No.07/07
MINUTE OF PROCEEDINGS
TUESDAY 29 MAY 2007
The Assembly met at 10.30 am, the Speaker in the Chair
1. Personal Prayer or Meditation
Members observed two minutes’ silence.
2. Speaker’s Business
2.1 The Speaker advised Members that the Electoral Commission had confirmed the registration of a new political party entitled the ‘Independent Health Coalition’, and that he had received correspondence from Dr Kieran Deeny to the effect that Dr Deeny wished to be known as a member and leader of that party.
3. Committee Business
3.1 Motion – Committee Membership – Committee for Employment and Learning
Proposed: That Mr Alastair Ross replace Mr Jim Wells as a member of the Committee for Employment and Learning.
[Lord Morrow]
The Question being put, the Motion was carried without division.
3.2 Motion – Committee Membership – Committee on Standards and Privileges
Proposed: That Mr Alastair Ross replace Mr Adrian McQuillan as a member of the Committee on Standards and Privileges.
[Lord Morrow]
The Question being put, the Motion was carried without division.
3.3 Motion – Pension Trustees
Proposed: That the following Members are appointed as the Trustees of the Assembly Members’ Pension Scheme:
Mr John Dallat
Mr David McClarty
Mr Trevor Lunn
Mr Jim Wells
Mrs Michelle O’Neill.
[Rev Dr R Coulter]
The Question being put, the Motion was carried without division.
4. Private Members’ Business
4.1 Motion – Free Personal Care
Proposed: That this Assembly calls for free personal care for the elderly, which was agreed in principle in the last Assembly, to be introduced as a priority within a set timescale.
[Mrs C Hanna]
[Mrs M Bradley]
4.2 Amendment No. 1
Proposed: Leave out all after the second ‘Assembly’ and insert:
‘, to be addressed as a new priority within the forthcoming Comprehensive Spending Review, and provided for in the 2008-2009 Budget onwards.’
[Mr K McCarthy]
4.3 Amendment No. 2
Proposed: Leave out all after the first ‘Assembly’ and insert:
‘accepts the recommendations of the Royal Commission on the Long-Term Care of the Elderly; supports in principle the introduction of free personal care; calls on the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to report on the fiscal, workforce and administrative preparations required to implement the policy; and asks the Executive to consider the costs and method of delivery in the context of the Comprehensive Spending Review and in light of the other budgetary pressures facing the Executive.’
[Rev Dr R Coulter]
[Mr J McCallister]
Debate ensued.
The Deputy Speaker (Mr McClarty) 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.
4.4 Motion – Literacy and Numeracy
Proposed: That this Assembly notes that more than 20 per cent of children in Northern Ireland leave school without having achieved the appropriate level of performance in literacy and numeracy; acknowledges the findings of reports by the Northern Ireland Audit Office and Westminster Public Accounts Committee, which indicate departmental failings in strategic leadership and target-setting; further notes that the proposed Literacy and Numeracy Taskforce has yet to be established; demands this is done without further delay; and calls upon the Minister of Education to confirm details of the resources and timescale involved for the implementation of an effective revised Literacy and Numeracy Strategy.
[Miss M McIlveen]
[Mr A Ross]
4.5 Amendment No. 1
Proposed: Insert after the first ‘numeracy;’:
‘recognises that academic selection and social deprivation contribute to the problems;’
[Mr D Bradley]
4.6 Amendment No. 2
Proposed: Insert after the first ‘numeracy;’:
‘recognises similar levels of under-achievement across the United Kingdom;’
[Mr B McCrea]
Debate ensued.
The sitting was suspended at 1.00 pm.
The sitting resumed at 2.00 pm.
The Speaker in the chair.
Debate resumed on the motion.
The Deputy Speaker (Mr Molloy) in the chair.
Amendment No. 1 being put, the Amendment fell without division.
Amendment No. 2 being put, the Amendment was made without division.
The Question being put, the Motion, as amended, was carried without division.
4.7 Motion – Domestic Violence
Proposed: That this Assembly expresses concern about the level of domestic violence and its impact on children, and calls for the proper resourcing and full implementation of the government strategy ‘Tackling Violence at Home’; supports funding for local crisis and support services for families experiencing violence; supports an expansion of the network of refuges so that no man, woman or child in need shall be turned away.
[Ms J McCann]
Debate ensued.
The Question being put, the Motion was carried without division.
4.8 Motion – Fuel Poverty
Proposed: That this Assembly calls on the Minister for Social Development to review the strategy for the eradication of fuel poverty, particularly amongst pensioner households and households with children.
[Mr F Cobain]
[Mr R Beggs]
Debate ensued.
The Deputy Speaker (Mr Dallat) in the chair.
The Question being put, the Motion was carried without division.
5. Adjournment
5.1 Mr Kieran McCarthy spoke on funding for resurfacing of roads in the Strangford constituency.
Proposed: That the Assembly do now adjourn
[The Speaker]
The Assembly adjourned at 6.39 pm.
Mr William Hay
The Speaker
29 May 2007
NORTHERN IRELAND ASSEMBLY
29 MAY 2007
DIVISIONS
Division No. 1
Free Personal Care – Amendment No. 1
Proposed: Leave out all after the second ‘Assembly’ and insert:
‘, to be addressed as a new priority within the forthcoming Comprehensive Spending Review, and provided for in the 2008-2009 Budget onwards.’
[Mr K McCarthy]
The Question was put and the Assembly divided.
Ayes: 48
Noes: 47
Ayes
Ms Anderson, Mr Attwood, Mr Boylan, Mr D Bradley, Mrs M Bradley, Mr P J Bradley, Mr Brady, Mr Brolly, Mr Burns, Mr Butler, Mr Dallat, Dr Deeny, Mr Durkan, Dr Farry, Mr Ford, Mr Gallagher, Mrs Hanna, Mrs D Kelly, Ms Lo, Mrs Long, Mr Lunn, Mr A Maginness, Mr P Maskey, Mr F McCann, Ms J McCann, Mr McCarthy, Mr McCartney, Dr McDonnell, Mr McElduff, Mrs McGill, Mr McGlone, Mr M McGuinness, Mr McHugh, Mr McKay, Mr McLaughlin, Mr Molloy, Mr Murphy, Mr Neeson, Ms Ní Chuilín, Mr O’Dowd, Mr O’Loan, Mrs O’Neill, Ms Purvis, Mr P Ramsey, Ms S Ramsey, Ms Ritchie, Ms Ruane, Mr B Wilson.
Tellers for the Ayes: Dr Farry and Mr Lunn.
Noes
Mr Armstrong, Mr Beggs, Mr Bresland, Lord Browne, Mr Buchanan, Mr Campbell, Mr T Clarke, Mr Cobain, Rev Dr Robert Coulter, Mr Craig, Mr Cree, Mr Dodds, Rt Hon J Donaldson, Mr Easton, Mr Elliott, Sir Reg Empey, Mrs Foster, Mr Hamilton, Mr Hilditch, Mr Irwin, Mr Kennedy, Mr McCallister, Mr McCausland, Mr B McCrea, Mr I McCrea, Dr W McCrea, Mr McFarland, Mr McGimpsey, Miss McIlveen, Mr McNarry, Mr McQuillan, Lord Morrow, Mr Newton, Mr Paisley Jnr, Rt Hon Ian Paisley, Mr Poots, Mr G Robinson, Mrs I Robinson, Mr K Robinson, Rt Hon P Robinson, Mr Ross, Mr Shannon, Mr Spratt, Mr Storey, Mr Weir, Mr Wells, Mr S Wilson.
Tellers for the Noes: Mr Armstrong and Mr Buchanan.
The Amendment was made.
NORTHERN IRELAND ASSEMBLY
PAPERS PRESENTED TO THE ASSEMBLY
FROM 23 MAY 2007 to 29 MAY 2007
- Acts of the Northern Ireland Assembly
- Bills of the Northern Ireland Assembly
- Orders in Council
- Publications Laid in the Northern Ireland Assembly
The Mental Health Commission for Northern Ireland 9th Annual Report & Accounts 2004-2005 (NIA 14/06-07)
The Mental Health Commission for Northern Ireland 10th Annual Report & Accounts 2005-2006 (NIA 15/06-07)
The Mental Health Commission for Northern Ireland 8th Annual Report & Accounts 2003-2004 (NIA 16/06-07)
- Assembly Reports
- Statutory Rules
(The department identified after each rule is for reference purposes only.)
S.R. 2007/288 Education (Prohibition from Teaching or Working with Children) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2007 (DE)
S.R. 2007/289 The Electricity (Applications for Licences and Extensions of Licences) (No.2) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2007 (DETI)
- Consultation Documents
- Departmental Publications
- Agency Publications
- Westminster Publications
Tourism in Northern Ireland and its Economic Impact and Benefits: Government Response to the Committee’s Third Report of Session 2006-07 (Northern Ireland Affairs Committee) (HC 545)
- Miscellaneous Publications