COMMITTEE FOR AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

FRIDAY, 11 MAY 2007
ROOM 144, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS

Present:

Dr William McCrea MP (Chairperson)
Tom Elliott (Deputy Chairperson)
P J Bradley
Allan Bresland
Thomas Burns
Trevor Clarke
Willie Clarke
William Irwin
Francie Molloy
George Savage

In attendance:

Debbie Pritchard (Principal Clerk)
Paul Carlisle (Clerk to the Committee)
Jim Beatty (Assistant Clerk)
Mary Hawthorne (Clerical Supervisor)
Pauline Hunter (Clerical Supervisor)
Kathy Neill (Clerical Officer)

Apologies:

Gerry McHugh

The meeting opened at 10.31am in Public Session

1. Apologies

Apologies are detailed above.

The Chairperson expressed the sympathy of the Committee on the death of the father of the member for Fermanagh and South Tyrone, Mr Gerry McHugh.

2. Membership

The Committee noted details of the membership.

3. Committee Staff

The Chairperson introduced the Committee staff to the members. Contact details were provided within the meeting papers.

4. Procedures

Mr Elliott joined the meeting at 10.35am.
Mr Savage joined the meeting at 10.38am.

(a) Guide to the powers and operation of Statutory Committees for chairpersons and members

The Clerk to the Committee advised the Committee of the powers and operations of statutory committees.

The Chairperson advised members of the following:-

‘Under Section 50 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, for the purposes of the law of defamation absolute privilege applies equally to:

- the making of a statement in proceedings of the Assembly; and

- the publication of a statement under the Assembly’s authority.

The term “proceedings of the Assembly” includes the work of committees. Written and oral evidence taken by committees, therefore, attracts the same privilege as any other proceedings in the Assembly. Any statement given by a witness to a committee as part of its proceedings, whether in oral or in written form, is covered by privilege.’

Members were advised that privilege does not extend to press conferences or statements made to the press.

The Chairperson also advised members of the following:-

‘Sub-judice falls under Standing Order 68 of the Standing Orders for the NI Assembly prepared by the Secretary of State in accordance with paragraph 5(4) of Schedule 1 to the Northern Ireland (St Andrews Agreement) Act 2006. Sub-judice applies from when a criminal charge (or charges) is brought, or from when notice of an appeal is lodged to the time that the verdict and sentence have been announced, or from when a civil action is listed for trial until judgement is given. In such cases, the matter awaiting adjudication should not be prejudiced by comment in a public session of a committee meeting.

These rules are summarised under paragraph 41 and 42 of the Guide to the Powers and Operation of Standing and Ad Hoc Committees for Chairpersons and Members.’

(b)Guide to the role of Chairperson

The Chairperson outlined his role and responsibilities to the Committee.

(c)Guide for members on the role and functions of the Committee Office

The Clerk to the Committee outlined the role and responsibilities of the Office and the services available to Committee members.

(d)Guidance on the role of researchers

Dr Robert Barry and Mr Alan Rehfisch, Research and Library Services, joined the meeting at 10.46am and gave a presentation on the organisation of and services provided by the Research and Library Service.

After answering questions from the members, the officials left the meeting at 10.55am.

5. Declaration of Interests

It was agreed that the interests declared by members prior to the meeting should be appended to the minutes of the meeting – see Appendix 1.

6. Subordinate Legislation

The Clerk to the Committee outlined the procedures appropriate to the consideration of subordinate legislation.

The Chairperson put the following motions to the Committee:-

‘That the Committee for Agriculture and Rural Development resolves, under Standing Order 41, to delegate to the Examiner of Statutory Rules the technical scrutiny of statutory rules referred to the Committee under the above-mentioned Standing Order.

The Committee further resolves that, in carrying out this function, the Examiner shall be authorised to report his technical findings on each statutory rule to the Assembly, through the Business Office, and to the relevant Department, as well as to the Committee itself, and to publish his report’.

The Committee agreed both motions.

7. Departmental First Day Brief

Dr Malcolm McKibbin, Ronnie Jordan, Roy McClenaghan, Gerry Lavery and Robert Houston, senior officials from the Department, joined the meeting at 11.06am.

After a presentation on the vision, aim and goals of the Department, the officials answered questions from the members.

Mr W Clarke left the meeting at 12.10pm.
The officials left the meeting at 12.31pm.

8. Committee on the Programme for Government – extracts from report on Review of Public Administration and Rural Planning

Members were asked to note the extracts provided and were reminded that the Department of Regional Development has responsibility for PPS14.

9. Draft Work Programme/Schedule of Meetings

The Committee noted the draft Work Programme.

After discussion, it was agreed that future meetings of the Committee would be on Tuesday afternoon at 2.00pm.

10. Draft Press Release

The Committee considered and agreed a press release, subject to the following amendment:-

3rd para, 1 st line – after ‘farming’ insert ‘, fishing’

11. AOB

(a) Mr Bradley asked about arrangements for groups who wished to make presentations before the Committee. He was advised that they should write to the Clerk to the Committee who will bring all correspondence before the Committee for consideration.

(b) The Chairperson updated the Committee on his recent meeting with Marianne Fischer Boel, European Commissioner for Agriculture.