BUSINESS COMMITTEE
WEDNESDAY 3 JANUARY 2007
IN ROOM 106, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
MINUTES
The meeting began at 12.40 pm
Present: The Speaker (Chair)
Mr R Beggs
Mr PJ Bradley
Mr M Copeland
Mr J Dallat
Mr K McCarthy
Mr P McGuigan
Mr C Murphy
Mr I Paisley (Jnr.)
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 F Molloy Deputy Speaker
Mr J Wells Deputy Speaker
Mr N Jackson OFMDFM
1. Introduction
1.1 The Speaker welcomed Mr Beggs to his first meeting of the Committee.
1.2 The Speaker advised members that Mr Davy Hyland had declared his intention to sit as an independent with effect from 19 December 2006. The Speaker noted that, in accordance with Standing Order 13(d), this resulted in Sinn Féin’s voting strength in the Business Committee being reduced by one.
1.3 The Speaker further advised that the speaking order in plenary debate would be affected by Mr Hyland’s declaration, with Sinn Féin Members to be called after the Ulster Unionists.
2. Minutes of the meeting held on 12 December 2006
2.1 The minutes of the meeting held on 12 December were agreed and were signed by the Speaker.
3. Matters Arising
3.1 The Speaker drew members’ attention to the reference, in paragraph 2.2 of the minutes, to the subgroup of the Business Committee that was working on draft Standing Orders for the Northern Ireland Assembly. Members received copy correspondence from the Clerk to that subgroup, and noted that the subgroup intended to fulfil its remit (on changes to Standing Orders arising out of the St Andrews legislation) by 16 January. Members agreed to the subgroup’s request for an extension, in order that the subgroup may carry out further general work on Standing Orders.
3.2 Referring to paragraph 2.4 of the minutes (relating to conduct in the Chamber) the Speaker said that she had noted a reduction in background noise levels during the sittings held on 18 and 19 December 2006, and thanked members for their support in securing that improvement. The Speaker was concerned, however, that a number of other issues had emerged. The Speaker first reminded members that it was clearly not in order for MLAs to have devices, such as mobile phones, switched on when they were in the Chamber, not least because of the interference they cause to recording equipment used by Hansard. The Speaker asked members to remind colleagues to switch such devices off before entering the Chamber, and suggested that members may wish to offer similar advice to colleagues attending Committee meetings.
3.3 The Speaker suggested that Members should pay greater attention to convention surrounding attendance during debates to which they wished to contribute, and advised that the convention was comprehensively covered on page 425 of Erskine May. The Speaker stated that her minimum expectation for the Assembly Chamber was that Members wishing to contribute to debate should attend the Chamber at the beginning of debate and for at least one contribution before and after their own, returning to the Chamber for concluding speeches. Where other commitments were likely to restrict a Member’s attendance, the Speaker felt that it would be courteous for the Member to report those commitments to the House.
3.4 The Speaker further referred to a Member’s suggestion (during the sitting on 19 December) that she should convey a view to the Secretary of State. The Speaker reminded members that she was a servant of the whole House, and that the proper way for a Member to seek specific action was to table an appropriate motion that the Assembly might agree. She further reported that she sent a copy of each day’s Hansard to the Secretary of State as a matter of course, and asked members to advise their colleagues accordingly.
3.5 The Speaker also asked members to pass on a request to their colleagues to table amendments as early as possible.
3.6 In seeking members’ support in addressing these issues, the Speaker indicated her desire to create and maintain standards of debate which might carry on into future arrangements.
4. Arrangements for plenary meetings during week commencing 8 January 2007
4.1 Members agreed that four motions should be scheduled for debate over two days. Members also agreed to a later start on Monday (and no suspension of the sitting for lunch on that day) in order to facilitate party group meetings.
4.2 Mr I Paisley Jnr. proposed that the motion on agriculture, in the names of Mr Elliot and Mr PJ Bradley, should be scheduled for debate. He further proposed that the motion on closure of Post Offices, in the names of Mr Hay and Mr Weir, should be scheduled.
4.3 Mr Murphy proposed that the motion on road safety, in the names of Mr Raymond McCartney and Ms Gildernew, should be scheduled for debate. He also suggested that further consideration should be given, in a restored Assembly, to the way in which motions were selected.
4.4 Mr McCarthy proposed that the motion on autism, in the name of Mr Dominic Bradley, should be scheduled for debate.
4.5 It was agreed unanimously that all four motions should be scheduled.
4.6 Members agreed to allocate 2 ½ hours to each of two debates (agriculture and Post Offices) on Monday 8 January, commencing at noon. Members were reminded that business would be continuous, and that debate on the second motion would begin as soon as the question on the first motion had been resolved. Members further agreed that the road safety and autism motions should be debated for two hours each on Tuesday 9 January, commencing at 10.30 am and 2 pm respectively.
4.7 Members agreed that, for all four debates, speaking times should be limited to 15 minutes for the Member proposing and winding each motion, and 10 minutes for all other contributions.
5. Any Other Business
5.1 No other business was raised.
6. Date and time of next meeting
6.1 Members agreed to meet at 12.30 pm on Tuesday 9 January 2007 in Room 106 Parliament Buildings.
The Speaker brought the meeting to a close at 1.20 pm.
The Speaker
12 December / Menu / 9 January