NORTHERN IRELAND ASSEMBLY BUSINESS COMMITTEE
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
TUESDAY 2 NOVEMBER 2010
ROOM 106, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS

Present:
The Speaker (Chairperson)
Mr B Armstrong
Mr T Burns
Mr F Cobain
Mr P Maskey
Mr K McCarthy
Lord Morrow
Ms C Ní Chuilín
Mr P Ramsey
Mr P Weir

In attendance:
Mr T Reaney Clerk/ Director General
Ms L Gordon Clerk of Business
Ms C McKay Assistant Clerk
Mr D Martin Clerk Assistant
Mrs M Mageean Clerk of Business
Ms F Leneghan Assistant Private Secretary to the Speaker
Ms K McDonald Legal Adviser

Observers:
Mr J Dallat Deputy Speaker
Mr F Molloy Deputy Speaker
Mr D McClarty Deputy Speaker
Junior Minister Newton
Mr A Rogers OFMDFM

1. Introduction and Apologies

1.1 The Speaker noted apologies from Junior Minister Kelly.

2. Minutes of the meetings held on 19 and 25 October 2010

2.1 The minutes of the meetings held on 19 and 25 October were agreed and signed by the Speaker.

3. Matters Arising

3.1 Members noted that the issue of Ministerial Attendance, as outlined in paragraph 8.1 of the minute of the meeting held on 19 October, would be taken under agenda item 5.

3.2 The Speaker invited Mr Damien Martin to brief members on his paper on Bills currently going through the Assembly, further to the issues outlined in paragraph 9.1 of the minute of the meeting held on 19 October. Members noted that:

• 29 Bills are broadly either at Committee Stage, or awaiting Consideration / Further Consideration Stage;
• A further 3 Executive Bills will definitely be introduced, and 1 Committee/Commission Bill and 6 Private Members Bills may be introduced in the next few weeks;
• Any Bills that have not passed Final Stage before the Assembly is dissolved will fall, but all current or imminent Bills could, in principle, pass Final Stage before dissolution, provided their Committee Stages are not extended for a significant period; and
• The legislative programme will impose significant pressures on plenary time after Christmas recess, but this will be more manageable if as many Bills as possible are out of Committee and have their Consideration / Further Consideration Stage before Christmas, and if non Executive Bills, still to be introduced, have their Second Stage before the Christmas recess.

4. Finalisation of Order Papers for Plenary meetings in week commencing 8 November 2010

Executive Business

4.1 Members noted that the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development intended to seek permission from the Speaker to make a statement on Monday 8 November on the ‘NSMC meeting in Agriculture Sectoral format’.

4.2 Members noted that the Minister of the Environment may seek permission from the Speaker to make a statement on Monday 8 November on the ‘NSMC meeting in Environment Sectoral format’.

4.3 Members noted that the Minister for Regional Development has sought permission from the Speaker to make a statement on Tuesday 9 November on the ‘NSMC meeting in Transport Sectoral format’.

4.4 Junior Minister Newton confirmed there was no additional Executive Business expected.

Committee Business

4.5 Members agreed to schedule two motions on Monday 8 November to replace UUP members on statutory and standing committees.

Private Members’ Business

4.6 Members agreed to schedule the introduction of Mr Dominic Bradley’s Autism Bill on Monday 8 November.

5. Provisional Arrangements for Plenary meetings in week commencing 15 November 2010

Executive Business

5.1 Members noted that the only Executive Business scheduled for Monday 15 November was Question Time to OFMDFM and the Minister of Justice.

5.2 In addition to Question Time to the Minister for Regional Development and the Minister for Social Development, members noted that there was a possibility of two Ministerial statements on Tuesday 16 November, subject to both the Executive and Speaker’s approval.

Commission Business

5.3 Members noted that the Assembly Commission’s motion on Payment of Pensions, Gratuities and Allowances was a technical motion to allow the Attorney General to become a member of the Commission’s pension scheme. Following a discussion on timings, members agreed to schedule the Commission’s motion on Monday 15 November, and agreed to allocate 30 minutes for the debate.

5.4 Following a request from Mr Fred Cobain, it was agreed that the Clerk/ Director General would confirm whether the arrangements for pensions, gratuities and allowances, referred to in the Commission’s motion, had been subject to an Equality Impact Assessment.

Committee Business

5.5 Members agreed to schedule a motion from the Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment on the Strategic Energy Framework on Tuesday 16 November. Members agreed to allocate 1 hour 30 minutes for the debate, with the usual speaking times.

Private Members’ Business

5.6 Members agreed to schedule two Private Members’ motions on Monday 15 November, and one on Tuesday 16 November.

Under the system of allocating Private Members’ motions, the selections lay with the UUP, Alliance and DUP.

The following motions were proposed:

• Uptake of Carer’s Allowance by Carers of Pension Age (D McNarry, B Armstrong);
• Integrated and Shared Education (T Lunn, C Lyttle, S Farry); and
• Grass Cutting ( S Hamilton, M McIlveen).

5.7 Members agreed to schedule the motions ‘Uptake of Carer’s Allowance by Carers of Pension Age’ and ‘Integrated and Shared Education’ on Monday 15 November, and the motion on ‘Grass Cutting’ on Tuesday 16 November. Members agreed that up to 1 hour 30 minutes should be allocated for the debates, with the usual speaking times.

5.8 Members agreed to schedule an Adjournment Debate on Tuesday 16 November. Under the system for allocating Adjournment Debates, the selection lay with Sinn Féin.

Sinn Féin selected the following topic:

• Health provision for the East Down area (W Clarke).

Members agreed to schedule the topic as the Adjournment Debate on Tuesday 16 November.

5.9 Junior Minister Newton confirmed that all relevant Ministers were available to respond to the motions and Adjournment Debate.

6. Statistics on Debates

6.1 The Speaker referred members to the statistics on the number of debates scheduled for each Minister for the 2009-10 and 2010-11 sessions (to date).

6.2 Following a query from Mr Fred Cobain, the Clerk of Business clarified that the Business Committee had been notified on 24 occasions during 2009-10 that the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety would not be available to respond to debates, but that he had responded to 10 out of the 12 health motions that had been scheduled. Members were also advised that the Business Office was compiling statistics on all Ministers’ responses to debates since the beginning of the mandate, which would be circulated to members.

7. Any other business

7.1 The Speaker referred members to a letter the Committee had received, which was enclosed in their packs. As the letter related to an employment matter that is at Industrial Tribunal, it was agreed to refer the letter to the Assembly Commission, as it was not a matter in which the Business Committee had a role.

7.2 The Speaker asked Whips for their co-operation in reducing the number of questions being withdrawn for Question Time, as 7 out of 15 questions had been withdrawn the previous day during Question Time to OFMDFM. The Speaker advised Whips that he might be minded to name Members with questions listed who are not present in the Chamber, or who have withdrawn their questions. It was agreed that statistics would be provided to Whips on withdrawn questions since September, to assist them in reducing this problem.

8. Date and Time of next meeting

8.1 Members agreed to meet at approximately 12.30pm on Tuesday 9 November 2010 in Room 106.

The Speaker brought the meeting to a close at 12.57pm.

Mr William Hay
Speaker

25 October 10 / Menu