No. 29-09/10
MINUTE OF PROCEEDINGS
MONDAY 25 JANUARY 2010
The Assembly met at NOON, the Speaker in the Chair
1. Personal Prayer or Meditation
Members observed two minutes’ silence.
2. Speaker’s Business
2.1 The Speaker informed Members that Mr Conall McDevitt had been returned as a Member of the Assembly for the Belfast South constituency to fill the vacancy that resulted from the resignation of Mrs Carmel Hanna. The Speaker also informed Members that Mr Jonathan Bell had been returned as a Member of the Assembly for the Strangford constituency to fill the vacancy that resulted from the resignation of Mrs Iris Robinson.
Mr McDevitt had signed the Roll of Members on Thursday 21 January 2010, and Mr Jonathan Bell on Monday 25 January 2010, in the presence of the Speaker and the Clerk/Director General. The Speaker confirmed that Mr McDevitt and Mr Bell had signed the Roll and had entered their designation of identity.
3 Assembly Business
3.1 Motion - Appointment to the Assembly Commission
Proposed: That, in accordance with Standing Order 79(4), Mr Alex Attwood be appointed to fill a vacancy on the Assembly Commission.
[Mr P Ramsey]
[Mr PJ Bradley]
[Mr T Burns]
The Question being put, the Motion was carried with cross-community support nemine contradicente.
4. Executive Committee Business
4.1 Statement - Independent Review of Economic Development Policy in Northern Ireland
Deputy Speaker (Mr Molloy) took the Chair.
The Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment, Mrs Arlene Foster, made a statement to the Assembly regarding the Independent Review of Economic Development Policy in Northern Ireland, following which she replied to questions.
5. Committee Business
5.1 Motion - Standing Committee Membership
Proposed: That Mr Declan O’Loan be appointed as a member of the Assembly and Executive Review Committee.
[Mr P Ramsey]
[Mr PJ Bradley]
[Mr T Burns]
The Question being put, the Motion was carried without division .
5.2 Motion - Statutory Committee Membership
Proposed: That Mr Conall McDevitt be appointed as a member of the Committee for Health, Social Services and Public Safety.
[Mr P Ramsey]
[Mr PJ Bradley]
[Mr T Burns]
The Question being put, the Motion was carried without division .
6. Private Members’ Business
6.1 Motion - Protestant Student Numbers Attending Northern Ireland Universities
Proposed: That this Assembly calls on the Minister for Employment and Learning to bring forward measures to ensure that more students from a Protestant background are encouraged to opt for universities in Northern Ireland as their first choice.
[Mr A Easton]
[Mr J Craig]
[Mr T Buchanan]
Debate ensued.
The Speaker took the Chair.
The debate was suspended for Question Time.
7. Question Time
7.1 Minister of Education
Questions were put to, and answered by, the Minister of Education, Ms Caitriona Ruane.
7.2 Minister for Employment and Learning
Questions were put to, and answered by, the Minister for Employment and Learning, Sir Reg Empey.
8. Private Members’ Business (Cont’d)
8.1 Motion - Protestant Student Numbers Attending Northern Ireland Universities (Cont’d)
Debate resumed on the Motion.
The Question being put, the Motion was negatived without division.
8.2 Motion - Independent Review of Policy on the Location of Public Sector Jobs (The Bain Review)
Proposed: That this Assembly notes the significant social, regional development, economic and long term environmental benefits of a programme of decentralisation of public sector jobs; calls on the Minister of Finance and Personnel to reconsider his stated position on the implementation of the ‘Independent Review of Policy on the Location of Public Sector Jobs’; welcomes the Minister’s recognition that it requires an Executive decision; and calls on the Executive to discuss the issue at its next meeting with a view to taking immediate action to fully implement the Review’s recommendations by assessing options for decentralising public sector jobs within all Government Departments and public sector agencies.
[Mr P Ramsey]
[Mr D O’Loan]
[Mrs D Kelly]
Deputy Speaker (Mr Dallat) took the Chair.
Debate ensued.
The Question being put, the Motion was negatived (Division 1).
9. Adjournment
Proposed: That the Assembly do now adjourn.
[The Speaker]
The Assembly adjourned at 5.49 pm.
Mr William Hay
The Speaker
25 January 2010
NORTHERN IRELAND ASSEMBLY
25 JANUARY 2010
DIVISIONS
Division No. 1
Independent Review of Policy on the Location of Public Sector Jobs (The Bain Review) - Motion
Proposed: That this Assembly notes the significant social, regional development, economic and long term environmental benefits of a programme of decentralisation of public sector jobs; calls on the Minister of Finance and Personnel to reconsider his stated position on the implementation of the ‘Independent Review of Policy on the Location of Public Sector Jobs’; welcomes the Minister’s recognition that it requires an Executive decision; and calls on the Executive to discuss the issue at its next meeting with a view to taking immediate action to fully implement the Review’s recommendations by assessing options for decentralising public sector jobs within all Government Departments and public sector agencies.
[Mr P Ramsey]
[Mr D O’Loan]
[Mrs D Kelly]
The Question was put and the Assembly divided.
Ayes: 32
Noes: 39
Ayes
Ms Anderson, Mr Attwood, Mr Boylan, Mr D Bradley, Mrs M Bradley, Mr P J Bradley, Mr Brady, Mr Burns, Mr Butler, Mr Gallagher, Mrs D Kelly, Mr Leonard , Mr A Maginness, Mr A Maskey, Mr P Maskey, Mr F McCann, Ms J McCann, Mr McCartney, Mr McDevitt , Dr McDonnell, Mrs McGill, Mr McGlone, Mr McHugh, Mr McKay, Mr McLaughlin, Mr Molloy, Ms Ní Chuilín, Mr O’Dowd, Mr O’Loan, Mr P Ramsey, Ms S Ramsey, Ms Ritchie.
Tellers for the Ayes: Mr D Bradley and Mr Burns.
Noes
Mr Beggs, Mr Bell, Mr Bresland, Lord Browne, Mr Buchanan, Mr Campbell, Mr T Clarke, Mr Craig, Mr Cree, Rt Hon J Donaldson, Mr Easton, Mr Elliott, Mr Hamilton, Mr Irwin, Mr Kinahan, Ms Lo, Mr McCallister, Mr McCarthy, Mr McCausland, Mr B McCrea, Mr I McCrea, Dr W McCrea, Mr McFarland, Miss McIlveen, Mr McNarry, Mr Moutray, Mr Newton, Mr Poots, Mr G Robinson, Mr K Robinson, Mr Ross, Mr Savage, Mr Shannon, Mr Simpson, Mr Spratt, Mr Storey, Mr Weir, Mr B Wilson, Mr S Wilson.
Tellers for the Noes: Mr G Robinson and Mr Shannon.
The motion was negatived.
NORTHERN IRELAND ASSEMBLY
PAPERS PRESENTED TO THE ASSEMBLY FROM
20 - 25 January 2010
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
5. Assembly Reports
Eighth Report of the Examiner of Statutory Rules
6. Statutory Rules
(The Department identified after each rule is for reference purposes only)S.R. 2010/7 The Seed Potatoes (Amendment) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2010 (DARD)
S.R. 2010/8 The Housing Benefit (War Pension Disregards Amendment) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2010 (DSD)
For Information Only:
7. Written Ministerial Statements
8. Consultation Documents
Consultation on Options for Distribution of the UK Share of the EU Dairy Fund (DARD)
Consultation on the Review of the Northern Ireland Poultry Health Assurance Scheme (NIPHAS) Fees (DARD)
9. Departmental Publications
Public Appointments Annual Report 2008/2009 (OFMDFM)
Consultation on Draft Guidance on the Legal Definition of Waste and its Application (DOE)
InterTradeIreland: Annual Review of Activities and Annual Accounts 2008 (DETI)