MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS OF
THE COMMITTEE FOR AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT
FRIDAY 9 NOVEMBER 2001
HELD IN ROOM 135 PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
1. Chairperson's Business
2. Minutes of Proceedings on 26 October 2001
3. Matters arising from the meeting on 26 October 2001
4. Flood Plain Development - Policy and Practice
5. Programme for Government
6. Review of Forest Policy
7. Welfare of Farmed Animals (Amendment) Regulations
8. EU Proposals re Prescription-only Medicines
9. Quota Regimes
10. S.R. No. 379/2001
11. S.R. No. 349/2001
12. The Plant Health (Wood and Bark) (Amendment) Order
13. Livestock and Meat Commission Inquiry Report
14. Any Other Business
15. Date of Next Meeting
Present:Dr IRK Paisley MP MEP(Chairman)
Mr B Armstrong
Mr PJ Bradley
Mr B Douglas
Mr D Ford
Mr G Kane
Mr G McHugh
Apologies:Mr G Savage
Mr J Dallat
Mr I Paisley Jnr
In attendance:Mrs S McClelland
Mr B Kennedy
Mr J McCourt
Miss N McCourt
The Chairperson declared the meeting open in public session at 10.07am.
1. Chairperson's Business.
1.1 The Chairperson informed Members of the Committee that he would be adjourning the meeting at 11.00am for fifteen minutes in order to attend a wreath laying service.
2. Minutes of Proceedings on 26 October 2001.
2.1 Mr Ford explained that his apology for non-attendance at meeting of 26 October 2001 had not been passed to the Committee office for inclusion in the minutes of proceedings, as he had requested.
2.2 Resolved: that the draft Minutes of Proceedings for 26 October 2001 were approved as amended.
3. Matters arising from the meeting on 26 October 2001.
Mr Armstrong attended the meeting at 10.10am.
3.1 Correspondence. Members noted letters to DARD about farm subsidy appeal fee refund; fixed fishing quota allocations; Beef National Envelope (BNE) Funds 2002; and for sight of the final draft farm subsidy Code of Practice before publication. Also a letter to the Minister about action in response to the Scallop Association concerns; a Committee response to the Finance Committee on 2002/03 Budget Bids; and an Ulster Farmers Union letter to DARD about BNE funds and a letter from the Clerk to DARD relating to BNE funds.
Resolved: that a further letter is sent to DARD emphasising that the Committee favours a greater allocation of BNE funds to the Suckler Cow top-up.
3.2 EU Structural Funds - Leader + Programme. Members reviewed their consultation and consideration of the Leader + Programme and noted the Committee's letter of 6 November to DARD seeking further information.
Resolved: that the Committee will consider meeting with officials, as soon as a reply is received to the letter of 6 November, in order to discuss proposals before they are passed to the Commission for approval.
3.3 Northern Ireland Institute of Agricultural Science Conference. The Clerk informed members that Mr Savage and Mr Armstrong would be attending the event on 21 November 2001 on behalf of the Committee. Remaining members were informed that if they wished to attend the conference they should inform Committee staff by the 15 November 2001.
4. Flood Plain Development - Policy and Practice.
4.1 Members noted and discussed the Rivers Agency document "Policy and Practice for the Protection of Floodplains in Relation to Development" and also a short brief from the Clerk on the document.
Resolved: that, in view of the Rivers Agency role as a statutory consultee of the DOE Planning Service, the Committee would refer the document to the Committee for the Environment for information.
Resolved: that the Committee would write to the Department requesting that the Rivers Agency provides maps showing flood plains and details of high risk areas, areas with history of flooding, and urban and rural flood-risk areas.
5. Programme for Government.
5.1 Members considered a request from Junior Ministers in the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister for views on the draft Programme for Government. The Committee also considered draft speaking notes for use by the Deputy Chairperson in the Assembly debate on the draft Programme for Government, scheduled for Tuesday 13 November 2001.
Resolved: that the Committee approved the speaking notes for the Deputy Chairperson subject to more emphasis on rural proofing being inserted.
Resolved: that the response to OFMDFM would be deferred until after the Committee's meeting with the Minister on 16 November 2001.
6. Review of Forest Policy.
6.1 The Chairperson welcomed DARD officials Messrs Malcolm Beatty (Chief Forestry Officer), Stanley McBurney (Economist) and Pat Hunter Blair (Director of Forestry Policy) to the meeting at 10.45am.
6.2 Following an opening statement by Mr Beatty, he and his colleagues answered questions from members on a wide range of topics relating to the review of forestry policy and draft strategy.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 10.59am. The meeting resumed at 11.22am with the Chairperson, Messrs Armstrong, Bradley, Douglas, Kane and McHugh present.
6.3 Further discussions between the members and officials continued. The Chairperson thanked the officials and they left the meeting at 11.45am.
7. Welfare of Farmed Animals (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2001.
7.1 The Chairperson welcomed DARD officials Mr Johnston Given (Grade 7) and Ms Fiona Murdock (DVO) to the meeting at 11.46am.
7.2 Mr Given outlined the nature and purpose of the proposed regulations and then he and Ms Murdock answered questions from members. Mr Given undertook to supply the Committee with a breakdown of units with hens in Northern Ireland by size and number.
7.3 Resolved: that the Committee is content for DARD to proceed to make the proposed Rule subject to the incorporation of (i) an age definition for "laying hens", (ii) details of the 10-day rule regarding beak trimming; and (iii) a definition of a "qualified person" that would ensure that the current arrangements can be allowed to continue and that the Directive should be applied only to units with 350 hens or over.
7.4 The Chairperson thanked the officials and they left the meeting at 12.20pm.
8. EU Proposals re Prescription-only Medicines.
8.1 The Chairperson welcomed DARD officials Dr George McIlroy (DCVO) and Stewart Johnston (Grade 5) to the meeting at 12.22pm.
8.2 Mr Johnston outlined the nature of the proposed EU legislation and the time-scale required to implement these proposals. Mr Johnston also explained that the Department shared the concerns of the industry with regard to these proposals and stated that officials have been, and will continue, arguing this case strongly during negotiations. Mr Johnston and Dr McIlroy answered questions from members. Members voiced their support for this Departmental position.
8.3 The Chairperson asked Dr McIlroy to provide the Committee with a letter to outline the implications for Northern Ireland with regards to these proposals, the Department's line in negotiations and also the current position on negotiations. Dr McIlroy agreed to this.
8.4 The Chairperson thanked the officials and they left the meeting at 12.46pm.
9. Quota Regimes.
9.1 The Chairperson welcomed DARD officials Michael Thompson (Grade 7) and Daniel Glenn (DP) to the meeting at 12.47pm.
9.2 Mr Thompson explained the workings of quota ring fencing in Northern Ireland and in GB and answered questions from members.
9.3 The Chairperson thanked the officials and they left the meeting at 1.06am.
10. S.R. No. 379/2001 - Strangford Lough (Prohibition of Fishing for Shellfish) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2001.
10.1 The Committee considered the Strangford Lough (Prohibition of Fishing for Shellfish) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2001.
Question put and agreed:
That the Committee for Agriculture and Rural Development has considered the Strangford Lough (Prohibition of Fishing for Shellfish) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2001 and has no objection to the Rule.
11. S.R. No. 349/2001 - The Fishing Vessels (Decommissioning) Scheme (Northern Ireland) 2001.
11.1 The Committee considered The Fishing Vessels (Decommissioning) Scheme (Northern Ireland) 2001.
Question put and agreed:
That the Committee for Agriculture and Rural Development has considered The Fishing Vessels (Decommissioning) Scheme (Northern Ireland) 2001 and recommends that the Assembly confirms the Rule.
12. The Plant Health (Wood and Bark) (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2001.
12.1 The Committee considered the proposed Plant Health (Wood and Bark) (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2001.
Resolved: that the Committee is content for DARD to proceed to make the Rule.
13. Livestock and Meat Commission Inquiry Report.
13.1 The Committee discussed a letter, from a LMC board member who gave evidence as part of the Inquiry, to the Chairperson objecting to two conclusions in the Report and also a draft response from the Chairperson in reply.
13.2 Resolved: that the draft response be issued.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 1.20pm. The Chairperson resumed the meeting at 1.42pm with Messrs Armstrong, Bradley, Douglas, Kane and McHugh present.
14. Any Other Business.
14.1 Vision Group Report - Consultation Conference. Members discussed the invitation from the Minister to attend the Vision Consultation Conference to be held at Loughry College on Tuesday 27 November 2001. The Chairperson and Messrs Armstrong, Bradley, Douglas, Kane and McHugh stated their intention to attend the conference.
Resolved: that members would return to the invitation at next week's meeting and identify what discussion group they would wish to participate in.
14.2 DARD Updates. Members noted written updates from the Department on the OFMDFM Consultation Paper on a Victim's Strategy, OFMDFM Consultation Paper on the Executive Response to the Disability Rights Taskforce, Taskforce on Employability and Long-Term Unemployment, DARD's Public Service Agreement and Review of Higher Education and R&D in Agriculture and Food Science.
Resolved: that the Committee will invite the Higher Education and R&D Review Panel to meet with them.
14.3 Launch of the Rural Development Programme. Members were reminded of the launch of the Rural Development Programme on Tuesday 13 November 2001 at the Templeton Hotel, Templepatrick. Members who had stated their intentions to attend the launch were advised to inform Committee staff if they could not attend.
14.4 Escape of Farmed Salmon at Glenarm. Members discussed a letter from the Chairperson of the Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure to the Chairperson relating to the escape of farmed salmon in Glenarm. They also discussed a draft letter from the Chairperson to the Minister seeking further information on the escape of the salmon and DARD's policy in relation to fish farming and their effect on wild salmon. The Chairperson informed members that he had additional information that could be brought to the Committee at a later date.
Resolved: that the draft letter to the Minister be issued, and officials invited to meet the Committee after a reply is received.
14.5 Meeting with the Minister 16 November 2001. Members noted the agenda for the meeting with the Minister on 16 November 2001 to discuss Fisheries Issues, Rural Proofing and EC FVO's visit to Northern Ireland.
15. Date of Next Meeting.
15.1 Resolved: that the next meeting will take place on Friday 16 November 2001 in Room 135, Parliament Buildings, at 10.00am.
The Chairperson brought the meeting to a close at 1.56pm.
Ian R K Paisley
Chairperson