No.20-07/08

MINUTE OF PROCEEDINGS
TUESDAY 20 NOVEMBER 2007

The Assembly met at 10.30 am, the Speaker in the Chair

1. Personal Prayer or Meditation

Members observed two minutes’ silence.

2. Executive Committee Business

2.1 Statement – North-South Ministerial Council – Language Body Sectoral Format

Mr Edwin Poots, Minister of Culture, Arts and Lesiure, made a statement to the Assembly regarding the North-South Ministerial Council meeting in Language Body Sectoral format, following which he replied to questions.

2.2 Statement – North-South Ministerial Council – Environmental Sectoral Meeting

Mrs Arlene Foster, Minister of the Environment, made a statement to the Assembly regarding the North-South Ministerial Council Environmental Sectoral meeting, following which she replied to questions.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr McClarty) in the chair.

2.3 Final Stage – Children (Emergency Protection Orders) Bill (NIA 6/07)

Mr Michael McGimpsey, Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, moved that the Final Stage of the Children (Emergency Protection Orders)Bill (NIA Bill 6/07) be agreed.

NIA Bill 6/07 passed Final Stage.

2.4 Motion – Legislative Programme 2007/08

Proposed: That this Assembly takes note of the Legislative Programme for the 2007/08 session, as agreed by the Executive on 18 October, and conveyed in the letter of 19 October 2007, from the First Minister and deputy First Minister to the Speaker.

[First Minister and deputy First Minister]

Amendment

Proposed:At end insert:

‘; but expresses its regret that the Programme represents little new thinking or innovation on the part of the Executive, and that key matters requiring legislative action remain unaddressed.’

[Mr D Ford]
[Mrs N Long]
[Dr S Farry]

Debate ensued.

The sitting was suspended at 12.30 pm.

Debate resumed on the motion at 2.00 pm, the Deputy Speaker (Mr Dallat) in the chair.

The Amendment being put, the Amendment fell (Division 1).

The Question being put, the Motion was carried without division.

3. Private Members’ Business

3.1 Motion – Dangerous Dogs Legislation

Proposed: That this Assembly calls on the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, in light of recent revelations about dog fighting in Northern Ireland, and of attacks by dogs on persons and other dogs in recent years, to review the dangerous dogs legislation with a view to providing enhanced protection in terms of both animal welfare and public safety.

[Mr T Lunn]
[Mrs N Long]

Debate ensued.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr Molloy) in the chair.

The Question being put, the Motion was carried without division.

3.2 Motion – Smoking Age Increase in Northern Ireland

Proposed:That this Assembly notes the increase in the age restriction on purchasing tobacco that has been implemented in Great Britain; and calls upon the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to implement the same age restriction in Northern Ireland, as a matter of urgency.

[Mr J Shannon]

Debate ensued.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr McClarty) in the chair.

The Question being put, the Motion was carried without division.

4. Adjournment

Mr Dominic Bradley spoke on the referral of patients from Daisy Hill hospital to the Regional Acquired Brain Injury Unit.

Proposed: That the Assembly do now adjourn.

[The Speaker]

The Assembly adjourned at 5.20 pm.

Mr William Hay
The Speaker
20 November 2007  

NORTHERN IRELAND ASSEMBLY

20 NOVEMBER 2007

 DIVISIONS

 Division No. 1

Legislative Programme 2007-08 – Amendment

Proposed: At end insert:

‘; but expresses its regret that the Programme represents little new thinking or innovation on the part of the Executive, and that key matters requiring legislative action remain unaddressed.’

[Mr D Ford]
[Mrs N Long]
[Dr S Farry]

The Question was put and the Assembly divided.

Ayes: 32

Noes: 55

Ayes

Mr Attwood, Mr Beggs, Mr D Bradley, Mrs M Bradley, Mr P J Bradley, Mr Burns, Rev Dr Robert Coulter, Mr Cree, Mr Durkan, Mr Elliott, Dr Farry, Mr Ford, Mr Gallagher, Mrs Hanna, Mrs D Kelly, Mr Kennedy, Ms Lo, Mrs Long, Mr Lunn, Mr A Maginness, Mr McCallister, Mr McCarthy, Mr B McCrea, Dr McDonnell, Mr McFarland, Mr McNarry, Mr Neeson, Mr O’Loan, Mr P Ramsey, Mr K Robinson, Mr Savage, Mr B Wilson.

Tellers for the Ayes: Mr Lunn and Mr McCarthy.

Noes

Ms Anderson, Mr Boylan, Mr Brady, Mr Bresland, Mr Buchanan, Mr Butler, Mr T Clarke, Mr W Clarke, Mr Craig, Mr Dodds, Mr Doherty, Rt Hon J Donaldson, Mr Easton, Mrs Foster, Ms Gildernew, Mr Hamilton, Mr Hilditch, Mr Irwin, Mr G Kelly, Mr P Maskey, Mr F McCann, Ms J McCann, Mr McCartney, Mr McCausland, Mr I McCrea, Dr W McCrea, Mr McElduff, Mrs McGill, Mr M McGuinness, Mr McHugh, Miss McIlveen, Mr McLaughlin, Mr McQuillan, Mr Molloy, Lord Morrow, Mr Moutray, Mr Murphy, Mr Newton, Ms Ní Chuilín, Mr O’Dowd, Mr Paisley Jnr, Rt Hon Ian Paisley, Mr Poots, Ms S Ramsey, Mr G Robinson, Mrs I Robinson, Mr Ross, Ms Ruane, Mr Shannon, Mr Simpson, Mr Spratt, Mr Storey, Mr Weir, Mr Wells, Mr S Wilson.

Tellers for the Noes: Mr W Clarke and Mr Shannon.

The Amendment fell.

 NORTHERN IRELAND ASSEMBLY

 PAPERS PRESENTED TO THE ASSEMBLY ON

20 NOVEMBER 2007

1. Acts of the Northern Ireland Assembly
2. Bills of the Northern Ireland Assembly
3. Orders in Council
4. Publications Laid in the Northern Ireland Assembly
   Special EU Programmes Body Annual Report and Accounts 2006 (NIA 22/07-08)
   Northern Ireland Tourist Board Annual Report & Accounts 2005-2006 (NIA 59/07-08)
5. Assembly Reports
6. Statutory Rules
   (The department identified after each rule is for reference purposes only.)
   S.R. 2007/465 Pesticides (Maximum Residue Levels in Crops, Food and Feeding Stuffs) (Amendment No. 2) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2007 (DARD)
   S.R. 2007/470 The Disability Discrimination (Questions and Replies) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2007 (OFMDFM)
   S.R. 2007/473 The Disability Discrimination (Service Providers and Public Authorities Carrying Out Functions) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2007 (OFMDFM)
7. Consultation Documents
   Proposed Draft Sexual Offences ( Northern Ireland) Order 2007
8. Departmental Publications
9. Agency Publications
10. Westminster Publications
11. Miscellaneous Publications

 NORTHERN IRELAND LEGISLATION:

 EXECUTIVE BILLS

 PROCEEDINGS AS AT 20 NOVEMBER 2007

 Session 2006-2007  

Title & Bill Number	First Stage	Second Stage	Committee Stage Extension	Committee Stage Report		Consideration Stage Concluded	Further Consideration Stage	Final Stage	Royal Assent
				Laid	Printed
**Welfare Reform Bill (NIA Bill 1/07)	4.06.07	12.06.07	N/A	N/A	N/A	18.06.07	19.06.07	25.06.07	29.06.07
Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill (NIA Bill 2/07)	5.06.07	19.06.07	7.11.07	12.10.07	22.10.07
**Budget Bill (NIA Bill 3/07)	11.06.07	12.06.07	N/A	N/A	N/A	18.06.07	19.06.07	25.06.07	29.06.07
Taxis Bill (NIA Bill 4/07)	11.06.07	26.06.07	7.12.07
Libraries Bill (NIA Bill 5/07)	11.06.07	19.06.07	25.02.08

Session 2007-2008  

Title & Bill Number	First Stage	Second Stage	Committee Stage Extension	Committee Stage Report		Consideration Stage Concluded	Further Consideration Stage	Final Stage	Royal Assent
				Laid	Printed
**Children (Emergency Protection Orders) Bill (NIA Bill 6/07)	22.10.07	5.11.07	N/A	N/A	N/A	6.11.07	19.11.07	20.11.07
Pensions Bill (NIA Bill 7/07)	12.11.07

**Bills which are granted accelerated passage do not pass through a Committee Stage.