Northern Ireland Assembly Flax Flower Logo

No. 51-09/10

MINUTE OF PROCEEDINGS

MONDAY 26 APRIL 2010

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 - High Hedges Bill (NIA 15/09)

The Minister of the Environment, Mr Edwin Poots, introduced a Bill to provide for the control of high hedges.

Bill passed First Stage and ordered to be printed (NIA Bill 15/09).

2.2 First Stage - Construction Contracts (Amendment) Bill (NIA 16/09)

The Minister of Finance and Personnel, Mr Sammy Wilson, introduced a Bill to amend the Construction Contracts ( Northern Ireland) Order 1997.

Bill passed First Stage and ordered to be printed (NIA Bill 16/09).

3. Committee Business

3.1 Motion - Extension of Committee Stage: Local Government (Disqualification) (Amendment) Bill (NIA Bill 7/09)

Proposed:

That, in accordance with Standing Order 33(4), the period referred to in Standing Order 33(2) be extended to 28 June 2010, in relation to the Committee Stage of the Local Government (Disqualification) (Amendment) Bill (NIA Bill 7/09).

Chairperson, Committee for the Environment

Debate ensued.

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

3.2 Motion - Extension of Committee Stage: Debt Relief Bill (NIA Bill 9/09)

Proposed:

That, in accordance with Standing Order 33(4), the period referred to in Standing Order 33(2) be extended to 2 July 2010, in relation to the Committee Stage of the Debt Relief Bill (NIA Bill 9/09).

Chairperson, Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment

Debate ensued.

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

3.3 Motion - Special European Union Programmes Body

Proposed:

That this Assembly notes the long and continuing delays within the Special European Union Programmes Body (SEUPB) in processing applications for project funding under the European Union INTERREG IVA Programme, especially for those projects relating to enterprise, tourism, energy and telecoms, for which DETI is the accountable Department; and calls on the Minister of Finance and Personnel to continue to work with the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment and SEUPB to progress applications without further undue delay to enable good quality projects to be implemented quickly for the benefit of local communities.

Chairperson, Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment
Chairperson, Committee for Finance and Personnel

Debate ensued.

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

4. Private Members’ Business

4.1 First Stage - Caravans Bill (NIA 17/09)

Mr John McCallister introduced a Bill to amend the law relating to caravans and caravan sites.

Bill passed First Stage and ordered to be printed (NIA Bill 17/09).

4.2 Motion - Development of a Jobs Strategy

Proposed:

That this Assembly recognises the continued significant impact of job losses across Northern Ireland; notes the need for strategic cross-departmental planning on job protection and creation; and calls for the establishment of a Ministerial committee to consider the development, co-ordination and implementation of the recommendations of the Independent Review of Economic Policy, the Independent Review of Policy on the Location of Public Sector Jobs, the report on the Inquiry into Public Procurement and the report of the Matrix panel, in order to develop a jobs strategy for the region by September 2010.

Mr P Ramsey
Dr A McDonnell

Debate ensued.

The Deputy Speaker (Mr Molloy) took the Chair.

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

The sitting was suspended at 2.21pm.

The sitting resumed at 2.30pm, with the Speaker in the Chair.

5. Question Time

5.1 Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister

Questions were put to, and answered by, the First Minister, Rt Hon Peter Robinson. The Junior Minister, Mr Robin Newton, also answered a number of questions.

5.2 Justice

Questions were put to, and answered by, the Minister of Justice, Mr David Ford.

6. Private Members’ Business (Cont’d)

6.1 Motion - Funding for Army Cadets

Proposed:

That this Assembly recognises the positive effects of the Army Cadets on the young people who enlist, as well as the benefits to army enrolment; and calls on the Defence Secretary to ensure that the necessary funding is allocated to this organisation to ensure its continuance.

Mr J Shannon
Lord Morrow

The Deputy Speaker (Mr Molloy) took the Chair.

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 4.13pm.

Mr William Hay
The Speaker

26 April 2010

Northern Ireland Assembly

Papers Presented to the Assembly on
21 – 26 April 2010

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)

For Information Only:

7. Written Ministerial Statements

Publication of DRD Corporate and Business Plan 2010-11 (DRD).

8. Consultation Documents

Public Assemblies, Parades and Protests In Northern Ireland (OFMDFM)

9. Departmental Publications

Social and Environmental Guidance for Water and Sewerage Services (2010-13) (DRD)

10. Agency Publications

11. Westminster Publications

12. Miscellaneous Publications