COMMITTEE ON PROCEDURES
Minutes of Proceedings
Tuesday, 1 December 2009
Room 144, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Lord Morrow MLA (Chairperson)
Mervyn Storey MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Mickey Brady MLA
Mr Francie Brolly MLA
Mr Raymond McCartney MLA
Mr David McClarty MLA
Mr Sean Neeson MLA
Mr Declan O’Loan MLA
In Attendance:
Mrs Mairead Mageean (Assembly Clerk)
Mrs Vivien Ireland (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Ms Dagmar Walgraeve (Clerical Officer)
Apologies:
Lord Browne MLA
Mr Ken Robinson MLA
The meeting opened at 2.02 pm in closed session.
1. Standing Orders Policing and Justice
The Committee considered revised Standing Orders to deal with the anticipated transfer of policing and justice powers and discussed the allocation of a chairperson and a deputy chairperson to the Committee for Justice.
Mr Brolly joined the meeting at 2.05 pm.
Mr McCartney joined the meeting at 2.05 pm.
Agreed: that the matter will be deferred until the Committee’s next meeting on 12 January 2010, when the views of all parties will be made known. It was also agreed that the clerk will keep the draft Standing Orders for the anticipated transfer of policing and justice powers under review.
The meeting continued in open session at 2.25 pm.
2. Apologies
Apologies are detailed above.
3. Draft minutes of the meeting held on 3 November 2009
Agreed: for publication on the Assembly website.
4. Matters arising
Mr O’Loan asked why the first item of business on Policing and Justice was not held in open session. In response, the Chairperson stated that the members of the Committee agreed to have this part of the meeting in closed session.
5. Standing Orders 66, 67, 68 and 74
The Committee considered proposals to amend the Standing Orders that deal with visitors to the Assembly and its Committees, including the media.
Agreed: that the draftsperson will be asked to produce revised Standing Orders including consequential amendments for the Committee’s deliberation.
Mr Storey left the meeting at 2.30 pm.
6. Assembly Questions – Research
In response to concerns raised by members regarding the content and length of Ministerial responses to questions, the clerk updated the Committee on her research into how other legislatures deal with the issue.
Agreed: to await the outcome of the Speaker’s discussions with the junior Ministers.
The Committee was reminded that on 3 November 2009, Mr O’Loan requested clarification on whether a holding reply from a Minister to a written Assembly Question is recorded as meeting the deadline when collating statistics. Members were informed that the Business Office does not count holding replies to Assembly Questions as having been answered on time.
7. Forward Work Programme
Members considered the latest draft of the Committee work programme for the period to 1 June 2010.
Agreed: that the draft Committee work programme, as amended, be published on the Assembly website.
8. Any Other Business
Members considered a Christmas card list for all those who gave evidence to, or hosted a visit of, the Committee in 2009.
Agreed: that the Christmas cards from the Committee will be issued in the name of the chairperson.
The Committee was advised about a letter from the Clerk to the Chairpersons’ Liaison Group regarding information on the cost of answering written questions.
Agreed: that when a response is received from the Office of the First and deputy First Minister on the cost of answering written questions it will copied to all Assembly statutory committees.
The Committee was advised that Mr Francie Brolly will be retiring from the Assembly and that this would be his last meeting. The Chairperson, on behalf of the Committee, acknowledged with thanks the work carried out by Mr Brolly and wished him well in his retirement.
9. Date, Time and Place of Next Meeting
The next meeting will be held on Tuesday, 12 January 2010 at 2.00 pm in Room 144, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 2.41 pm.