COMMITTEE ON PROCEDURES
Minutes of Proceedings
Tuesday, 12 January 2010
Room 144, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Lord Morrow MLA (Chairperson)
Mervyn Storey MLA (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Mickey Brady MLA
Lord Browne MLA
Mr Billy Leonard MLA
Mr Raymond McCartney MLA
Mr David McClarty MLA
Mr Adrian McQuillan MLA
Mr Sean Neeson MLA
Mr Ken Robinson MLA
In Attendance:
Mrs Mairead Mageean (Assembly Clerk)
Mr Colin Jones (Assistant Assembly Clerk)
Ms Leanne Johnston (Clerical Supervisor)
Ms Dagmar Walgraeve (Clerical Officer)
Apologies:
none
The meeting opened at 2.03 pm in open session.
Agreed: that the Committee’s consideration of its position on the procedures to be followed for the allocation of a chairperson and deputy chairperson to the Committee for Justice, should policing and justice powers be devolved, will be held in open session.
The Chairperson welcomed Mr Leonard to his first Committee meeting.
Mr Leonard stated that he had no interests to declare.
1. Apologies
None.
2. Standing Orders: Policing and Justice
Members noted that, at the last meeting in December 2009, the Committee had agreed that members would bring their party’s views on the position they would wish to adopt for running d’Hondt for the allocation of a chairperson and deputy chairperson to the Committee for Justice, in the event that policing and justice powers were devolved.
Agreed: the consensus in the Committee was that d’Hondt should be rerun for the allocation of a chairperson and deputy chairperson to all Committees if a new Committee is established.
The Committee considered a draft concordat between Her Majesty’s Government and the Northern Ireland Executive on the independence of the Public Prosecution Service for Northern Ireland, which had been sent to it by the Assembly and Executive Review Committee (AERC).
Mr Robinson joined the meeting at 2.17pm
Agreed: that the Clerk will write to the AERC to request that the Committee on Procedures be kept informed of any matters on which the AERC reaches agreement which will require the development of Standing Orders.
Agreed: that the Committee will await further information from the AERC, on the participation of the Attorney General in Assembly proceedings, before requesting a draft Standing Order from the draftsperson.
3. Draft Minutes of the Meeting on 1 December 2009
Agreed: for publication on the Assembly website.
4. Matters Arising
None.
5. Standing Orders 66, 67, 68 and 74: Visitors and the News Media
The Committee considered draft Standing Orders, provided by the draftsperson, on visitors to the Assembly and its committees.
Agreed: that the existing Standing Orders 66, 67 and 68 will be consolidated and that a separate Standing Order (SO 67) will be produced on media access.
6. Standing Order 73: Sub Judice
The Committee considered the content of the current Standing Order on Sub Judice.
Agreed: that the draftsperson will be asked to redraft this Standing Order along the lines of those of the Scottish Parliament.
7. Assembly Questions
The Committee considered a response from the Junior Ministers to the Speaker, on Ministerial replies to Assembly Questions.
Members discussed the role of the Speaker when Assembly Questions are being answered and what measures could be taken by the Speaker to ensure that Ministers’ responses are both full and concise.
Agreed: that Mr McClarty, in his role as Deputy Speaker, will raise this issue with the Speaker’s Office.
The Committee noted information from the Committee for Finance and Personnel on the Department of Finance and Personnel’s performance in answering Assembly Questions.
Members noted that a response had not been received from the Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister on the costs of answering written Assembly Questions.
8. Any Other Business
None.
9. Date, Time and Place of Next Meeting
The next meeting will be held on Tuesday, 2 February 2010 at 2.00 pm in Room 144, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 2.43 pm.