COMMITTEE ON PROCEDURES
Minutes of Proceedings
Tuesday, 3 November 2009
Room 144, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Mr Mervyn Storey MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Mickey Brady MLA
Lord Browne MLA
Mr Raymond McCartney MLA
Mr Sean Neeson MLA
Mr Declan O’Loan MLA
Mr Ken Robinson MLA
In Attendance:
Mrs Mairead Mageean (Assembly Clerk)
Mr Jonathan McMillen (Assistant Legal Adviser)
Mrs Vivien Ireland (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Ms Leanne Johnston (Clerical Supervisor)
Ms Dagmar Walgraeve (Clerical Officer)
Apologies:
Lord Morrow MLA (Chairperson)
Mr David McClarty MLA
The meeting opened at 2.02 pm in public session.
1. Apologies.
Apologies are detailed above.
The deputy Chairperson thanked Mr Jim Beatty, Assistant Assembly Clerk and Ms Sharon Greene, Clerical Supervisor for their contributions to the work of the Secretariat team and wished them well for the future.
Lord Browne joined the meeting at 2.03 pm.
2. Draft minutes of the meeting of 6 October 2009.
Agreed: for publication on the Assembly website.
3. Matters arising.
None.
4. Standing Orders – Unavailability of Speaker and Deputy Speakers
The Committee considered a draft Standing Order 9A Temporary Speaker and consequential amendments to address the issue of the unavailability of the Speaker and Deputy Speakers to chair proceedings in plenary session.
Agreed:the drafts of Standing Order 9A Temporary Speaker and the consequential amendments to Standing Orders 3(2), 4(2) and 4(8).
The Committee also considered draft motions to bring the draft Standing Order and the consequential amendments to the Assembly.
Agreed: that the motions for SO9A, SO3(2), SO4(2) and (8) will be laid in the Business Office for plenary debate in week commencing 23 November 2009.
5. Departmental Performance on Assembly Questions
The Committee examined statistical information from the Business Office on departmental performance on answering written questions for the periods 1 September 2008 to 31 July 2009, 1 September to 30 September 2008 and 1 September to 30 September 2009.
Agreed: that a copy of the statistical information on departmental performance on answering written questions will be sent to each of the relevant statutory committees. It was also agreed that the departmental costs for answering questions will be requested from the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister (OFMDFM) for the next Committee meeting.
Mr O’Loan requested clarification on whether a holding reply in Ministerial responses to Assembly Questions is recorded as meeting the deadline when collating statistics.
Agreed: that clarification will be sought from the Business Office on whether a holding reply is recorded as meeting the deadline for response.
Members discussed whether there was a role for the Committee on Procedures to examine issues relating to the length and quality of Assembly questions and Ministerial responses.
Agreed: that the clerk will carry out research on this issue and report back to the Committee.
6. Review of Standing Orders.
The clerk updated the Committee on the current position in relation to the list of Standing Orders to be reviewed. As the Committee had completed the majority of the work, members were asked to consider further Standing Orders to be reviewed.
Agreed: that Standing Orders 33 and 33(2) Public Bills Committee Stage and Standing Order 21 Adjournment Debates will form part of the work of the Committee in the New Year.
Agreed: that Standing Order 3 Procedure at First Meeting of New Assembly and Standing Order 12 Public Business will be added to the list of Standing Orders to be reviewed.
6. Forward Work Programme.
Members considered the latest draft of the Committee work programme for the period to 5 January 2010.
Agreed: that Standing Orders 3 and 12 will be added to the Committee work programme under ‘Issues to be scheduled’. It was also agreed that the draft Committee work programme, as amended, be published on the Assembly website.
The meeting continued in closed session at 2.20 pm.
8. Standing Orders Policing and Justice.
The Committee discussed the current position on the development of Standing Orders to deal with the anticipated devolution of policing and justice powers and the allocation of the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson of the Committee for Justice.
Mr McCartney joined the meeting at 2.21 pm.
Agreed:that members will consult with their parties on how to proceed with the allocation of Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson and bring their parties’ views to the next Committee meeting on 1 December 2009.
Mr Neeson left the meeting at 2.27 pm
The meeting continued in open session at 2.31 pm
8. Correspondence.
The Committee was advised of an invitation received by the Chairperson to attend the celebrations of the 40 th Anniversary of the creation of the Northern Ireland Ombudsman’s Office and that neither the Chairperson nor the Deputy Chairperson was available to attend.
Agreed: that any members wishing to attend will inform the clerk.
10. Any Other Business
The Committee was advised that a publication had been received from the Community Relations Council entitled Shared Space.
Members were advised that when contacted by Committee staff about the temporary arrangements to deal with issuing meeting packs during the postal strike a number of emails were returned as non deliverable.
Agreed: that members will check contact details held and will advise staff of any amendments required.
11. Date, time and place of next meeting.
The next meeting of the Committee will be at 2.00 pm on Tuesday, 1 December 2009 in Room 144, Parliament Buildings.
The deputy Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 2.34 pm.