COMMITTEE ON PROCEDURES
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
TUESDAY, 4 MAY 2010
ROOM 144, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Lord Browne MLA (Chairman)
Mr Mickey Brady MLA
Mr Billy Leonard MLA
Lord Morrow MLA
Mr Sean Neeson MLA
In Attendance:
Mrs Mairead Mageean (Assembly Clerk)
Ms Leanne Johnston (Clerical Supervisor)
Ms Dagmar Walgraeve (Clerical Officer)
Apologies:
Mr Adrian McQuillan MLA
Mr Declan O’Loan MLA
Mr Ken Robinson MLA
Mr Mervyn Storey MLA
The meeting opened at 2.02 pm in open session.
1. Apologies
Apologies are stated above.
2. Draft Minutes of the Meeting on 23 March 2010
Agreed: for publication on the Assembly website.
3. Matters Arising
None.
4. Written Assembly Questions Not Answered Because of Disproportionate Cost
Members considered and noted research for 2008/2009 and 2009 to March 2010 on the number of written Assembly Questions that did not receive a full response because of the cost involved for the Department to produce the information.
Agreed: that the Committee on Procedures will write to the Junior Ministers to draw the issue to their attention and advise that the Committee will continue to monitor performance in both this area and the time taken to respond to Assembly Questions.
5. Oral Question Time – Additional Time Slot and Time Limits to Ministers’ Responses
Members noted that at the meeting on 23 March 2010 they considered a number of issues relating to Question Time and agreed that there should be an additional slot on Tuesdays and that time limits should be imposed on the responses from Ministers.
Agreed: Members considered draft amendments to Standing Order 20 and agreed that final draft amendments and draft motions should be brought to the next meeting for the Committee’s consideration.
6. Extended Sitting Times on Mondays
Members considered a paper and draft amendment to Standing Orders to enable sittings on a Monday to go on beyond 7.00pm.
Agreed: Members agreed that the draftsperson should be asked to include a requirement for the motion to extend to specify a time limit and to give the Speaker discretion over acceptance of the motion. Members also agreed that the final amendment and draft motion should be brought to the next meeting.
Agreed: Members agreed to write to the Speaker to advise him of the proposed amendments to Standing Orders.
7. Summer Reprint
Members considered a table of minor technical and grammatical amendments in Standing Orders which could be corrected during the summer reprint.
Agreed: Members considered the proposed amendments and are content that the amendments be included in the summer reprint.
8. Correspondence
The Committee noted correspondence from the Speaker in relation to Question Time Slots and time limits.
Lord Browne thanked Lord Morrow for his work as Chairman of the Committee.
The Committee considered correspondence received from the Clerk to the Chairpersons’ Liaison Group in relation to the accuracy of answers to Assembly Questions.
Agreed: Members agreed to consider the issues highlighted in the letter and to write to the Speaker to draw these matters to his attention.
The Committee noted correspondence from the Assembly and Executive Review Committee in relation to the reporting arrangements for the Attorney General and his/her accountability to the Assembly. Members noted that the Committee on Procedures, at a minimum, will need to consider producing Standing Orders to make provision for the Attorney General to participate in Assembly proceedings and the other elements of the relevant legislation.
9. Any Other Business
Mickey Brady congratulated Lord Browne on his appointment as Chairman.
The Committee was advised that a publication had been received from the Community Relations Council entitled Shared Space.
10. Date, Time and Place of Next Meeting
Members noted that the next scheduled meeting will be held on Tuesday, 1 June 2010 at 2.00 pm in Room 144, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairman adjourned the meeting at 2.17pm.