the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety was in agreement, no other Minister could respond on his behalf to any of the health related motions currently scheduled.
2.3 During discussion, members noted that a compromise on the health motions had already been offered, but had not been accepted; and that while pressures clearly exist for the Health Minister in dealing with the potential crisis, existing support could suffer if the matter of attendance in the Chamber is not resolved.
3. Finalisation of Order Papers for Plenary meetings in week commencing 11 May
3.1 In relation to private Members’ business standing on the draft Order Paper for Monday 11 May, Mr Weir proposed a direct swap between the motion on ‘Health Provision for Older People’ (I Robinson, T Buchanan, A Easton), and the motion on ‘RUC Museum’ (J Shannon, J Spratt, S Hamilton), which had been provisionally scheduled for Monday 18 May. As Questions to DHSSPS were already scheduled for 2.30 pm on Monday 11 May, Mr Weir proposed that the motion on ‘Children Missing from Care’ (M McIlveen, E Poots, I McCrea, M Storey) should remain on the Order Paper in its current slot. Members agreed to these changes.
3.2 Mr Ramsey advised that his party’s adjournment topic ‘Non-acute hospital provision in Armagh City’ (D Bradley) should remain on the Order Paper for Tuesday 12 May, regardless of whether or not there would be a Ministerial response.
4. Provisional arrangements for Plenary meetings in week commencing 18 May
4.1 In relation to private Members’ business that had been scheduled provisionally at the meeting on 5 May, members agreed to reschedule the motion on ‘Health Provision for Older People’ for Monday 18 May (see paragraph 3.1 above). No further changes were made, but it was agreed that the Committee would review the position on all three health related motions at the next meeting.
The Speaker brought the meeting to a close at 10.20 am.