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ASSEMBLY AND EXECUTIVE REVIEW COMMITTEE

Minutes of Proceedings
Tuesday 25 September 2007
Room 144, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS

Present:
Rt Hon Jeffrey Donaldson, MP (Chairperson)
Mr Raymond McCartney (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Alex Attwood
Mr Nelson McCausland
Mr Ian McCrea
Mr Alan McFarland
Mr John O’Dowd
Mr George Robinson

In Attendance:
Mr Stephen Graham (Assembly Clerk)
Ms Sinead Nash (Assistant Clerk)
Mr Keith McBride (Clerical Supervisor)
Ms Lynn Gray (Clerical Officer)

Apologies:
Ms Carál Ní Chuilín
Mr Danny Kennedy

The meeting opened at 10:30am in public session.

  1. Apologies

Apologies are detailed above.

  1. Draft Minutes of Proceedings of meeting held 11 September 2007

Agreed: The Committee agreed the minutes of the meeting of 11 September 2007.

  1. Matters Arising
    3.1 Efficiency Review Panel / North South Ministerial Council Review Group

Members noted the two questions asked of the First Minister and deputy First Minister regarding the Efficiency Review Panel.

Members noted the offers for the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson to meet with Special Advisors to the First Minister and deputy First Minister, with a view to a further meeting with the First Minister and deputy First Minister.

Agreed: That the Chairperson and deputy Chairperson should proceed with the meeting proposed with Special Advisors to the First Minister and deputy First Minister on the basis that this will be an exploratory meeting in advance of a later meeting with the First Minister and deputy First Minister.

3.2 Multiple Mandates

Members noted that no further submissions have been received from the various political parties on the issue of multiple mandates.

Agreed:

  1. Chairperson’s Business
4.1 Northern Ireland Affairs Committee

Members noted that a working lunch has been arranged with the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee in the Members Private Dining Room on Tuesday 16 October from 1pm until 2pm.

Members were asked to confirm their attendance.

4.2 Evidence session with the Lord Chief Justice

Members noted the letter received from the Lord Chief Justice stating that he wished to confine his oral evidence to matters relating to the structure of the Court Service and issues around the judiciary.

Agreed:

4.3 Arrangements for publishing transcripts of evidence

Members discussed the publication of oral evidence.

Agreed: That the corrected version of the Hansard transcripts will be published following each evidence session (including the briefing session with NIO held on 3 July 2007).

4.4 Written submissions: availability of written submissions

Members discussed the matter of making written submissions available in the public gallery.

Agreed: That written submissions from witnesses appearing before the Committee will be made available to those seated in the public gallery.

Alex Attwood joined the meeting: 10:45am

  1. Inquiry into the devolution of policing and justice

The following interests were declared:

Jeffrey Donaldson:

George Robinson:

Ian McCrea:

Oral evidence from the Northern Ireland Court Service

Members heard oral evidence from Northern Ireland Court Service officials –

David Lavery (Director), Laurene McAlpine (Policy), Jacqui Durkin (Operations) and Siobhan Broderick (Tribunal Reform). The session was recorded by Hansard.  

  1. Timetable for future oral evidence sessions

Members noted the current timetable of reporting for the Independent Monitoring Commission as follows:

Agreed: That the Committee may call the Chief Constable to give evidence in the latter stages of the Inquiry.

Ian McCrea left the meeting at 12:09pm

6.1 Inquiry Timetable

Members noted the proposed timetable for future oral evidence sessions, in particular, the oral evidence session with the Progressive Unionist Party on 16 October. Members noted that the Committee is awaiting a response from the Alliance Party to give evidence on 16 October.

Members discussed the possibility of calling the Public Prosecution Service to give evidence on 16 October.

Agreed : To write to the Public Prosecution Service inviting them to give evidence on 16 October.

6.2 Views from the four main parties

Members discussed the arrangements for hearing the views of political parties.

Agreed:

Ian McCrea returned to the meeting 12:14
Alan McFarland left the meeting 12:15

6.3 Request for further information

Members reflected on the evidence given by the Northern Ireland Court Service.

Agreed: That the Clerk write to the Northern Ireland Office to request the following information:

6.4 Models

Members discussed the need for information on the existing/proposed models for Scotland and the Republic of Ireland.

Agreed :

Members discussed the need for a written submission from OFMdFM.

Agreed: That the Clerk will communicate with Officials from OFMdFM to say that the Committee would find it helpful if any submission from the First Minister and deputy First Minister, on the devolution of policing and justice matters, dealt, at least, with any discussions that OFMdFM has had with the NIO, or arrangements which that Department might be making, regarding the following matters :

  1. Research Paper on Serious Organised Crime Agency

Members noted the research paper on the role of SOCA.

  1. Draft Press Release

Members agreed the terms of the press release.

  1. Any other business

Members noted the addition of Room 21 as a Committee Room provided an increased opportunity for Committee meetings to be held on, for example, Wednesday or Thursday.

  1. Date, time and place of next meeting

The next meeting will be held on Tuesday, 02 October at 10.30am in the Senate Chamber, Parliament Buildings.

There will also be a meeting on Wednesday, 03 October at 10.30am in the Senate Chamber, Parliament Buildings.

The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 1.02 pm.

RT HON JEFFREY DONALDSON, MP
Chairperson, Assembly and Executive Review Committee
25 September 2007

11 September 07 / MENU