Official Report (Hansard)
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Official Report (Hansard) Monday 6 February 2012 Volume 72 , No 1 Session 2011-2012 Contents Matter of the Day Accession of Her Majesty The Queen: Sixtieth Anniversary ................................................................1 Assembly Business Suspension of Standing Orders .......................................................................................................4 Committee Membership ..................................................................................................................4 Ministerial Statement Speeding Up Justice .......................................................................................................................5 Executive Committee Business Rates (Amendment) Bill: Further Consideration Stage .....................................................................12 Committee Business Education Maintenance Allowance .................................................................................................16 Assembly Business Committee Chairperson Appointments ...........................................................................................28 Oral Answers to Questions Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister .......................................................................28 Enterprise, Trade and Investment ...................................................................................................34 Committee Business Education Maintenance Allowance (continued) ................................................................................40 Private Members’ Business Car Insurance ..............................................................................................................................45 Home Heating Oil .........................................................................................................................62 Suggested amendments or corrections will be considered by the Editor. They should be sent to: The Editor of Debates, Room 248, Parliament Buildings, Belfast BT4 3XX. Tel: 028 9052 1135 · e-mail: [email protected] to arrive not later than two weeks after publication of this report. Assembly Members Agnew, Steven (North Down) Lynch, Seán (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Allister, Jim (North Antrim) Lyttle, Chris (East Belfast) Anderson, Ms Martina (Foyle) McCallister, John (South Down) Anderson, Sydney (Upper Bann) McCann, Fra (West Belfast) Attwood, Alex (West Belfast) McCann, Ms Jennifer (West Belfast) Beggs, Roy (East Antrim) McCarthy, Kieran (Strangford) Bell, Jonathan (Strangford) McCartney, Raymond (Foyle) Boylan, Cathal (Newry and Armagh) McCausland, Nelson (North Belfast) Boyle, Ms Michaela (West Tyrone) McClarty, David (East Londonderry) Bradley, Dominic (Newry and Armagh) McCrea, Basil (Lagan Valley) Bradley, Ms Paula (North Belfast) McCrea, Ian (Mid Ulster) Brady, Mickey (Newry and Armagh) McDevitt, Conall (South Belfast) Buchanan, Thomas (West Tyrone) McDonnell, Dr Alasdair (South Belfast) Byrne, Joe (West Tyrone) McElduff, Barry (West Tyrone) Campbell, Gregory (East Londonderry) McGimpsey, Michael (South Belfast) Clarke, Trevor (South Antrim) McGlone, Patsy (Mid Ulster) Clarke, Willie (South Down) McGuinness, Martin (Mid Ulster) Cochrane, Mrs Judith (East Belfast) McIlveen, David (North Antrim) Copeland, Michael (East Belfast) McIlveen, Miss Michelle (Strangford) Craig, Jonathan (Lagan Valley) McKay, Daithí (North Antrim) Cree, Leslie (North Down) McKevitt, Mrs Karen (South Down) Dallat, John (East Londonderry) McLaughlin, Mitchel (South Antrim) Dickson, Stewart (East Antrim) McMullan, Oliver (East Antrim) Dobson, Mrs Jo-Anne (Upper Bann) McNarry, David (Strangford) Doherty, Pat (West Tyrone) McQuillan, Adrian (East Londonderry) Douglas, Sammy (East Belfast) Maginness, Alban (North Belfast) Dunne, Gordon (North Down) Maskey, Alex (South Belfast) Durkan, Mark H (Foyle) Maskey, Paul (West Belfast) Easton, Alex (North Down) Molloy, Francie (Mid Ulster) Eastwood, Colum (Foyle) Morrow, The Lord (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Elliott, Tom (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Moutray, Stephen (Upper Bann) Farry, Dr Stephen (North Down) Murphy, Conor (Newry and Armagh) Flanagan, Phil (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Nesbitt, Mike (Strangford) Ford, David (South Antrim) Newton, Robin (East Belfast) Foster, Mrs Arlene (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) Ní Chuilín, Ms Carál (North Belfast) Frew, Paul (North Antrim) Ó hOisín, Cathal (East Londonderry) Gardiner, Samuel (Upper Bann) O’Dowd, John (Upper Bann) Gildernew, Ms Michelle (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) O’Neill, Mrs Michelle (Mid Ulster) Girvan, Paul (South Antrim) Overend, Mrs Sandra (Mid Ulster) Givan, Paul (Lagan Valley) Poots, Edwin (Lagan Valley) Hale, Mrs Brenda (Lagan Valley) Ramsey, Pat (Foyle) Hamilton, Simon (Strangford) Ramsey, Ms Sue (West Belfast) Hay, William (Speaker) Ritchie, Ms Margaret (South Down) Hilditch, David (East Antrim) Robinson, George (East Londonderry) Humphrey, William (North Belfast) Robinson, Peter (East Belfast) Hussey, Ross (West Tyrone) Ross, Alastair (East Antrim) Irwin, William (Newry and Armagh) Ruane, Ms Caitríona (South Down) Kelly, Mrs Dolores (Upper Bann) Sheehan, Pat (West Belfast) Kelly, Gerry (North Belfast) Spratt, Jimmy (South Belfast) Kennedy, Danny (Newry and Armagh) Storey, Mervyn (North Antrim) Kinahan, Danny (South Antrim) Swann, Robin (North Antrim) Lewis, Ms Pam (South Antrim) Weir, Peter (North Down) Lo, Ms Anna (South Belfast) Wells, Jim (South Down) Lunn, Trevor (Lagan Valley) Wilson, Sammy (East Antrim) Northern Ireland Assembly Monday 6 February 2012 The Assembly met at 12.00 noon (Mr Speaker in the Chair). Members observed two minutes’ silence. Matter of the Day Majesty The Queen over such a long period of time and recognise her many achievements, and, I am sure, for people in this House, not Accession of Her Majesty The Queen: least her recent visit to the Republic of Ireland Sixtieth Anniversary and the sealing of better relationships between Mr Speaker: Order. The Rt Hon Peter Robinson our two countries. has sought leave to make a statement on the Her Majesty is head of the Commonwealth sixtieth anniversary of the accession of Her of Nations, which comprises 54 states. That Majesty Queen Elizabeth II to the throne, which accounts for 2·1 billion people, which is about fulfils the criteria set out in Standing Order 24. one third of the world’s population. She has I will call Mr Robinson to speak for up to three brought a wise head to difficult situations. Her minutes on the matter. I will then call other experience gained during such a long tenure Members, as agreed with the party Whips. allows her to give sound counsel to those who Those Members will also have up to three have audiences with her. minutes in which to speak. As Members know, there will be no opportunity for interventions, A massive contribution has been made to questions or a vote on the matter. I certainly will society by Her Majesty, with countless visits not take points of order until the matter is dealt around the kingdom as well as foreign travel. with. If that is clear, let us proceed. She has a tiring and unrelenting schedule. Then, there are the innumerable official duties Mr P Robinson: You will know, Mr Speaker, that of receiving delegations, attending meetings so often the matter of the day deals with the of the Privy Council and other bodies as well latest bad news or some crisis. I am delighted, as attending to the business of the 600 therefore, that, today, it celebrates accession organisations of which she is patron. Only the day. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II succeeded limitation of time causes me to abridge the to the throne on 6 February 1952, and today service performed by Her Majesty to her people. marks a significant anniversary: the diamond jubilee of her accession to the throne. The As important of course is the love, respect and sixtieth anniversary celebrates yet another devotion her subjects have for their monarch. remarkable milestone in her reign. Just look at the faces of the thousands who line the streets and fill the town centres wherever The Queen’s public life has spanned the careers she goes. It would be remiss to not also of 12 Prime Ministers in the United Kingdom, mention the signal service performed by the 140 Prime Ministers in the Commonwealth Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip, who has been realms, of which she is head of state and at her side all these years. — bringing it more to home — six Prime Ministers, three First Ministers, three deputy Of course, for us in Northern Ireland, Her First Ministers and 17 Secretaries of State in Majesty performs the important task of giving Northern Ireland. Royal Assent to all the legislation that we pass. We very much welcome her visits here. We look I know that, in Northern Ireland, there are forward to her visiting Northern Ireland as part different traditions, outlooks and, indeed, of her programme this year. different perspectives on royalty. However, I am convinced that everyone in Northern Ireland On behalf of the people of Northern Ireland, we will respect the significant role played by Her send our warmest greetings to Her Majesty. We 1 Matter of the Day: Monday 6 February 2012 Accession of Her Majesty The Queen: Sixtieth Anniversary salute her for the duties that she has performed republican tradition also aspires to and on behalf of the realm and again say, on behalf works for a republican model of Government. of the people of Northern Ireland: long may she My political tradition acknowledges and reign over us.