COMMITTEE FOR JUSTICE
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
TUESDAY, 11 JANUARY 2011
ROOM 144, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Lord Morrow MLA (Chairman)
Mr Raymond McCartney MLA (Deputy Chairman)
Lord Browne MLA
Mr Paul Givan MLA
Mr Alban Maginness MLA
Mr Conall McDevitt MLA
Mr David McNarry MLA
Ms Carál Ní Chuilín MLA
Mr John O’Dowd MLA
In Attendance:
Mrs Christine Darrah (Assembly Clerk) Mr Vincent Gribbin (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Mr Joe Westland (Clerical Supervisor)
Mr Kevin Marks (Clerical Officer)
Apologies:
Sir Reg Empey MLA
The meeting commenced at 1.35 p.m. in public session.
1. Apologies
Apologies are detailed above.
2. Draft minutes of the meeting held on 16 December 2010
Agreed: The Committee approved the draft minutes of the meeting of 16 December 2010.
3. Matters Arising
(i) The Committee noted correspondence from the Minister of Justice indicating that he and the Director General of the Prison Service had accepted the conclusions of the Criminal Justice Inspectorate report on the Corporate Governance Arrangements of the Prison Service.
The Chairman advised the Committee that a briefing by the Chief Inspector on the findings of the report was scheduled to take place on Tuesday 25 January and a date was being identified for an up-date briefing by the Prison Review Team.
1.40 p.m. Mr Givan joined the meeting.
(ii) The Committee noted a number of pieces of correspondence received in relation to the Justice Bill, the contents of which would be considered during the clause by clause which was due to begin on Thursday 13 January 2011.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that departmental officials should sit at the table during the clause by clause consideration stage to provide further clarification as necessary.
4. Briefing on the Department of Justice draft Budget 2011 – 2015
Anthony Harbinson, Director of Justice Delivery, Glyn Capper, Deputy Director, Finance, and Sean Laverty, Head of Financial Planning and Control joined the meeting at 1.41 p.m.
The officials briefed the Committee on the Department of Justice draft Budget 2011 – 2015 and the draft spending priorities and funding pressures.
1.51 p.m. Mr McNarry joined the meeting.
A question and answer session followed covering issues including the advantages and disadvantages of continued ringfencing of the DoJ budget; the level of protection being provided for funding to the voluntary and community sectors; the likely cost of Prison reforms and the funding provided in the draft budget; access to End Year Flexibility Stock; funding for the Police Ombudsman’s office and Prisoner Ombudsman’s office; funding for diversionary policies; and the current position in relation to the PSNI bid for security funding from the Treasury.
During the question and answer session officials agreed to provide the Committee with further information including detailed savings plans and equality impact assessments as soon as possible.
The Committee welcomed the confirmation provided by officials that funding was now available to proceed with the Desertcreat Training College.
The Chairman thanked the officials for the briefing and they left the meeting.
The evidence session was recorded by Hansard.
The Committee noted that a further briefing was scheduled in the work programme for Thursday 20 January by which time the detailed savings delivery plans and information on equality impact assessments would be available.
The Committee discussed the request from the Committee for Finance and Personnel for a response on the draft budget by Friday 21 January.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Committee for Finance and Personnel indicating that more time was required to consider the budget information and prepare a response.
5. The Justice Bill – Oral evidence session by the PSNI
Assistant Chief Constable Will Kerr, Chief Superintendent Stephen Martin, Superintendent Chris Noble and Superintendent Alastair Wallace joined the meeting at 2.40 p.m.
The PSNI representatives briefed the Committee on the clauses of the Bill and answered questions from Members on issues such as the necessity of aspects of the legislation and how it would be enforced; the impact of the legislation relating to fine defaulters; and the resource implications of the Bill for the PSNI.
2.57 p.m. Ms Ní Chuilín joined the meeting.
3.30 p.m. Mr Maginness joined the meeting.
The Chairman thanked the PSNI officials for the briefing and they left the meeting.
The evidence session was recorded by Hansard.
Response by Department of Justice officials on the issues raised by the PSNI
Gareth Johnston, Head of Justice Strategy Division, David Hughes, Deputy Director of Policing Policy and Strategy, Janice Smiley, Head of Criminal Policy Unit and Tom Haire, Justice Bill Manager joined the meeting at 3.35 p.m.
3.55 p.m. Mr Girvan left the meeting.
3.59 p.m. Mr Maginness left the meeting.
The Departmental officials responded to the issues raised by the PSNI on the Justice Bill.
The Chairman thanked the officials for the briefing and David Hughes left the meeting.
The evidence session was recorded by Hansard.
Briefing on the Justice Bill Equality Impact Assessment
Gareth Johnston, Head of Justice Strategy Division, Janice Smiley, Head of Criminal Policy Unit and Tom Haire, Justice Bill Manager briefed the Committee on the Justice Bill Equality Impact Assessment and answered questions from Members on the process followed for the consultation, the timing of it and the issues highlighted in responses received.
4.11 p.m. Mr Girvan rejoined the meeting.
4.12 p.m. Mr O’Dowd left the meeting.
4.13 p.m. Mr McNarry rejoined the meeting.
4.20 p.m. Mr McDevitt left the meeting.
The Chairman thanked the officials for the briefing and they left the meeting.
The evidence session was recorded by Hansard.
6. Chairman’s Business
The Committee noted that arrangements were being made for the Chairman and Deputy Chairman to meet Law Society representatives, at their request, regarding the Solicitor Advocacy clauses and the Justice Bill.
7. Correspondence
(i) The Committee noted correspondence from the Minister of Justice providing an update on progress on delivering the Victim and Witness Strategic Action Plan 2010-11.
(ii) The Committee noted correspondencefrom the Minster of Justice regarding a Department of Justice Authorisation he had issued to empower the Legal Services Commission to disapply the financial eligibility test for proceedings before the Mental Health Review Tribunal with immediate effect.
(iii) The Committee noted correspondence from the Department of Justice regarding the publication of a research paper investigating issues for women in Northern Ireland involved in prostitution.
(iv) The Committee considered correspondence from the Department of Justice regarding Sickness Absence in the NI Departments – Headline Figures 2009/10.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the Department of Justice requesting information on the sickness absence figures for the Department of Justice for each month since its creation on 12 April 2010.
(v) The Committee noted correspondence from the Department of Justice regarding its intention to carry out a consultation exercise in relation to a review of the statutory discount rate.
(vi) The Committee noted correspondence from the Department of Justice regarding proposals by AccessNI to introduce regulations in Northern Ireland to reduce the number of referrals to GB police forces.
(vii) The Committee noted an Assembly Research paper on Rural Development issues and challenges in Northern Ireland provided by the Committee for Agriculture and Rural Development.
(viii) The Committee noted correspondence from the Committee for Health Social Services and Public Safety providing further information from the Department of Health on the current Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service Training Centre at Boucher Crescent.
(ix) The Committee noted correspondence from the Bar Council regarding the evidence provided by NI Court Service officials on the Proposals for Remuneration of Defence Council in Crown Court cases to the Committee on 7 December 2010.
8. Any Other Business
The Chairman informed the Committee that the Attorney General had offered to come to the Committee on Clause 34 of the Justice Bill.
Agreed: The Committee agreed that the attendance of the Attorney General would be helpful and arrangements should be made.
4.35 p.m. Mr Givan left the meeting.
9. Date and Time of next Meeting
The next meeting will be held on Thursday 13 January at 2.00 p.m. in Room 29, Parliament Buildings.
Lord Morrow of Clogher Valley MLA
Chairman, Committee for Justice
18 January 2010
16 December 10 / Menu
