Official Report: Minutes of Evidence

The Deputy Chairperson (Ms Forsythe): I seek agreement from members that Hansard reports on the session.

The Deputy Chairperson (Ms Forsythe): The Committee will now undertake its formal clause-by-clause consideration of the Administrative and Financial Provisions Bill. Members now have the opportunity to formally determine and set out their position on each of the proposed clauses. If required, on any of the clauses on which there is a disagreement, we will divide as necessary. All decisions taken today will be final. If the Committee is not content with a clause, it can register its formal opposition to the Question that the clause stand part of the Bill. That will ensure that the clause in its entirety is debated at Consideration Stage. It is anticipated that the Committee will conclude all formal deliberations at today's meeting and give initial consideration to the Bill report, time permitting.

I will now proceed through the clauses in order and formally put the Question on each. If there is no consensus on a Question, I will ask Members to vote through a show of hands, and the Clerk will confirm the result of each vote.

The Deputy Chairperson (Ms Forsythe): Clauses 9 is "Ending violence against women and girls", and clause 10 is "Section 9: supplementary". Do members agree to group clauses 9 and 10?

Ms Forsythe: Is the Committee content with clause 11, subject to the proposed amendment to introduce bursary schemes supporting initial teacher education in priority subjects and postgraduate leadership development for school leaders that will be administered by the Department of Education or the Education Authority, subject to conditions?

The Deputy Chairperson (Ms Forsythe): Is the Committee content with clause 17, subject to the proposed amendment to change the delegated power in the Bill from negative resolution procedure to draft affirmative resolution procedure?

Mr Carroll: Chair, I voice my objection to this clause. Thanks.

The Deputy Chairperson (Ms Forsythe): Thank you.

The Deputy Chairperson (Ms Forsythe): Is the Committee content with clause 18, subject to an addition to the explanatory and financial memorandum as follows:

The Deputy Chairperson (Ms Forsythe): This is the clause that is being removed.

Mr Kingston: Is it being removed by an amendment or by us?

The Committee Clerk: It will be by an amendment by the Department, but there is a bit that we enter into the record. The agreement is that members are not content.

The Deputy Chairperson (Ms Forsythe): Having decided that we are not content with clause 20, I remind members that, in advance of the Consideration Stage, we have the option of registering our formal opposition to the Question that clause 20 stands part of the Bill. This would ensure that the clause is debated at Consideration Stage. Do members wish to table formal notice of the Committee's opposition to the Question that clause 20 stand part of the Bill?

The Committee Clerk: Are members content to do that?

The Deputy Chairperson (Ms Forsythe): Clauses 21 to 23 are the interpretation and commencement clauses and the short title. Do members agree to group clauses 21 to 23?

The Deputy Chairperson (Ms Forsythe): I refer members to page 48 of the tabled pack for a draft of the Committee's report on the Bill. The section on clause-by-clause consideration will be added following today's deliberations. Any typos or formatting errors in the report will be amended at the final proofing stage before it is circulated to MLAs and published on the Committee's website. Do members have any proposed amendments to the draft report or areas that are not covered? Brian highlighted a couple of typos; I think that we have picked those up.

The Committee Clerk: We have registered those, Chair. We will proceed to fix those and bring the report back next week for approval.

The Deputy Chairperson (Ms Forsythe): That is grand. Formal agreement on the report will be scheduled for next week's meeting. Are we content?

The Committee Clerk: We are content.

The Deputy Chairperson (Ms Forsythe): Grand. Thank you.

The Committee Clerk: That is the formal and informal consideration done.