ASSEMBLY AND EXECUTIVE REVIEW COMMITTEE
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
TUESDAY, 29 SEPTEMBER 2009
ROOM 21, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Mr Jimmy Spratt (Chairperson)
Mr Nigel Dodds
Mr Simon Hamilton
Mrs Carmel Hanna
Mr Danny Kennedy
Mr Raymond McCartney
Mr Alan McFarland
Mr Alex Maskey
Mr John O’Dowd
In Attendance:
Mr Stephen Graham (Assembly Clerk)
Mr Vincent Gribbin (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Miss Tara McKee (Clerical Supervisor)
Miss Paula McManus (Clerical Officer)
Mr Victor Hewitt (Specialist Adviser)
The meeting opened at11.06am in closed session.
1. Apologies
Mr Alex Attwood
Mr Ian Paisley Jnr
11:10 am Mr Dodds joined the Meeting
2. Financial Implications of Policing and Justice Matters
In relation to the issue of the devolution of policing and justice matters, the Chairperson declared the following interests:
- Member of the Northern Ireland Policing Board
The Chairperson invited Members to declare their relevant interests.
Members declared the following interests:
Alex Maskey
- Member of the Northern Ireland Policing Board
A paper, by the Specialist Adviser, on the Financial Implications of the Devolution of Policing and Justice was tabled for the attention of Members.
The Specialist Adviser briefed the Committee on his paper.
11:31 am Mr McCartney left the meeting
11:34 am Mr McCartney joined the meeting
Members of the Committee sought clarification on a number of issues contained within the report.
Agreed: Members agreed to request clarification on a number of matters from the Policing Board and the Northern Ireland Office.
11:40 am The Specialist Adviser left the Meeting
11:44 am The Committee went in to public session
3. Minutes of Proceedings of meeting held on 22 September 2009
Members agreed the Minutes of Proceedings of the meeting held on 22 September 2009.
4. Matters Arising
Members considered the letter of 21 September 2009, from the Committee on Procedures requesting that the Assembly and Executive Review Committee agree to review the arrangements for judicial appointments and removals.
Agreed: Members agreed to include the review of arrangements for judicial appointments and removals into the Committee’s Forward Work Programme, and to write to the Committee on Procedures to that effect.
Members considered pages 1-9 of the draft Official Report of proceedings on 22 September 2009.
Agreed: Members agreed to the inclusion of pages 1-9 of the draft Official Report for publication in a future report.
5. Forward Work Programme
Members considered the latest version of the Forward Work Programme and a letter to the Committee on Procedures about progress on Standing Orders relating to the devolution of policing and justice matters.
Agreed: Members agreed the Forward Work Programme, as amended
6. Department of Justice Bill
Members considered a letter dated 17 September 2009, from the Committee for the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister, inviting the Committee to comment on the Department of Justice Bill.
Members considered a Committee Office briefing paper detailing the issues contained in the Department of Justice Bill that have been previously considered by the Committee.
Agreed: Members agreed that the Chairman should write to the Committee for the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister enclosing a copy of the table included in the briefing paper.
7. Correspondence – outgoing/incoming
Members noted a letter to the Northern Ireland Legal Services Commission, responding to their request for comments on the Commission’s draft Funding Code.
Members noted a letter dated 29 September 2009, from the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister on the devolution of policing and justice matters.
11:56 Mr Kennedy joined the meeting
8. Devolution of Policing and Justice matters
Committee Briefing Paper 11/08/09 – Seventeenth Revision – Consideration of the Category Two List of Issues
In relation to the issue of the devolution of policing and justice matters, the Chairperson declared the following interests:
- Member of the Northern Ireland Policing Board
The Chairperson invited Members to declare their relevant interests.
Members declared the following interests:
Alex Maskey
- Member of the Northern Ireland Policing Board
Members indicated that they had nothing further to report in relation to the Category Two List of Issues
The session was recorded by Hansard.
9. Chairperson’s Business
Members noted a memo from the Clerk informing them that information of their attendance at Committee meetings in the 2008/2009 session had been published on the Assembly website.
10. Date, time and place of next meeting
The next meeting will be held on Tuesday, 06 October 2009 at 11.00am, in Room 21.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 12.00 pm.