The first item of business is the consideration of business not concluded on Monday 22 February.

Yesterday, a valid petition of concern was tabled to amendment Nos 26 and 27 during the Further Consideration Stage of the Employment Bill. That means that, under Standing Order 28, the Question on amendment Nos 26 and 27 could not be taken yesterday and requires to be taken on a cross-community basis.

Amendment No 26 proposed:

In page 16, line 14, at end insert

"(1A) The repeal of Article 71 of the Fair Employment and Treatment (Northern Ireland) Order 1998 as set out in Schedule 3 comes into operation one year after this Act receives Royal Assent.". — [Mrs Overend.]

Question put, That the amendment be made. The Assembly divided:

<SPAN STYLE="font-style:italic;"> Ayes 45; Noes 32

AYES

UNIONIST:

Mr Allen, Mr Allister, Mr Anderson, Ms P Bradley, Mr Buchanan, Mrs Cameron, Mr Clarke, Mr Cochrane-Watson, Mr Cree, Mrs Dobson, Mr Douglas, Mr Dunne, Mr Easton, Mr Frew, Mr Gardiner, Mr Givan, Mrs Hale, Mr Hamilton, Mr Hilditch, Mr Humphrey, Mr Hussey, Mr Irwin, Mr Lyons, Mr McCallister, Mr I McCrea, Miss M McIlveen, Lord Morrow, Mr Moutray, Mr Nesbitt, Mr Newton, Mrs Overend, Mr Patterson, Mrs Pengelly, Mr Ross, Mr Storey, Ms Sugden, Mr Swann, Mr Weir, Mr Wells

OTHER:

Mr Agnew, Mrs Cochrane, Mr Dickson, Dr Farry, Ms Lo, Mr McCarthy

Tellers for the Ayes: Mrs Overend, Mr Patterson

NOES

NATIONALIST:

Mr Attwood, Mr Boylan, Mr Diver, Mr Eastwood, Ms Fearon, Mr Flanagan, Mr G Kelly, Mr Lynch, Mr McAleer, Mr F McCann, Ms J McCann, Mr McCartney, Ms McCorley, Mr McElduff, Ms McGahan, Mr McGlone, Mr McKay, Mrs McKevitt, Mr McKinney, Mr McMullan, Mr A Maginness, Mr Maskey, Mr Milne, Mr Murphy, Ms Ní Chuilín, Mr Ó hOisín, Mr Ó Muilleoir, Mr O'Dowd, Mrs O'Neill, Mr Rogers, Ms Ruane, Mr Sheehan

Tellers for the Noes: Mr Flanagan, Ms McGahan

Question accordingly negatived (cross-community vote).

Schedule 3 (Repeals)

Amendment No 27 proposed:

In schedule 3, page 25, line 23, column 2, at end insert

&quot;

&quot;. — [Mrs Overend.]