MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS OF
THE COMMITTEE FOR AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT
THURSDAY 23 NOVEMBER 2000
HELD IN ROOMS 152 AND 135 PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS

1. Committee Inquiry into Debt - the particular circumstances faced by the beef industry
2. Committee Inquiry into Debt - the particular circumstances faced by the pigs industry

Present:
Mr G Savage MLA (Deputy Chairman)
Mr B Armstrong MLA
Mr J Dallat MLA
Mr B Douglas MLA
Mr G Kane MLA
Mr F Molloy MLA
Mr I Paisley Jnr. MLA

Apologies:
Dr IRK Paisley MP MEP MLA (Chairman)
Mr PJ Bradley MLA

In attendance:
Mr M Wilson
Mr P Moore
Miss K Hewitt

In the Chairman's absence the Deputy Chairman called the meeting to order, in closed session, at 10.10 IN Room 152.

1. Committee Inquiry into debt - the particular circumstances faced by the beef industry

1.1 The draft report was brought up and read, paragraph by paragraph.

1.2 Title page (including draft title for the Report), Contents page and preamble read and agreed.

1.3 Introduction

1.3.1 Paragraphs 1.1 and 1.2 read and agreed.

Mr Dallat left the meeting and Mr Armstrong attended the meeting at 10.35.

1.3.2 Two new paragraphs drafted and agreed to be added as new 1.3 and 1.4.

1.3.3 Members agreed to refer to the draft Report's original numbering as further paragraphs were considered, regardless of the insertion of additional paragraphs.

1.3.4 Paragraph 1.3 read and agreed.

1.3.5 Paragraphs 2.1 to 2.4 read and agreed.

1.3.6 Paragraphs 3.1 to 3.3 read and agreed (subject to the inclusion of a relevant figure at 3.3).

1.3.7 Paragraphs 3.4 to 3.6 read, amended and agreed.

1.3.8 Paragraphs 3.7 to 3.9 read and agreed.

1.3.9 Paragraphs 4.1 to 4.3 read and agreed.

1.4 Issues Considered by the Committee

1.4.1 A new heading and three new paragraphs drafted and agreed to be added at the start of this section.

1.4.2 Paragraphs 5.1 to 5.6 read and agreed.

1.4.3 Paragraphs 6.1 and 6.2 read and agreed.

1.4.4 Paragraph 7.1 read and agreed.

Mr Douglas attended the meeting at 11.10.

1.4.5 Paragraph 8.1 read, amended and agreed.

1.4.6 Paragraph 9.1 read and agreed.

1.4.7 Paragraph 10.1 read, amended and agreed.

Mr Dallat re-joined the meeting at 11.15.

1.4.8 Paragraph 11.1 read and agreed.

1.4.9 Paragraph 12.1 read, amended and agreed.

1.4.10 Paragraph 13.1 read and agreed.

1.5 Response to Issues by Groups Giving Evidence

1.5.1 Paragraphs 14.1 and 14.2 read and agreed.

1.5.2 Paragraphs 14.3.1 to 14.3.5 read and agreed.

1.5.3 Paragraph 14.3.6 read and agreed to be split into two sub-paragraphs. Paragraph 14.3.7 read and agreed.

1.5.4 Paragraphs 14.4 to 14.6 read and agreed.

1.5.5 Paragraphs 15.1 to 15.3 read and agreed.

Mr Paisley Jnr. and Mr Armstrong left the meeting at 11.55.

1.5.6 Paragraph 15.4 read and agreed.

1.5.7 Paragraphs 15.5.1 and 15.5.2 read and agreed. Paragraph 15.5.3 read, amended and agreed. Paragraphs 15.5.4 to 15.5.7 read and agreed subject to a check of the evidence referred to in 15.5.5.

Mr Paisley Jnr. re-joined the meeting at 11.55.

1.5.8 Paragraph 15.6 read and agreed.

1.5.9 Paragraphs 16.1 to 16.3 read and agreed.

1.5.10 Paragraphs 17.1.1 and 17.1.2 read and agreed. Paragraphs 17.1.3 and 17.1.4 read, amended and agreed.

1.5.11 Paragraphs 17.2 to 17.6 read and agreed.

1.5.12 Paragraph 18.1.1 read and agreed. Paragraph 18.1.2 read, amended and agreed.

1.5.13 Paragraph 18.2 read and agreed.

1.5.14 Paragraphs 18.3.1 to 18.3.6 read and agreed. Paragraph 18.3.7 read, amended and agreed. paragraph 18.3.8 read and agreed.

1.5.15 Paragraphs 18.4 and 18.5 read and agreed.

1.5.16 Paragraph 19.1. read and agreed.

1.5.17 Paragraph 20 read and agreed to be subsumed into paragraph 19.

The Deputy adjourned the meeting briefly for lunch at 12.30. He called the meeting to order again at 12.45, (in closed session) with Mr Armstrong having re-joined the meeting and Mr Dallat having left.

1.6 Resolved: that should numbers fall below quorum, members should continue line by line consideration, with their agreed action to be ratified once quorum was reached.

Messrs. Paisley Jnr. and Kane left the meeting at 12.50.

1.7 Consideration of Evidence

1.7.1 Paragraphs 21.1 to 21.9 read and agreed.

Mr Dallat re-joined the meeting at 13.00 and the Committee, now quorate, ratified the actions agreed for 21.1 to 21.9.

1.7.2 Paragraph 22.1 was read and not agreed. Resolved: that the Clerk should provide a form of words to accurately reflect the recent correspondence with the Office of Fair Trading.

1.7.3 Paragraphs 22.2 to 22.4 read and agreed.

1.7.4 Paragraphs 23.1 to 23.3 read and agreed.

1.7.5 Paragraphs 24.1 and 24.2 read and agreed.

1.7.6 Paragraph 24.3 read, amended and agreed.

1.7.7 Paragraph 25.1 read, amended and agreed.

1.7.8 Paragraph 25.2 read and agreed.

1.7.9 Paragraph 25.3 read, amended and agreed.

1.7.10 Paragraphs 26.1 to 26.4 read and agreed.

1.7.11 Paragraphs 27.1 to 27.3 read and agreed.

1.7.12 Paragraphs 28.1 and 28.2 read and agreed.

1.7.13 Paragraph 28.3 read, amended and agreed. Resolved: that the Clerk should check the draft for references to "Low Incidence BSE Status" and amend these to reflect the preferred wording "Beef Exports scheme".

The Deputy Chairman adjourned the meeting briefly at 13.15 in order to move to Room 135, Parliament Buildings. He reconvened the meeting (in closed session) at 13.20, Mr Dallat having left the meeting.

1.7.14 Paragraphs 28.4 and 28.5 were read, amended and agreed.

1.7.15 Paragraph 28.6 read and agreed.

1.7.16 Paragraphs 28.7, 28.8 and 28.9 read, amended and agreed.

1.7.17 Paragraphs 28.10 and 28.11 read and agreed.

1.8 Conclusions

1.8.1 Paragraphs 29.1 to 29.3 read and agreed.

1.8.2 Paragraph 30.1 read and agreed.

1.8.3 Paragraph 30.2 read, amended and agreed.

1.8.4 Paragraphs 31.1 to 31.6 read and agreed.

1.8.5 Paragraphs 32.1 and 32.2 read and agreed.

1.8.6 Paragraph 33.1 read and agreed.

1.8.7 Paragraph 33.2 read, amended and agreed subject to any further input from the Specialist Advisor.

1.8.8 Paragraph 34.1 read and not agreed. Resolved: that the Clerks contact the Specialist Advisor to seek clarification on the wording used.

1.8.9 Paragraph 34.2 read, amended and agreed.

Mr Kane and Mr paisley Jnr. re-joined the meeting at 14.25 and the Committee, now quorate, ratified the actions agreed for Paragraphs 28.4 to 34.2.

1.8.10 Paragraph 34.3 read, amended and agreed.

1.8.11 Paragraph 34.4 read and agreed.

1.8.12 Paragraph 35.1 read and agreed.

1.8.13 Paragraphs 36.1 and 36.2 read and agreed.

1.9 Recommendations

1.9.1 Paragraphs 37.1 and 37.2 read, amended and agreed.

1.9.2 Paragraphs 38.1 and 38.2 read and agreed.

1.9.3 Paragraph 38.3 read, amended and agreed that it should be inserted before Paragraph 38.2.

1.9.4 Paragraphs 39.1 to 39.4 read, amended and agreed that paragraphs 39.2 and 39.3 should be subsumed as bullet points within 39.1.

1.9.5 Paragraphs 40.1 to 40.4 read and agreed.

1.9.6 Paragraph 41.1 read and agreed.

1.9.7 Paragraph 42.1 read, amended and agreed.

1.9.8 Paragraph 43.1 read and agreed.

1.9.9 Paragraph 44.1 read, amended and agreed.

1.9.10 Paragraphs 45.1 and 45.2 read and agreed that these two paragraphs should be removed from the Recommendations section and inserted into the Conclusions section.

1.10 Resolved: that the agreed amendments should be made to the Report with a final draft to be presented to members on 1 December, highlighting the main changes made. If members are satisfied with these changes the Committee will order the Report to be printed.

Mr Molloy left the meeting at 15.05.

2. Committee Inquiry into debt - the particular circumstances faced by the pigs industry

2.1 Title page (including draft title for the Report), Contents page and preamble read and agreed.

2.3 Introduction

2.3.1 Resolved: that amendments due to minor typographical errors found in the Beef Report Paragraphs 1 and 2 should be replicated in this Report.

2.3.2 Resolved: that the two additional paragraphs, agreed for inclusion after paragraph 1.2 in the Beef Report, should be included at the same point in this Report.

2.3.3 Resolved: that, subject to the changes outlined above, paragraphs 1 and 2 were agreed.

2.3.4 Paragraph 3.1 read and agreed.

2.3.5 Paragraph 3.2 read, amended and agreed.

2.3.6 Paragraphs 3.3 to 3.5 read and agreed.

2.3.7 Paragraph 3.6 read, amended and agreed.

2.3.8 Paragraphs 4.1 and 4.2 read and agreed.

2.3.9 Resolved: that the acknowledgement contained in the draft Beef Report (to those who submitted evidence which is not printed in the report) should be included in this Report.

2.3.10 Resolved: that should numbers fall below quorum, the remaining members should continue line by line consideration of the draft Pigs Report to its conclusion, with their agreed action to be ratified by the full Committee when it met the following day.

Mr Paisley left the meeting at 15.30.

2.4 Issues considered by the Committee

2.4.1 A new heading and three new paragraphs drafted and agreed to be added at the start of this section.

2.4.2 Paragraph 5.1 read, amended and agreed.

2.4.3 Paragraph 6.1 read and agreed.

2.4.4 Paragraph 6.2 to 6.5 read, amended and agreed.

2.4.5 Paragraph 7.1 read and agreed.

2.4.6 Paragraph 8.1 read, amended and agreed.

2.4.7 Paragraph 9.1 read and agreed.

2.4.8 Paragraph 10.1 read and agreed.

2.5 Response to issues by groups giving evidence

2.5.1 Resolved: that paragraphs 11 to 17 inclusive reflected accurately the evidence heard by the Committee in relation to the issues considered and that the Clerks should identify and amend all typographical and grammatical errors.

Mr Armstrong left the meeting at 15.50.

2.5.2 Paragraphs 18.1 to 18.3 read and agreed.

2.5.3 Paragraphs 19.1 to 19.3 read and agreed.

2.5.4 Paragraph 19.4 read, amended and agreed

2.5.5 Paragraphs 19.5 and 19.6 read and agreed.

2.5.6 Paragraph 19.7 read, amended and agreed should be subsumed into paragraph 19.6.

2.5.7 Paragraph 20.1 read, amended and agreed.

2.5.8 Paragraph 21.1 read, amended and agreed.

2.5.9 Paragraph 21.2 read and agreed.

2.5.10 Paragraphs 22.1 and 22.2 read, amended and agreed.

2.6 Conclusions

2.6.1 Paragraphs 23.1 and 23.2 read and agreed.

2.6.2 Paragraphs 24.1 and 24.2 read and agreed.

2.6.3 Paragraphs 25.1 and 25.2 read and agreed.

2.6.4 Paragraph 26.1 read and agreed.

2.6.5 Paragraphs 26.2 and 26.3 read, amended and agreed.

2.6.6 Paragraph 27.1 read and agreed.

2.6.7 Paragraph 28.1 read, amended and agreed, provided that the figure shown was quoted accurately from the evidence - Clerks to check this point.

2.6.8 Paragraph 28.2 read and agreed.

2.6.9 Paragraphs 28 .3 and 28.4 read, amended and agreed.

2.6.10 Paragraph 28.5 read and agreed.

2.7 Recommendations

2.7.1 Paragraphs 29.1 and 29.2 read, amended and agreed.

2.7.2 Paragraph 30.1 read and agreed.

2.7.3 Paragraph 30.2 read, amended and agreed.

2.7.4 Paragraph 30.3 read and agreed for insertion before paragraph 30.2.

2.7.5 Paragraphs 31.1 and 31.2 read, amended and agreed.

2.8 Additional work required on the report

2.8.1 Resolved: that the current draft did not address the issues of the proposed on-goers and out-goers schemes, the scheme to assist pig producers in the Republic of Ireland following the fire at Agivey or the outcome of the GB court case regarding the 'BSE tax' and that the Clerks should draft additional paragraphs to ensure that these were covered in the Report.

2.8.2 Resolved: that the Committee would consider a further draft Report.

The Deputy Chairman called the meeting to a close at 16.40.

George Savage
Deputy Chairman

17 November 2000 / Menu