No. 07-09/10
MINUTE OF PROCEEDINGS
MONDAY 5 OCTOBER 2009
The Assembly met at noon, the Deputy Speaker (Mr McClarty) in the Chair
1. Personal Prayer or Meditation
Members observed two minutes’ silence.
2. Executive Committee Business
2.1 Statement – Independent Review of Economic Development Policy in Northern Ireland (DETI/Invest NI)
The Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment, made a statement to the Assembly regarding the launch of a consultation on an Independent Review of Economic Development Policy in Northern Ireland, following which she replied to questions.
3. Committee Business
3.1 Motion – Extension of Committee Stage: Employment Bill (NIA 9/08)
Proposed:That, in accordance with Standing Order 33(4), the period referred to in Standing Order 33(2) be extended to 9 November 2009, in relation to the Committee Stage of the Employment Bill (NIA Bill 9/08).
[Chairperson, Committee for Employment and Learning]
The Question being put, the Motion was carried without division.
3.2 Motion – Extension of Committee Stage: Housing (Amendment) Bill (NIA 7/08)
Proposed:That, in accordance with Standing Order 33(4), the period referred to in Standing Order 33(2) be extended to 1 December 2009, in relation to the Committee Stage of the Housing (Amendment) Bill (NIA Bill 7/08).
[Chairperson, Committee for Social Development]
The Question being put, the Motion was carried without division.
3.3 Motion – Extension of Committee Stage: Forestry Bill (NIA 11/08)
Proposed:That, in accordance with Standing Order 33(4), the period referred to in Standing Order 33(2) be extended to 2 March 2010, in relation to the Committee Stage of the Forestry Bill (NIA Bill 11/08).
[Chairperson, Committee for Agriculture and Rural Development]
The Question being put, the Motion was carried without division.
4. Private Members’ Business
4.1 Motion – Grammar School Entrance Tests
Proposed:That this Assembly requests that the Minister of Education establishes a statutory framework for the grammar school entrance tests, effective from the beginning of the academic year 2010-11; and recommends that this statutory framework should remain in place until the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment devises, pilots and introduces literacy and numeracy tests compatible with the curriculum, alongside a robust pupil profile, allowing academic criteria to have a role in the post-primary transfer process.
[Mr B McCrea]
[Mr J McCallister]
4.2 Amendment
Proposed: Leave out all after ‘Education’ and insert:
‘instructs the Council for Curriculum Examinations and Assessment to complete, pilot and introduce a literacy and numeracy test based on the revised curriculum to be available to all schools in time for the 2010-2011 academic year, to be used alongside pupil profiles as one of the criteria for post-primary transfer, for one year only pending an agreed solution following inter-party talks.’
[Mr T Lunn]
[Dr S Farry]
[Mrs N Long]
Debate ensued.
The Deputy Speaker (Mr Dallat) in the Chair.
The Amendment being put, the Amendment fell (Division 1).
Debate suspended for Question Time.
The Speaker in the Chair.
5. Question Time
5.1 Office of First Minister and deputy First Minister
Questions were put to, and answered by, the deputy First Minister, Mr Martin McGuinness.
The Deputy Speaker (Mr Molloy) in the Chair.
5.2 Minister of the Environment
Questions were put to, and answered by, the Minister, Mr Edwin Poots.
6. Private Members’ Business (cont’d)
6.1 Motion – Grammar School Entrance Tests (cont’d)
The Question being put, the Motion was carried (Division No. 2).
6.2 Motion – Migrant Workers
Proposed: That this Assembly notes the economic, social and cultural contributions from migrant workers; and calls on the Executive to review the Migrant Workers Strategy and to re-establish the Racial Equality Forum to consider further support for immigrants.
[Ms A Lo]
[Mrs N Long]
Debate ensued.
The Question being put, the Motion was carried without division.
7. Adjournment
Proposed: That the Assembly do now adjourn.
[The Speaker]
The Assembly adjourned at 5.02 pm.
Mr William Hay
The Speaker
5 October 2009
NORTHERN IRELAND ASSEMBLY
5 OCTOBER 2009
DIVISIONS
Division No. 1
Grammar School Entrance Tests - Amendment
Proposed: Leave out all after ‘Education’ and insert:
‘instructs the Council for Curriculum Examinations and Assessment to complete, pilot and introduce a literacy and numeracy test based on the revised curriculum to be available to all schools in time for the 2010-2011 academic year, to be used alongside pupil profiles as one of the criteria for post-primary transfer, for one year only pending an agreed solution following inter-party talks.’
[Mr T Lunn]
The Question was put and the Assembly divided.
Ayes: 20
Noes: 64
Ayes
Mr Attwood, Mr D Bradley, Mrs M Bradley, Mr PJ Bradley, Mr Burns, Mr Durkan, Dr Farry, Mr Ford, Mr Gallagher, Mrs Hanna, Ms Lo, Mrs Long, Mr Lunn, Mr A Maginness, Mr McCarthy, Mr McGlone, Mr Neeson, Mr O’Loan, Mr P Ramsey, Mr B Wilson.
Tellers for the Ayes: Dr Farry and Mr McCarthy
Noes
Mr Adams, Ms Anderson, Mr Armstrong, Mr Boylan, Mr Bresland, Mr Brolly, Mr Buchanan, Mr Campbell, Mr T Clarke, Mr W Clarke, Mr Cobain, Rev Dr Robert Coulter, Mr Craig, Mr Cree, Mr Dodds, Mr Doherty, Rt Hon J Donaldson, Mr Easton, Mr Elliott, Sir Reg Empey, Mrs Foster, Mr Gardiner, Ms Gildernew, Mr Hamilton, Mr Hilditch, Mr G Kelly, Mr A Maskey, Mr P Maskey, Mr McCallister, Mr F McCann, Ms J McCann, Mr McCartney, Mr McCausland, Mr B McCrea, Mr I McCrea, Dr W McCrea, Mr McFarland, Mrs McGill, Miss McIlveen, Mr McLaughlin, Mr McNarry, Mr McQuillan, Mr Molloy, Lord Morrow, Mr Moutray, Mr Murphy, Ms Ní Chuilín, Mr O’Dowd, Mrs O’Neill, Rt Hon Dr Ian Paisley, Mr Poots, Ms Purvis, Ms S Ramsey, Mr G Robinson, Mrs I Robinson, Mr K Robinson, Rt Hon P Robinson, Ms Ruane, Mr Savage, Mr Shannon, Mr Simpson, Mr Spratt, Mr Storey, Mr Wells.
Tellers for the Noes: Mr McCallister and Mr McCrea.
The Amendment fell.
NORTHERN IRELAND ASSEMBLY
5 OCTOBER 2009
DIVISIONS
Division No. 2
Grammar School Entrance Tests - Motion
Proposed:That this Assembly requests that the Minister of Education establishes a statutory framework for the grammar school entrance tests, effective from the beginning of the academic year 2010-11; and recommends that this statutory framework should remain in place until the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment devises, pilots and introduces literacy and numeracy tests compatible with the curriculum, alongside a robust pupil profile, allowing academic criteria to have a role in the post-primary transfer process.
[Mr B McCrea]
[Mr J McCallister]
The Question was put and the Assembly divided.
Ayes: 43
Noes: 41
Ayes
Mr Armstrong, Mr Bresland, Lord Browne, Mr Buchanan, Mr Campbell, Mr T Clarke, Mr Cobain, Rev Dr Robert Coulter, Mr Cree, Mr Dodds, Rt Hon Donaldson, Mr Easton, Mr Elliott, Sir Reg Empey, Mrs Foster, Mr Gardiner, Mr Hamilton, Mr Hilditch, Mr Irwin, Mr Kennedy, Mr McCallister, Mr McCausland, Mr B McCrea, Mr I McCrea, Dr W McCrea, Mr McFarland, Miss McIlveen, Mr McNarry, Mr McQuillan, Lord Morrow, Mr Moutray, Rt Hon Dr Ian Paisley, Mr Poots, Mr G Robinson, Mrs I Robinson, Mr K Robinson, Mr Savage, Mr Shannon, Mr Simpson, Mr Spratt, Mr Storey, Mr Wells, Mr S Wilson.
Tellers for the Ayes: Mr McCallister and Mr McCrea.
Noes
Mr Adams, Ms Anderson, Mr Attwood, Mr Boylan, Mr D Bradley, Mrs M Bradley, Mr P J Bradley, Mr Brolly, Mr Burns, Mr W Clarke, Dr Deeny, Mr Doherty, Dr Farry, Mr Ford, Mr Gallagher, Ms Gildernew, Mrs Hanna, Mr G Kelly, Ms Lo, Mrs Long, Mr Lunn, Mr A Maginness, Mr A Maskey, Mr P Maskey, Mr F McCann, Ms J McCann, Mr McCarthy, Mr McCartney, Dr McDonnell, Mrs McGill, Mr McGlone, Mr M McGuinness, Mr McLaughlin, Mr Neeson, Ms Ní Chuilín, Mr O’Dowd, Mr O’Loan, Mrs O’Neill, Mr P Ramsey, Ms S Ramsey, Ms Ruane.
Tellers for the Noes: Mr Boylan and Mrs McGill.
The Motion was carried.
NORTHERN IRELAND ASSEMBLY
PAPERS PRESENTED TO THE ASSEMBLY FROM
30 SEPTEMBER to 5 OCTOBER 2009
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
Report on the Review of Assistance to Valence Technology: A Case Study on Inward Investment (NIA 02/09/10R) (PAC)
Report on the Education Bill (NIA 04/09/10R)
Second Report of the Examiner of Statutory Rules (NIA 08/09/10R)
6. Statutory Rules
(The department identified after each rule is for reference purposes only)S.R. 2009/326 The Zoonoses and Animal By-Products (Fees) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009 (DARD)
S.R. 2009/329 The Travelling Expenses and Remission of Charges (Amendment No.3) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009 (DHSSPS)
For Information Only :
S.R. 2009/312(C.21) The Access to Justice (Northern Ireland) Order 2003 (Commencement No.6) Order (Northern Ireland) 2009
S.R. 2009/313 The Magistrates’ Courts and County Court Appeals (Criminal Legal Aid) (Costs) Rules (Northern Ireland) 2009
S.R. 2009/314 The Legal Aid in Criminal Proceedings (Costs) (Amendment) Rules (Northern Ireland) 2009
S.R. 2009/324(C.22) The Charities (2008 Act) (Commencement No.2) Order (Northern Ireland) 2009
S.R 2009/327 The Social Security (Incapacity Benefit Work-focused Interviews) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009 (DSD)
S.R. 2009/330 The Rathgael Road, Bangor (Abandonment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2009 (DRD)
S.R. 2009/336 The Motor Vehicles (Construction and Use) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009 (DOE)
7. Written Ministerial Statements
8. Consultation Documents
Consultation on the definition of "Significant Personal Injury" under the 5th Motor Insurance Directive (2005/14/EC) (DOE)
Independent Review of Economic Policy (DETI and Invest NI)
9. Departmental Publications
Tourism Ireland - Annual Report 2008 (DETI)
Resettlement of Long-stay Patients from Learning Disability Hospitals (NIAO)
The Annual Report of the Chief Medical Officer for Northern Ireland 2008 - Your Health Matters (DHSSPS)
10. Agency Publications
Analysis of Sickness Absence in the NI Departments – NI Statistics & Research Agency (DFP)