Northern Ireland Assembly Flax Flower Logo
No.04/07

MINUTE OF PROCEEDINGS

TUESDAY 15 MAY 2007

The Assembly met at 10.30 am, the Deputy Speaker (Mr Molloy) in the Chair.

1. Personal Prayer or Meditation

Members observed two minutes’ silence.

2. Private Members’ Business
2.1 Motion – Review of New Rating System

Proposed: That this Assembly notes the introduction of unfair changes to the rating system, and calls upon the Department of Finance and Personnel to conduct a full review of the new system, including in particular, consideration of further income-related reliefs and a full income based system.

[Mr B Wilson]
[Dr S Farry]

2.2 Amendment No. 1

Proposed: Leave out all after ‘notes’ and insert:

‘the widespread public concern at the changes to the rating system and calls upon the Department of Finance and Personnel to conduct a full review of the new rating system, including consideration of a generous, non-means tested, rates relief scheme for pensioner households.’

[Mr R Beggs]

2.3 Amendment No. 2

Proposed: Leave out all after the second ‘system’ and insert:

‘which fundamentally fails the essential test of ability to pay; and further call for this review to give particular consideration to fair and transparent income-based protections, and suitable reliefs for pensioners and all disabled persons.’

[Mr D O’Loan]

Debate ensued.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr Dallat) in the chair.

Amendment No. 1 being put, the Amendment was made (Division 1).

Amendment No. 2 being put, the Amendment was made without division.

The Question being put, the Motion, as amended, was carried without division.

The sitting was suspended at 12.17 pm.

The sitting resumed at 2.00 pm.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr Molloy) in the chair.

2.4 Motion – Health Prescription Charges

Proposed: That this Assembly calls upon the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to establish a cost and benefit review for the purpose of abolishing health prescription charges as has been carried out in Wales.

[Mr K McCarthy]
[Dr K Deeny]

2.5 Amendment

Proposed: At end insert:

‘; and to review the list of conditions that currently entitle patients to free prescriptions in order to reduce anomalies.’

[Mr T Buchanan]

Debate ensued.

The Amendment being put, the Amendment was made without division.

The Question being put, the Motion, as amended, was carried without division.

2.6 Motion – Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services

Proposed: That this Assembly expresses concern at the current state of child and adolescent mental health services; particularly the lack of child and adolescent in-patient beds and dearth of trained staff to run these services; and further calls on the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to take urgent action to address this situation in keeping with the Bamford Review.

[Ms Sue Ramsey]
[Ms C Ní Chuilín]
[Mrs M O’Neill]

The Deputy Speaker (Mr Dallat) in the chair.

2.7 Amendment

Proposed: At end insert:

‘and provide an action plan with a timescale for implementation.’

[Mrs C Hanna]
[Mrs D Kelly]

Debate ensued.

The Amendment being put, the Amendment was made without division.

The Question being put, the Motion, as amended, was carried without division.

2.8 Motion – Care Matters Strategy

Proposed: That this Assembly calls upon the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to set out his plans to improve the outcomes for children 'looked after' by the state and for the implementation and resourcing of the Care Matters Strategy.

[Ms Sue Ramsey]
[Ms C Ní Chuilín]
[Mrs M O’Neill]

The Deputy Speaker (Mr Molloy) in the chair.

2.9 Amendment

Proposed: Insert after ‘Assembly’:

‘encourages the Northern Ireland Executive to make the protection of vulnerable members of society one of its key objectives, and’

[Mr A Easton]
[Mr J Shannon]

Debate ensued.

The Amendment being put, the Amendment was made without division.

The Question being put, the Motion, as amended, was carried without division.

3. Adjournment

Proposed: That the Assembly do now adjourn.

[The Speaker]

The Assembly adjourned at 5.09 pm.

Mr William Hay
The Speaker
15 May 2007

NORTHERN IRELAND ASSEMBLY

15 MAY 2007

DIVISIONS

Division No. 1
Review of New Rating System – Amendment No. 1

Proposed: Leave out all after ‘notes’ and insert:

‘the widespread public concern at the changes to the rating system and calls upon the Department of Finance and Personnel to conduct a full review of the new rating system, including consideration of a generous, non-means tested, rates relief scheme for pensioner households.’

[Mr R Beggs]

The Question was put and the Assembly divided.

Ayes : 63

Noes : 7

Ayes

Ms Anderson, Mr Armstrong, Mr Beggs, Mr Boylan, Mr Brady, Mr Bresland, Mr Brolly, Lord Browne, Mr Buchanan, Mr Butler, Mr Campbell, Mr T Clarke, Mr W Clarke, Mr Cobain, Rev Dr Robert Coulter, Mr Craig, Mr Cree, Mr Dodds, Rt Hon J Donaldson, Mr Easton, Sir Reg Empey, Mrs Foster, Mr Gardiner, Mr Hamilton, Mr Hilditch, Mr Irwin, Mr Kennedy, Mr F McCann, Ms J McCann, Mr McCartney, Mr McClarty, Mr B McCrea, Mr I McCrea, Dr W McCrea, Mr McFarland, Mrs McGill, Mr McGimpsey, Mr McHugh, Miss McIlveen, Mr McKay, Mr McLaughlin, Mr McNarry, Mr McQuillan, Mr Moutray, Mr Newton, Ms Ní Chuilín, Mr O’Dowd, Mrs O’Neill, Rt Hon Ian Paisley, Mr Paisley Jnr, Mr Poots, Ms S Ramsey, Mr G Robinson, Mrs I Robinson, Ms Ruane, Mr Savage, Mr Shannon, Mr Simpson, Mr Spratt, Mr Storey, Mr Weir, Mr Wells, Mr S Wilson.

 

Tellers for the Ayes: Mr Cree and Mr Savage

 

Noes

Dr Deeny, Dr Farry, Ms Lo, Mrs Long, Mr McCarthy, Mr Neeson, Mr B Wilson.

Tellers for the Noes: Mrs Long and Mr McCarthy

The Amendment was made.

NORTHERN IRELAND ASSEMBLY

PAPERS PRESENTED TO THE ASSEMBLY ON

15 MAY 2007

1. Acts of the Northern Ireland Assembly

2. Bills of the Northern Ireland Assembly

3. Orders in Council

The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups ( Northern Ireland) Order 2007 (S.I. 1351 (N.I. 11))

4. Publications Laid in the Northern Ireland Assembly

5. Assembly Reports

6. Statutory Rules

(The department identified after each rule is for reference purposes only.)

S.R. 2007/272 The Sulphur Content of Liquid Fuels Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2007 (DOE)

7. Consultation Documents

8. Departmental Publications

9. Agency Publications

10. Westminster Publications

11. Miscellaneous Publications