MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMITTEE FOR AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT
FRIDAY 17 MAY 2002
HELD IN ROOM 135 PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Dr IRK Paisley MP MEP (Chairman)
Mr G Savage (Deputy Chairman)
Mr B Armstrong
Mr D Ford
Mr G Kane
Mr G McHugh
Mr I Paisley Jnr
Apologies:
Mr PJ Bradley
Mr B Douglas
Mr M Murphy
In attendance:
Mr P Moore
Miss J Adair
Mr S McCann
Mr J Mc Court
The Chairman declared the meeting open in private session at 10.03 a.m.
1. Minutes of Proceedings on Friday 10 May 2002.
1.1. Resolved: That the draft Minutes of Proceedings for 10 May 2002 were approved with one minor amendment.
2. Matters Arising from the Meeting on 10 May 2002.
2.1. Paragraph 7.3 of the Minutes of Proceedings: A member queried whether the principles of the Bill were in fact clear. Members agreed to consider this issue further later in the meeting.
2.2. Kilkeel Prawn Factory: Members noted correspondence from the Minister regarding the closure of the Kilkeel Prawn Factory. The Chairman reported that he, the Deputy Chair and Mr Bradley had met the Minister during a function at the Balmoral Show, and that she had undertaken to make representations to the company involved.
The Chair and Deputy Chair agreed that they, together with Mr Bradley, would
arrange an informal meeting with the Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment.
2.3. Correspondence: Members noted receipt of correspondence, by e-mail, from the meeting on 10 May 2002.
2.4. Greenmount College: Members noted correspondence from Greenmount College inviting them to visit their facilities. Members deliberated as to whether it was appropriate to attempt to discuss the Review of Further and Higher Education during such a visit.
2.5. Resolved: That members request a meeting with the authors of the Review of Further and Higher Education before deciding on how they engage with the Department's officials. In the meantime the Committee would not take up the invitation to visit Greenmount.
Mr Mc Hugh attended the meeting at 10.10am.
2.6. Committee LMC Inquiry Report: Members were informed that the court case against a meat plant was not yet at hearing but that the Minister had advised the Committee, in correspondence, that the DPP had laid a charge against the plant. The matter should therefore not be discussed in public session due to the issue of sub-judice.
Mr Armstrong attended the meeting at 10.15am.
2.7. Resolved: That members seek a meeting with a named individual, on Friday 24 May 2002, to discuss the principles of the Farm Quality Assurance Scheme. The meeting would be held in private session.
The Chairman declared the meeting open to the public at 10.26 am.
2.8. TSE Regulations: Members noted a letter from the Minister.
3. DARD Business Strategy, Service Delivery Agreement and Public Service Agreement.
3.1. Department Officials Mr Gerry Lavery, Mr. Jim Ditchfield and Mr Tom Rodgers attended the meeting at 10.27am and the Chairman invited Mr Lavery to make an opening statement.
3.2. Mr Lavery thanked the Committee for the invite and made an opening statement saying that it had been a difficult year due to the Foot and Mouth crisis. However, the Department had launched their Rural Development Programme, Forestry targets had been achieved and the Fishing Vessels Decommissioning Scheme had been a success.
3.3. The Chairman stated that he was disappointed that the Department had not taken on board many of the Committee's recommendations regarding the Service Delivery Agreement for 2002/03. Officials answered members' questions regarding the Processing and Marketing Grant Scheme, good farming practice, organic farming, environmental improvements, rural development, stakeholders forum, the Vision Report, the Foot and Mouth outbreak, animal diseases, training for agricultural workers, review of education, Rural Proofing, the costs of the production of the Business Strategy and counter-fraud strategy.
Mr Ford left the meeting at 11.23 a.m.
Mr Paisley Jnr left the meeting at 11.30 a.m.
3.4. Officials agreed to supply the Committee with figures on the number of applications received for the Processing and Marketing Grant Scheme and to write to the Committee to outline how many of its recommendations will be taken on board and when this will happen. Information will also be forwarded in relation to the removal of stock during the Foot and Mouth outbreak.
The Chairman thanked the Officials and they left the meeting at 11.43 a.m.
4. Fur Farming Bill
Mr Paisley Jnr returned to the meeting at 11.50 a.m.
4.1. Members deliberated on the principles of the bill. A member queried whether the principles of the Bill were, in fact, made completely clear in the explanatory memorandum.
4.2. Resolved: That letters be sent to an agreed list of consultees. Lisburn Cow Hides, the British Fur Association and the USPCA to be added to the list.
4.3. Resolved: That the Chair should reflect the Committee's discussions during the debate on the Second Stage of the Bill.
4.4. Resolved: That a press release be issued inviting any other submissions regarding the Bill.
The Chairman declared the meeting to be in private session at 11.57 a.m.
5. Committee Bill
5.1. Kevin Pelan from the Assembly Research and Library Services briefed members on the progress of research aimed at informing the Committee's consideration of a possible Committee Bill to introduce an early retirement scheme and/or a 'young entrant' scheme.
5.2. Resolved: That Research Services should proceed and provide an update at a later meeting.
5.3. Resolved: That Research Services should include the paper on the Danish scheme, as provided by the Deputy Chairman, in their research.
5.4. Resolved: That the Committee approved the costs of any translation services required by the researchers in the course of their research and that Research Services should also investigate any available independent evaluations of schemes they have identified. The Committee further approved a visit by the researcher to meet with those involved with the Early Retirement Scheme in the Republic of Ireland.
6. Vision Report
6.1. Members noted a memorandum on the subject of the Vision consultation exercise and discussed their earlier resolution regarding a formal response to the Vision Group report.
6.2. Resolved: That the Committee await receipt of the Department's action plan before making any response.
7. Forward Planning & DARD Paper on Information to the Committee.
7.1. Resolved: That these issues be considered at the next Committee meeting.
8. Statutory Rules
8.1. SR 169/2002 - Seeds Potatoes (Crop Fees) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2002
Members formally considered the Seed Potatoes (Crop Fees) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2002
Question put and agreed:
That the Committee has considered the Seed Potatoes (Crop Fees) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2002 and, subject to the Examiner of Statutory Rules' Report, has no objection to the rule.
9. Any Other Business
9.1. Fisheries Issues: Response from the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development to concerns raised by the Committee.
Resolved: That this issue be considered at the next Committee meeting.
9.2. Northern Coast Lobster Fisherman's Association: Letter regarding the Association's concerns about difficulties in obtaining Grant Aid.
Resolved: That this issue be considered at the next Committee meeting.
9.3. Salmon Farming: Response from the Chairman of the Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure to concerns raised by the Clerk Chief Executive of Moyle District Council about the effect of salmon farming on wild salmon stocks and local angling clubs.
Resolved: That this issue be discussed at the next Committee meeting.
9.4. Tourist Grant Programmes: Members noted detailed background information on Tourism Grants available through the NI Tourist Board.
9.5. Agrimoney Compensation and Dairy Exports Refunds: Members noted a response from the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development.
9.6. Farm Subsidies: Members noted an update report provided by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development showing the position on the payment of farm subsidies as at 13 May 2002.
9.7. Laganside Rural Development: Letter regarding concerns about obtaining funds.
Resolved: That a letter be sent asking for a written submission on the group's
concerns.
9.8. A member queried whether the Committee should arrange a visit to a boning hall.
Resolved: That members should, as individuals, arrange such visits on their own initiative.
10. Date of Next Meeting
10.1. Resolved: That the next meeting will take place on Friday 24 May 2002 in Room 135, Parliament Buildings, at 10.00 a.m.
The Chairman brought the meeting to a close at 12.24 p.m.
Ian RK Paisley
Chairman