MINUTE OF PROCEEDINGS

BUSINESS COMMITTEE
TUESDAY 18 JANUARY 2000 AT 10.30 am
IN ROOM 106, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS

Present:

The Speaker
Mr I Davis
Mr D Ford
Mr B Hutchinson
Mr A Maskey
Dr A McDonnell
Mr E McGrady MP
Mr M Morrow
Mr C Murphy
Mrs I Robinson
Mr D Watson
Mr J Wilson

In attendance:

Mr M Barnes Ms G Campbell
Mr J Reynolds Mr N Johnston
Mr J Gillespie

1. MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING

The minutes of the previous meeting were agreed.

2. MATTERS ARISING

Conflict of Interests: The Speaker outlined the role of Assembly Private Secretaries and stressed that whether or not they were remunerated for these duties the interest should be declared in the Register of Members' Interests.

Appointments: It was agreed that the election of 3 Deputy Speakers would be considered for inclusion on the Order Paper for the meeting of 31 January 2000. The appointment of 2 Members to act as Deputy Chairperson of the Business Committee was deferred.

Appointment to Standing Committees: The Committee agreed the proportionality of the membership of the Standing Committees. Members agreed to furnish the names of the individual Members for these Committees to the Business Office by Thursday 20 January 2000.

3. ARRANGEMENTS FOR EASTER AND SUMMER RECESS

Recess dates were proposed as follows:

Easter Recess : 14 April - 2 May

Summer Recess : 7 July - 4 September

with the week 4 September-8 September set aside for Committees and the first plenary sitting on 11 September.

4. FORTHCOMING BUSINESS

The order of Business was agreed (see attached Order Paper). It was agreed that each item of business would carry an indicative time.

5. ANY OTHER BUSINESS

The Speaker addressed a number of procedural issues which arose from the proceedings of 17 January 2000. The Speaker reminded Members that mobile telephones should not be carried into the Assembly Chamber.

The Committee agreed to restrict the use of Oral Questions to one question by each Member to each Department. The Committee deliberated on the arrangements for tabling Oral Questions and it was agreed that the Clerk would circulate a memo to Members to clarify the revised arrangements.

The Speaker outlined the procedures for Supplementary Questions and drew Members' attention to the need to give early notification where Members wanted to speak in debate.

6. DATE, TIME AND VENUE OF NEXT MEETING

It was agreed that, if the Assembly were not sitting on Tuesday morning, the Business Committee would meet on 25 January at 10.30 am in Room 106.

JOE REYNOLDS

To view Order Paper for Monday 24 January 2000.

12 January 2000 / Menu / 25 January 2000