In Attendance: Mrs Debbie Pritchard (Principal Committee Clerk)
Mr Hugh Farren (Committee Clerk)
Ms Stella McArdle (Committee Clerk)
Mr John Conlan
Mrs Gillian Lewis
Mr Chris Brown

Apologies: Dr Esmond Birnie
Mrs Annie Courtney
Ms Michelle Gildernew

Apologies are listed above.

Staff: The Chairperson introduced Mr Chris Brown, (Queen's University Belfast intern), who will be working with the Committee staff for 12 weeks.

Consultation documents: Members were reminded of two of the consultation documents referred to the Committee i.e. the Consultation on the Executive's Response to the Disability Rights Task Force and the Review of Community Relations Policy.

Agreed These documents would be copied to the relevant Statutory Committees and any comments they have should be passed to the Committee of the Centre. Action: Clerk

OFMDFM officials and Community Relations Council officials would be invited to brief the Committee on the Review of Community Relations Policy. Action: Clerk

Northern Ireland Council For Voluntary Action, the Mediation Network for Northern Ireland and Society of Local Authority Chief Executives (Solace) would be invited to provide written briefing on the Review of Community Relations Policy. Action: Clerk

Meeting with Head of the Civil Service: The Chairperson informed members that he met briefly with Mr Gerry Loughran, Head of the Civil Service on 24 September 2001. It was agreed that officials and Committee staff would keep in touch about work on major issues. Mr Loughran noted that the Committee would periodically ask the First Minister and Deputy First Minister to meet with it to address various issues; the two Ministers would be expected to accept the invitations.

The minutes from the previous meeting were agreed and signed by the Chairperson.

None.

1. Letter from Consignia about Postal Liberalisation: Members noted a letter and attached response from Consignia (the new name for the Post Office Group) to Postcomm's consultation on promoting effective competition in UK postal services.
2. Invitation letter from the Royal Holloway University of London about the Economic and Social Research Council's Violence Research Programme: The Committee considered an invitation from the Royal Holloway University of London to the regional meeting in Belfast on 18 October 2001. It was agreed that any member wishing to attend the meeting should contact Committee office staff. In the event of members being unavailable to attend a member of the Committee's staff would attend the meeting as an observer. It was also agreed that Professor Elizabeth A Stanko should be invited to brief the Committee about the programme at a future date. Action: Clerk

Mr Cobain joined the meeting at 2.15pm.

3. Letter from the University of Ulster about the Executive's Position Report: Programme for Government and Budget: It was agreed that a copy of the commentary would be forwarded to the Employment and Learning Committee. Action: Clerk
4. Letter from OFMDFM providing information on the ROI's Implementation of the EU Burden of Proof Directive: The Committee noted the correspondence.

Mrs Bell joined the meeting at 2.16pm.

5. Letter from the Chairperson of the Ad Hoc Committee - Criminal Injuries Compensation about the proposals for new legislative arrangements for paying compensation to victims: The Committee considered the correspondence and papers. It was agreed that members would examine the papers and forward comments to the Clerk for discussion at next week's meeting. This will then allow the Clerk to prepare a paper for the Committee's consideration before 17 October 2001. Action: Clerk

The evidence session began at 2.22pm. Evidence was taken from Mr Chris Stewart, Head of Human Rights Unit, and Mr Fergus Devitt, Head of Victims Unit, from the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister. A progress report on the work of the Victims Unit will be sent to the Committee.

It was agreed that officials and representatives from the NIO Victims Liaison Unit, the Northern Ireland Voluntary Trust and the Victims Support Northern Ireland should be invited to give evidence on the Victim's Strategy. The Committee also agreed to seek a written submission from Mr Tom Frawley, Assembly Ombudsman for Northern Ireland on the possible appointment of a Victims Commissioner. Action: Clerk

Members were content that the research paper on a Victims' Strategy, prepared by the Assembly Research and Library Services be placed on the Intranet site.

Members considered and debated a briefing paper on the Corporate Strategic Framework for delivering government services electronically in Northern Ireland and its Equality Impact Assessment.

Mr Gibson rejoined the meeting at 3.14pm.

The Committee agreed that the issues and concerns raised in the paper should be included in a composite response to OFMDFM. Action: Clerk

The Equality Conference 2001 - Mapping the equality agenda: Members were informed of the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland first annual conference to be held on Tuesday, 16 October 2001, in the Hilton Hotel, Belfast. Any member wishing to attend the conference should contact Committee office staff. It was agreed that the Committee staff should also attend. Action: Clerk

Official Launch of the Women's Regional Consultative Forum: The Committee was also informed of the official launch of the new Women's Regional Consultative Forum to be held on Monday, 8 October 2001, in the City Hall, Belfast between 10.30am and 12 noon. Again any member wishing to attend the launch should contact the Committee office staff. It was also agreed the Committee staff should attend the launch. Action: Clerk

The members agreed that the next meeting of the Committee will be held on Wednesday, 3 October 2001 at 2.00pm in Room 144, Parliament Buildings. Junior Ministers will attend the meeting to brief the Committee about the draft 2001 Budget and Programme for Government.