MINUTE OF PROCEEDINGS
BUSINESS COMMITTEE
TUESDAY 14 NOVEMBER 2000 AT 12.30 PM
IN ROOM 106, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS

Present:
Mr D Watson - Deputy Chairperson
Mr I Davis
Mr N Dodds
Mr D Ford
Mr B Hutchinson
Dr A McDonnell
Mr C Murphy
Mr E McGrady MP
Mr I Paisley Jnr
Mr J Wilson

Apologies:
Ms M McWilliams

In attendance:
Mr J Reynolds
Ms G Campbell
Mr J Ross
Mr N Johnston

Observers:
Sir J Gorman Deputy Speaker
Ms J Morrice Deputy Speaker
Mr D McClelland Deputy Speaker
Mr T McCusker Executive Liaison

1. MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING

The minutes of the previous meeting were agreed by the Committee subject to two amendments.

Mr Jim Wilson stated that an apology for his non-attendance at last week's meeting was not included in the minutes. Mr David Ford informed Members that the Alliance Party would not be submitting a nomination for a named deputy of the Business Committee at this time.

The Committee accepted these amendments and Mr Watson, the Deputy Chairperson signed the minutes, as amended, as a true record of the meeting.

2. MATTERS ARISING

2.1 The Clerk of Business reported that he had written to the Clerk of Bills in relation to arranging seminars to explain the process of Private Members' Legislation and that proposals would be brought forward to a later meeting of the Committee.

2.2 The Deputy Chairperson, in response to a request from Mr Jim Wilson, reminded Members that unanimous decisions taken by the Business Committee should be adhered to at all times and that decisions taken in Committee should not be rehearsed in public and particularly not during plenary meetings of the Assembly.

2.3 Members requested that any future Motion on a Programme for Government should be allocated more time to facilitate a fuller debate.

2.4 The Deputy Chairperson, in response to an enquiry from Mr Billy Hutchinson, reported that the Speaker had recently written to the First Minister and Deputy First Minister concerning the availability of Ministers during plenary sittings and was awaiting a reply.

3. ARRANGEMENTS FOR FORTHCOMING PLENARY MEETING

3.1 The Deputy Chairperson circulated draft Order Papers for the plenary sittings on 20/21 November 2000 and indicated indicative timings.

3.2 Mr Jim Wilson reported that Mr Alan McFarland had withdrawn a Motion from the No Day Named List on 'Rail Transport', standing in his name.

3.3 The Deputy Chairperson proposed that consideration of the Statutory Committee Motion on Student Finance should be deferred until next week's meeting of the Business Committee. An amendment, proposed by Mr Eddie McGrady MP, that this Motion should be deferred until a meeting of the Business Committee on 15 November 2000 to seek further clarification from Department and Committee was carried by 50 votes to 46 votes.

4. DATE ,TIME AND VENUE OF NEXT MEETING

The Committee agreed to reconvene on 15 November 2000 at 2.00 pm in Room 106 to discuss agenda items which were not reached.

The meeting was adjourned at 2.15 pm.