BUSINESS COMMITTEE

TUESDAY 5 SEPTEMBER 2006
IN ROOM 106, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS

MINUTES

The meeting began at 12.40 pm

Present: The Speaker (Chair)
Mr B Armstrong
Mr D Bradley
Mrs D Dodds
Mr K McCarthy
Mr D McClarty
Dr W McCrea
Dr A McDonnell
Mr P McGuigan
Mr C Murphy

Present (secretariat): Mr A Moir The Clerk
Mr J Reynolds Deputy Clerk

In attendance: Mr P Moore Clerk of Business
Mr R Good Adviser to the Speaker
Ms C McGivern Director of Legal Services
Ms F Leneghan Assistant Private Secretary to the Speaker

Observers: Mr J Wells Deputy Speaker
Mr J Garvie NIO
Mr N Jackson OFMDFM

1. Introduction

1.1 The Speaker recorded her thanks to Mr Wells for chairing the previous meeting in her absence.

2. Minutes of the meetings held on 4 July 2006

2.1 The minutes of the meeting held on 4 July were agreed and were signed by the Speaker.

3. Matters Arising

3.1 Referring to paragraph 5.1 of the minutes of the meeting held on 4 July (invitation to the First Minister for Wales), the Speaker reminded members that Mr Morgan would make a presentation to Members in the Senate Chamber at 11.00 am on Monday 11 September.

4. Matters Arising from earlier sittings of the Assembly

4.1 The Speaker reminded members of the Point of Order raised by Mr Robinson on 15 May 2006 regarding decisions on the publication of the list of seats held by members of each party. The Speaker informed members that, having sought and received Counsel’s opinion and considered representations from parties and Members, she intended to rule on the Point of Order at the Assembly’s next plenary sitting.

4.2 The Speaker referred to a Point of Order raised by Mr A Maginness on 7 July 2006 regarding interventions, and reminded members of the trial arrangements that had been agreed at an earlier meeting. The Speaker asked members to remind their party colleagues that the courtesy of Members giving way should not be abused. After discussion, it was agreed that the Speaker should exercise her discretion and interrupt Members who make lengthy interventions or who persist in badgering Members who have indicated that they will not give way.

5. Arrangements for forthcoming plenary meetings

5.1 The Speaker reported that a motion, signed by the joint chairs of the Preparation for Government Committee and relating to the Committee’s report on the economic challenges facing Northern Ireland, had been tabled in the Business Office on 4 September. A copy of the motion was provided to members, who noted that the Committee had been unable to agree on a date on which the motion should be debated. The Speaker recorded her appreciation for the work of the Preparation for Government Committee and its sub-group.

5.2 The Preparation for Government Committee motion was proposed by the DUP as the only motion for debate on Monday 11 September (from 2pm to take account of Mr Morgan’s visit) continuing on the Tuesday. The SDLP agreed that the motion should be debated at the earliest possible opportunity. UUPAG supported the call for a debate on Monday 11 September, as did the Alliance Party, with the former acknowledging that a sitting on 12 September may also be required. In supporting the proposal, references were made to the parties’ unanimous agreement of both the report and the motion relating to it, to the work that had been done in the report’s preparation, and to a debate being consistent with the Secretary of State’s direction of 3 July 2006.

5.3 Sinn Fein reported that the party had no issue with either the report or the motion, but would not agree to a debate on the report until plans for restoration were more clearly defined and established, and the party was satisfied as to how plenary debates fitted into those plans.

5.4 Members were reminded that the relationship between the Preparation for Government Committee and its Chairs was different to that which normally pertained in Assembly Committees. In light of this, the parties (other than Sinn Fein) agreed arrangements for debate in the event that a sitting was directed to discuss the report. These were as follows:

 A joint Chair of the Preparation for Government Committee will formally move the motion, but will make no attempt to represent the views of the Committee;
 Members will be called to speak to the motion according to the usual conventions (with an upper time limit of 15 minutes to be applied);
 There will be no winding up speech on behalf of the Committee; and
 The Speaker will put the question on the motion.

5.5 The Speaker further advised members that there was no formal UK commemorative event in relation to September the eleventh and that she was aware of no plans for other legislatures to mark the events that had taken place five years previously. It was agreed that, should the Secretary of State direct an Assembly sitting on 11 September, the Speaker would make no reference to the significance of the date. Members were asked to alert their colleagues to what had been agreed.

5.6 UUPAG proposed that a motion on the Review of Public Administration, standing in the name of 3 UUPAG Members, should be recommended for debate on Tuesday 12th September, immediately after conclusion of debate on the Preparation for Government Committee report. The DUP, SDLP and Alliance parties supported the call for debate on the second motion, but all three expressed the view that it should not be recommended for business in week commencing 11 September. Sinn Fein underlined its view in regard to plenary meetings of the Assembly.

6. Any Other Business

6.1 No items of business were raised.

7. Date, Time and Venue of Next Meeting

7.1 The Committee agreed to meet on Tuesday 12 September 2006 at 12.30 in Room 106, Parliament Buildings.

The Speaker brought the meeting to a close at 1.30 pm.

The Speaker