Northern Ireland Assembly Flax Flower Logo

No. 37-09/10

MINUTE OF PROCEEDINGS

MONDAY 22 FEBRUARY 2010

The Assembly met at noon, the Deputy Speaker (Mr Molloy) in the Chair

1. Personal Prayer or Meditation

Members observed two minutes’ silence.

2. Executive Committee Business

2.1 Motion - The Rates (Regional Rates) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2010
Proposed:

That the Rates (Regional Rates) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2010 be affirmed.

Minister of Finance and Personnel

Debate ensued.

The Question being put, the Motion was carried with cross-community support (Division 1).

2.2 Motion - Legislative Consent Motion - Equality Bill
Proposed:

That this Assembly endorses the principle of the extension to Northern Ireland of the provisions of the Equality Bill dealing with the abolition of the presumption of advancement.

Minister of Finance and Personnel

Debate ensued.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr Dallat) took the Chair.

The debate was suspended for Question Time.

3. Question Time

3.1 Education

Questions were put to, and answered by, the Minister of Education, Ms Caitríona Ruane.

3.2 Employment and Learning

Questions were put to, and answered by, the Minister for Employment and Learning, Sir Reg Empey.

4. Executive Committee Business (Cont’d)

4.1 Motion - Legislative Consent Motion - Equality Bill (Cont’d)

Debate resumed on the motion.

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

5. Committee Business

(a) Motion - Amend Standing Orders
Proposed:

Leave out Standing Orders 66 to 68 and insert –

‘66. PUBLIC ACCESS TO ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS

(1) Members of the public seeking to attend proceedings of the Assembly shall be permitted in such places reserved for them by the Speaker save that –

(a) they are not permitted in the Public Gallery during Prayers;

(b) they are not permitted to have any item in the Public Gallery which in the opinion of the Speaker could interfere with the preservation of order; and

(c) the Speaker may, in the interests of preserving order, require them to leave.

(2) Where the proceedings are committee proceedings, members of the public shall be permitted in such places reserved for them by the chairperson of the committee save that –

(a) they are not permitted to have any item in a public area which in the opinion of the chairperson could interfere with the preservation of order;

(b) the chairperson may, in the interests of preserving order, require them to leave; and

(c) the committee may resolve to sit in closed session.

(3) An authorised person may, during proceedings of the Assembly, lawfully remove any member of the public who is –

(a) in breach of paragraph (1) or (2);

(b) in a place reserved for members of the Assembly; or

(c) acting in a disorderly manner.

(4) In this order “authorised person” means –

(a) the Speaker or a person authorised by the Speaker;

(b) in the case of committee proceedings, the chairperson or a person authorised by the chairperson.

(5) This order applies whether the proceedings are carried on in Parliament Buildings or in some other place.

(6) These provisions are without prejudice to any other functions of the Speaker, the Assembly Commission or an authorised person in respect of Parliament Buildings which may be exercised by virtue of any other statutory provision or rule of law.

67. MEDIA ACCESS TO ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS

Standing Order 66 applies to the media as if –

(a) references to members of the public were references to members of the media;

(b) references to the Public Gallery were references to the Press Gallery; and

(c) references to public areas were references to areas reserved for the media.’

Chairperson, Committee on Procedures

Debate ensued.

The Question being put, the Motion was carried with cross-community support nemine contradicente.

(b) Motion - Amend Standing Orders
Proposed:

Leave out Standing Order 74

Chairperson, Committee on Procedures

The Question being put, the Motion was carried with cross-community support nemine contradicente.

6. Private Members’ Business

6.1 Motion - Delay in Local Government Reform Programme
Proposed:

That this Assembly notes with concern the ongoing uncertainty and delay in the local government reform programme; and calls on the First Minister and deputy First Minister to advise when the relevant legislation will be put to the Executive and the Assembly for approval.

Mr R Beggs
Mr D Kinahan

Debate ensued.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr Molloy) took the Chair.

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

6.2 Motion - 50/50 Recruitment Policy

The following motion stood on the Order Paper in the name of Mr G Campbell, Mr P Weir, and Mr T Clarke.

Proposed:

That this Assembly notes the renewal for one final year of ‘50/50’ recruitment to the police in Northern Ireland; looks forward to the next substantial recruitment competition when, for the first time in a decade, Protestant applicants will face no barriers on the grounds of perceived religious affiliation in the process of being considered for a career in the police.

The Motion was not moved.

7. Adjournment

Proposed:

That the Assembly do now adjourn.

The Speaker

The Assembly adjourned at 5.31pm.
Mr William Hay
The Speaker
22 February 2010

NORTHERN IRELAND ASSEMBLY

22 FEBRUARY 2010
DIVISIONS

Division No. 1

The Rates (Regional Rates) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2010 – Motion

Proposed:

That the Rates (Regional Rates) Order ( Northern Ireland) 2010 be affirmed.

Minister of Finance and Personnel

The Question was put and the Assembly divided on a cross-community basis.

Ayes: 69
Noes: 6

Ayes

Nationalist:

Mr Adams, Ms Anderson, Mr Attwood, Mr Boylan, Mrs M Bradley, Mr P J Bradley, Mr Brady, Mr Butler, Mr W Clarke, Mr Dallat, Mr Doherty, Mr Durkan, Mr Gallagher, Mrs D Kelly, Mr Leonard, Mr A Maginness, Mr A Maskey, Mr P Maskey, Mr F McCann, Ms J McCann, Mr McCartney, Mrs McGill, Mr McGlone, Mr M McGuinness, Mr McHugh, Mr McKay, Mr Murphy, Ms Ní Chuilín, Mr O’Loan, Mrs O’Neill, Mr P Ramsey, Ms S Ramsey.

Unionist:

Mr Armstrong, Mr Beggs, Mr Bell, Mr Bresland, Lord Browne, Mr Buchanan, Mr Campbell, Mr T Clarke, Mr Cobain, Rev Dr Robert Coulter, Mr Craig, Mr Cree, Mr Easton, Mr Elliott, Mr Gardiner, Mr Irwin, Mr Kinahan, Mr McCallister, Mr I McCrea, Dr W McCrea, Mr McFarland, Miss McIlveen, Mr McNarry, Mr McQuillan, Lord Morrow, Mr Paisley Jnr, Mr Poots, Mr G Robinson, Mr K Robinson, Mr Ross, Mr Savage, Mr Shannon, Mr Spratt, Mr Storey, Mr Weir, Mr Wells, Mr S Wilson.

Tellers for the Ayes: Mr McQuillan and Mr Weir.

Noes

Other:

Dr Farry, Mr Ford, Ms Lo, Mr Lunn, Mr McCarthy, Mr Neeson.

Tellers for the Noes: Dr Farry and Mr McCarthy.

Total votes 75 Total Ayes 69 (92 %)
Nationalist Votes 32 Nationalist Ayes 32 (100 %)
Unionist Votes 37 Unionist Ayes 37 (100 %)
Other Votes 6 Other Ayes 0 (0 %)

The Motion was carried on a cross-community basis.

NORTHERN IRELAND ASSEMBLY

PAPERS PRESENTED TO THE ASSEMBLY FROM
27 January – 01 February 2010

1 Acts of the Northern Ireland Assembly

Department of Justice Act ( Northern Ireland) 2010

Pensions Regulator Tribunal (Transfer of Functions) Act ( Northern Ireland) 2010

2. Bills of the Northern Ireland Assembly

3. Orders in Council

4. Publications Laid in the Northern Ireland Assembly

Northern Ireland Events Company Limited Directors Report and Financial Statements for year ended 31 March 2008 (DCAL)

Northern Ireland Law Commission Annual Report and Accounts 2007-2008 (OFMDFM)

5. Assembly Reports

Report on the Inquiry into Public Procurement in Northern Ireland NIA 19/08/09R (Committee for Finance and Personnel)

6. Statutory Rules

(The Department identified after each rule is for reference purposes only)

For Information Only:

7. Written Ministerial Statements

8. Consultation Documents

9. Departmental Publications

DFP Memorandum on the Fifth, Sixth and Seventh Reports from the Public Accounts Committee Session 2009-2010 (DFP)

10. Agency Publications

11. Westminster Publications

12. Miscellaneous Publications