BUSINESS COMMITTEE
WEDNESDAY 24 JANUARY 2007
IN ROOM 106, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
MINUTES
The meeting began at 1.35 pm
Present: The Speaker (Chair)
Mr B Armstrong
Mr PJ Bradley
Mr J Dallat
Mr K McCarthy
Mr D McClarty
Mr P McGuigan
Lord Morrow
Mr J O’Dowd
Present (secretariat): Mr A Moir The Clerk
Mr J Reynolds Deputy Clerk
In attendance: Ms L Gordon Clerk of Business
Ms C McGivern Director of Legal Services
Mr R Good Adviser to the Speaker
Ms F Leneghan Assistant Private Secretary to
the Speaker
Observers: Mr J Wells Deputy Speaker
Mr A Rogers OFMDFM
1. Minutes of the meeting held on 23 January 2007
1.1 The minutes of the meeting held on 23 January were agreed and were signed by the Speaker.
2. Matters Arising
2.1 There were no matters arising.
3. Report from the subgroup on Standing Orders for the Northern Ireland Assembly
3.1 Members agreed to defer discussions on the subgroup’s report until after the election.
4. Arrangements for a plenary meeting on Monday 29 January 2007
4.1 The Speaker reminded members that, although Monday would be the only day on which business could be conducted, there would be no restriction to the starting or finishing time of the sitting, other than it not extending beyond midnight.
4.2 In considering the no day named list of motions, the Speaker drew members’ attention to the motion, tabled by the Chairs of the Programme for Government Committee, relating to the report on the Comprehensive Spending Review, etc. The Speaker reminded members that it was convention that Committee motions be scheduled for debate. It was unanimously agreed that the motion should be scheduled as the first item of business.
4.3 The Speaker also reminded members of the agreement, recorded at paragraph 4.8 of the minutes of the meeting held on 16th January, to schedule for debate the motion on North-South co-operation, in the names of Dr Farren and Ms Ritchie. It was agreed that the motion should be scheduled as the second item of business.
4.4 Following discussion, three other motions, having attracted the greatest number of votes in favour, were selected for debate in the following sequence:
- Muckamore Abbey Hospital – 101 votes
- Liquor Licences – 79 votes
- Tie-Up Aid – 47 votes.
4.5 The Sinn Fein representatives expressed grave concern that the motion on Collusion, in the names of Mr Kelly and Mr Maskey, had not been agreed for debate.
4.5 Members agreed to allocate two hours to each scheduled debate, commencing at 10.30am, with speaking times limited to 15 minutes for the proposer and winder of each motion, and 10 minutes for all other contributions.
4.6 Members noted that copies of the Programme for Government Committee’s report were not expected to be available until the afternoon of Thursday 25th January. It was agreed that copies not collected from the Business Office by Friday evening would be placed in Members’ pigeon-holes so as to be available first thing on Monday morning. It was noted that an electronic version would be available for Members on Assist, also from Thursday.
5. Arrangements for the first meeting of the Transitional Assembly following the election
5.1 The Speaker referred members to an outline timetable setting out a possible sequence of events and issues to be scheduled following the election and, in particular, to those matters relating to arrangements for the first post-election plenary. It was agreed that –
- Whips would provide the Business Office with contact details for any new Members to allow the Speaker to issue, on Friday 9th March, a notice of the first sitting within the timescale required by Standing Order 1(b);
- a meeting of Whips would take place at 2pm on Monday 12th March, in advance of a proposed plenary on 14th March;
- the same principles would be applied to seating arrangements as were applied in May 2006, with a draft seating plan to be prepared for consideration by Whips; and
- Members would take their seats at the first plenary by signing the roll, with arrangements within the Chamber eg parties to be called in alphabetical order, filing through the Aye lobby, etc, to be the same as had been agreed in May 2006.
6. Any Other Business
6.1 The Speaker advised members that she had authorised a photograph of the Chamber in session to be taken from the gallery, during the early part of the sitting on Monday 29th January, for use on the front cover of the new edition of the Members’ Handbook.
7. Date and time of next meeting
7.1 A meeting of Whips was agreed for 2pm on Monday 12th March 2007 in Room 106 to finalise arrangements for the first plenary meeting of the Transitional Assembly after the election.
The Speaker brought the meeting to a close at 2.18 pm.
The Speaker