BUSINESS COMMITTEE
MONDAY 27 NOVEMBER 2006
IN ROOM 106, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
MINUTES
The meeting began at 9.25 am
Present: The Speaker (Chair)
Mr B Armstrong
Mr PJ Bradley
Mr J Dallat
Mr K McCarthy
Mr D McClarty
Mr P McGuigan
Lord Morrow
Mr C Murphy
Present (secretariat): Mr A Moir The Clerk
Mr J Reynolds Deputy Clerk
In attendance: Mr P Moore Clerk of Business
Mr R Good Adviser to the Speaker
Ms C McGivern Director of Legal Services
Ms F Leneghan Assistant Private Secretary to
the Speaker
Observers: Mr J Wells Deputy Speaker
1. Security Matters
1.1 The Speaker indicated that she would make a statement to the Assembly on the events of Friday 24 November prior to resumption of business on the Order Paper. She reminded members that an individual had been charged in connection with the incident and that the matter was therefore sub judice, thus restricting what the Speaker, and others, could say about it.
1.2 The Speaker referred to the involvement of door-keeping staff, and undertook to express, during her statement, the sincere gratitude of Members, their staff and the Assembly secretariat for the professionalism and courage they displayed.
1.3 The Speaker reported that measures had been agreed to ensure security of Parliament Buildings in the short term. In addition, the Speaker said that the Secretary of State, the Chief Constable and the Chairman of the Policing Board had assured her of their support and co-operation in the conduct of a full review of security at Parliament Buildings. The Speaker indicated that the review would be subject of discussions at a meeting of the Transitional Commission. Furthermore, she intended to consult further with the Business Committee (at the next meeting) on whether parties wished to establish an Assembly Committee with the specific remit of taking forward the review.
2. Conduct of Business
2.1 The Speaker provided members with an overview of the respective authority and responsibilities of the Speaker and the Secretary of State as provided for in the Northern Ireland (St Andrews Agreement) Act 2006. She referred particularly to the different levels of autonomy and independence between the Transitional Assembly and the Northern Ireland Assembly, and in the level of discretion that could be exercised by the Speaker, in the context of legally binding directions from the Secretary of State.
2.2 The Speaker reminded members that the Business Committee meeting immediately prior to Friday’s sitting had agreed to proceed in a particular way, but reported that she had received a direction from the Secretary of State following the Business Committee meeting under which the Assembly was bound to proceed differently. The Speaker confirmed that the terms of that direction had been fulfilled at the Friday sitting and, that in the interests of transparency, she had arranged for copies of the direction to be placed in the Assembly library. The Speaker further indicated that she had received an assurance from the Secretary of State that she would not be placed in a similar position in the future.
2.3 The Speaker sought members’ support in the Chamber for her opening statement and in her desire to maintain good order. Representatives of Sinn Féin, the UUP, SDLP and Alliance parties offered their support on these matters, and their understanding with regard to the position in which the Speaker was placed on Friday 24 November.
2.4 Lord Morrow sought answers to a number of questions regarding the Speaker’s conduct of proceedings, including the issue of whether or not the Speaker had provided sufficient clarity to Members regarding the additional direction. Lord Morrow was referred to several paragraphs contained in the Hansard of 24 November, and specifically that on page 2 in which the Speaker clarified that a further direction had been received following the Business Committee meeting, and that she was proceeding in accordance with that direction.
2.5 Lord Morrow sought clarification about the time at which the additional direction was received and it was indicated to him that this occurred at approximately 10.15 am. Lord Morrow queried why it would not have been in order for the Speaker to declare a short suspension of the sitting, so that Members could have considered the additional direction. In response, Lord Morrow was advised that this was felt unnecessary, not least as it had been indicated to the Speaker that the direction had been agreed with the parties.
2.6 Lord Morrow concluded that the DUP remained “not satisfied” with the issues.
3. Date, Time and Venue of Next Meeting
3.1 Members were reminded that they had agreed to meet at 12.30 pm on Tuesday 28 November 2006 in Room 106 Parliament Buildings.
The Speaker brought the meeting to a close at 9.45 am.
The Speaker