Northern Ireland Assembly Flax Flower Logo

No. 38-08/09

MINUTE OF PROCEEDINGS

MONDAY 23 FEBRUARY 2009

The Assembly met at noon, the Speaker in the Chair

1. Personal Prayer or Meditation

Members observed two minutes’ silence.

2. Executive Committee Business

2.1 First Stage - Financial Provisions Bill (NIA 6/08)

The Minister of Finance and Personnel, Mr Nigel Dodds, introduced a Bill to confer absolute privilege on certain reports of the Comptroller and Auditor General for Northern Ireland; to enable the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment to incur expenditure for certain purposes; to provide for the costs of district rates collection to be charged on and issued out of the Consolidated Fund to the Department of Finance and Personnel; and to repeal the requirement on the Department of Finance and Personnel to prepare Finance Accounts.

Bill passed First Stage and ordered to be printed (NIA Bill 6/08).

3. Private Members’ Business

3.1 Motion - Closure of Residential Care Homes

Proposed: That this Assembly expresses its opposition to the proposed closure of residential care homes by a number of Health and Social Care Trusts; and calls on the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to intervene and listen to the concerns of the community and take appropriate action to minimise the pain, stress and anxiety that this uncertainty has created among elderly care home residents, their families and health workers.

[Mr E Poots]
[Mr A Ross]
[Mr P Weir]
[Mr A Easton]

The Deputy Speaker (Mr McClarty) in the chair.

3.2 Amendment

Proposed: At end insert:

‘; and further calls on the Minister to ensure that any proposals coming from Trusts are equality proofed so that services are available for those most in need.’

[Ms S Ramsey]
[Mrs M O’Neill]
[Ms C McGill]

Debate ensued.

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

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

3.3 Motion - Prison Service

Proposed: That this Assembly calls on the Prison Service to implement in full the recommendations made by the Prisoner Ombudsman in the report into the death of Colin Bell in Maghaberry Prison on 1 August 2008.

[Mr R McCartney]
[Ms M Anderson]

Debate ensued.

Debate was suspended for Question Time.

The Speaker in the chair.

4. Question Time

4.1 Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister

Questions were put to, and answered by, the deputy First Minister, Mr Martin McGuinness.

4.2 Minister for Employment and Learning

Questions were put to, and answered by, the Minister, Sir Reg Empey.

4.3 Minister of Finance and Personnel

Questions were put to, and answered by, the Minister, Mr Nigel Dodds.

5. Private Members’ Business (cont’d)

5.1 Motion - Prison Service (cont’d)

Debate resumed on the Motion.

The Question being put, the Motion was carried (Division No. 1).

6. Adjournment

Proposed: That the Assembly do now adjourn.

[The Speaker]

The Assembly adjourned at 4.13 pm.

Mr William Hay
The Speaker
23 February 2009

NORTHERN IRELAND ASSEMBLY

23 FEBRUARY 2009

DIVISIONS

Division No. 1

Prison Service - Motion

Proposed: That this Assembly calls on the Prison Service to implement in full the recommendations made by the Prisoner Ombudsman in the report into the death of Colin Bell in Maghaberry Prison on 1 August 2008.

[Mr R McCartney]
[Ms M Anderson]

The Question was put and the Assembly divided.

Ayes: 51
Noes: 35

Ayes
Mr Adams, Ms Anderson, Mr Armstrong, Mr Attwood, Mr Beggs, Mr Boylan, Mr D Bradley, Mr P J Bradley, Mr Brady, Mr Brolly, Mr Burns, Mr W Clarke, Mr Cobain, Mr Cree, Mr Dallat, Mr Elliott, Dr Farry, Mr Ford, Mr Gallagher, Ms Gildernew, Mrs D Kelly, Mr G Kelly, Mr Kennedy, Ms Lo, Mr A Maginness, Mr A Maskey, Mr P Maskey, Mr McCallister, Mr F McCann, Ms J McCann, Mr McCarthy, Mr McCartney, Mr B McCrea, Dr McDonnell, Mr McElduff, Mr McFarland, Mrs McGill, Mr McHugh, Mr McKay, Mr McLaughlin, Mr McNarry, Mr Molloy, Mr Murphy, Mr Neeson, Mr O’Dowd, Mr O’Loan, Mrs O’Neill, Ms Purvis, Ms Ritchie, Ms Ruane, Mr B Wilson.
Tellers for the Ayes: Ms J McCann and Mr McLaughlin

Noes
Mr Bresland, Lord Browne, Mr Buchanan, Mr Campbell, Mr T Clarke, Mr Craig, Mr Dodds, Rt Hon J Donaldson, Mr Easton, Mrs Foster, Mr Hamilton, Mr Hilditch, Mr Irwin, Mr McCausland, Mr I McCrea, Dr W McCrea, Miss McIlveen, Mr McQuillan, Lord Morrow, Mr Moutray, Mr Newton, Mr Paisley Jnr, Rt Hon Dr Ian Paisley, Mr Poots, Mr G Robinson, Mrs I Robinson, Rt Hon P Robinson, Mr Ross, Mr Shannon, Mr Simpson, Mr Spratt, Mr Storey, Mr Weir, Mr Wells, Mr S Wilson.
Tellers for the Noes: Mr Craig and Mr Simpson

The Motion was carried.

NORTHERN IRELAND ASSEMBLY

PAPERS PRESENTED TO THE ASSEMBLY FROM

18 TO 23 FEBRUARY 2009

1. Acts of the Northern Ireland Assembly

Public Authorities (Reform) Act (Northern Ireland) 2009

2. Bills of the Northern Ireland Assembly

3. Orders in Council

4. Publications Laid in the Northern Ireland Assembly

Northern Ireland Guardian Ad Litem (Special Agency) Annual Accounts for year ended 31 March 2008 (NIA 78/08-09)

5. Assembly Reports

Report on Diseases of Animals Bill (27/08/09R) (Committee for Agriculture and Rural Development)

6. Statutory Rules

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

S.R. 2009/XX The Renewables Obligation Order (Northern Ireland) 2009 (DETI)

S.R. 2009/39 The Education (Student Support) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009 (DEL)

S.R. 2009/46 The Landfill Allowances Scheme (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009 (DOE)

S.R. 2009/55 The Thornhill Parade, Belfast (Abandonment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2009 (DRD)

S.R. 2009/56 The Plastic Materials and Articles in Contact with Food Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009 (DHSSPS)

S.R. 2009/58 The Rates (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009 (DFP)

S.R. 2009/60 The Agriculture (Hardship Payment) Scheme (Northern Ireland) 2009 (DARD)

For Information Only:

S.R. 2009/45 The Employment Rights (Increase of Limits) Order (Northern Ireland) 2009 (DEL)

S.R. 2009/53 The Road Races (Benbradagh Hill Climb) Order (Northern Ireland) 2009 (DRD)

S.R. 2009/57 The Roads (Speed Limit) Order (Northern Ireland) 2009 (DRD)

7. Consultation Documents

8. Departmental Publications

9. Agency Publications

10. Westminster Publications

11. Miscellaneous Publications