PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMITTEE FOR AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT
FRIDAY 23 JUNE 2000
IN ROOM 135, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
1. Minutes of Previous meeting
2. Matters Arising
3. Any other business
4. First Report: Retailing in Northern Ireland
Present:
Dr IRK Paisley MP MEP MLA (Chairman)
Mr G Savage MLA (Deputy Chairman)
Mr B Armstrong MLA
Mr PJ Bradley MLA
Mr J Dallat MLA
Mr D Ford MLA
Mr G McHugh MLA
Mr I Paisley Jnr. MLA
Apologies:
Mr B Douglas MLA
Mr G Kane MLA
Mr F Molloy MLA
In attendance:
Mr M Wilson
Mr P Moore
Mr S Cowan
Mr E Vance
The Chairman brought the meeting to order at 10.15am.
1. Minutes of Previous Meeting.
Resolved: The draft Minutes of Proceedings for 16 June 2000 were agreed.
Top2. Matters Arising
Public Expenditure and End Year Flexibility: The Chairman advised Members that a formal response had issued to the Chairman of the Committee for Finance and Personnel.
Cod Recovery Plan: Members had previously stated that they would consider this issue after recess.
Regional Development Strategy (Draft Regional Strategic Framework): The Chairman advised Members that a letter had issued to the Department.
Proposed Statutory Rules: The Chairman advised Members that requests for information and views on the proposed potato Statutory Rules had issued to farmers' representative bodies and the Department but that no response had yet been received.
Mr Armstrong arrived at 10.20am.
Top3. Any Other Business
DARD Business Strategy
Resolved: The Committee would receive a short presentation from Departmental Officials on the Strategy document on Friday 30 June 2000 at 8.30am.
New TSN Action Plan
Resolved: That Members would give their initial views on the plan to the Clerk who would ensure they were conveyed to the Department before recess.
Resolved: The Committee would pay close attention to the manner in which the plan was implemented and request regular progress up-dates from the Department.
Mr Bradley joined the meeting at 10.30am.
Draft Equality Scheme
Resolved: The Committee would await the Equality Commission's initial response to the Department's scheme and respond to the Department before the final draft scheme is submitted to the Commission in the autumn.
Allocation of Milk Quotas
The Committee deliberated on the papers provided by the Department.
Resolved: The Committee would give further consideration to this matter at its meeting on Friday 30 June 2000 and respond to the Department before recess.
Review of Agricultural Wages Board
Resolved: The Committee would wait the results of the consultation exercise are available before responding to the Department.
Proposed Statutory Rules: Health, Social Services and Public Safety Committee
The Committee noted a number of proposed Statutory Rules for consideration by the Health, Social Services and Public Safety Committee.
Resolved: The Clerk would obtain any information about the Rules which had been made available to the Health, Social Services and Public Safety Committee for consideration by the Committee at a future meeting.
Top4. First Report: Retailing in Northern Ireland - A Fair Deal For The Farmer?
Section 5 paragraph 5.3.6 read, amended and agreed.
Section 5 paragraph 5.3.7 read and agreed.
Section 5 paragraphs 5.3.8 to 5.3.10 read, amended and agreed.
Section 5 paragraphs 5.4 to 5.4.1 read and agreed.
Section 5 paragraphs 5.4.2 to 5.4.6 read, amended and agreed.
Section 5 paragraphs 5.4.7 to 5.4.9 read and agreed.
Section 5 paragraphs 5.4.10 to 5.4.11 read, amended and agreed.
Section 5 paragraphs 5.4.12 to 5.4.13 read and amended.
Section 5 paragraphs 5.4.14 to 5.4.18 read, amended and agreed.
Section 5 paragraph 5.5 read and agreed.
Section 5 paragraph 5.5.1 read and agreed.
Section 5 paragraphs 5.5.2 to 5.5.11 read, amended and agreed.
Section 5 paragraphs 5.5.12 to 5.5.13 read and removed from report.
Section 5 paragraph 5.5.14 read, amended and agreed.
Section 5 paragraphs 5.5.15 to 5.5.16 read and amended.
Section 5 paragraph 5.5.17 read, amended and agreed.
Section 5 paragraphs 5.6 to 5.6.1 read and agreed.
Section 5 paragraphs 5.6.2 to 5.6.5 read, amended and agreed.
Section 5 paragraphs 5.6.6 to 5.5.7 read and agreed.
Section 5 paragraph 5.6.8 read, amended and agreed.
Section 5 paragraphs 5.6.9 to 5.6.10 read and agreed.
Section 6 paragraph 6.1 read, amended and agreed.
Section 6 paragraphs 6.2 to 6.5 read and agreed.
Section 6 paragraphs 6.6 to 6.9 read, amended and agreed.
Section 6 paragraph 6.10 read and agreed.
The Chairman concluded the meeting at 3.30pm.
TopIan R K Paisley MP MEP MLA
Chairman