MINUTE OF PROCEEDINGS
BUSINESS COMMITTEE
TUESDAY 19 FEBRUARY 2002 AT 12.30 PM
IN ROOM 106, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
The meeting began at 12.37 pm.
Present:
The Speaker
Mr P J Bradley
Mr I Davis
Mr B Hutchinson
Mr A Maskey
Mr K McCarthy
Ms M McWilliams
Mr M Morrow
Mr C Murphy
Mr I Paisley Jnr
Mr D Watson
Mr J Wilson
In attendance:
Mr A Moir Clerk to the Assembly
Mr A Rogers Principal Clerk of Business
Ms N Dunwoody Clerk of Plenary Business
Ms G Campbell Private Secretary to the Speaker
Observers:
Ms L Devlin Executive Liaison
Mr D McClelland
Dr A McDonnell
Ms J Morrice
1. MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETINGS
1.1 Subject to the amendment on page 2 para 3.2 that 'architectural' be changed to 'agricultural' the minutes of the previous meeting of 12 February 2002 were AGREED by the Committee and signed by the Speaker.
2. CHAIRMAN'S BUSINESS
2.1 The Speaker welcomed Mr P J Bradley to his first meeting as a member of the Committee.
2.2 The Speaker advised Members that he would make a short statement to the Assembly at 2.00 pm that day to the effect that Sir John Gorman had resigned as Deputy Speaker. Party leaders or their representatives would then be invited to respond.
The Speaker then clarified the procedures for the election of a new Deputy Speaker and it was AGREED that the election should take place in the Assembly on Monday 25 February 2002.
3. ARRANGEMENTS FOR PLENARY MEETINGS WEEK COMMENCING
25 FEBRUARY 2002
3.1 Nominations were received for Private Members' Motions to be tabled on the Order Paper for 26 February and Members voted as follows:
|
Capital Spending in Education Part-Time Workers' Pension Rights Agricultural Industry Primary Care Groups |
[Mr S Wilson] [Mr D Kennedy] [Mr J Kelly] [Mr G Savage] [Mr T Gallagher] |
50 votes 49 votes 44 votes 29 votes |
'Capital Spending in Education' and 'Part-Time Workers' Pension Rights' were therefore selected.
3.2 Draft Order Papers were then AGREED and indicative timings allocated for the sittings on 25 and 26 February 2002.
3.3 Members noted a summary table of motions debated so far in the 2001 session. Members discussed different methods of selecting Private Members' motions for debate and noted that one option would be for debating time to be allocated to parties, who would then select the motion or motions to be placed on the Order Paper. It was AGREED that the Business Office would provide a proposed matrix for covering the remainder of the session allocating Plenary times for Private Members' motions according to party strengths.
3.4 It was further AGREED that the Business Office would examine the current No Day Named List and contact the relevant Member where it appeared the subject matter was no longer current or where the Member may otherwise wish to reconsider the wording. It was clarified that no motions would be amended or deleted without the Member's agreement.
4. ANY OTHER BUSINESS
4.1 The Speaker advised Members that 3 amendments had been accepted for the debate on the motion "General Amnesty for Offences for those 'on the run' " due for debate that afternoon. The Speaker therefore outlined for Members how the debate would be conducted and advised them that limits to speaking times would be implemented from the outset of the debate.
5. DATE, TIME AND VENUE OF NEXT MEETING
5.1 The next meeting of the Business Committee was scheduled for Tuesday 26 February 2002, at 12.30 pm (or at the rise of the Assembly for lunch) in Room 106.
The meeting adjourned at 1.37 pm
THE LORD ALDERDICE
The Speaker