MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS OF THE
COMMITTEE FOR AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT
FRIDAY 21 SEPTEMBER 2001
HELD IN ROOM 135 PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
1. Minutes of Proceedings on 17 September 2001
2. Committee Inquiry into the Livestock and Meat Commission
3. The Fishing Vessels (Decommissioning) Scheme
4. Matters arising from the meeting on 17 September 2001
5. Date of Next Meeting
Present:Dr IRK Paisley MP MEP (Chairperson) Mr G Savage (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr B Armstrong
Mr PJ Bradley
Mr J Dallat
Mr D Ford
Mr G Kane
Mr G McHugh
Apologies:Mr B Douglas
Mr I Paisley Jnr
In attendance:Mr P Moore
Mr B Kennedy
Mr J McCourt
Mr E Vance
The Chairperson called the meeting to order in closed session at 9.23am.
1. Minutes of Proceedings on 17 September 2001.
1.1 Resolved: that the draft Minutes of Proceedings for 17 September 2001 were approved.
2. Committee Inquiry into the Livestock and Meat Commission.
2.1 Resolved: that the Report should be entitled "Inquiry into the Livestock and Meat Commission".
Mr McHugh attended the meeting at 9.27am.
2.2 Findings.
Resolved: that the new paragraph relating to the need for an Agricultural Forum should have additional text added and become a recommendation. New text was drafted and agreed.
Additional text drafted and agreed for paragraph 14.4
Additional text drafted and agreed for paragraph 15.9
Resolved: that minor amendments would be made within paragraphs 4.1 to 8.8.8 to change remarks from the first person to the third person.
The Chairperson left the meeting at 9.42am. The Deputy Chairperson assumed the Chair at this time.
Paragraphs 20.1 to 20.8 read and agreed
Paragraph 20.9 read, amended and agreed
Paragraphs 20.10 and 20.11 read and agreed
Paragraph 20.12 read, amended and agreed
Paragraphs 21.1 to 21.3 read and agreed
Paragraph 21.4 read, amended and agreed
Paragraphs 21.5 and 21.6 read and agreed
Paragraphs 21.7 and 21.8 read, amended and agreed
The Chairperson returned to the meeting at 9.57 and assumed the Chair.
Paragraphs 22.1 to 22.4 read and agreed
Mr McHugh left the meeting at 10.03am. Mr Bradley attended the meeting at 10.06am.
Paragraphs 23.1 to 23.10 read and agreed
Mr Dallat left the meeting at 10.11am.
Paragraphs 24.1 to 24.7 read and agreed
Mr McHugh returned to the meeting at 10.21am.
Paragraph 24.8 read, amended and agreed
Paragraphs 24.9 to 24.25 read and agreed
Resolved: that the Clerk is instructed to contact the Office of Fair Trading regarding their undertaking to write to the Committee at the conclusion of investigations into allegations of a Cartel operation.
Paragraphs 25.1 to 25.4 read and agreed
Paragraph 25.5 read
Resolved: that paragraph 25.5 be deleted from the Report.
Paragraphs 26.1 to 26.10 read and agreed
Paragraphs 26.11 to 26.13 read, amended and agreed
Paragraphs 27.1 and 27.2 read, amended and agreed
Paragraphs 27.3 to 27.5 read and agreed
Paragraphs 27.6 read, amended and agreed
Paragraph 27.7 read and agreed
Paragraph 27.8 read, amended and agreed
Paragraphs 27.9 to 27.20 read and agreed
2.3 Conclusions
Paragraphs 28.1 and 28.2 read and agreed
Paragraphs 28.3 read, amended and agreed
Resolved: that a new conclusion was required to take account of the recommendation relating to the need for an Agricultural Forum. New text was drafted and agreed for insertion as an additional paragraph to follow 28.3.
Paragraphs 29.1 to 29.4 read and agreed
Paragraphs 30.1 to 30.6 read and agreed
Paragraphs 31.1 to 31.3 read and agreed
Paragraphs 32.1 to 32.5 read and agreed
Paragraph 33.1 read and agreed
Paragraphs 33.2 read, amended and agreed
Resolved: that an additional conclusion regarding comments on the contents of this Report should be inserted. New text was drafted and agreed for insertion after paragraph 33.2.
2.4 The Executive Summary of the Report was brought up, read and agreed with minor amendments for insertion at the beginning of the Report.
Resolved: that the list of recommendations would be amended to incorporate changes made during consideration of "Findings".
Mr Ford left the meeting at 11.09am.
The Chairperson explained new arrangements for publishing reports and for their introduction to the Assembly.
Resolved: that the draft Report as amended should be the Report of the Committee for Agriculture and Rural Development and that the Committee orders the Report to be printed. The Clerk was instructed to table the Report in the Business office.
Resolved: that the motion "This Assembly takes note of the Report from the Committee for Agriculture and Rural Development on its Inquiry into the Livestock and Meat Commission" should be signed by the Chairperson and tabled today in the Assembly Business Office.
Resolved: that the Committee would seek a further debate on the Report within six weeks.
Resolved: that the Committee would issue a press release, along with copies of the Report to the press and witnesses and that a press conference should be arranged to follow the "take-note" debate.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 11.16am. The Chairperson resumed the meeting at 11.30am with Messrs Armstrong, Bradley, Ford, Kane, McHugh and Savage present. At this time the Chairperson declared the meeting open to the public.
3. The Fishing Vessels (Decommissioning) Scheme (Northern Ireland) 2001 - proposed Statutory Rule.
3.1 The Chairperson welcomed Anglo-North Irish Fish Producers Organisation Ltd (ANIFPO) representatives Mr Alan McCulla and Mr Ian Morris to the meeting and invited Mr McCulla to make a statement.
3.1.1 After his statement Mr McCulla answered questions from members on a number of topics including the retention of track records within the Northern Ireland fishing fleet, the implementation of the Decommissioning Scheme, the number of fishermen expected to enter bids under the Scheme, the definition of "port of administration" in the Scheme, the differences between the proposed Schemes in Northern Ireland and Scotland, the Fisheries Council meeting due to be held in December 2001 and the regulations which split the whitefish and nephrops fleets.
3.1.2 The Chairperson thanked the ANIFPO officials and they left the meeting at 12.04pm.
3.2 The Chairperson welcomed DARD officials Mr Jim Prentice and Mr Peter Toner to the meeting at 12.05pm and invited Mr Prentice to make a statement.
3.2.1 After his statement Mr Prentice answered questions from members on a number of items including the increase of fish stocks in the Irish Sea, comparisons between the Decommissioning Schemes in Northern Ireland and Scotland, the details of the Scheme in relation to the needs of the Northern Ireland fishing fleet, the disposal of track records, the estimated uptake of the Scheme, when the Scheme is likely to commence and the use of days at sea statistics when calculating the strike price.
Mr Ford left the meeting at 12.29pm.
Resolved: that the Committee is content for DARD to proceed to make the proposed Rule subject to the Department making the two changes that Mr Prentice agreed to recommend to the Minister. These are changing the length of the vessels within the Scheme from at least 12 metres to at least 10 metres and removing the days at sea statistics when calculating the strike price.
3.2.2 The Chairperson thanked the DARD officials and they left the meeting at 12.35pm.
4. Matters arising from the meeting on 17 September 2001.
4.1 Correspondence. Members noted a letter a letter from the Chairperson to the General Consumer Council thanking them for their views and assistance with regards to The Beef Labelling (Enforcement) Regulations Statutory Rule and also a letter to the Department informing them of the General Consumer Council's views on the Rule.
5. Date of Next Meeting.
5.1 Members discussed their availability for a meeting on Friday 28 September 2001.
5.2 Resolved: that the next meeting will take place on Friday 5 October 2001 in Room 135, Parliament Buildings, at 9.30am.
The Chairperson brought the meeting to a close at 12.40pm.
Ian R K Paisley
Chairperson