Northern Ireland Assembly Flax Flower Logo
No.05/07

MINUTE OF PROCEEDINGS

MONDAY 21 MAY 2007

 The Assembly met at noon, the Speaker in the Chair

1. Personal Prayer or Meditation

Members observed two minutes’ silence.

2. Speaker’s Business

2.1 The Speaker informed Members that Mr Alastair Ross had been returned as a Member of the Assembly for the East Antrim constituency to fill the vacancy resulting from the death of Mr George Dawson.

Mr Ross signed the Roll of Members. The Speaker confirmed that Mr Ross had signed the Roll and had entered his designation of identity.

3. Private Members’ Business
3.1 Motion – Processing of Planning Applications

Proposed: That this Assembly regards as unacceptable the length of time taken for both the processing of planning applications and the determination of planning appeals, and calls upon the Minister of the Environment to take immediate steps to clear the backlog and also to introduce more efficiency and transparency within the planning process.

[Mr T Gallagher]

Debate ensued .

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

3.2 Motion – Affordable Housing Crisis

Proposed: That this Assembly expresses serious concerns about the affordable housing crisis, and calls upon the Minister for Social Development to co-ordinate urgently with the Housing Executive, Housing Associations, and all other relevant bodies, to release and set aside land for new build projects and to report back to this Assembly with the strategy and timescale that is finalised.

[Mr J Shannon]

3.3 Amendment

Proposed: After ‘projects’ insert:

‘, to consider increasing the put-back rate on existing redevelopment areas,’

[Mrs N Long]
[Mr B Wilson]

Debate ensued.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr Molloy) in the chair.

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

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

3.4 Motion – Vacant Properties

Proposed: That this Assembly notes that some 36,000 homes lie empty across Northern Ireland; calls upon the Minister for Social Development to take immediate steps to tackle the scandal of vacant properties; and recognises that this could go a long way to deal with the serious crisis which exists in the provision of social and affordable housing, highlighted by the Semple recommendations.

[Mr F McCann]
[Mr M Brady]

Debate ensued.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr Dallat) in the chair.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr McClarty) in the chair.

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

4. Adjournment

Proposed: That the Assembly do now adjourn.

[The Speaker]

The Assembly adjourned at 4.57 pm.

Mr William Hay
The Speaker
21 May 2007

NORTHERN IRELAND ASSEMBLY

PAPERS PRESENTED TO THE ASSEMBLY

16 MAY 2007 to 21 MAY 2007

  1. Acts of the Northern Ireland Assembly
  2. Bills of the Northern Ireland Assembly
  3. Orders in Council
  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.)

  1. Consultation Documents
  2. Departmental Publications

Northern Ireland Office Departmental Report 2007 (NIO)

  1. Agency Publications
  2. Westminster Publications

Northern Ireland Audit Office: Good Governance - Effective Relationships between Department and their Arm's Length Bodies (HC 469)

  1. Miscellaneous Publications