This week in the Assembly - 24 Nov 2008

Monday 24 November 2008

Questions to the Minister of Education

Upper Bann MLA John O'Dowd will ask the Minister how the establishment of an Education Skills Authority will improve outcomes for learners, particularly among young Protestant males.

South Down MLA Willie Clarke will ask the Minister when her Department will publish its Early Years Strategy.

Mid Ulster MLA Francie Molloy will ask the Minister what action her Department is taking to ensure that Traveller children receive a fair and equal education.

Foyle MLA Martina Anderson will ask the Minister what are the policy objectives of her current consultation document 'Every School a Good School'.

Questions to the Minister for Employment and Learning

East Antrim MLA Alastair Ross will ask the Minister how many FE courses were undersubscribed in the 2008/09 academic year.

Upper Bann MLA George Savage will ask the Minister to provide a timescale for the publication of the Careers Strategy.

Newry and Armagh MLA Dominic Bradley will ask the Minister what plans he has to conduct an inquiry into the six year delay in the production of the Review of Teacher Training to determine what failures occurred in the management of the Review and the lessons that can be learned.

North Antrim MLA Daithi McKay will ask the Minister what action he is taking to support people that have lost their jobs in the construction industry.

Questions to the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment

Strangford MLA Kieran McCarthy will ask the Minister what plans she has to attract tourists from Europe in light of the global economic downturn.

North Down MLA Leslie Cree will ask the Minister what strategies her Department has in place to assist SMEs in the context of a UK wide recession.

South Belfast MLA Alasdair McDonnell will ask the Minister, given the recent increases in domestic energy prices, what assessment she has made of possible future reductions in energy costs.

South Down MLA Jim McCallister will ask the Minister what actions she is taking to enable businesses to survive the current economic difficulties.

Lagan Valley MLA Basil McCrea will ask the Minister what discussions she has held with the Minister of Finance and Personnel on a small business rates relief scheme.

Mid Ulster MLA Billy Armstrong will ask the Minister what steps she is taking to address the fall in productivity in the business service and finance sector.

East Antrim MLA Alastair Ross will ask the Minister what scope there is for the reduction of electricity prices in light of falling oil prices.

East Antrim MLA Ken Robinson will ask the Minister for her assessment of the ability of Northern Ireland to face the current economic downturn.

North Antrim MLA Mervyn Storey will ask the Minister to outline the anticipated level of unemployment over the next three years.

Upper Bann MLA David Simpson will ask the Minister for her assessment of the impact of the current downturn in the world economy on the local business community.

Private Members' Business

UTV

Sinn Fein MLAs Barry McElduff, Francie Brolly and Robert McCartney have submitted a joint motion that: "this Assembly expresses concern at Ofcom's proposals for a diminution in the public service obligations of UTV through a reduction in the minimum requirements for regional news and non-news programmes; calls on Ofcom to protect diverse, quality broadcasting through the promotion of local news and programming; calls for the extension of Ofcom's Public Service Broadcasting Review consultation period for a further three months; and further calls on UTV to suspend its restructuring and redundancy programme pending the outcome of this consultation process, and following meaningful consultation and negotiations with the trade unions representing staff at UTV".

Education Welfare Officers

UUP MLAs Jim McCallister, Basil McCrea and Roy Beggs have proposed a joint motion that: "this Assembly recognises the vital work undertaken by education welfare officers in supporting children, families and schools; and calls on the Minister of Education to take all necessary steps to resolve the ongoing pay dispute as a matter of urgency".

Adjournment Debate
Children's Homes in Larne
Proposed by DUP MLA Alastair Ross.

Tuesday 25 November 2008

Executive Committee Business

Accelerated passage Pensions (No.2) Bill (NIA 2/08)

The Minister for Social Development, Margaret Ritchie, has proposed a motion that: "the Pensions (No. 2) Bill proceed under the accelerated passage procedure". The Bill will then go through the Second Stage.

Private Members' Business

Construction Industry

SDLP MLAs Alasdair McDonnell, Patsy McGlone and Declan O'Loan have proposed a joint motion that: "this Assembly expresses concern at the crisis in the construction industry; notes the significant impact this is having on employment in the building sector and on the wider economy; and calls on the Executive to secure action that will achieve-

- a commitment from all major financial institutions that they will handle the borrowings of construction companies sympathetically;
- meaningful discussions between local financial institutions, the Executive and the Construction and Property Group, as well as other representatives of the construction industry;
- the reintroduction of liquidity into the market by ensuring that affordable mortgages are available, particularly to first time buyers;
- due protection against repossession for vulnerable households from both companies and the Courts; and
- an urgent review of the budget by the Executive to accelerate spending on public construction as set out in the Investment Strategy, including social housing".

Carbon Neutrality of the Northern Ireland Assembly

DUP MLA Jim Wells and Green Party MLA Brian Wilson have proposed a joint motion that: "this Assembly calls upon the Assembly Commission to draw up an action plan to ensure that all of the buildings used by the Northern Ireland Assembly are carbon neutral by the end of March 2010".

Voluntary Sector

Alliance MLAs Anna Lo, Naomi Long, Kieran McCarthy and Trevor Lunn have proposed a joint motion that: "this Assembly calls on the Executive to produce a policy paper committing itself to strengthening the relationship between Government and the voluntary sector, thereby developing an important asset for the whole community".

Committee Business

Tuesday 25 November 2008

11.00am - Assembly and Executive Review Committee:
12.30pm - Chairpersons' Liaison Group
12.30pm - Business Committee
1.30pm - Committee for Agriculture and Rural Development:
- Presentation by DARD on the Anti-Poverty Framework
- Publication of timetable for Single Farm Payments 2008
2.00pm - Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure

Wednesday 26 November 2008

10.00am - Committee for Finance and Personnel
10.30am - Committee for Regional Development
10.30am - Committee for Employment and Learning
2.00pm - Committee on Standards and Privileges
2.00pm - Committee for the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister

Thursday 27 November 2008

10.30am - Committee for the Environment
10.30am - Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment
10.30am - Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure
2.00pm - Public Accounts Committee
2.30pm - Committee for Health, Social Services and Public Safety
- Evidence session with trade union representatives on efficiency savings