NORTHERN IRELAND ASSEMBLY BUSINESS COMMITTEE
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
TUESDAY 01 FEBRUARY 2011
ROOM 106, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS

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

In attendance:
Mr J Stewart Director of Clerking and Reporting
Ms L Gordon Clerk of Business
Ms C McKay Assistant Clerk
Mr T Reaney Clerk of the Assembly/Director General
Ms F Leneghan Assistant Private Secretary to the Speaker
Mr R Ramsey Adviser to the Speaker
Ms T Caul Senior Legal Adviser
Ms S Greene Clerical Supervisor (Items 1 to 5)

Item 6 Only
Ms N Dunwoody Clerk Assistant
Mr B O’Neill Head of IS Office
Ms P McClintock Head of Finance
Ms K Martin Deputy Head of Human Resources

Observers:
Junior Minister Kelly
Junior Minister Newton
Mr A Rogers OFMDFM

1. Introduction and Apologies

1.1 The Speaker noted apologies from Mr Thomas Burns.

2. Minutes of the meeting held on 25 January 2011

2.1 The minutes of the meeting held on 25 January were agreed and signed by the Speaker.

3. Matters Arising

3.1 Further to paragraph 7.1 of the minutes, members were advised by Junior Minister Newton that the Minister for Social Development was aware of members’ concerns following the disruption experienced by Housing Executive tenants over the Christmas period; and subsequently issued a Written Ministerial Statement on the matter. Ms Ní Chuilín commented that the Minister should have made an oral statement to the House.

4. Finalisation of Order Papers for Plenary meetings in week commencing 7 February 2011

Assembly Business

4.1 Members agreed to schedule a motion to suspend Standing Orders to allow business to sit beyond 7pm if required, on Monday 7 February.

Executive Business

4.2 Members noted that the Minister of Education intends to seek permission from the Speaker to make a statement on Monday 7 February on the North South Ministerial Council meeting in Education Sectoral format.

4.3 The junior Ministers advised members that the Minister of Finance and Personnel intends to seek permission from the Speaker to make a statement on Monday 7 February on the North South Ministerial Council meeting in Special EU Programmes Body Sectoral format

4.4 Members noted that the Consideration Stage of the Wildlife and Natural Environment Bill was scheduled for Monday 7 February.

4.5 Members noted that the Minister for Employment and Learning intends to seek permission from the Speaker to make a statement on Tuesday 8 February on Further Education fees.

4.6 The junior Ministers advised Members that the Executive had agreed amendments to the Sunbeds Bill, and subsequently scheduled the Bill’s Consideration Stage for Tuesday 8 February.

Committee Business

4.7 Members agreed to schedule a motion on Monday 7 February from the Committee for the Environment, to extend the Committee Stage of the Planning Bill.

4.8 Members agreed to move the Consideration Stage of the Assembly Members (Independent Financial Review and Standards) to Tuesday 8 February to ease pressure on Monday’s business.

Private Members’ Business

4.9 Members agreed to schedule the Second Stage of Mr McNarry’s Carer’s Allowance Bill on Tuesday 8 February.

4.10 Members agreed to schedule one Private Members’ motion on Tuesday 8 February.

Under the system of allocating Private Members’ motions, the selection lay with Sinn Féin.

The following motion was proposed:

• ‘Response of the Housing Executive and Housing Associations to the December 2010 Freeze’ (F McCann, C Ní Chuilín, M Brady, J O’Dowd).

4.11 Members agreed to schedule the motion on Tuesday 8 February. Members agreed that up to 1 hour 30 minutes should be allocated for the debate, with the usual speaking times.

5. Provisional Arrangements for Plenary meetings in week commencing 14 February 2011

Executive Business

5.1 Members noted that the following Executive Business was scheduled:

Monday 14 February:

• Motion to suspend Standing Orders to allow business to sit beyond 7pm if required;
• Further Consideration Stage – Licensing and Registration of Clubs (Amendment) Bill;
• Further Consideration Stage – Welfare of Animals Bill;
• Final Stage – Transport Bill;
• Motion on the Spring Supplementary Estimates Supply Resolution 2010-11 and Vote on Account 2011/12;
• First Stage of the Budget Bill, subject to the Speaker’s agreement; and
• Question Time to the Minister of Finance and Personnel and the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety.

Tuesday 15 February

• Second Stage – Budget Bill;
• Final Stage – Employment (No.2) Bill;
• Final Stage – Wildlife and Natural Environment Bill;
• Final Stage – Local Government Finance Bill; and
• Question Time to the Minister for Employment and Learning and the Minister for Regional Development.

5.2 Members agreed that a single debate would take place on the motions on the Supply Resolution 2010-11 and the Vote on Account 2011-12, scheduled for Monday 14 February, in line with previous arrangements. Members also agreed to allocate 4 hours 30 minutes to the debate, including a total of one hour for the Minister of Finance and Personnel to divide between proposing and winding the debate, at his discretion. Members agreed that all other contributions to the debate would be limited to 10 minutes.

Committee Business

5.3 Members agreed to schedule a motion from the Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment on its report on the ‘Inquiry into Barriers to the Development of Renewable Energy Production and its Associated Contribution to the Northern Ireland Economy’, on Monday 14 February. Members agreed that up to 1 hour 30 minutes should be allocated for the debate, with the usual speaking times.

Private Members’ Business

5.4 Members agreed to schedule the Final Stage of John McCallister’s Caravans Bill on Tuesday 15 February.

5.5 Members agreed to schedule the Consideration Stage of Mr David McNarry’s Armed Forces and Veterans Bill on Tuesday 15 February.

5.6 Members agreed that there was no scope to schedule Private Members’ Motions on either Monday 14 or Tuesday 15 February.

6. Review of Allocation of Statutory and Standing Committee Seats to Parties

6.1 Members noted the advice paper on the review of the allocation of Statutory and Standing Committee seats to parties, required under Standing Orders following any numerical change to party memberships.

6.2 Members noted that the UUP allocation of seats on Statutory Committees has reduced by one, and that the party has agreed to give up its seat on the Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure. Members noted that Mr David McClarty will retain this seat as an Independent Member.

6.3 Members agreed to schedule a motion on Monday 7 February to appoint a replacement UUP member on the Committee for Employment and Learning and to make a related change on the Committee for Social Development.

6.4 Members noted that the UUP allocation of seats on Standing Committees has also reduced by one, and that the UUP has given up its seat on the Committee on Procedures.

6.5 Members noted that, following the review, two seats on Standing Committees remain unallocated. The party with the highest residual fraction, the DUP, was allocated the first seat in line with previous arrangements agreed as a result of the last review.

6.6 The group with the second highest residual fraction, ‘Others’, was allocated the second seat. Members agreed that, as Mr McClarty already had a seat on the Committee on Procedures and that it had no plans to meet before the end of the mandate, he should retain the seat on the Committee on Procedures.

7. Election Planning Issues for Members

7.1 Mr J Stewart referred members to the draft guidance paper relating to Election Planning.

7.2 Members noted that contacts had been established with each of the Parties and that relevant secretariat staff would make themselves available to attend party meetings to discuss individual concerns.

7.3 Members were advised that, to date, the main concern was in relation to the retention / return of IT equipment and arrangements for clearing out offices over the dissolution period. Members noted that the issues relating to pay and allowances are largely governed by legislation, and that specific queries were being handled on an individual basis.

7.4 Mr Stewart highlighted two main points in the guidance paper:

• That Members not seeking re-election will have to clear their offices at dissolution, as they will have no access to the building; and that Members seeking re-election are advised to clear their offices to allow for cleaning and repair work; and
• That all information on computers will be securely deleted; that software will be updated during the dissolution period; and that it was proposed that only one PC, printer and broadband line could be returned to each constituency exclusively for constituency business.

7.6 Members noted that the guidance paper, once agreed, will be available to Members on Assist and will not be provided in hard copy.

7.7 Mr Weir, Ms Ní Chuilín and Mr Ramsey expressed their concerns regarding the availability of Assembly IT equipment during dissolution, and the implications of this on their constituency offices. Members noted the work that was required to update the equipment, but suggested that an alternative solution should be sought to accommodate all parties involved.

7.8 Ms Ní Chuilín and Mr Ramsey also expressed a wish to discuss access to Parliament Buildings during dissolution for parties.

7.9 It was agreed that Mr Stewart and Ms Dunwoody would liaise with each party to address individual concerns.

8. Any Other Business

Question Time

8.1 The Speaker advised members that he had noticed an improvement in Members attendance at Question Time, but commented that several members from the same party sought to ask supplementary questions, leaving it to the Chair to decide who to call. The Speaker asked for the Whips assistance in this matter.

Urgent Oral Questions

8.2 Members agreed to remind their party colleagues that the criteria for accepting urgent oral questions is tightly defined, and while requests for urgent oral questions have increased in recent weeks the criteria will be strictly applied. Members were reminded that two day priority questions are available; and that Members can also seek to ask a supplementary question to Ministers during Question Time.

Speaking Lists for Bills

8.3 Members agreed to ensure that the Speaking Lists for the Consideration Stage of Bills clearly show the group of Amendments that Members wish to speak in.

Members’ Surveys 2011

8.4 Members agreed to encourage their party colleagues and party support staff to complete the survey that was issued yesterday, to take their views on the services provided to them by the Assembly Secretariat. Members noted that the deadline for responses is 17 th February and that a report into the responses was expected to be circulated before the Assembly is dissolved.

9. Date and Time of next meeting

9.1 Members agreed to meet at approximately 12.30pm on Tuesday 8 February 2011 in Room 106.

The Speaker brought the meeting to a close at 1.10pm.

Mr William Hay
Speaker

25 January 2011 / Menu