BUSINESS COMMITTEE

TUESDAY 12 SEPTEMBER 2006
IN ROOM 106, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS

MINUTES

The meeting began at 12.40 pm

Present: The Speaker (Chair)
Mr B Armstrong
Mr K McCarthy
Mr D McClarty
Dr W McCrea
Dr A McDonnell
Mr P McGuigan
Lord Morrow
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 S Johnston OFMDFM

1 Minutes of the meetings held on 5 September 2006

1.1 The minutes of the meeting held on 5 September were agreed and were signed by the Speaker.

2. Matters Arising

2.1 There were no matters arising.

3. Arrangements for forthcoming plenary meetings

3.1 The Speaker informed members that she had written to the Secretary of State following the previous week’s meeting. Members were provided with a copy of the Secretary of State’s reply (dated 7 September) and noted its suggestion that he would not schedule plenary debates on subjects other than Preparation for Government Committee (PFG) reports until those reports had been debated.

3.2 The Speaker advised that she had received no indication of agreement of any further report by the PFG, and that no related motion had been tabled in the Business Office. Members acknowledged that reports from the PFG may not be completed in time for debate on the following Monday.

3.3 The DUP proposed that the motion on the Review of Public Administration, as previously recommended to the Secretary of State, should be recommended for debate during week commencing 18 September, in the event that there was no motion for debate on any further PFG report. The UUPAG supported this proposal, while the SDLP and Alliance Party offered no objection to it. Sinn Féin did not support the proposal.

3.4 The DUP further proposed that the Secretary of State should be asked to make appropriate arrangements, including an amendment to Standing Orders, to allow for Adjournment debates to take place in a way similar to that which pertained in the Northern Ireland Assembly. Members were reminded of the conventions relating to such debates.

3.5 The SDLP was content to support this proposal, adding that control of the Assembly’s agenda should be sought from the Secretary of State at the same time. UUPAG supported both suggestions, as did the Alliance Party, whose representative added that, should those requests fail, the Secretary of State should be invited to choose one, two or three motions from the current no-day named list and refer those to the Assembly for debate. Sinn Féin saw no merit in the proposals, expressing the view that the Assembly could be in control over its own agenda if the institutions were restored.

3.6 The UUPAG suggested that the Secretary of State be invited to a meeting of the Business Committee to discuss issues surrounding the Committee’s remit. Other parties concurred with this proposal.

4. Any Other Business

4.1 The Speaker referred to her comments, during that day’s sitting, regarding reference to members of other chambers. She clarified that her main concern related to remarks of a personal nature and reminded members that such discourtesy was not appropriate within a parliamentary chamber.

5. Date, Time and Venue of Next Meeting

5.1 The Committee agreed to meet on Tuesday 19 September 2006 at 12.30 in Room 106, Parliament Buildings.

The Speaker brought the meeting to a close at 1.20 pm.

The Speaker