COMMITTEE FOR AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
TUESDAY 26 JUNE 2007
ROOM 144, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Dr William McCrea MP (Chairperson)
Tom Elliott (Deputy Chairperson)
P J Bradley
Allan Bresland
Thomas Burns
Trevor Clarke
William Irwin
Gerry McHugh
Francie Molloy
George SavageIn attendance:
Paul Carlisle (Clerk to the Committee)
Jim Beatty (Assistant Clerk)
Mary Hawthorne (Clerical Supervisor)
Kathy Neill (Clerical Officer)Apologies: None
The meeting opened at 2.00pm in Public Session
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Apologies
As above.
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Minutes of last meeting
The Committee agreed the Minutes of the meeting of 19 June 2007.
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Matters Arising
(a) LMC Attendance
It was agreed that the Committee would write to the LMC to apologise for the length of time and the circumstances in which they had to wait before joining the meeting on 19 June 2007.
It was agreed that the Clerk should review the arrangements for witnesses coming before the Committee.
(b) Correspondence Issued
The Committee noted the correspondence issued over the past week.
(c) Responses from the Minister and Permanent Secretary
The Committee noted the responses received from the Minister and Permanent Secretary.
Mr Bradley joined the meeting at 2.07pm.
As the Committee still has a number of outstanding queries, it was agreed to invite the Minister to attend the Committee meeting on Tuesday, 3 July 2007.
(d) Bovine TB
The Committee noted the papers on bovine TB and the effectiveness of badger culls.
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Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR)
Gerry Lavery, Tom Rodgers and Linda Lowe, Department officials joined the meeting at 2.18pm. They gave a presentation on the background to the CSR and how it is likely to impact on the Department.
Mr Molloy left the meeting at 2.25pm.
After their presentation, the officials answered questions from the members. The officials left the meeting at 3.12pm.
It was agreed that the Committee would write to the Department with outstanding queries.
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South Antrim Rural Network (SARN)
Michael Hughes, Frances Spence, Patrick Kelly and Michele Baird, representatives of the Rural Community Network (RCN) and SARN, joined the meeting at 3.14pm. The representatives gave a presentation on the role and functions of the RCN and its constituent bodies.
After their presentation, the representatives answered questions from the members. The representatives left the meeting at 3.55pm.
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Food Strategy Implementation Partnership (FSIP)
(It was agreed that representatives from FSIP and the Department would make a joint presentation.)
Dan Flinter, FSIP, John Speers, Steven Miller and Peter Scott, Department officials, joined the meeting at 3.56pm and gave a presentation on the work of FSIP and how it will be taken forward by the Department.
Mr Bradley left the meeting at 4.02pm.
Mr Bresland left the meeting at 4.04pm.After the presentation the representatives answered questions from the members. The representatives left the meeting at 4.23pm.
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EIA (Agriculture) Regulations (NI) 2007
John Speers, Ian McKee and Rosalind Dempsey, Department officials, joined the meeting at 4.25pm.
The Committee considered the letter from the Department on how issues raised within the responses to the consultation exercise were addressed. The officials answered questions from the members and agreed to provide further information not available at the meeting.
Mr Burns left the meeting at 4.42pm.
The Committee agreed to defer a decision on this matter pending responses from UFU/NIAPA. The officials left the meeting at 4.47pm.
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SL1 - Plant Health (Amendment) Order (NI) 2007
John Speers, Peter Toner and Davy Millar, Department officials, joined the meeting at 4.47pm to assist the Committee in its consideration of the SLIs for this and the two following proposed statutory rules.
It was agreed that the Committee had no objection to the proposed rule.
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SL1 - Seed Potatoes (Amendment) Regulations (NI) 2007
It was agreed to defer a decision on this matter pending receipt of responses from industry representatives. The UFU response will be copied to the Department for comments.
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SL1 - Pig Production Development Committee (Winding Up) Order (NI) 2007
It was agreed that the Committee had no objection to the proposed rule.
The officials left the meeting at 4.53pm.
Mr Irwin left the meeting at 4.54pm.
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SL1 – Products of Animal Origin (Third Country Imports) (Amendment) Regulations (NI) 2007
Colette Connor, Lisa Reid and Chris Armstrong, Department officials, joined the meeting at 4.54pm. After giving a presentation on the above SL1, the officials answered questions from the members.
On this occasion, the Committee accepted the Department’s case for breaching the 21 day rule and it was agreed that the Committee had no objection to the proposed rule. The officials left the meeting at 5.03pm.
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SL1 - Common Agricultural Policy (Wine) (England and Northern Ireland) (Amendment) Regulations 2007
The Committee considered the SL1 in respect of the above statutory rule and agreed that it had no objection.
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DARD Proposed Consultations
The Committee noted the paper on DARD proposed consultations.
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Correspondence Received
(a) GM Freeze – the Committee noted receipt of the report from this organisation.
(b) Ms Cromey, University Student – the Committee noted the e-mail from Ms Cromey. It was agreed that it would not be appropriate for a member to meet with Ms Cromey as a representative of the Committee. However, a member representing South Down may wish to meet with her as MLA for that area.
(c) Pamela Broomfield-Donald – it was agreed that Ms Broomfield-Donald’s letter should be referred to the Department for a response.
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Forward Work Programme
The members noted the Forward Work Programme and were reminded that the Committee will consider issues for potential inquires at the meeting on 3 July 2007.
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AoB
The Committee recorded its appreciation for the research work provided by Alan Rehfisch, Assembly Research, on his return to the Scottish Parliament.
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Next Meeting
The Committee will next meet at 2.00pm on Tuesday, 3 July 2007 in Room 144, Parliament Buildings.
The meeting closed at 5.10pm.
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Chairperson
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Date