Northern Ireland Assembly Flax Flower Logo

ASSEMBLY AND EXECUTIVE REVIEW COMMITTEE
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
TUESDAY, 2 MARCH 2010
ROOM 21, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS

Present:
Mr Jimmy Spratt (Chairperson)
Mr Raymond McCartney (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Alex Attwood
Mr Simon Hamilton
Mr Danny Kennedy
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)

The meeting opened at 11.09 am in public session.

1. Apologies

None.

2. Minutes of Proceedings of meeting held on 25 February 2010

Members noted the Minutes of Proceedings of the meeting held on 25 February 2010, which had been approved and signed previously by the Chairman for the purposes of being included in the Committee’s Second Report on the Arrangements for the Devolution of Policing and Justice Matters.

3. Matters arising

Members noted there were no further developments on the release of John Larkin QC’s paper or the response to it from the First Minister and the deputy First Minister.

Members noted the arrangements for distributing the Committee’s Second Report on the Arrangements for the Devolution of Policing and Justice Matters.

4. Chairperson’s Business

None.

5. Correspondence
Outgoing correspondence

Members noted:

Incoming correspondence

Members noted:

Members also noted that the Chairman had accepted an invitation, from the Northern Ireland Ombudsman, to attend the launch of a commemorative booklet to mark the 40 th Anniversary of the Office of the Northern Ireland Ombudsman on Wednesday 24 March 2010 at 1pm.

6. The Local Government (Disqualification) (Amendment) Bill

This session was recorded by Hansard

11.14 am Raymond McCartney joined the meeting

The Chairperson declared the following interest:

The Chairperson invited Members to declare their relevant interests.

Members declared the following interests:

Alex Maskey

John O’Dowd

11.15 am Simon Hamilton joined the meeting.

Simon Hamilton

Members discussed the fact that the Second Stage of the Local Government (Disqualification) (Amendment) Bill was scheduled for 9 March 2010.

Members noted that the Bill shall stand referred to the Environment Committee if it passes its Second Stage, unless the Assembly shall order otherwise.

Agreed: Members agreed not to seek to have the Local Government (Disqualification) (Amendment) Bill referred to the Committee.

Agreed: Members agreed that the Chairperson was not required to speak on behalf of the Committee and that each political party would represent its own position.

11.18 am Mr Danny Kennedy joined the meeting.

7. Second Report on the arrangements for the devolution of policing and justice matters

The Chairperson declared the following interest:

The Chairperson invited Members to declare their relevant interests.

Members declared the following interests:

Alex Attwood

Alex Maskey

Members discussed the media handling arrangements in relation to the publication of the Committee’s Second Report on the Arrangements for the Devolution of Policing and Justice Matters.

Agreed: Members agreed the distribution arrangements for the report, as amended.

Agreed: Members agreed arrangements for the Chairman to brief the media, prior to the publication of the report.

Agreed: Members reaffirmed their previous decision to provide the report, under strict embargo, to the media on Monday, 8 March, 2010.

Agreed: Members reaffirmed their previous decision to publish the report officially, and make it available on the website, on Tuesday, 9 March 2010.

Agreed: Members agreed the terms of the revised draft press release and the timing of its issue.

8. Any other business

None.

9. Date, time and place of next meeting

The Committee agreed that the next meeting would take place on Tuesday, 16 March 2010 at 11.00 am, in Room 21.

The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 11.28 am.

Mr Jimmy Spratt
Chairperson, Assembly and Executive Review Committee
16 March 2010

25 February 10 / Menu