COMMITTEE FOR THE OFFICE OF THE FIRST MINISTER AND DEPUTY FIRST MINISTER
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
WEDNESDAY 28 January 2009
SENATE CHAMBER, PARLIAMENT bUILDINGS
Present:
Mrs Naomi Long (Deputy Chairperson)
Ms Martina Anderson
Mr Tom Elliott
Mrs Dolores Kelly
Mr Ian McCrea
Mr Barry McElduff
Mr Francie Molloy
Mr Stephen Moutray
Mr Jim Shannon
Mr Jimmy Spratt
In Attendance:
Mrs Cathie White (Assembly Clerk)
Ms Aiobhinn Treanor (Assembly Clerk)
Mrs Linda Gregg (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Mr Keith McBride (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Mrs Lynda Mulholland (Clerical Supervisor)
Ms Helena Maginness (Clerical Officer)
Mr Vincent Gribben (Researcher)
2.05 p.m. The meeting opened in public session.
1. Apologies
Mr Danny Kennedy.
2. Chairperson’s Business
Visit to Scottish European and External Relations Committee
The Deputy Chairperson advised Members of the arrangements for the Committee’s visit to Edinburgh to meet with the Scottish European and External Relations Committee on Wednesday 4 February 2009. The Deputy Chairperson advised that as she and the Chairperson were not attending the visit and a lead speaker would need to be nominated.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that Mr Jimmy Spratt will be the lead speaker during the Committee’s visit to Edinburgh.
Executive’s Response to the Northern Ireland Taskforce Report
Agreed: The Committee agreed that Members would forward their views and comments on the Executive’s response to the Report of the Northern Ireland Taskforce to the Committee Office by Thursday 5 February 2009, for consideration at the Committee meeting on Wednesday 11 February. The Committee noted there was no need for an urgent meeting with Ministers.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that the Executive’s response should be issued to all statutory committees seeking their views on the response.
Consideration of EU issues
Agreed: The Committee agreed the date for its visit to Westminster to meet with the House of Lords and House of Commons European Committees. The Committee agreed the date for its visit to the Catalan Parliament. The Committee also agreed the date for the visit of the House of Oireachtas Joint Committees to Stormont to give evidence on the Committee’s consideration of European issues.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that it was content for the National Assembly of Wales to publish this Committee’s update on Europe as an appendix to its report on the meeting of the EC-UK Chairpersons.
Clerking Duties
The Deputy Chairperson advised Members that Aoibhinn Treanor will be taking over clerking duties while Cathie White is off.
3. Draft minutes of the meetings held on 5 and 7 January 2009
Agreed: The draft minutes of proceedings, as amended, were agreed by the Committee.
4. Executive’s Response to the Child Poverty Report
2.14 p.m. Junior Ministers and officials joined the meeting.
Junior Minister Donaldson and junior Minister Kelly briefed the Committee on the Executive’s response to the Committee’s Child Poverty Report. The junior Ministers also briefed the Committee on the adoption of the Lifetime Opportunities Strategy. A question and answer session followed.
2.25 p.m. Mrs Kelly joined the meeting.
5. Safeguarding Policy Statement
Junior Minister Donaldson and junior Minister Kelly briefed the Committee on the draft Safeguarding Policy Statement. A question and answer session followed.
3.23 p.m. Junior Ministers left the meeting.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to OFMDFM seeking further clarification on issues that were raised during the briefing sessions by junior Ministers on the Executive’s Response to the Committee’s Child Poverty Report and Safeguarding Policy Statements.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to publish the Executive’s Response to the Committee’s Report on Child Poverty on the Committee’s webpage.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the other statutory committees to advise them of the Executive’s response and to encourage them to follow up relevant committee recommendations with their Department.
3.33 p.m. Mr McElduff left the meeting.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to OFMDFM seeking further information on the Ministers’ representations to the Northern Ireland Office concerning the rehabilitation of young offenders and also the rehabilitation of sex offenders. The Committee also agreed to request research on co-ordinating the rehabilitation of sex offenders and also on young people in the justice system.
3.42 p.m. Mrs Kelly left the meeting.
6. February Monitoring Round
3.43 p.m. An official from OFMDFM joined the meeting.
Mrs Jackie Kerr briefed the Committee on the Department’s proposals for the February Monitoring Round. A question and answer session followed.
3.58 p.m. The official from OFMDFM left the meeting.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to OFMDFM seeking further information on the patterns of underspend and overspend over the last 3 years.
3.59 p.m. Mr Spratt left the meeting.
7. Committee for Finance and Personnel Scrutiny of Public Procurement
The Committee considered the Committee for Finance and Personnel’s terms of reference for its scrutiny of public procurement practice in Northern Ireland. A Researcher from the Assembly’s Research and Library Services briefed the Committee on social clauses in public contracts.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to request further research on examples of the inclusion of social clauses in public contracts. The Committee agreed to seek an extension to the closing date.
8. Matters arising
Children and Young People’s Action Plan
The Committee noted the response from OFMDFM providing information on the 144 key targets in the Children and Young People’s 1-year Action Plan.
Meeting with Financial Institutions
The Committee noted the response from the First Minister and deputy First Minister concerning the outcome of their meetings with the Financial Institutions.
Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems
The Committee considered the response from OFMDFM concerning the Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward the response to the Committee for the Environment.
“Can’t Heat or Eat” Campaign
The Committee noted the response from OFMDFM concerning the “Can’t Heat or Eat” Campaign by Help the Aged, Age Concern and the Age Sector Platform.
Counting the Costs
The Committee noted the project summary of the Counting the Costs project.
9. Correspondence
Committee for Health, Social Services and Public Safety Inquiry into Obesity
The Committee considered the Committee for Health, Social Services and Public Safety inquiry into Obesity.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to forward the letter to the First Minister and deputy First Minister.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to respond to the Committee’s Inquiry providing a copy of the Committee’s report on Child Poverty, highlighting the relevant recommendations.
Committee for Social Development
The Committee agreed to forward the letter from the Chairperson of the Committee for Social Development to the First Minister and deputy First Minister regarding the Social Security (Miscellaneous Amendments No.2) Regulations ( Northern Ireland) 2008.
Older People’s Commissioner Consultation Process
The Committee noted correspondence from the First Minister and deputy First Minister concerning the Older People’s Commissioner Consultation Process.
Committee for Health, Social Services and Public Safety
The Committee agreed to forward correspondence from the Deputy Chairperson of the Committee for Health, Social Services and Public Safety to the First Minister and deputy First Minister concerning funding of Playboard subjects.
10 . Any other business
None.
11. Date of next meeting
The next meeting will be held on Wednesday 11 February 2009 at 2.30 p.m. in Room 144.
4.14 p.m. The Deputy Chairperson adjourned the meeting.