Present:

The Initial Presiding Officer

Mr B Bell (representing Mr J Wilson)

Mr P Berry (representing Mr M Morrow)

Mr I Davis

Mr M Durkan

Mr D Ford

Mr B Hutchinson

Mr A Maskey

Mr R McCartney QC MP

Prof M McWilliams

Mr E McGrady MP

Mr P Robinson MP

Mr D Watson

Mr C Wilson

Mr J Reynolds

Mr N Johnston

Miss A Moore

Mrs G Campbell

The minutes of the previous meeting were agreed.

Adjournment Debates: This matter was dealt with under item 4.

3. FUTURE PLENARY MEETINGS

Plenary Meeting on 8, 9 March: The Initial Presiding Officer reported that the Secretary of State has directed that the Assembly shall meet at 10.30 am on Monday 1 March until 6.00 pm on Tuesday 9 March which would leave only 2 days for a debate on Standing Orders.

Agreed: That the Initial Presiding Officer would ask the Secretary of State to allow the Assembly to extend the sitting into Wednesday 10 March if required.

Future Plenary Meetings - Operation of d'Hondt: The suggestion that parties could either liaise at CAPO or between the relevant Party Whips regarding the procedures for making nominations to Ministerial Posts was discussed.

Agreed: That CAPO would not be involved in the procedures relating to d'Hondt.

4. ADJOURNMENT DEBATES

The Committee considered a suggestion that once the Assembly moves to holding more that one plenary session each week that the Adjournment Debate scheduled for one plenary meeting should follow the format already agreed and that another Adjournment Debate should be set aside for urgent/topical matters.

Agreed: That the matter should be left to the Committee on Standing Orders.

That the Adjournment Debate should not be used to call for legislation and that the Adjournment Debates should follow the guidelines in Erskine May.

5. ANY OTHER BUSINESS

Seating for Ministers: The Initial Presiding Officer said that on occasions he has noticed that the First Minister (Designate) and Deputy First Minister (Designate) have entered the Chamber to find no seats available for them on the Front Benches. He suggested Party Whips should be conscious of this as the matter might arise more frequently in relation to Ministers.

"No Day Named" Motions:

Agreed: That the Committee would give some thought to placing a limit on the number of Motions to which a Member can subscribe at any one time and discuss this at the next meeting.

Library Access for Party Staff: Prof McWilliams reported that party staff had not been allowed access to the Library during that day's plenary session. A discussion followed.

Agreed: That Library access should be kept under review.

6. DATE, TIME AND VENUE OF NEXT MEETING

The next meeting of the Committee was arranged for half an hour after the rise of the Assembly in the week commencing 8 March in Room 152.