MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMITTEE FOR AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT
FRIDAY 6 OCTOBER 2000
HELD IN ROOM 144, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Top
Minutes of Proceedings for 29 September and 4 October
Minutes of Evidence related to the Dogs (Amendment) Bill on 15 and 22 September
Meetings with Minister
Inquiry into Debt and the Circumstances Faced by the Pig and Beef Industries
Fisheries (Amendment) Bill - Committee Stage
The Leader + Programme
Statutory Rule: Welfare of Farmed Animals Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2000 - Formal Consideration
The Foyle and Carlingford Fisheries Bill - DARD Consultation
Vision Exercise - Emerging Themes - DARD letter of 28 September
Fisheries Council - Cod Recovery Plan
Proposed Visits by the Committee
Date of Next Meeting
Present:Dr IRK Paisley MP MEP (Chairman)
Mr G Savage (Deputy Chairman)
Mr B Armstrong
Mr PJ Bradley
Mr J Dallat
Mr B Douglas
Mr D Ford
Mr G McHugh
Mr I Paisley Jnr.
Apologies:Mr G Kane
In attendance:Mr M Wilson
Mr P Moore
Miss K Hewitt
The Chairman called the meeting to order at 09.40.
Minutes of Proceedings for 29 September and 4 October 2000
Resolved: that the draft Minutes of Proceedings for 29 September and 4 October were agreed.
TopMinutes of Evidence related to the Dogs (Amendment) Bill on 15 and 22 September
Resolved: that the Minutes of Evidence for 15 and 22 September were agreed.
TopMeetings with Minister
Resolved: that the meeting with the Minister on 18 October be brought forward by one hour to facilitate discussion on the budget and Programme for Government.
Mr Savage attended the meeting at 09.50.
TopInquiry into debt and the circumstances faced by the pig and beef industries
Resolved: that the Committee should seek a briefing from its specialist advisor on 20 October, to include a summary of the evidence taken and a summary of proposed principles and recommendations for the two reports.
Mr Armstrong attended at 10.00.
Resolved: that the Committee should seek further information from the National Beef Association in relation to evidence taken and then proceed with the letter to the Office of Fair Trading as resolved at the 22 September meeting.
Mr Bradley and Mr Douglas attended the meeting at 10.10.
The Chairman declared the meeting open to the public at 10.10.
TopFisheries (Amendment) Bill - Committee Stage
The Committee deliberated.
Resolved: that the Committee should invite those organisations which had made written submissions to give oral evidence on Friday 13 October and that the Department should be informed that officials would now be required on Friday 20 October. Also that the Committee should issue a letter to the Department outlining areas of concern and requiring clarification.
The Chairman adjourned the meeting at 11.30.
The Chairman resumed the Chair at 11.40 and declared the meeting open to the public.
TopThe LEADER + Programme
DARD officials Mr McWhinney and Mr Snowden were called and examined. Mr McWhinney made a short statement and this was followed by questions from members.
The DARD officials left the meeting at 12.45.
Resolved: that the Committee should reply to the Minister advising that there was general contentment among members about the draft Programme but that the Minister should be asked to take steps to ensure that the Programme, in its administration, offered no opportunities for abuse by or over-use of consultants and that she be asked to consider what the Department might do to assist groups (in particular the farming community) to bring forward their proposals, both at the initial stage as local action groups and later as applicants to those groups.
Resolved: that the Committee should issue a press release announcing that it had met officials and calling on new and existing groups to become aware of and participate in the Programme.
TopStatutory Rule: Welfare of Farmed Animals Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2000 - Formal Consideration
DARD officials Mr Wesley Shannon and Mr Alan McMullan were called in and examined.
The officials left the meeting at 13.05.
The following question was put and agreed:
that the Committee for Agriculture and Rural Development has considered the Welfare of Farmed Animals Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2000 and has no objection to the Rule.
Resolved: that members' concerns regarding farmers' rights in relation to docking of piglets should be included in the letter to the Department advising of the Committee's decision.
The Chairman declared the meeting closed to the public at 13.10.
TopThe Foyle and Carlingford Fisheries Bill - DARD Consultation
The Committee deliberated.
Resolved: that the Committee would not respond to the consultation document as it would be taking the Bill's Committee Stage. However, individual members who wished to respond were at liberty to do so.
TopVision Exercise - Emerging Themes - DARD letter of 28 September
Resolved: that the proposal to discuss the Vision Group's paper on 13 October with the Chairman and the four sub-group Chairmen be taken up. Also that the DARD paper, which it was noted had been marked as restricted to the Executive Committee, be used by members as preparation for that meeting.
Any Other Business
TopFisheries Council - Cod Recovery Plan
The Chairman advised the Committee that he had obtained an agenda for the EU Fisheries Council meeting on 17 October and that the Cod Recovery Plan appeared on the agenda.
Resolved: that the Committee should voice its concern to the Minister that its meeting with her on 18 October, in which the Cod Recovery Plan was to be discussed, should not take place against the background of final decisions having already been taken.
TopProposed Visits by the Committee
The Committee deliberated on two possible visits: the first to an international food fair (as recommended by the NI Meat Exporters' Association) and the second to the agricultural colleges (at the invitation of the Minister, made during her evidence to the debt inquiry).
Resolved: that the Committee would accept the Minister's invitation and that members would participate in an informal visit to local colleges on Wednesday 25 October, arrangements to be made by the Department, and that the Committee would not send a representative to the Food Fair.
TopDate of Next Meeting
Resolved: that the next meeting would take place in Room 135, Parliament Buildings on Friday 13 October 2000, commencing at 09.30.
The Chairman brought the meeting to a close at 13.30.
George Savage
Deputy Chairman
4 October 2000 / Menu / 13 October 2000