No. 06-10/11

Minute of Proceedings
Tuesday 28 September 2010

The Assembly met at 10.30am, the Speaker in the Chair.

1. Personal Prayer or Meditation

2. Executive Committee Business

Statement - North-South Ministerial Council Aquaculture and Marine Sectoral Meeting

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Ms Michelle Gildernew, made a statement to the Assembly regarding the North-South Ministerial Council Aquaculture and Marine Sectoral meeting, held on 9 September 2010, following which she replied to questions.

2.2 Statement - Public Expenditure 2010-11 September Monitoring Round

The Minister of Finance and Personnel, Mr Sammy Wilson, made a statement to the Assembly regarding the Public Expenditure 2010-11 September Monitoring Round, following which he replied to questions.

3. Personal Statement

3.1 The Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, Mr Michael McGimpsey, made a personal statement in respect of his answer to Mrs Arlene Foster during an Urgent Oral Question on 21 September 2010.

4. Private Members’ Business

4.1 Motion - Equality and Good Relations

Proposed:

That this Assembly acknowledges that there will be no good relations on this island without equality, and no equality without good relations; recognises that people who are socially disadvantaged suffer most from sectarian division; affirms the need for strong political leadership and independent voices to challenge Government to progress lasting change; believes that Government must tackle the origins and manifestations of sectarianism and racism through a robust Executive strategy; notes the publication of the Programme for Cohesion, Sharing and Integration; and believes that the consultation document fails to provide an adequate framework to enable progress towards a shared and reconciled society.

Ms M Ritchie
Mrs D Kelly
Mr C McDevitt
Mr D O’Loan

4.2 Amendment

Proposed:

At end insert:

‘; and calls on the Executive to ensure that a revised Programme includes a clearly articulated vision of a cohesive, shared and integrated society and an Action Plan covering policies, resource allocations, targets, timetables and evaluation criteria.’

Dr S Farry
Ms A Lo
Mr C Lyttle

Debate ensued.

The sitting was suspended at 12.28pm.

The sitting resumed at 2.00pm, with the Deputy Speaker (Mr Dallat) in the Chair.

The debate resumed on the Motion.

The debate was suspended for Question Time.

5. Question Time

5.1 Social Development

Questions were put to, and answered by, the Minister for Social Development, Mr Alex Attwood.

5.2 Agriculture and Rural Development

Questions were put to, and answered by, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Ms Michelle Gildernew.

6. Private Members’ Business (Cont’d)

6.1 Motion - Equality and Good Relations (Cont’d)

Debate resumed on the Motion.

The Amendment being put, the Amendment was made.

The Question being put, the Motion, as amended, was negatived (Division 1).

The Deputy Speaker (Mr Molloy) took the Chair.

6.2 Motion - Welfare Reform

Proposed:

That this Assembly acknowledges Northern Ireland's high dependency on social security benefits; supports reforms which are aimed at simplifying the social security process and helping people to get back to work; and calls on the Minister for Social Development to continue his dialogue with the Department for Work and Pensions, stressing the need for the special social and economic circumstances of Northern Ireland to be carefully considered and urging the introduction of appropriate measures to ensure that the proposed welfare reforms do not have a disproportionately negative impact on Northern Ireland.

Mr S Hamilton
Miss M McIlveen

Debate ensued.

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

7. Adjournment

Mr Paul Maskey spoke to his topic on the future use of the former Social Security offices in Slieveban Drive, Andersonstown.

Proposed:

That the Assembly do now adjourn.

The Speaker

The Assembly adjourned at 6.10pm.

Mr William Hay
The Speaker

28 September 2010

Northern Ireland Assembly

28 September 2010
Divisions

Division No. 1

Equality and Good Relations – Motion as amended

Proposed:

That this Assembly acknowledges that there will be no good relations on this island without equality, and no equality without good relations; recognises that people who are socially disadvantaged suffer most from sectarian division; affirms the need for strong political leadership and independent voices to challenge Government to progress lasting change; believes that Government must tackle the origins and manifestations of sectarianism and racism through a robust Executive strategy; notes the publication of the Programme for Cohesion, Sharing and Integration; and believes that the consultation document fails to provide an adequate framework to enable progress towards a shared and reconciled society.

Ms M Ritchie
Mrs D Kelly
Mr C McDevitt
Mr D O’Loan

At end insert:

‘; and calls on the Executive to ensure that a revised Programme includes a clearly articulated vision of a cohesive, shared and integrated society and an Action Plan covering policies, resource allocations, targets, timetables and evaluation criteria.’

Dr S Farry
Ms A Lo
Mr C Lyttle

The Question, as amended, was put and the Assembly divided.

Ayes: 30
Noes: 56

Ayes

Mr Armstrong, Mr Attwood, Mr Beggs, Mr D Bradley, Mrs M Bradley, Mr P J Bradley, Mr Durkan, Mr Elliott, Dr Farry, Mr Gallagher, Mr Gardiner, Mrs D Kelly, Mr Kennedy, Mr Kinahan, Ms Lo, Mr Lunn, Mr Chris Lyttle , Mr A Maginness, Mr McCallister, Mr McCarthy, Mr B McCrea, Mr McDevitt, Mr McGlone, Mr Neeson, Mr O’Loan, Mr P Ramsey, Ms Ritchie, Mr K Robinson, Mr Savage, Mr B Wilson.

Tellers for the Ayes: Mrs D Kelly and Mr McDevitt.

Noes

Mr Adams, Mr S Anderson, Ms Anderson, Lord Bannside, Mr Bell, Mr Boylan, Mr Brady, Mr Bresland, Lord Browne, Mr Buchanan, Mr Butler, Mr T Clarke, Mr W Clarke, Mr Craig, Mr Easton, Mr Frew , Mr S Gibson, Ms Gildernew, Mr Givan, Mr Hamilton, Mr W Humphrey, Mr Irwin, Mr G Kelly, Mr Leonard, Mr A Maskey, Mr P Maskey, Mr F McCann, Ms J McCann, Mr McCartney, Mr I McCrea, Mr McElduff, Mrs McGill, Mr McHugh, Miss McIlveen, Mr McKay, Mr McLaughlin, Mr McQuillan, Mr Molloy, Lord Morrow, Mr Moutray, Mr Murphy, Mr Newton, Ms Ní Chuilín, Mr O’Dowd, Mrs O’Neill, Mr Poots, Ms S Ramsey, Mr G Robinson, Mr Ross, Ms Ruane, Mr Spratt, Mr Storey, Mr Weir, Mr Wells, Mr S Wilson.

Tellers for the Noes: Mr Bresland and Mr McKay.

The Motion, as amended, was negatived.

Northern Ireland Assembly

Papers Presented to the Assembly on
28 September 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)

S.R. 2010/325 The Contaminants in Food Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2010 (DHSSPS)

7. Written Ministerial Statements

8. Consultation Documents

9. Departmental Publications

10. Agency Publications

11. Westminster Publications

12. Miscellaneous Publications

Northern Ireland Assembly Legislation:

Stages in Consideration of Public Bills

First Stage: Introduction of Bill.
Second Stage: General debate of the Bill with an opportunity for Members to vote on its general principles.
Committee Stage (Comm. Stage): Detailed investigation by a Committee which concludes with the publication of a report for consideration by the Assembly.
Consideration Stage (CS): Consideration by the Assembly of, and an opportunity for Members to vote on, the details of the Bill including amendments proposed to the Bill.
Further Consideration Stage (FCS): Consideration by the Assembly of, and an opportunity for Members to vote on, further amendments to the Bill.
Final Stage: Passing or rejecting of Bill by the Assembly, without further amendment.
Royal Assent .

Proceedings as at 27 SEPTEMBER 2010

Session 2010-2011
Executive Bills

Session 2010-2011
Non-Executive Bills

* Bill carried over from 2009-2010 by the Assembly as Royal Assent had not been achieved.
/ Bill progressing by accelerated passage