Upcoming at the Assembly - 21 January

Monday 21 January 2008

Questions to the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister

The Alliance Party’s Naomi Long will ask the Minister for an assessment of the Executive's plans to promote ‘A Shared Future’ in light of the draft Programme for Government. Additional questions on ‘A Shared Future’ will come later from Alliance Leader David Ford and the SDLP’s John Dallat who will ask the Minister to confirm whether or not his Office endorses the ‘A Shared Future’ policy.

Carmel Hanna (SDLP) will ask the Minister what action his Office is taking to improve the budget allocation for the Children's Fund. Later Party colleague Thomas Burns will ask the Minister to outline how the budget for the Children's Fund will proceed; and to detail how the Fund will be administered post 8 May 2008.

The UUP’s Danny Kennedy will ask the Minister what plans his Office has to carry out a review of the work of the Civil Contingencies Policy branch.

East Antrim MLA Sean Neeson will ask the Minister to confirm whether or not the fostering of good relations remains a key priority; and to identify five key actions planned to deliver good relations in the context of the draft Programme for Government 2008-11.

The SDLP’s Mary Bradley will ask the Minister for an assessment of the implications of any reduction in the current Children's Fund budget, particularly in relation to child poverty and protection.

Strangford MLA David McNarry will ask the Minister to clarify his Office’s position on a Northern Ireland Bill of Rights.

Pat Ramsey (SDLP) will ask the Minister what monitoring measures are in place to ensure that all consultations by Northern Ireland departments are listed on the central consultation register.

North Belfast MLA Alban Maginness will ask the Minister to provide an update on the recruitment of a Victims' Commissioner. A similar question on the appointment of a Victims’ Commissioner will come later from Upper Bann MLA David Simpson.

The UUP’s David Burnside will ask the Minister what plans his Office has to provide community confidence building measures, prior to the devolution of justice and policing powers.

Stephen Farry (Alliance) will ask the Minister to detail the outcomes and baselines to be used to measure the effectiveness of the programme to improve societal relations, as mentioned in PSA 7, Objective 5 in Annex 1 to the draft Programme for Government 2008-11.

Sinn Féin’s Jennifer McCann will ask the Minister what steps his Office will take to ensure that the Gender Equality Unit will be appropriately resourced and financed in order to carry out its aims and objectives.

Mickey Brady (Sinn Féin) will ask the Minister to detail the terms of reference and employment criteria for the new Commissioner for Older People; and to provide a timetable for this appointment. A similar question on the appointment of an Older People’s Commissioner will follow from UUP MLA Robert Coulter.

Questions to the Minister for the Environment

Sinn Féin’s Barry McElduff will ask the Minister what plans she has to make an announcement on new rural planning legislation; and to detail the range and number of stakeholders with whom her department is consulting on this matter.

Simon Hamilton (DUP) will ask the Minister to make a statement on the success of the Environmental Crime Team that exists within the Environment and Heritage Service.

Strangford MLA Kieran McCarthy will ask the Minister what action she is taking to implement proposals for the establishment of a National Park in the Mournes.

Naomi Long (Alliance) will ask the Minister to provide an update on proposed powers for district councils under the Review of Public Administration.

The DUP’s David Simpson will ask the Minister what action she is taking to meet the target, in the draft Programme for Government, of a six month turnaround in planning applications.

Alliance Leader David Ford will ask the Minister what action she is taking in relation to the possible creation of an independent Environmental Protection Agency. Party colleague Stephen Farry will later ask the Minister for her assessment of the costings for an independent Environmental Protection Agency.

Thomas Burns (South Antrim) will ask the Minister to detail when she will issue Policy Planning Statement 12: Local Development Frameworks for consultation. Later party colleague Alban Maginness will ask the Minister for her assessment of the potential of Policy Planning Statement 12: Local Development Frameworks to boost the provision of social and affordable housing; and to state what priority she will give this matter.

Dolores Kelly (SDLP) will ask the Minister what action she is taking to ensure that power-sharing is mandatory as part of her proposals for local government reform.

John McCallister (UUP) will ask the Minister to outline the climate change impact advice she has given to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in relation to changes that need to take place in agricultural activity.

Sinn Féin’s Paul Butler will ask the Minister to provide an update on the activities of her department in the conservation and environmental protection of the Belfast Hills since taking up her post.

Questions to the Minister for Finance and Personnel

William Irwin (DUP) will ask the Minister to detail the discretion that departments have in relation to how money allocated through the budget process is spent.

Sinn Féin MLAs Jennifer McCann, Fra McCann and Paul Maskey will ask the Minister a number of questions in relation to the integrated Development Fund. Jennifer McCann will begin by asking the Minister to detail the amount of money from the Integrated Development Fund which has been drawn down for projects approved in the area defined by the West Belfast and Greater Shankill Taskforce Report 2002. Fra McCann will ask the Minister what arrangements he has made to extend the Integrated Development Fund pilot scheme, while Paul Maskey will ask the Minister what plans he has to review the Integrated Development Fund.

Tommy Gallagher (SDLP) will ask the Minister to list the functions he has offered up for transfer to local government under the Review of Public Administration.

The DUP’s Gregory Campbell will ask the Minister when he intends to make a statement on the responses to the budget consultation. Later the Alliance Party’s Kieran McCarthy will ask the Minister to provide an update on the consultation process on the draft Budget 2008-11.

Finally, the SDLP’s Patsy McGlone will ask the Minister what action he is taking to ensure that future underspends by departments will not be lost to the Northern Ireland budget; and to detail what mechanisms he has put in place to eliminate underspends.

Motions for Debate

Motion - Smoke Alarms in Homes

The Chairperson of the Committee for Health, Social Services and Public Safety has proposed a motion: “That this Assembly recognises the positive work of voluntary and statutory organisations in installing smoke alarms in homes; expresses concern that many dwellings in both the private and social housing sectors still do not have adequate working smoke alarms; and calls on the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, the Department for Social Development and the Department of Finance and Personnel, to undertake a co-ordinated programme to ensure the provision of working smoke detectors in every home.”

Adjournment

Disabled parking and footpath access for wheelchair users in Dundonald, debate proposed by David McNarry (UUP).

Tuesday 22 January 2008

Motions for Debate

Public Transport Funding

Stephen Farry and Naomi Long of the Alliance Party have proposed a joint motion:

“That this Assembly notes that public transport is currently underfunded compared to other regions; acknowledges that public transport could reduce traffic congestion and carbon emissions, and play a key role in reducing poverty and social exclusion; and calls on the Minister for Regional Development to redress the imbalance in public transport and roads spending.”

Adjournment

The 2005 collapse of Trivirax and the recovery of state funds, debate proposed by Alex Attwood.

Committee Business

Click here to see full Assembly Committee Business Diary

Tuesday 22 January 2008

10.00am - Regional Development Committee
1.00pm - Culture, Arts and Leisure Committee
1.30pm - Agriculture and Rural Development Committee

Wednesday 23 January 2008

10.00am - Finance and Personnel Committee
10.00am - Committee for the OFMDFM
10.30am - Employment and Learning Committee
2.00pm - Committee for the OFMDFM

Thursday 24 January 2008

10.30am - Environment Committee
10.30am - Enterprise, Trade and Investment Committee
10.30am - Culture, Arts and Leisure Committee
11.00am - Social Development Committee
2.30pm - Health, Social Services and Public Safety Committee (Visit to Antrim Area Hospital)

Friday 25 January 2008

10.30am - Education Committee